Over 26,500 people waited over three hours to hear two words yesterday: ""Hello, Madison!""
President Barack Obama spoke at the ""Moving America Forward"" rally Tuesday in Library Mall, accompanied by fellow Democrats gubernatorial nominee Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., and U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.
Musicians Ben Harper, The National and local brassband the Mama Digdowns performed at the ""Moving America Forward"" rally in support of the president and the Democratic Party.
Obama vouched for importance of the youth vote, their enthusiasm of the Democratic Party and his administration's successful commitment to the ideals that drew students to his campaign in 2008.
""[Republicans] are counting on you staying home. They're counting on your silence, they're counting on amnesia, they're betting on your apathy,"" Obama told the sea of students. ""So Madison, you've got to prove them wrong.""
Steve Olikara, the former diversity chair of Associated Students of Madison and the event's emcee, also urged his peers to take action.
""This fall, I want to see record numbers of young people from this campus coming out to vote, organizing their friends, making phone calls, going door-to-door, being as engaged as you were in 2008, this fall in 2010!"" Olikara said.
During Baldwin's speech, the congresswoman stressed the importance of student votes in an election she believes will prove critical to the university.
""This election, we will decide between supporting the University of Wisconsin in obtaining and hiring the best faculty, making education affordable and keeping this great school a world class institution, or holding its growth back and driving its standards down,"" Baldwin said.
The enthusiasm gap, a term used recently by national media outlets and politicians, refers to Democrats' supposedly plummeting fervor between the 2008 presidential elections and the upcoming midterm elections, on Nov. 2.
Obama said he recognizes the concerns of Democrats anxious for change, but does not believe the so-called enthusiasm gap exists.
Feingold, whose appearance at the rally was unexpected, said the enthusiasm gap is exaggerated.
Referring to the large turnout at the rally, Feingold said, ""It's a myth. It's phony. Does this look like an enthusiasm gap to you?""
Obama urged the American public to be patient for change and asserts that his administration is ahead of schedule in accomplishing all they set out to achieve.
""I understand that people are frustrated,"" Obama said. ""I understand that people are impatient with the pace of change. Of course they are. But I also know this: now is not the time to lose heart. Now is not the time to give up. We do not quit, and we cannot forget that this nation has been through far worse.""
""I've only been here two years, guys,"" said Obama. ""So I figured I'd need to have something to do for the next couple of years.""
Although the president said change takes time, he believes his administration has taken the steps to improve the quality of life for young people in these challenging times.
Obama said the new health-care reform provides a safety net for young adults.
""Every single one of you, when you get out of college, if you have not been able to find a job that offers you healthcare, you are going to be able to stay on your parents ‘health care until you are 26 years old and not take the risk of being sick and going bankrupt,"" the president said.
Obama addressed his administration's dedication to helping all young Americans to afford a college education.
The president stressed the Republican Party's plans entail a $700 billion tax cut for the wealthy that would be supported by a 20 percent decrease in education funding.
""They want to cut financial aid for 8 million college students, including some of the people who are out here today,"" Obama said.
These plans are similar to republican policies of the last decade that drove the economy into the ditch,"" the president said.
According to Obama, Democrats have been working tirelessly to pull the economy out of the depths, Republicans were ""just standing there, sipping on a Slurpee.""
The president said keeping Democrats such as Barrett and Feingold in office is vital to continue with the progress Democratic leadership in Washington has made since 2008.
Barrett emphasized the need the same enthusiasm as was present in the presidential election.
""In November of 2008, we saw something in this country we had never seen before in our lifetime, people who had never voted before, people who had given up on democracy, young people, people of color, people who lost their jobs, people who had felt this country was no longer responding to them decided it was time to take back our democracy,"" Barrett said. ""And you … all came out to vote. We saw that two years ago. We've got to see it again.""
