By Nick Newman
COLUMBIA, Mo. ? Thousands swarmed the University of Missouri on Thursday to support Sen. Barack Obama?s run for the presidency. The line literally went on for miles, with many chanting ?yes we can.?
?I?ve been working for Obama in Missouri, and I drove down to let my daughter experience an Obama rally,? said Sue Harper of St. Charles, Mo. ?He shows us the hope that I felt years ago when John F. Kennedy was running. The country is in a mess. We?ve lost the respect of the world and he can renew our reputation.?
The locals weren?t alone at the rally. People from all over the country attended, and even a few foreigners were there.
One of them was Dave Colwell, a London, Ontario, native who drove a day and a half to bring his granddaughter to the rally. Both were sporting ?Canadian for Obama? T-shirts.
?We?re very concerned with the situation of the U.S. right now,? he said. ?Canada has always been a peaceful country, and we aren?t supporters of the war. We felt when the Americans went into Iraq, they got into the same situation as Vietnam.?
Colwell?s granddaughter, Makenna Martin, agreed.
?He?s awesome and I think he?ll be a good president. I like how Obama represents himself; I wish I could vote for him, but can?t,? the 11-year-old said after standing in line for hours.
Not everyone, however, was ecstatic about the rally.
One McCain supporter was wearing a red sign that quoted, on the front and the back, John 3:36.
The man pretended to hand out $100 bills to people in the line. While people stretched out their hands he told them he could not give them the money under Obama?s plan, because the hand-outs were for those in the front of the line.
Jay Jones, a Lincoln University student from Chicago, said he was excited to support Obama.
?He?s a hometown homeboy, so-to-speak. We share the same views, and he?s been telling the truth, so I?m with him. I?ve been in line for three hours just for this.?
