President Barack Obama gets up close to greet his supporters after his speech Saturday, Sept. 8, at St. Petersburg College in Seminole.
Photo by ALEXANDRA LUNDAHL
The crowd holds signs with the word Forward in support of President Barack Obama’s message of his desire to move the county forward with a second term. Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputies estimated that about 7,000 people showed up at St. Petersburg College in Seminole on Sept. 8 to hear Obama speak. Revised estimates released Saturday afternoon show that at least 11,000 people attended the rally.
Photo by ALEXANDRA LUNDAHL
From left are Donald and Michelle Mayier of St. Pete Beach, and Edith Soloman, 90, of St. Petersburg. Soloman says that when she was a little girl, she never thought it was possible to see a black man as president in her lifetime. She was ecstatic when Barack Obama was elected president, and she supports him just as much in the current election.
Photo by ALEXANDRA LUNDAHL
From left are Theresa Creasy and Lucky, 11, and Vito Sheeley of St. Petersburg. Sheeley says that when he was a little boy, he was confident that one day a black man would be elected president, but he did not think it would happen in his lifetime. He is proud to bring his son to hear President Barack Obama speak in Seminole, and he supports Obama’s platform, including equal rights for all individuals, affordable health care and education.
Photo by ALEXANDRA LUNDAHL
From left, Adrienne Thompson, 20, of Tampa and Laures Knowles, 20, of St. Petersburg say they fully support President Barack Obama for a second term for many reasons, including the fact that they are young, female, black American college students. They feel that Obama’s plan for the future would serve their interests, whereas Republican candidate Mitt Romney’s would not.
Photo by ALEXANDRA LUNDAHL
Andrew Forrester – currently from St. Petersburg but originally from Tumbridge, Wales – cannot vote in this election because he still has a few more years left on his green card, his wife and her family are excited to vote for Obama this year. Besides, he jumps on any opportunity to see the democratic process in action and was happy to give this opportunity to their boys, Henry, 2, left, and Oliver, 4.
Photo by ALEXANDRA LUNDAHL
Democratic Senator Bill Nelson addresses the crowd at the Obama rally on Sept. 8 at St. Petersburg College.
Photo by ALEXANDRA LUNDAHL
Former Gov. Charlie Crist, who has since left the Republican Party, offers his support of President Barack Obama and the need for people of all parties to work together. Crist introduced the president at the Sept. 8 rally in Seminole.
Photo by ALEXANDRA LUNDAHL
Former Gov. Charlie Crist greets President Barack Obama at a rally Sept. 8 at St. Petersburg College in Seminole.
Photo by ALEXANDRA LUNDAHL
President Barack Obama explains what he has accomplished over the last four years and lays out his plan to move the country forward if given a second term. Obama also compared his platform to Republican candidate Mitt Romney’s and highlighted the differences at a rally on Sept. 8 in Seminole.
Photo by ALEXANDRA LUNDAHL
A woman holds a “Women for Obama” sign to express her support of the president on women’s issues at the Sept. 8 rally in Seminole.
Photo by ALEXANDRA LUNDAHL
President Barack Obama is all grins as he interacts with his crowd of supporters after his speech at St. Petersburg College in Seminole on Sept. 8.
SEMINOLE – Excitement and energy pulsed through the Seminole St. Petersburg College campus Sept. 8 as thousands of Barack Obama supporters and those still on the fence turned out to see the president speak at a rally.
For B.J. Johns, 62, of Tampa, she connects on many of Obama’s platform points, but the issue of women’s rights particularly strikes home with her.
“I have to say, as a survivor of incest, I am very grateful for the stance that he takes on women’s issues,” Johns said. “And I just get sick to think about what could have happened (to me.) I was just fortunate. (It went on for 15 years. I just get sick when I think about Mitt Romney and their platform.”
This year, the Republican Party has adopted the stance as part of its platform to oppose all abortions, even in the case of incest and rape. The timing of this was particularly haunting for Johns, because just a week earlier, on Sept. 1, a Safety Harbor man was killed by Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputies in Treasure Island after the man rushed the deputies with a knife. The man had just been accused of impregnating the 11-year-old daughter of his live-in girlfriend.
“(Hearing that) brought a lot back,” Johns said. “I mean, I’ve done a lot of work to get to the other side. But it’s after 20 years of healing.”
When Johns was 2 years old, she said her father began fondling her. As a teen, that turned into countless cases of rape. Looking back, she is so relieved that she never got pregnant. It scares her, what could happen if the Republicans win the presidency and are able to implement their strict limits on abortion.
“I think that victims would be re-victimized in that system,” Johns said. “… It just scares me. You think about someone who is raped and having to carry a child for nine months. As a constant reminder of it. And PTSD is already bad enough, but then if you add carrying a child that you don’t want to?”
Johns said this is a choice that no one but the woman in that circumstance can make. She added that she was furious when Missouri Republican U.S. Senate Candidate Todd Aiken publically claimed in August that women couldn’t get pregnant from “legitimate rape.” She believes that the increased extreme views in the Republican Party such as this is just another major reason she supports Obama.
