The past couple of days have been very eventful up here in blustery North Dakota (by ND standards). It is not often that much attention is paid to North Dakota with regard to...well anything. So to have two people with any sort of name recognition visit, and on back-to-back days, has been a very welcome experience.
To have a major candidate for Leader of the Free World pay any attention to our state reiterates what has been said a gaziillion times in all of the Obama diaries here over the past year. This truly is a 50 state strategy, and this is my little contribution to the grassroots effort we are all a part of.
Details over the fold.
On Tuesday night, Dule Hill, of West Wing/ Psyche/ People Magazine 50 Most Beautiful fame, visited our coffee shop here on the campus of the University of North Dakota. He told us the reasons he is supporting/ campaigning for Obama this year. It was your standard "hope, change, etc." speech. Nothing all that much new, it was more of a Celebrity Bringing Out The Voters type event, but helpful to the campaign nonetheless. He also mentioned the 110 degree difference between LA (70 degrees), and Grand Forks (-45 degrees), which proves how strongly he feels about Obama.
Our UND Obama organizer, while introducing Hill, gave us some fairly disappointing numbers with regard to ND's recent voting habits. In the 2004 caucus, only about 10k North Dakotans voted. For both parties combined. And of those 10k, 300 were between the ages of 18 and 25. 300!
Which is why this appearance by Mr. Hill was so valuable. There were about 200 people crammed into the coffee shop. And when he finished up in Grand Forks, he headed to North Dakota State University in Fargo. Combined, the two universities consist of about 25k students. So I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this year will be a little different. I'm also going to say that Obama is going to win.
I have no proof to back up this prediction. But given that Obama is the only campaign with a presence here (3 offices), along with an endorsement from our respected Senator Conrad, and a strong presence here at UND, I'll agree with what poblano has to say.
The following morning, former Senate Majority Leader Daschle (D-SD) vistited a local bakery. The turnout was expectedly lower, taking place while most students were in class (I skipped) and others at work.
I gotta tell you, Mr. Daschle blew me away. Obviously, he is a seasoned politician, but impressive nonetheless.
Apparently, he has a book coming out in March dealing with the health care crisis. I had no idea how committed he is to health care, and I would imagine he'd play a role in an Obama administration with regard to the issue (I was too craven to ask).
Among issues such as the war and health care, he also discussed the role ND will play when Obama is elected. He described the Dakotas as the Saudi Arabia of wind energy. North Dakota has, afterall, more wind energy potential than other state in the country.
So there you have it. One candidate is truly running a 50-state strategy this campaign season. One candidate can truly bring together the country. One can bring out the youth to effect the results in November.
Also, any Minnesota Kossacks that may be interested, I will be coming to the Twin Cities tomorrow night to volunteer at the huge rally to take place at the Target Center on Sat. If interested in getting together tomorrow night, use the comment section.
Peace