Pocono News Section

Obama Makes Two Campaign Stops in NEPA

Obama Makes Two Campaign Stops in NEPA - Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at 7:27PM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008 @07:27pm EST
WILKES-BARRE/DUNMORE - Senator Barack Obama made two campaign stops in Northeastern Pennsylvania on Tuesday. The first stop was at Wilkes University in Luzerne County. The second was at the Dunmore Community Center in Lackawanna County.

Just minutes after taking the stage at Marts Hall in Wilkes-Barre, Senator Obama began talking about his message of change.

"We can't afford to wait to fix our schools. We can't afford to wait to fix our health care system. We can't wait for good jobs and good wages. We can't wait to end the war in Iraq. We can't wait," Obama said.

In just over an hour, the Democratic frontrunner made a short speech and took questions from ten people in Luzerne County, getting several standing ovaitions. His town-hall meeting was highlighted by specific policies and changes he wants to make in the federal government, including investing billions of dollars into roads and bridges, putting $18 billion into education and providing tax cuts to the middle class.

"I intend to provide as much as $1,000 in middle-class tax breaks to families who need them by closing some of the corporate tax loopholes that are out there," Obama said.

Nearly 2,000 people crowded into the Luzerne County site to see Senator Obama. Many were pleased with his message.

"I'm very happy with his plans for education. I'm very happy he has plans for seniors," Bob Shanno of Luzerne County said.

"I think he was honest. He admitted he can make mistakes. I trust him. He gave me hope in politicians," Mona Lawrence of Kingston said.

That hope was the focus of one question Senator Obama was asked and he wasted no time in going after John McCain, the Republican Presidential nominee, instead of his current opponent, Hillary Clinton.

"John McCain represents the policies of the past and we are the party of tomorrow, the party of the future," Obama said.

After taking part in the Wilkes University town hall meeting, Senator Obama moved onto the Dunmore Community Center in Lackawanna County. He took the stage just after 4:00 PM and made mention of many of the same points as the Wilkes University town-hall meeting. In Dunmore, he was introduced by the daughters of Senator Bob Casey, who recently introduced him.

Senator Obama spoke for more than an hour in Dunmore and fielded more questions from the audience.

"I thought it was great. Finally somebody is standing up for something other than the lies and politics and all that insanity," Morgan Brokop of Scranton said.

"I really care about education and I wanted to hear what he's going to do for us and it sounds like he's on the right track," Elizabeth Potrzuski of Nicholson said.

After leaving northeastern Pennsylvania, Senator Obama moves on to Philadelphia for a rally on Thursday.