Just came from Obama's Townhall in Berea, OH

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Tuesday August 05, 2008 · 1:29 PM PDT

2008/08/05 · 13:29

Over the weekend I learned that Obama was coming to give a townhall speech at my college (Baldwin-Wallace College) here in Berea, OH. I was excited to get a ticket and went. All in all it was about what I expected.

Outside the basketball arena were the 4 or 5 college-aged GOP troll-like dittoheads with cheezy handmade posters imploring us to ask Obama about his plan on nuclear energy (as if that's primarily what a 19 year old is passionately worried about) and sporting other trite and mildewed McCain talking points.

Once inside I was elated to see the entire arena filled. I'd estimate about 1500-2000 people were there. Unfortunately it was rather hot despite a large AC unit semi-trailer parked outside piping in cool air.

The townhall was about 30 minutes late getting started and began with OH Gov. Ted Strickland giving a short stump speech to get the crowd fired up and then another impassioned speech by Sen. Sherrod Brown. I do know that Obama was conducting his own interviews on campus. Any lists out there that have Sherrod Brown or Strickland on it? I know Strickland was a Hillary supporter but I can't remember who Brown endorsed during the primary.

Finally Obama was introduced and came out.

I don't think anything newsworthy happened at the Town Hall. Obama gave a great speech hitting the themes of the week on his energy policy and hammering against Mac-Same and linking him to Dubya's 3rd term. Near the beginning there was what I think was a heckler who tried to nail Obama with some sort of Pledge of Allegiance mumbo-jumbo and Obama and the crowd recited it.

After that he took some random questions from the crowd and focused on the themes of the week. he meted out some ridicule against Mc-Same's trite tire gauge stunt and the crowd enjoyed that. I do Like Obama's clever way of ridiculing and diminishing his opponent, but personally I think he needs to hit back rhetorically with more power and more sustained attacks. I worry that this will be a replay of 2004. I get so tired when his campaign or his surrogates trot out trite cliches about being 'disappointed' or 'saddened' with 'gutter politics'. Those in my mind are ineffective responses and do nothing to advance Obama's campaign. I'd be curious to hear what other Kossacks who might have been at today's Town Hall felt.

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