Senator connects with small audience

Tag: agriculture tractor The bright lights were on in the beef barn at the St. Joseph County 4-H Fairgrounds on Thursday, but it wasn't for a livestock show. The barn became the backdrop for Sen. Barack Obama's second visit to St. Joseph County, where he addressed an invitation-only crowd of a little more than 90 area residents, campaign supporters and farmers from across the region. Some said they got an e-mail that morning. Others a phone call. No matter how they found out, many said they didn't want to miss out on seeing a candidate who may become the next president. Piles of hay surrounded the chairs, picnic tables and bleachers. A tractor and an old-fashioned green-and-white wooden wagon framed the scene, along with the long lenses of photographers and television cameras, peeking over the whitewashed fence. In the center stood a single stool. As the crowd waited they leafed through an 11-page packet titled "Real Leadership for Rural Indiana" handed to them by the campaign as they entered. Among the youngest crowd members were Culver Military Academy students Trent Schafer and Rebecca Lucas. Schafer said he signed up to campaign for Obama on Wednesday. He is turning 18 next week, which is just in time to be eligible to vote in the primary. "I won't be able to vote until the next election unfortunately but I'll do everything I can to help the campaign," said Lucas, who is 16. Once Obama arrived and was introduced, he received polite applause with some in the crowd rising to their feet immediately, a small contingent slowly following along, and a third group remaining seated. The Illinois senator spoke for about 20 minutes on gas prices, energy policy, free trade, campaign finance reform and his agenda to help rural areas. He said he would create programs to encourage young people to become farmers, and encourage more sustainable and organic agriculture. "Rural America represents what's best about America," Obama said. Then it was the audience's turn. Obama took 10 questions. The questions ranged from how he would limit oil lobbyist donations to legislators, Veterans Affairs, pay equity for women, the worldwide food crisis, agricultural land preservation and free trade. After about 40 minutes, Obama thanked the crowd and asked those who didn't get to ask a question to communicate with his campaign through his Web site. Campaign staffers would do their best to reply, he said, and with people's suggestions he can craft better plans for the nation's future. This time everyone stood up and applauded the senator. "I think he will be a very strong person for us," said Lou Zobrosky, a lifelong South Bend resident. Zobrosky said he was already an Obama supporter before coming to the event. He said it's too bad that the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's comments have hurt Obama, and he said he hopes voters will look beyond that. Shawn Krull, a fifth generation hog farmer from Milford, was one of the audience members who got to ask a question. He asked Obama about his thoughts on concentrated animal feeding operations. Krull said Obama answered the question the way he expected, and said he wished the senator would have addressed it with more specifics. Krull's family recently expanded their farm large enough to fall under CAFO regulations. There has to be a level playing field for livestock farms of all sizes, Krull said, adding that he believes current laws need to be enforced instead of creating stricter regulations. Another issue he wanted the senator to address is farm prices. While farm prices are up, commodity prices and other costs are "through the roof," Krull said, which means farmers aren't making any more than they did a couple of years ago. "It's good to see that he's very pro-ethanol and biodiesel," Krull said. "That does create other issues as far as driving up feed costs for livestock producers. But in the long run it really is good for the farm economy." Phil Sutton said he was impressed by Obama and said the candidate "seems to have a real empathy for the plight of people in every walk of life." Sutton, a local expert who works with farmers, said Obama highlighted some very important farm issues. "He was open to my idea of farmland preservation and that pleased me because I think that's a very important issue. He obviously did too the way he quickly responded," he said. Toting her camera, Walkerton resident Jobi Hicks said she couldn't believe Obama was here and was "astonished" at getting to hearing him speak. "You can call her Jobi 'Giddy' Hicks," family friend Gary Freymiller joked with her. "Oh please, you were giddy too," Hicks teased back. Freymiller said he liked that Obama talked about energy policy. So far, the Plymouth resident said he has tried to keep an open outlook on the election, listening to everything all three candidates have to offer. Freymiller said he may try to go to Bill Clinton's Plymouth appearance on Saturday. Obama did leave a favorable impression on him. "I guess I have to vote next week, right," he said with a smile. He paused for a moment and said, "I would say that I would vote for Senator Obama." And what will it take for Obama or his rival Hillary Clinton to win the heart of Indiana on Tuesday? Krull said in his household the war, economy, fuel prices and health insurance issues are the most important. He said whichever candidate conveys their message the best on those issues will likely move on in the process. "If he (Obama) continues to meet with the people and listen to the voters and interact with the voters just like he did today," Freymiller said, "you can't ask anything more than that."