Spring Break
Grassroots committing to Obama
Sommer Saadi, Contributing Writer, ssaadi@smu.edu
Issue date: 3/21/07 Section: News
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The crowd of more than 20,000 erupted in applause and cheers as he took the stage at Austin's Auditorium Shores. People waved homemade signs proclaiming their love for the man dressed in a black coat, white button-down dress shirt and no tie.
Was it a rock star? No. A movie star? No.
The man in black was Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama. He made his Texas campaign premiere at a political rally on Feb. 23.
The rally in Austin drew the biggest crowd a presidential campaign has ever drawn at that stage of the presidential campaigning process, according to the Obama campaign.
The turnout is an example of the political phenomenon that has been sweeping across the nation so early in the presidential race.
It's been dubbed by the media as "Obama-mania."
It describes the massive media response and grassroots support the Barack Obama campaign has received since the Illinois senator announced his candidacy in February.
Since the announcement, more than 3,300 volunteer groups have been founded, more than 4,400 personal fundraising pages have been established and more than 6,700 people have created their own blogs to chronicle their support for Obama.
Sarah Crisman, an organizer for the Obama Campaign Dallas chapter, says she has met people of every walk of life committing to the campaign, each of them equally fascinated by Obama.
"We all wonder, 'why we are possessed to add this to our busy lives'?" Crisman said. "It's because we want him to be president. I'll do whatever I can do to make that happen."
Some wonder if the excitement will translate into a potential bid at the presidency.
"The biggest challenge for a candidate is name recognition, but that is a hurdle Obama has clearly surmounted," said Dr. Matthew Wilson, associate professor of political science at SMU.
Phone calls and e-mails to Obama's campaign were not returned.
It's not his platform that is drawing all the attention. The issues Obama tackles are the usual: fighting corruption in government, energy conservation, foreign policy and the war in Iraq.
Was it a rock star? No. A movie star? No.
The man in black was Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama. He made his Texas campaign premiere at a political rally on Feb. 23.
The rally in Austin drew the biggest crowd a presidential campaign has ever drawn at that stage of the presidential campaigning process, according to the Obama campaign.
The turnout is an example of the political phenomenon that has been sweeping across the nation so early in the presidential race.
It's been dubbed by the media as "Obama-mania."
It describes the massive media response and grassroots support the Barack Obama campaign has received since the Illinois senator announced his candidacy in February.
Since the announcement, more than 3,300 volunteer groups have been founded, more than 4,400 personal fundraising pages have been established and more than 6,700 people have created their own blogs to chronicle their support for Obama.
Sarah Crisman, an organizer for the Obama Campaign Dallas chapter, says she has met people of every walk of life committing to the campaign, each of them equally fascinated by Obama.
"We all wonder, 'why we are possessed to add this to our busy lives'?" Crisman said. "It's because we want him to be president. I'll do whatever I can do to make that happen."
Some wonder if the excitement will translate into a potential bid at the presidency.
"The biggest challenge for a candidate is name recognition, but that is a hurdle Obama has clearly surmounted," said Dr. Matthew Wilson, associate professor of political science at SMU.
Phone calls and e-mails to Obama's campaign were not returned.
It's not his platform that is drawing all the attention. The issues Obama tackles are the usual: fighting corruption in government, energy conservation, foreign policy and the war in Iraq.
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