photo by the author
The Obama campaign returned to the CU campus last night at the “Greater Together Youth Summit.” Back in 2008, Michelle Obama spoke on Farrand Field on behalf of her husband. This time around CU was selected as one of 12 universities across the nation to host youth summits. The event was organized by CU’s Students for Obama group.
Some major names from Obama’s campaign team led the evening, including Buffy Wicks, Obama’s national operation vote director; David Simas, a campaign opinion researcher; and James Kvall, the national policy director. They were joined by a panel of CU students and a Fairview High School junior. Joseph Neguse, a CU regent and alumnus, also made an appearance at the beginning of the night.
All of the speakers emphasized the significance of this upcoming election for students’ lives as well as the importance of the role they can play. Students were encouraged to work hard but also know that when things go wrong they should depend on each other. Simas said, “We are truly greater together. This country is strongest when we stand together.” The crowd of about 100 ranged from infants to the elderly but was mostly made up of CU students.
Obama made a pre-recorded video appearance and then the evening progressed to the panel discussion which covered topics ranging from education to jobs to health care. The crowd was encouraged to ask or tweet their questions. At one point, the last remnants of the Occupy CU group interrupted the panel by shouting slogans protesting Obama’s signing of the National Defense Authorization Act. They were shouted down by the crowd with yells of, “It’s no patriot act!”, “Get the hell out!”, and finally the chanting of, “Four more years!”
The event concluded with the mini-documentary “The Road We’ve Traveled” narrated by Tom Hanks. The Students for Obama group encouraged attendees to volunteer and help the campaign in the future.
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