Obama looks to move beyond divisive politics

BALTIMORE- Sen. Barack Obama brought his message of hope and change to Baltimore this evening. Speaking before a capacity crowd of 13,000 at the 1st Mariner Arena, the Illinois Democrat promised to “get beyond the divisions” of our politics, while calling his campaign “a movement.”

On the eve of the Chesapeake Primary, and nearly one-year to the day since he announced his candidacy for the presidency in Springfield, Illinois, Obama reiterated a common campaign theme, saying he was running because of “the fierce urgency of now,” as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said.

“We cannot afford to wait,” Obama said.

The candidate mentioned his chief rival for the Democratic nomination, Sen. Hillary Clinton, on two separate occasions. He chastised the New York senator for claiming that he could not withstand “the Republican attack machine.

“I’m skinny, but I’m tough,” Obama joked.

Obama also mentioned the GOP frontrunner, John McCain, once, saying he respected the senator for his service to country in Vietnam, but saying McCain’s views “were on the wrong side of history.”

The senator was also critical of the Clinton campaign for mocking him for his repeated use of “hope” as a campaign theme.

Describing his childhood growing up being raised by a single mother and his grandparents, Obama said, “The odds of me standing here were very slim.”

He said his use of hope in the campaign did not mean that he had his “head in the clouds,” saying he was aware of how hard it would be to end corruption, poverty and disease.

If elected, Obama promised that the Bush era of “Scooter Libby justice, Brownie incompetence, and Karl Rove politics will finally be over.”

The candidate also said his administration would work to end the influence that lobbyists have in politics, saying, “Their days of setting the agenda in Washington are over.”

Obama works ropelineObama said that because lobbyists “have not funded my campaign,” he would not be influenced by what they want.

Acknowledging the momentum and excitement from many supporters of his campaign, Obama said he could not “take all the credit,” telling the audience that many of them were excited because “the name George Bush” would not be on the ballot in the presidential election.

The senator addressed many issues during his 40-minute speech, including health care.

He said the issue was “personal” to him because he watched his 53-year-old mother worry about the cost of health care as she died of cancer.

He told the crowd that he would work to make health insurance affordable for all Americans by lowering costs, and said young people would be entitled to their parents’ health insurance until the age of 25.

On education, Obama said we would institute “higher salaries for teachers,” adding that the American government needed the “will” to improve education and school systems.

“We have new prisons but old schools,” Obama said.

He also called for additional resources to be put into the study of art, music, poetry, and history.

In what was perhaps a response to the claim of the Clinton campaign that their candidate was the most electable Democrat, Obama said his campaign had the ability to “attract Republicans,” telling a common story about how members of the GOP come up to him at rally’s and say they support him.

On Iraq, Obama called for an end to the war, saying he would bring the troops home in 2009. He reminded the audience that he was against the war before it started; a clear jab at Clinton’s vote in favor of the conflict.

On national defense, Obama said his “job as commander-in-chief” would be to keep the American people safe. He said he would never be afraid to “strike” against those who wish the United States harm and pose an imminent threat.

Saying the final cost of the war could be as high as $2 trillion, Obama said, “We could have rebuilt this country with that money.”

He also commended the troops, saying they have done a “magnificent job.”

In other areas, Obama said that under his administration the United States would lead the world on “climate change,” and on other issues like bringing an end to “the Genocide in Darfur” and combating HIV/AIDS.

The candidate said he would “roll back” the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, and give a tax cut to those making under $75,000 a year. He said the additional money could be used to invest in the nation’s cities, like Baltimore.

His also took on corporate greed, saying there was something fundamentally wrong when a CEO makes more in ten minutes than many people earn in a year.

Obama said his work as a community organizer on the streets of Chicago taught him a lot about how people of different backgrounds can come together.

He said he used this knowledge when he decided to run for president, saying he gambled on his belief that the American people were “hungry for a new kind of politics.”

“My bet has paid off,” he said to thunderous applause.

Obama was introduced by Rep. Elijah Cummings, who said the senator stood “by his convictions,” calling him a “true leader.”

Mayor Sheila Dixon of Baltimore, Comptroller Peter Franchot, and Attorney General Doug Gansler were also present.

Obama closed by telling the young people in the audience that there time to make a mark on history had come.

“This is our moment,” he said.

Polls are open tomorrow from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM.