Video still by Jim Manion

Sen. Barack Obama moved beyond Bittergate and Wrightboating in an April 30 speech at IU's Assembly Hall. Obama told the audience of 13,000 that it is time to change the way the game of politics is played in Washington.

If Democratic Sen. Barack Obama has been fatally wounded by the most recent onslaught of drive-by attacks on his presidential run, he didn't show it as he delivered a red-meat speech to 13,000 still-feverishly-on-boards on April 30 in Assembly Hall.

In a long and bloody primary race between Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton, one that many fear will be settled by what could turn out to be this year’s hanging chads -- superdelegates -- Indiana’s May 6 primary could play a decisive role in a presidential election for the first time in decades.

As part of his Indiana tour, Obama spoke to a swooning Bloomington audience, which, while student-heavy, was as diverse in its demographic make-up as the disparate cultural identities and political perspectives the senator has sought to mobilize in his historic campaign.

U.S. Rep. Baron Hill, D-Ninth, made introductory remarks, announcing his late-in-the game, surprise endorsement of Obama, saying, "I believe he can change the tone and tenor in Washington. ... I believe he can bring our country together in a way we so desperately need right now. Barack Obama is going to be the next president of the United States."

Obama made fast friends with the Hoosier crowd when he exclaimed over the noise of his rock star reception that one of his first presidential acts would be to "take the bowling alley out of the White House and put in a basketball court."

The senator's speech turned serious fast, however, as he dove straight past the shallow waters of Bittergate and Reverend Wrightboating into the deep well of nitty-gritty issues that those in attendance appeared to have come for.

"When I hear my opponents argue, 'Look, we need somebody in Washington who knows how to play the game better,' I try to explain, 'We don't need somebody who plays the game better, we need somebody who puts an end to the game,'" Obama told an animated audience that showed its approval by standing and chanting, "Yes we can," off and on throughout the evening.

While most of Obama's missives were aimed at apparent Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, he admonished both McCain and Clinton for their shared support of a three-month suspension of the federal gas tax in response to exorbitant gas prices that have crippled those in Indiana and all across the country.

Obama ridiculed what he called the "Clinton-McCain Proposal," asserting that average Americans would save about 30 cents a day over the three-month moratorium and that it would cut into federal highway funds that finance rebuilding roads and bridges.

"But the most offensive thing," he continued, "is that it's a gimmick. It's the kind of thing done before every election when gas prices go up, when the politicians in Washington can pretend they're doing something instead of actually taking seriously the need for an energy policy in this country."

While Obama acknowledge that people "do want immediate relief" at the pumps, he suggested that "closing tax breaks on the wealthy and giving tax breaks to people who need them" would offer longer lasting relief to the working and middle classes than a band-aid campaign stunt.

Obama touched on other issues on the minds of many, such as the "achievement gap" in education, swelling higher education costs, ending the genocide in Darfur, an economy on the brink of recession, massive job losses, the improper care of veterans in a country where flag pins apparently signify patriotism and broader issues that have taken backseats in the last several years, like global diplomacy and climate change.

Obama explained, however, that all of those problems would be difficult to resolve as long as this country continues to spend $400 million a day on the War in Iraq, a war he reminded the crowd that he opposed in 2002, unlike Sens. McCain and Clinton. Obama might have been thinking of them both when he said politicians need to "stop using 9/11 as a way to scare up votes."

Audience members appeared to have given Obama a thumbs up for his nuts-and-bolts speech. Attending their first political rally of the season, Ned and Amanda Shaw agreed that he delivered on the issues they came to hear about.

"He addressed the gas tax issue, or 'gimmick' as he called it, and the crowd really got his point and stood up in support," Amanda said.

Obama's emphasis on "money being spent on wars that's not being spent on domestic issues" was what did it for Ned. "I feel like Obama will address that issue, and I also feel like he's our best shot at getting us out of politics as usual."

IU senior and local musician Ben Fowler said most of what Obama hit on was striking and that "it's hard to disagree with his message in this current climate."

Bob Baldwin, who is managing progressive Democrat Gretchen Clearwater's Ninth District congressional challenge to Hill, was at the rally and pointed out that Clearwater endorsed Obama long before her opponent.

"She opposed the War in Iraq since before this election, and she campaigned door to door for Obama in Iowa," he said, adding that he hopes Bloomington comes out for both Clearwater and Obama, the two candidates he sees as "our best hope for the future."

Lori Canada can be reached at locanada30@yahoo.com.

Barack Obama in Bloomington - 04.30.08 Part 1
Barack Obama in Bloomington - 04.30.08 Part 2
Barack Obama in Bloomington - 04.30.08 Part 3
Barack Obama in Bloomington - 04.30.08 Part 4
Barack Obama in Bloomington - 04.30.08 Part 5