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Final Chapter
As J.K. Rowling’s seventh book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows nears completion, students predict the surprise ending to this popular series. See FEATURE page
Volume 47 Edition 15
Cedar Valley welcomes Democratic Presidential candidate Olivia Schares & Willa Simmet Online Editor & Opinion Editor
An overflow crowd including many CFHS staff and students showed up three hours early in freezing temperatures to stake out the best seats to see presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (D). The crowd, which numbered more than 1,000, made its wait more enjoyable by dancing to music provided by a local band and waving “Obama in ’08” signs as people were continuously flowing into the Central Middle School gymnasium in Waterloo. The Illinois senator and his wife, Michelle, were due to arrive just hours after announcing his candidacy in Springfield, Ill. Finally, the man that these Iowans had been anxiously awaiting arrived to deafening cheers and clapping. Standing tall in a sea of waving blue and homemade signs, Obama presented his ideas about a “new politics” in the United States. While the speech was broad and concept-oriented, Obama touched on the image of U.S. politics, health care, Iraq, terrorism, the need for a living wage, reworking the educational system and alternative fuels. “I’ve been in Washington long enough to know that Washington needs to change,” Obama said. He said he wants to change the image that American people — and people around the world — have of politics in the United States. The image at present is one of slash and burn business and trickery, he said to thunderous applause. “I am in it to transform the country,” he said. This is an issue close to the heart of junior Christian Jorgensen. He said, “We are starting to get a bad image because of the war, and that’s something we need to take care of.” Other issues that concern him the most are social security and international issues. Obama suggested that by eradicating faulty hospital paperwork linked to significant money loss, the country could use that money to provide health insurance for every individual. While serving in the Illinois State Senate, Obama was able to bring
Olivia Schares Photos Left: Delivering his speech to the Cedar Valley at Central Middle School on Saturday is Illinois Sen. Barack Obama. Obama announced his candidacy for President in Springfield, Ill., that day. Above: Dancing before Obama’s arrival are from left, Katie Wilson, Diane Flaherty and Marguerite DeMoss. Many other CFHS students and staff were also present. into Iraq,” Obama said. He said that imposing benchmarks on the Iraqi government and setting a date for a troop withdrawal will allow for the U.S. government to end the war more quickly, and that it is also important that the United States —Barack Obama strengthen its relationships in Illinois Senator & the global com’08 Democratic Candidate munity. Obama opposes the troop together the Democrats and Republisurge. “We all cans to expand children’s health care. have to agree that it does not make Obama said it is important for both sense for us to place our troops in the parties to work together in expanding midst of a civil war,” he said. health care on a national level. Obama said he believes we can Among the attendees were CFHS keep terrorists from being successful teachers, students and alumni. Eng- because, “We have faced more difficult lish teacher Marguerite DeMoss was challenges before.” The United States an attendee of the Obama rally, and can succeed in defeating terrorism “if for her, the main issue is “Iraq, Iraq, we just hold the belief that we can Iraq.” Obama’s comments on this is- change things.” sue brought huge approval from the Obama also spoke about the compecrowd. tition that young people in the United “We need to be as careful pulling States face for jobs. He maintained that out of Iraq as we were careless going in the past, the youth in Waterloo were
“I’ve been in Washington long enough to know that Washington needs to change,”
competing with young people in Chicago, New York and other U.S. cities. But the agricultural age is being replaced by a technological age, and “young people in Waterloo are now competing against young people in Beijing,” he said. “That means we have got to rework the educational system.” Teachers are one of the most important instruments in providing a first class education, but they are “under appreciated and underpaid,” Obama said. He also emphasized the importance of developing home grown fuels. In Brazil, he said, 70 percent of cars use homegrown alternative fuels. He said if the United States set a goal to develop and use more alternative energy, the country could greatly reduce its dependence on foreign sources of oil. Obama said he can’t win on his own, and he can’t change Washington on his own, but, “If you put your time, energy and imagination into this campaign, we can come out more prosperous and more united.” Megan Merner, a CFHS alumni now attending Wartburg, said she hopes to be a part of those presidential plans. “He’s going to be the next president.” Merner said she was interested in a candidate who was anti-war and cared about environmental issues. She said she has decided to caucus for Obama. Some in the crowd are still unde-
cided about who they want to support in 2008. “I’m still trying to get a feel for who I want to root for or work on a campaign for,” CFHS alumni CJ Champ said. He is against the war and for universal healthcare and civil rights for oppressed people. Champ, who would like a future in politics, also wants something done about worldwide poverty. Obama faces a large field of other presidential hopefuls in the race for the Democratic nomination. They include Senator Hillary Clinton, former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, New Mexican Governor Bill Richardson, former Senator and Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards, Senator Joe Biden, Ohio Congressman Dennis Kuccinich, Senator Christopher Dodd and former Senator Mice Gravel. Because Iowa’s caucuses are the first test of a candidate’s strength, Iowa voters have the luxury of seeing most of the candidates first hand. Sarah Anderson said she came, “because I am interested in learning about candidates and their issues, since it will be the first election I will be able to vote in.” “I was excited about his candidacy already, and when I saw the opportunity to actually see him and his wife in person, I grabbed it,” DeMoss said. The Secretary of The Northern Iowa College Democrats, Libby Abbas from the University of Northern Iowa, sat with Obama on a bus from Cedar Rapids to Central Middle School. She said they shared trail mix while he asked Abbas and her friends questions about what issues were important to them and what they wanted in a candidate. Obama told them that he plans to visit every college to gain student support. Abbas said they discussed tuition and text book fees, an issue that concerns Abbas and her peers because, “Since 2001, UNI’s tuition rates have gone up 95 percent,” Abbas said.
Editor’s Note: The Tiger HiLine recognizes the importance of giving equal coverage to the 2008 Presidential candidates and will conitnue to do so once a frontrunning Republican can-