Snapshots: Austin Braves Rain for Obama

Barack Obama's campaign for the presidency of the United States is only thirteen days old, but standing in the middle of the crowd at Auditorum Shores Friday you would think it's been going on for thirteen years. The one-term Senator from Illinois has many saying he doesn't have the experience necessary for the job he seeks, but if you listened to him Friday afternoon, you might understand why most tend to overlook that.

The 45-year-old spoke to a crowd of over 10,000 on issues varying from healthcare, education, the current administration and, of course, Iraq. He made national news today with his comments on the current vice president, saying, "When Dick Cheney says it's a good thing, you know that you've probably got some big problems." Obama made eye-contact with much of the masses, a diverse crowd with an unusual amount of young people. He shed a bit of light on his vague political agenda, spoke out against Bush and spoke up for the neglected worldwide--including Darfur, Afghanistan, Iraq and many here in the states. All the while, receiving great applause from an attentive audience. The rally was the largest political event in Austin since Ronald Reagan campaigned for president in 1984.

There are over twenty months until the 2008 election for president. Bill Clinton announced his presidency with little over twelve months months until the 1992 election. No one can doubt that the momentum for '08 is starting a little prematurely, but with speeches like these, we don't mind so much.