Obama Crashes 8th Grade Graduation

[Perky]

Political Play: Now, a word from Obama

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/washington/AP-Political-Play-of-the-Day.html

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: June 11, 2008
Filed at 2:28 p.m. ET

CHICAGO (AP) -- Sen. Barack Obama gave four dozen 8th graders a graduation to remember Wednesday when he unexpectedly walked onstage in the middle of their ceremony.

The mostly black crowd of students, family and friends erupted in squeals of disbelief in seeing the Democratic presidential candidate, who had just finished a hastily arranged economics forum across the hall at the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Screams and cheers nearly drowned out his brief remarks to graduates of the Young Women's Leadership Charter School of Chicago. ''I'm proud that you graduated from the 8th grade, but it's just the 8th grade,'' Obama said. He urged the students, all girls, to read, turn off the TV and decide ''how can I make myself the best young woman I can possibly be.''

Obama shook a few hands and walked off as those in the auditorium, still pinching themselves, chanted ''Change, change.''



GOBAMA!!!!!

[grantcart]

1. great - link?

[Starbucks Anarchist]

Here:

http://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/2008/06/11/sidelined-in-chicago-obama-wows-8th-grade-graduating-class/

[Perky]

3. Now in the OP

[babylonsister]

2. I LOVE it! nt

[BklynChick]

4. fantastic. he is full of surprises

He urged the students, all girls, to read, turn off the TV and decide ''how can I make myself the best young woman I can possibly be.''

:loveya:

[Cha]

5. Lovely Obama!

That's what we like ..wonderful surprises:D

[Indenturedebtor]

6. Lol that's awesome. This guy is like Waldo.

I'm gonna go pick up the couch and see if he's hiding under there :D

[me b zola]

7. Those girls will never forget their 8th grade graduation

:thumbsup:

[DerekJ]

8. :)

[smoogatz]

9. Obama rocks.

Wonder what kind of greeting McCain would've gotten?

[yellowdogintexas]

10. he is gonna give the Secret Service a complete nervous breakdown

isn't he?

Gobama!!!

Wonder if he is out front in my big tree, better go check<

[Hippo_Tron]

32. Secret Service actually doesn't mind unscheduled drop ins

It's the scheduled events that give them a nervous breakdown. The odds of someone that might be trouble actually being in the audience of that 8th grade graduation are extremely slim.

[democrat2thecore]

36. Exactly - especially when they cross the rope line -nt

[David__77]

11. So nice to have this posted with all positive comments!

It's wonderful to have Obama as our presumptive nominee!

[Botany]

12. I loves me some Obama ...

Class shows he already had these votes but he took time to make
these girls feel good about themselves.

[gblady]

13. I love...

the look on the girls faces!

[Botany]

21. Why did you post that picture?

:cry: but in a good way.

[uponit7771]

23. Nice pic!!! She literally looks like she can't move...this is great

[panAmerican]

25. Priceless! Looks like she's about to curtsy.

[slinkerwink]

14. Aw, that's cute.

[uponit7771]

15. I'm TRYING to be objective but I like Obama more & more & think McSame is a notch above Bush and

...that's horrible

[NatBurner]

16. nice... they'll be able to vote for him in 2012 too

[Emit]

17. I'm sorry, but,

this kind of story just brings tears -- the good kind -- to my eyes.

[graywarrior]

18. He totally rawks

[Avalux]

19. Obama genuinely seems to care about the common peeps.

It's confirmed every time I read a story like this about him. Actions speak louder than words. :-)

[uponit7771]

22. RIGHT!! I am trying to be objective but I don't see that from McSame, he either sold his soul or he

...never had one.

[mystieus]

20. Need pics!

[gcomeau]

24. Google is irritating me.

I go try to find news articles on this and my search comes back with an AP and Reuters article on it, and then the link underneath saying "all 57 news articles>>".

I'm thinking great, 57 reports on it already. Let's see what they've got... click on the link and get a list of TWO news articles. The AP and the Reuters ones on the front search page.

Google news is messing with my mind!

Also, K&R.

[gcomeau]

26. Aha! There's a new more detalied account...

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/06/obama_makes_surprise_visit_to.html

Below is the bulk of his talk to the young women:

"Don't just settle for the mediocre because all of you have
extraordinary talent, all of you are going to be leaders in the future,
but only if you put out the effort. I'm proud that you graduated from
eighth grade, but it's just eighth grade. After you're done celebrating,
I want every young woman to be thinking about this summer how you going
to start hitting the books early? How are you going to start getting a
leg up on high school? What books are you going to read, instead of
watching TV? What kinds of new knowledge can you gain, because I want
what you to be doing every single minute of every single day is thinking
about how can I make myself the best possible young woman that I can be?
I want you to dream big dreams. Don't just settle for small dreams,
because I know if you dream big dreams, there's nothing you can't
accomplish. I'm proud of you. God bless you."

As he left the stage, Obama shook a few hands and the graduation
ceremony returned to its earlier activities.

Catherine Garth, who lives in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood, was
there to see the graduation of her granddaughter, Shanara Garth.

"It was fantastic and a very pleasant surprise," she said of Obama's
visit. "I think he's the greatest thing since candy."

(I think the person transcribing his remarks for this article probably butchered his grammar, but the spirit still comes through)

[babylonsister]

27. I'm also impressed that 8th graders are politically aware and

knew who the heck he is. :applause:

[tblue37]

28. Wanna bet some of those young women will be inspired to a life of

political action, just as Bill Clinton was inspired by meeting and shaking hands with JFK?

[FrenchieCat]

29. That's what makes me cry......

all of that inspiration that he just walks around with by virtue of his hard earned accomplishments, let along his potential years ahead. :cry:

[Hippo_Tron]

33. What amazes me is that they all know who he is and it's only June

I was about their age during the 2000 election. I knew who Al Gore was because he was the Vice President. I definitely didn't know who George W Bush was until at least August or September.

[usregimechange]

30. kick!

[AnnieBW]

31. And McSame says,

"Stay off my lawn, ya damn kids!"

[Hippo_Tron]

34. Hey, that's John "Abe Simpson" McSame

[SwampG8r]

35. THIS....THIS....

is the kind of stuff great presidents do

im starting to go past support and towards actual love for this guy

[Pisces]

37. THe amazing thing is the impact he will have on their lives for years to come.

[Prophet 451]

38. "Mum, you'll never guess who came to graduation!"

This guy is crazy, crazy in a way I like.

[sofa king]

39. Did he show up stag and spike the punch bowl, too?