Welcome to everyone who is coming from our national campaign website. Please read through our blog to see the coverage of the statewide Obama for Commander in Chief Tour from earlier today and yesterday.
Also, be sure to read 32-year Air Force veteran General Scott Gration's blog post about why he believes Barack Obama is best qualified to be the next Commander in Chief.
After stopping for lunch on the drive from Charles City to Fredericksburg, we arrived at Upham Memorial Library and a room full of people here who came to listen to the general speak. We had more veterans and veterans' family members at this event than any other we've been to.
One thing I'm noticing at on this tour is that most of the people who come to out to hear General Gration speak are undecided voters. I think the uniqueness of having such a high-ranking military officer criss-crossing the state is really drawing out the folks who know in their hearts that something needs to change in Iraq but they just can't put their finger on how it should be done.
The general is able to answer some of their more detail-oriented questions. And it seems to carry a lot of weight when he says that, among all the candidates, he trusts Barack Obama to do best what the Commander in Chief is supposed to do - listen to experts, listen to commanders on the ground, make a clear decision and lead the country.
***Update 2:30 pm*** We started out today’s leg of the tour in Bondurant. It was an intimate affair early in the morning, with a group of about 20 mostly undecided Iowans at the Bondurant American Legion. Now we're in Charles City at the library.
The groups of folks that General Gration is speaking to are not big crowds – usually 20-40 people – but they’re a great cross-section of Iowa. We’ve seen seniors and young people. We’ve seen farmers and teachers. And we’ve seen many veterans.
It’s amazing to watch this diverse group of people respond to General Gration’s passion. He weaves together engaging stories from their trip to Africa that helped inform his assessment that Barack would make a strong Commander in Chief.
I’ve mentioned the stories about Kenya and South Africa that General Gration. Another story he tells is when they were in Djibouti, where we have many men and women stationed at Camp Lemonier. When Senator Obama got to the base, the general noticed how Senator Obama was able to relate to the troops.
As a 32-year veteran, General Gration has seen politicians come and go. They show up at these military bases and go through the motions but don’t really connect. Barack was different. He listened. He had engaging questions. He played basketball with them. And, in the time since their trip to Africa, General Gration has been struck by how that ability to connect with the troops has translated into real action that makes a difference.
As a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs committee Senator Obama has tried to make sure the country makes good on the promise we make to our veterans. And he has proposed specific policy that he will pursue as the next Commander in Chief to deliver on that promise.
We’ve got two more events this afternoon and evening in Fredericksburg and Cedar Falls. Check out the schedule for the rest of the week here.
And keep checking back in!
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