By Scott Smith, NHI Indiana
KOKOMO — Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said “the fierce urgency of now” had compelled him to seek the nation’s highest office, drawing roars to the rafters in Kokomo’s Memorial Gym Friday.
The first presidential candidate to visit Kokomo since Ronald Reagan in 1980, Obama drew an audience stunning in its ethnic balance and rapt in its devotion.
And he wasted no time addressing Kokomo’s economic woes.
“You can’t negotiate over anything except trying to keep the health insurance you’ve got, your city just passed 7 percent unemployment, you’re making $6,000 less on average than the typical American family, and you’ve lost 4,000 jobs since the start of the Bush administration,” Obama said of the City of Firsts.
“I’m running for president because of places like Kokomo, Ind.”
Downplaying differences with Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton, Obama said no matter what the outcome of the Democratic primary, “the Democrats will be unified in November.”
“Because whatever differences I’ve got with Senator Clinton, and she has with me, they pale in comparison with the differences we’ve got with John McCain,” he said.
Calling McCain “a genuine hero, worthy of our respect,” Obama nonetheless said “John McCain is running for George Bush’s third term.”
“The failed war in Iraq, the failed economic policies, the 232,000 jobs we’ve lost since the beginning of the year — we can’t afford four more years of a George Bush economy, so the Democrats will be unified in November.”
The three things Obama said he offers as a candidate have by now become familiar with voters.
“First, I’ll drive the special interests out of Washington, and the American people’s agenda comes first,” he said. “Second, I’ll bring people together so we don’t have a bunch of bickering in Washington. And third, we need a president who tells the truth to the American people.”
The third point drew a standing ovation, and the loudest cheers of the entire event.
With Obama and Clinton staking out many of the same claims regarding domestic policies — both calling for massive investment in clean energy, education, veterans’ benefits and health care — Obama treaded gingerly when casting himself as the more likely agent of change.
“(Clinton’s) making similar claims, so why is it we haven’t got health care reform? All these folks talking about all the experience they’ve got — why haven’t they got it done?” he said.
“If we think we can get a different kind of health care with the same kind of politics, we’re mistaken,” he said.
On the economy, Obama offered more tough talk on fair trade, mentioning downsizing at Delphi Electronics & Safety and Kokomo Sanitary Pottery during his remarks.
Obama also echoed remarks made earlier this week by U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly, who came to Kokomo to speak against the Columbia Free Trade Agreement.
“I won’t sign a new trade agreement unless we make sure it’s not just good for Wall Street, but it’s also good for Main Street,” he said
While Obama gave a 40-minute address, he spent another 30 minutes taking questions from the audience of an estimated 2,900. Clearly enjoying the interaction, he addressed a Korean-born Kokomo High School student with a traditional Korean greeting, drawing bows of respect from the young man.
Another student, breathlessly gushing praise, asked Obama to fund arts education, drawing a wry smile from the Illinois Senator.
“I gotta say you seem a little shy,” Obama joked. “I want to plug him in. We could run a generator off him. He’s fired up.”
Obama turned serious when another student asked him about allegations “you do not address the flag.”
“This is a phony issue folks ... this is not true,” he said. “I’ve been saying the Pledge of Allegiance since I was 4 years old. When I’m presiding in the Senate, I lead the pledge, so it’s been on C-SPAN.”
Obama said the rumors started when he was photographed forgetting to put his hand over his heart during the national anthem at an event in Iowa.
“I was getting into the song. But I acknowledged a mistake,” he said. “I’ll tell you what, I’m going to look at all of you at a ball game some time to make sure all of you got it right,” he quipped.
Likewise, he said he simply misplaced his flag pin at different occasions.
“I will say sometimes people wear flag pins, but don’t always act patriotically — I’m specifically referring to politicians — individuals who wear flag pins and then vote against funding for veterans,” he said.
“Don’t listen to them. Look at what I do and what I say, and my commitment to making this country a better place.”
Another audience member said he was a child in 1948 when then-presidential candidate Harry S. Truman made a train stop in Kokomo.
“The train pulled in, and Harry S. Truman was elected president of the United States. You’re next,” the man offered, drawing a cheer from the crowd.
Obama, however, said he begged to differ with the man when the suggestion came that drilling for oil in Alaska’s protected wildernesses was a solution to high gas prices.
“The ultimate strategy for reducing oil prices is to use less of it,” Obama said. “If people tell you we can’t do it, remember there was a fellow named Kennedy saying we can go to the moon, and we did it.”
With that, Obama was off to a 3-on-3 basketball game with Indiana students who helped his get-out-the-vote campaign.
“If you vote for me May 6, I won’t just win in Indiana, I’ll get the nomination, and I’ll win the country,” he vowed.
