Phil Garthwaite, a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, spoke to a crowd of students at the Pioneer Student Center on Sept. 10 in support of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. Garthwaite, who is running for re-election in the 49th district, was brought in as part of the “Pioneers for Progress Campus Kick Off” to help generate support for Obama on campus.

Photograph by Kate Olsen

Garthwaite spoke on issues important to college students: financial struggles, student loans and Ramen noodles.

“I am still paying off my student loans, and Barack and Michelle Obama just finished paying them,” Gairthwaite said.

“We know that if we want our students to compete we have to make it easier and Obama wants to make college more affordable.”

Obama wants to create a tax-credit program that would pay most students $4,000 for their education. Garthwaite also said that Obama, who was raised by a single mother who was on food stamps for a time, understood what it was like to struggle financially.

“I want a president who knows what its like to live off Ramen noodles,” Garthwaite said to laughter and applause from students. “No matter what you put on them they’re never any good.”
Garthwaite addressed attacks that opponents have made about Obama’s patriotism.

“Obama wants to make housing more available for veterans, and you can bet if he becomes president there won’t be lines for veterans to get VA assistance,” Garthwaite said. “Question his patriotism all you want, but the proof is in the pudding.”

Eli Caywood, an intern for the Obama campaign, and a junior at UW-Platteville, is a veteran who served in Afghanistan. Caywood told the crowd that he supported Obama because of his plans for the military and veterans.

“I am tired of seeing my buddies come home in body bags,” Caywood said. “Obama has a plan for veterans to get the care they need.”

Scott Laeser, the Obama campaign’s field organizer encouraged all students in attendance to get involved.

“The youth vote is going to be absolutely crucial this year,” Lasser said.

“John Kerry won Wisconsin by only 11,000 votes. That means we have enough students here [at UW-Platteville] to swing this election.”

The latest Rasmussen Opinion poll, which was published Aug. 8 has Obama leading McCain in Wisconsin 46 percent to 43 percent.

The crowd of 40 to 50 students who attended the event happily surprised Caywood.

“I think everything went great,” Caywood said. “It’s always great to hear Phil speak and hopefully it will carry him and Obama to a win in the election.”

The campaign will be holding several events over the next week. At 5:45 p.m. Thursday Sept. 18 in the PSC platteville east room, volunteers will be deputizing people to register others to vote.

At noon Friday Sept. 19, volunteers will be going  around campus registering people to vote, and hosting a barbecue and bonfire for supporters get to know each other.

On Saturday Sept 20. Obama supporters from Platteville and those traveling from other campuses will be meeting to help the support effort at UW-P.

For more information, or to get involved, contat Eli Caywood at caywoode@uwplatt.edu.