My Lycourier Article

Today's main topic was supposed to be about ninjas, but something else has happened. I am a published writer. Granted, it was in a free, weekly college paper but published is published. That said, here is my article.

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November 6, 2008

WILLIAMSPORT TAKES CENTER STAGE IN ELECTION

Both V.P. cadidates make last-minute stop in Williamsport to win over undecided voters

By Cristina Sorrells
The Lycourier Staff

Both vice presidential hopefuls, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Delaware Sen. Joe Biden were hosted by Lycoming County last Thursday.

Both were in the state, considered a major battleground with 21 crucial Electoral College votes to give away; aiming to motivate their base of supporters to vote on Election Day, Nov. 4.

According to the web site, http://www.electoral-vote.com, Pennsylvania has been split nearly evenly between Democrats and Republicans in the last four presidential elections, starting in 1992.

Biden spoke in Lycoming College’s Lamade Gymnasium on behalf of Democratic presidential hopeful, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, and Palin later spoke at Historic Bowman Field, for the Republican hopeful, Arizona Sen. John McCain.

Biden spoke about four years of “failed economic policies,” and “restoring the middle class, and reclaiming America’s respect in the world.” He called for a timeline for a military drawdown for the troops in Iraq. The senator promised tax cuts and “the creation of 82,000 new jobs in Pennsylvania.”

He told the crowd of about 450 supporters that the American people cannot wait until January for change, when a new president is sworn in, and that he and Obama would return to Washington after the election and propose a three-month moratorium on all foreclosures to give people a chance to renegotiate their mortgages.

Despite the thin crowd of mostly older people, Biden proposed to the young people in the audience that “If you serve your country in the military, in public service, in a nursing home or senior center . . . you will get into college.”

Palin’s rally at Bowman Field drew a much larger crowd, according to Williamsport Mayor Gabriel Campana, who said about 13,000 people attended. Republicans on hand to address the audience prior to Palin’s arrival were State Senate hopeful Gene Yaw; State Rep. Matthew E. Baker, the John McCain campaign chairman for Tioga County; and Campana and his family.

Yaw, the first speaker, spoke about needing tested leaders and less government. Baker disagreed with the Obama campaign’s promise of change saying “A promise of change espoused by higher taxes does not stand.” He was pleased to announce to the cheering crowd that the local newspaper, the “Williamsport Sun-Gazette,” endorsed McCain and Palin.

Then Palin and her husband, Todd, arrived to an enthusiastic greeting. The governor thanked the veterans in the crowd. Addressing the people in general, she spoke about cutting spending, reducing government, and about military spending, demanding “Let’s not retreat from a war that’s almost won.”

She emphasized Obama’s lack of experience. “The rousing speeches of our opponent can fill a stadium, but cannot make this country safe,” she said.

Palin called for more domestic drilling. “There is more coal and natural gas in this country than there is oil in Saudi Arabia,” she said. “We have to use it and stop the flow of money to countries that don't like us.”

The crowd was delighted and began chanting, “Drill, baby, drill.”

Palin responded, “You betcha. Drill, baby, drill. And mine, baby, mine. We need to develop a clean coal technology.”

She discussed one of her core issues, expanding the funding for special needs children.

After the rally at Bowman Field, Palin, and her husband, Todd, and Biden at Lycoming College, mingled briefly with the crowd, signing autographs.


PLEASE NOTE:
Election results were not available as of press time.

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NEXT: NINJAS!