President Obama campaigns for Clinton at University

Sudyen Navarrete/Asst. News Director

As President Barack Obama’s term is reaching its end, he’s taking the time to campaign for Hillary Clinton. On Thursday, Nov. 3 the president paid a visit to the University’s Modesto Maidique Campus.

President Obama started his speech by mentioning the importance of early voting and encouraged all attendees to vote right after the rally.

“The good news is that you don’t have to wait for election day,” Obama said. “If you are registered, you can vote right now.”

He even mentioned the nearest location to the University, with the location’s address, for early voting.

The president went on to say, “The point is, we got work to do, we must finish what we started eight years ago.”

Obama reiterated his support for Clinton, saying there is only one candidate in the race who “has devoted her life [to public service]” and who is the next president of the United States. He said if citizens don’t work hard enough this week, then all the hard work will go out the window because the future depends on it, especially for the young people.

In regards to Donald Trump, he expressed that “he’s a man who has never shown respect for the working people,” but spends a lot of time with celebrities — with no concern for immigrants, Muslims other minorities and Americans with disabilities.

Obama also highlighted Trump’s comments toward women, saying “If you disrespected women before, you will disrespect women as president.”

He stressed citizens’ power to make a difference if they go out and vote.

“All of you are uniquely qualified to make sure that this uniquely unqualified person cannot become president and all you have to do is go out there and vote,” Obama said.

Additionally, the president spoke about the Senate race and his support for Patrick Murphy, who is going against Republican candidate, Marco Rubio.

“Murphy kept on pushing for immigration reform, and the path to citizenship,” said Obama. “He actually believes in science and that climate change is a problem.”

He went on to say that Murphy and Clinton will help keep the country and Florida safe from climate change.

“We can’t just have Hillary stuck with a Republican congress,” said Obama, mentioning how tough it was for him to work alongside a Republican congress for eight years because they never agreed with his ideas.

“You can’t spend eight years being against me and now you’re going to be against Hillary, but you haven’t been for anything,” said Obama.

He added that he tried to work with the Congress by even proposing Congress’ plans.

“I will sometimes propose their own stuff, and they’ll oppose it. It surprises them. I’ll be like, ‘Well, this is in your Republican handbook. This is in your talking points.’ I thought you were all for this.’” said Obama. ‘“Nah, but you’re for it now, we can’t be for that.’ C’mon, man.’”

Policy analyst at the University’s Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy, Randy Pestana, was able to comment on the rally.

“It was a very hopeful speech, and a lot of it was about voter turnout, but a lot of it was generally on continuing the legacy,” said Pestana. “President Obama understands that if Trump is elected, his legacy is at risk.”

Pestana said that if a Republican wins the election, then all the hard work put in by Obama’s administration would reverse back.

“So he’s [Obama] pushing to keep the direction going. So it was a speech in support of Clinton but also in support of the mission to keep the country forward,” he said.

According to Pestana, what stood out to him the most was how not only the presidential race was presented, but also the Senate and Congress’ race.

“President Obama didn’t just emphasize the presidential election, he emphasized the Senate race,” said Pestana. “The importance of Congress, where it goes and the ability to work together with the president to advance the agenda, he understands that it’s not just one side or the other, it’s about working together.”

According to Johanna Cervone, Miami regional press secretary, the FIU Arena was filled with 4,500 people, among them University students who voiced their thoughts about the rally.

Anaruth Solache, a sophomore political science major and a member of the University’s College Democrats expressed on the Obama rally and what stood out the most to her.

“Elections overall in the country are showing that Hillary has a chance at winning, which is great,” said Solache. “Here in Florida, it’s not looking good because Trump is beating Hillary by one point every day and I’m starting to feel that Donald now – with early voting – has a bigger lead.”

Solache also said Obama has sparked her political involvement, and that Clinton doesn’t cause the same effect on younger people as Obama does.

“He’s truly inspirational, the crowd was so pumped up they were just ready to go out and vote, and I wish Hillary had that same effect but she doesn’t,” said Solache. “I’m sure if they were to let Obama run for a third term, people would support him 100 percent.”

Jasmine Johnson, a sophomore psychology major and first-time voter said, “It was amazing just to see him, and it was very nice just to be in the atmosphere and be motivated by what he said.”

Obama spoke for around 45 minutes and before him came candidate for the House of Representatives, Joe Garcia, running senator Patrick Murphy and Bill Nelson who all addressed the importance of early voting to the crowd.

Obama ended his speech by saying that everyone has to go and vote.

“If we win Florida, we will win this election, so go out and vote,” said Obama. “Choose hope, choose hope and choose hope.”

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