Obama delivers message of change to students

COLUMBIA — Presidential hopeful Barack Obama brought a call for change to the University of South Carolina's campus Thursday.

He delivered his message of change to the YouTube generation, the children of the 24-hour news cycle, the people who were supposedly desensitized by television violence — and it seemed to have been well-received.

Jamarr Brown, a Clemson University political science student from North Charleston, said if he were Obama's campaign manager, he would have been proud.

"He was inspiring," said Brown, 20, president of the South Carolina Federation of College Democrats of America. "He brought a great message of hope and community, a message that could bring change in the 2008 elections."

That's the word from many of the roughly 1,000 people, mostly college-age students, who came to hear the U.S. senator from Illinois at the College Democrats' annual convention kick-off ceremony.

The students say the Democratic candidates are getting it. They recognize the power these young men and women hold as an increasingly influential voting bloc. Five of the eight Democratic hopefuls will speak at the convention, which ends Saturday, and all the candidates are using YouTube, MySpace and other Internet outlets to sell themselves.

Evidence of a hipper attitude toward politics was on campus Thursday: The "Democratic Rappers," a young duo in white suits, performed a couple of songs about Obama, bringing the crowd to its feet several times.

Students lined up to volunteer for campaigns and to buy $1 buttons to show support for presidential candidates, with slogans like "Bill for First Gentleman," "A Woman's Place is in the House, the Senate and the Oval Office" and "Barack in the Day," featuring a 1970s-era picture of Obama.

For many, Obama's speech was their first taste of a political rally. Jonathan Ortwein, 20, a junior at University of Oklahoma, said Obama is the reason he wanted to get involved in the election.

"I was just one of those people who just kind of sat back until January, when I read his book," Ortwein said. "He inspired me. I can't sit back and say, 'Well, there might be change. Someone else might do it.' "

Reach Yvonne M. Wenger at ywenger@postandcourier.com or 803-799-9051.