Obama visits Plainfield, Indiana

From Lynn Sweet of the Sun-Times:

Speaking in a gym at Plainfield High School, making his first visit to Indiana of his presidential campaign in advance of the May primary here, Obama said “everybody, you know, senses there has been this shift.”

This comes as Obama is trying to distance himself from Wright, whose controversial sermons—on videotape—threaten Obama’s presidential quest. Obama talked about Wright in his stump speech as a man of fiery rhetoric—but one who talked to him about Jesus.” Obama's reference to Kennedy is about a speech he made in this state after the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

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A short video of the crowd at the rally


And another report, this one from the Indianapolis Star.

Obama spoke for about 20 minutes, then answered questions from the audience for another 45 minutes on everything from whether he would change No Child Left Behind -- he would -- to saving Social Security. On that, he proposed raising the cap on payroll taxes. Right now, people pay payroll taxes only on their first $97,000 in income. That means, he said, that 94 percent of folks pay on every dime they make, while billionaire Warren Buffett pays only on a tiny fraction of his income.

If elected, he said, he would focus immediately on three things: Bringing the troops home in a responsible manner; universal health care reform that continues private insurance but helps people afford it; and a new energy policy. Do those things, he said, and other programs such as improving education become doable; fail, and the nation would be bankrupt.

People reacted with a disappointed "aah" when Obama finally said his time was up. But he promised to be back to campaign aggressively in Indiana.

And the Herald Bulletin:

Kokomo resident James Whitfield originally was a supporter of Hillary Clinton for the Democratic Party nomination for president, but has switched allegiance to Barack Obama.

“I’m an Obama supporter,” Whitfield said, waiting for the doors to the high school gymnasium to open. “I’m really excited about it. Both candidates are good.”

Whitfield said he first started by supporting Clinton, even making a monetary contribution, but didn’t like some of the political tricks her campaign was using and switched to Obama.

“I’m more interested in issues than digging up dirt,” he said. “If he (Obama) wanted, there would be plenty to dig up on her (Clinton).”