Obama, Gore speeches draw large crowds

The middle of campus is typically tranquil during weekend mornings, but it was a very different site this past Saturday when Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama held an Atlanta rally for his campaign at Yellow Jacket Park. Obama's visit was not the only political actor on campus this week as former Vice President Al Gore spoke at the Ferst Center on Wednesday night. Both events drew large crowds from the Tech community.

An estimated total of 20,000 people came to listen to the senator from Illinois. The event was coordinated by the College Democrats and the African American Student Union in conjunction with the Obama campaign and emceed by Jessie Brenton, a fourth year Public Policy major and Obama campaign volunteer.

Although he was originally scheduled to speak at 11 a.m., it wasn't until noon that Obama finally took the stage following an invocation by the Rev. Joseph Lowery and the singing of the national anthem by Alexandra Jackson, daughter of former Atlanta mayor Maynard Jackson. The Clark Atlanta University pep band was on hand to entertain the crowd during the delay, but they were clearly growing restless in their impatience until Obama finally appeared to thundering cheers.

Obama began by speaking about his background and early life. Born to a Kenyan father and a mother from Kansas, he graduated from Columbia University and worked as a community organizer before enrolling at Harvard Law School. He then practiced as a civil rights lawyer and taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago before his election to the Illinois State Senate in 1996, where he served until running for U.S. Senate in 2004. During his Senate campaign he achieved national attention with his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.

He has received some criticism during his campaign due to his relative lack of political experience at the national level, but he turned that around to use it to his advantage.

"I haven't been in Washington that long, but as I'm going around the country I'm hearing that people aren't sure that's a problem," Obama said, in keeping with the general theme of his speech that America needs to "turn the page" on a political system he says is out of touch with American citizens who have grown cynical and disillusioned with their government.

He continued to describe various elements of his campaign platform in detail, focusing mainly on his opposition to the war in Iraq, his vision for universal health care, improving public schools, and his belief that America needs to work towards energy independence.

Having such a famous figure right on campus was a big attraction for many Tech students, even if they weren't necessarily supporters of Obama's campaign.

"I don't feel like I have a top choice yet, but I had recently heard more about Obama, so I just came out to hear what he has to say," said Stephanie Garner, a third year Industrial Engineering major.

Among the thousands of visitors to campus were students from other local institutions. Alisha Jones-Caldwell, a student at Spelman College, came with Richard McDaniel, who attends Morehouse College.

They said they have been Obama supporters ever since he first tossed his hat into the presidential ring and were excited to learn that he was coming to Atlanta.

"I like how he is straightforward. He lets you know what he is for and what he is against, and he doesn't beat around the bush." McDaniel said.

"I appreciate his honesty. I think that is lacking in our political system today," Jones-Caldwell said.

Only days after the appearance, by the presidential hopeful, the Democratic Party's presidential nominee from 2000 came to campus, although his visit was not political in nature.

Former Vice President Al Gore came to the Ferst Center Wednesday, April 18 to deliver a speech about how climate change as a result of human activity is endangering the future habitability of the planet, and that society must accept the "scientific consensus" on the subject and begin to work towards solutions.

Describing himself as a "former politician" and "on the ninth step of recovery" from politics, he began his appearance by commending Institute President Wayne Clough and other members of the administration on the work they've done towards making Tech more sustainable.

He followed with some light-hearted comments about the controversial 2000 presidential election and how his lifestyle changed in the following years after having been in Washington since being elected to the House in 1976, the Senate in 1984 and then becoming Bill Clinton's vice president in 1992.

"There are winners and there are losers, and then there's that little-known third category," he joked.

However the mood quickly turned serious as Gore described how wasteful living, a lack of responsibility for polluting companies, and ignorance of environmental issues has our planet on a course for disaster, and that it is a moral imperative for the world to focus on reducing the amount of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere.

"We have adopted a short-term way of thinking," Gore said, criticizing CEOs who are too concerned with their quarterly earnings to consider the long-term direction of their company, particularly when they could actually benefit by focusing on environmental responsibility.

He said the problem also rests in the American people, who know all about unimportant things like celebrity gossip, but remain less informed about matters much more significant and pressing to their lives and the lives of their children.

He said that the reason climate change has begun happening stems from the fact that "the relationship between humankind and planet Earth has been transformed" as a result of factors ranging from the explosive population growth, with the number of Earth's inhabitants quadrupling in the past century, to the technological progress which he said has been a tremendous benefit to humanity but at the same time has caused people to abuse the planet like a "bull in a china shop".

Gore said that manufacturers, in striving to minimize waste and emissions, should look at it as an opportunity to improve their business rather than as a liability upon it.

His speech was followed by a short question and answer session. Among other things he addressed the fact that climate change should be considered an issue of national security and that like businesses, governments should also strive to be carbon neutral.

As an example he cited the prime minister of New Zealand who, after seeing his film, placed a greater priority on countering climate change and decided that her country needed to work towards carbon neutrality and sustainability.