Students appreciate Obama's message

EDINBURG — Presidential candidate Barack Obama spoke to the crowd at UTPA this afternoon, leading them in a chant of "Si se puede" and touting his message of change, his campaign theme.

Obama drew perhaps the most applause of the speech as he explained his plan to provide $4,000 in college tuition credits to students willing to perform community service.

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"We'll invest in you, you invest in America," Obama said to a crowd that appeared to have a strong contingent of UTPA students. Earlier today, he spoke to students about the rising cost of education.

Obama also went on the offensive, emphasizing that he believes he is ready to be commander-in-chief. Rival Sen. Hillary Clinton has said she is the only candidate prepared for that job.

For the entire morning, the weather here was cloudy. But his campaign couldn't have written a better script, as the clouds cleared and sun came out just as Obama took the stage.

Obama also joked with the Rio Grande Valley audience about the weather, noting that South Texas heat has helped him thaw out from a winter of campaigning in cold states.

UTPA students said before and after the event that they appreciated that Obama has a goal of trying to lower tutition costs.

Obama said if elected president, he would create a policy that would give students tuition credits in exchange for their pledge to perform community service.

"I pay for my own tuition," said UTPA student Leah Maldonado, 19, after the event. "That kind of hits us."

Obama spoke to UTPA students before the speech about tuition costs. After the event, he was mobbed my students and media as he left the stage.

Obama supporters urged people leaving the speech to vote at the UTPA library, which is an early voting site.

The Obama rally was held in a small, fenced in area next to the university chapel, where supporters were packed in tightly. One security official estimated that there are 5,000 people here.

Obama, who spoke for about 30 minutes, finished his speech shortly before 12:45 p.m.

Campaign officials and local politicians spent the morning stumping for Obama and leading the audience in chants, trying to keep the crowd entertained, as some people have been waiting here for five hours.

"Who was right on day one about the war in Iraq?" asked State. Rep. Eddie Lucio III, D - Brownsville, to which the crowd replied "Obama."

Lucio also said the Valley has many needs included a veterans hospital and imporved infrastructure that he expects Obama to deliver.

Edinburg Mayor Joe Ochoa led the crowd, composed of many university students, in a chant of "Viva Obama."

For more on this story, visit www.themonitor.com throughout the day.