Barack Obama Visits Arizona

PHOENIX -- On Wednesday, January 31, Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama packed the Veteran's Coliseumin Phoenix, Arizona. Over 10,000 people packed the former NBA basketball arena called the "Madhouse on McDowell" to hear Barack argue for the audacity of hope and see Caroline Kennedy. I was there.

My vote is still in play. As a registered Independent, I'm forced to sit out the Arizona primary on my birthday/Super Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008.

As a lover of all things politics, I went to learn more about Barack Obama and his supporters. That said, I tend to lean Republican.

Obama delivered an impressive speech that swept the audience into his vision and defended himself against attacks by his competitor Hilary Clinton. The early speech was littered with partisan crowd pleasers like "my cousin Dick Cheney." The end of the speech was a tour de force which melded policy plans, a vision of hope, and a trip through America social history. For Obama, change comes from the people. As a historian, I tend to agree.

The crowd was definitely pleased. In Arizona, there was resounding applause for Obama's desire to raise the pay of teachers, support our veterans, end the war, and fight for a quality health care system. Arizonans also cheered when Obama promised an immigration policy that was both secure and fair, but they cheered louder when Obama noted the importance of integrating the children of immigrants into American society.

Who was the crowd? It was all of ages. I would say that the crowd favored those under sixty-five. I would argue that the crowd was split between the very young and the middle age.

Latinos were fairly represented ( if not the majority) in the crowd. While Washington pundits have argued that Latinos shy away from Black candidates, this doesn't seem to be the case in Arizona

The crowd was impressed and excited about Obama's policy ideas.-domestic and foreign While the sentiments behind the programs appealed to me, I kind of felt that more information would be needed in order for one to evaluate his plans for ensuring a living wage for all Americans. I think he is asking people to vote on the idea that reasonable people of both parties can address these issues.

That said, I think that this weakness in Obama is also a strength. His intellectual ability, nimbleness, and ability to listen, I think in the end would allow him to create domestic "Democrat" style social policies that would benefit and not limit the freedoms of Americans.

One thing that impressed me in his economic platform was his desire to create tax breaks to encourage investment and economic development in regions of our country that are ailing. I think this speaks to his desire to find targeted solutions to our economic problems rather than leading us towards the nanny state.

Of course, my vote is still on the table. Arizona's Senator John McCain is still in play. I also do not like the abortion rights activism that controls the national Democratic Party. It was a point in Obama's favor that he did not spend five minutes pledging that abortion rights are sacred to our nation.

The voters around me looked convinced that Obama was the One. He faces a tough battle in the Arizona primary. Hilary seems to have the name recognition. He has been gaining. Many people who favored Obama over Clinton have already cast their early ballot for John Edwards. Obama also has the support of the most successful Latino and Anglo Democrat leaders in the state. Good Luck on Super Tuesday, Obama!!!