The following was posted to the New Hampshire and Women for Obama blogs yesterday:
Hello from New Hampshire! It is a sunny, breezy day at the Rotary Riverside Park in Laconia. Over 400 people from the community are sprawled out on the lawn across the river from a beautiful old mill building, having brought their lawn chairs and blankets to sit back, get comfortable, and listen to Barack. One thing does stand out – many folks in the audience are young and women.
Before Barack arrived I spoke to some of these women.
When I asked Dianne from Laconia why she supports Barack, she immediately replied “He is just so charismatic.” Her friend, Alice from Nashua, is anxious about healthcare and the war. These are issues that many women across the state have told us they are concerned about.
Donna Wilson and her niece Katelyn sat near the front, near Katelyn’s mother, who was an interpreter at the event. Donna was visiting from New Jersey, while Katelyn, who is 11 years old, lives in Brookline, New Hampshire. Katelyn cares about the environment and is particularly concerned about the people close to her who have been affected by diseases like leukemia and diabetes. Health care once again is a top priority.
After Barack spoke, Donna and Katelyn rushed up to me. Donna immediately said “Barack is so honest and direct. When fielding questions, most politicians take you in circles and never answer the question. Barack gave a complete and honest answer to each question today. I just had to let you know that I was very impressed.”
Judy Goguen of Alexandria, New Hampshire, attended the event with her granddaughter Dakota. The two of them were so motivated by Barack in the past that they participated together in the Walk for Change, and today (as you can see in the picture below) they are sitting together in the front row.
When asked what it is about Barack that inspires her, Judy passionately replied, “I was in high school when JFK was running, and I haven’t seen anyone like him until now.”
So many of these women are filled with hope; and an urgent need for change. It is their personal stories and commitment to our campaign that will help us transform our country together. Their dedication and strong sense of civic responsibility inspire all of us. As one woman said, “Living in New Hampshire is like living Democracy. I think we are the only state where each town holds monthly meetings, rain or shine, in order to continue democracy at the most local level.”
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