£. THf cs Ms
£ ddtoehd rancon
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Primary push leaves Behrend pumped
. :gan McGregor/inn. OLi i..
Sen Haim. k Ohama iI)-IL) delivered a crowd pleasing speech in his first visit to Erie on the campaign trail.
Bv Connor Sattelv
t’lucrniiniiit ni editor
U'OUfilH" psu.CvUl
Somewhere amidst ihe churning crowd, freshman
Pal Troc.sier began to realize the gravity of the situa
tion. lie knew that Sen. Barack Obama's (D-IL) visit
Friday. April IX in the Junker Center could be the
most important event of his college career.
fmester arrived at the Junker Center around 8:15
a.m. to see an assembled crowd of hundreds. Some
Obama supporters arrived as early as 6:30 a.m. to
\ it for the doors to open. Though many people were
pro 1 /bama. Troester wasn't sure. "I'm on the fence
rnlu now." he said. He mentioned that President
Clinton's speech in Trie Hall made hint consider
I (illarv more closelv.
Only 250 tickets were distributed to Behrend stu
dents. Manx Trie residents were able to obtain tickets
„ l
News 1-4 Student Life 7
Opinion 5 Music 8
Entertainment 6 Sports 9-10
A Penn State Behrend Student Publication
at Obama’s headquarters downtown. Some were
unable to get tickets, but made the trip anyway. Three
high school students drove an hour from Warren, Pa.,
even though they didn’t have tickets. “We stood by
the line with a big sign,” they said. “Eventually, peo
ple just gave us their extra tickets.”
As the Junker Center’s gym filled, the energy in the
room grew until Bob Casey arrived on stage. The
crowd exploded in applause as Casey stepped up to
the podium, thanking Erie and Pennsylvania for their
support. In his remarks, he encouraged his listeners to
“go out over the next few days and work like you
have never worked before.”
When Casey called Obama onstage, the noise was
deafening as the crowd broke out in an inspired chant
of “Yes we can,” one of the Illinois senator’s cam
paign slogans. His main points included healthcare,
See OBAMA on page 3.
Former President Bill Clinton rallied support for his wife. Sen. Hillary Clinton (I)-
By Lenny Smith
news editor
lrs.So46C n 'psu.cdu
A line had already formed as early 8 a.m. on
April 16 with eager students, faculty, and commu
nity members that wanted a chance to see Former
President Bill Clinton. President Clinton's visit to
Penn State Behrend was his second campaign stop
in Erie over the last month. He has been traveling
all over the country in an attempt to rally support
for his wife. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY).
While the crowd waited to get into the hall.
Clinton campaigners walked around with forms
everyone had to fill out in order to be allowed in
the building. When the crowd was allowed to start
entering the building around 9:15 a.m., the line
had weaved down the sidewalk toward College
Drive and then back around through the grass next
to Erie Hall.
"1 think it's really going to be awesome to see
what they have to say and not what the media puts
in." Behrend senior Carrie Barr said.
Freshman Amy Oldach. a registered republican,
said since she can't vote in the primary, she just
wanted to get the chance to see President Clinton.
While the crowd that filled Erie Hall waited for
the former president to arrive, songs like "Don’t
Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) spoke in support of Senator Barack Obama (D-ll ) on \f unlay
We are now on the Web!
Visit us online at www.thebehrendbeacon.com
Vol. LIV No. XXII
Stop Believin’" by Journey hlaMcd tlii"ii!'li ill
speakers before local, high-rankine .K-mo. i.O
took the stage.
“For 30 years [Hillary | ( 'lint*'n ha- woil-e.i uih
gently." County Execulixc Maik IhNoccluo said
Superdelagatc lan Murray stressed the mun.it nice
of being united within the Democratic puny
"We are Democrats, no mallei die camlnluu
he said. "If |\\e don't come together! v. c iml
Behrend senior Elton Annady ivimiuu J ihc
crowd about Sen. Clinton's cxpcricik. and i..nii
ness to take action. "Hillary emerged a- a key
player in Bill's administration."
After Annady finished speaking, liic cow, d
erupted into a "We Are... Penn Stale' chain
Cheers star Ted Danson. a close lauiily liieii'l o!
the Clintons, introduced President Clmtoi.
In a one-on-one interx icxx x\ ith l In l:< ~•<< mi
Beacon. Danson said. "I find her to Is ihc most
authentic and truthful. She has done dm loi ilum
five years, not sparatically that speaks mi .:
"I would like to he introduce you to my l.i'.mm
president, so far." Danson said, enduu: ho niiio
duction of President Clinton.
President Clinton said llillatx has e\i.iM-e
plans to produce alternat ixc- ciieiex. io..\ id.,
affordable healthcare for ex cry Aincikan m.ike
Set ( I I\l t) \ / oe<
NY 1 .it I no Hall