“I think (these views) are from being not well informed,” Johns said. “I would encourage (Aiken) to actually go to a rape crisis center and work. Sit in on some groups where women got pregnant. And what about all the boys who can’t get pregnant but are still raped? And with date rape and all that stuff, it initially starts from a place of affection. And that’s the same with incest. It starts with affection. It wasn’t until I got away from home that I knew it wasn’t right. I just grew up with it. And back in my day, they didn’t have child abuse workers and education in schools about it.”
Johns wasn’t the only person to connect emotionally to the president in her support for him. Edith Soloman, 90, of St. Petersburg says she supports “Obama all the way. Four more years, four more years,” she began to chant.
Soloman said there would never be enough time to explain all the ways she supports Obama, but she supports him completely, even in his mistakes.
“Because I think they’re honest mistakes,” Soloman said. “I don’t think he does things for himself. I think he does things for the whole country.”
As a little black girl growing up in the Bronx in New York City, Soloman never thought she would see the day where someone like her could be president.
“Never,” Soloman said. “Even five years ago I didn’t think it was possible. Even at the time, I just wanted him to win by even one vote. And I was amazed that he won by such a landslide.”
Soloman was ecstatic when Obama won in 2008, and she supports him and his policies still.
Vito Sheeley of St. Petersburg said he voted for Obama in 2008 and fully intends to do so again in November. As a black man, he, too, didn’t always believe he would live to see this happen.
“As a little boy, I did think we eventually would have one, but I didn’t think it would be in my lifetime,” Sheeley said.
But his support of the president goes far beyond race. Sheeley supports many things that Obama stands for and works towards.
“I’m a strong supporter of him because he believes in the rights of all individuals,” Sheeley said. “His stance on health care. He’s done something that many presidents have tried to do, and he’s achieved that goal. I respect him due to the fact that he passed equal pay for women. I have a daughter, so I want to know she has a fair shot. And I just support the president. He’s a transitional president, and I admire his qualities. I admire him a man and as a president.”
A common question at the Republican National Convention was “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” And that question evolved at the Democratic National Convention to “Are we better off than we were four years ago?” Sheeley thinks we are.
“I think we’re better off now than we were four years ago,” Sheeley said. “I think the economy is coming back. It’s slow, but it’s starting. I think we’re better off than four years ago because now Bin Laden is dead, our auto industry has come back strong. I believe he’s done a lot for education, lowering the cost of colleges and universities.”
However, not everyone attending the rally was completely sold on their vote yet. Sandy Melkin of Seminole said she was excited to see the president, as she has never seen a president before, though before the speech, she still was not sure which way she plans to vote in November.
“I’m still on the fence,” Melkin said. “(In the speech,) I want to know what he would do in the next four years.”
She said that hearing Obama speak could definitely help her decide how she will vote.
For Dale DelBello of Redington Shores, this was not the first time he has heard a president speak.
“As a freshman in college, I got to see and hear John F. Kennedy, and it was very inspirational,” DelBello said. “And (Obama) matches that, and it’s an honor to come out and see him up close.”
Standing in line before the rally, DelBello said that he is going to vote for Obama this year because he stands for what America needs. DelBello believes the Republicans have gotten too extreme, and he thinks the public is beginning to see that. Coming out of the Democratic National Convention, he said the themes discussed there ring true and he hoped the rally speech would continue that conversation.
“I liked how (former) President (Bill) Clinton said at the convention that none of his predecessors could have straightened this mess out in three years,” DelBello said. “And we need to understand that. We came close to destroying this whole country. I guess you could say Wall Street came close. And to take away those new regulations is absurd. It’s just mind boggling.”
Cindy Nally of St. Petersburg said she is voting for Obama in the fall because she supports many of his ideas, but particularly his shared views on women’s rights.
“There are many things, but particularly women’s issues, health insurance, all of it,” Nally said. “I believe in helping whoever we can help, whoever needs the help, and he’s going to do that. He’s going to make sure that happens. And he’s also for small business. And also gay marriage.”
Her friend, Bob Pohrer of Gulfport, was still waiting to hear the speech to see if it could convince him either way about who will get his vote.
“I back Obama on social issues, but right now, I’m torn on which one of them can turn the economy back around,” Pohrer said. “Because, what do they say, it’s stagnant at best or getting worse. And the last four years, I’ve struggled, and I’d like to see somebody change that. And I’m waiting for one of them to tell me how they’ll change it. So far I haven’t heard anything out of either of them that’s excited me on that front.”
But next to him in line, Donnie Engle of Gulfport wholeheartedly backs Obama.
“Gay marriage is the most important for me,” Engle said. “Basically for me, when I was a kid, as soon as I knew I was gay, I didn’t think about getting married. It wasn’t a dream because I didn’t think I could. But now I stand here today, it is a dream that’s within my reach. It’s in my sight. It’s within my grasp, and this is the guy who’s going to do it. And if Romney gets elected, it’s just going to go back to the 1950s.”
It is hard, Engle said, that he lives in a state that passed a “one-man-one-woman” amendment that bans gay marriage. He is happy that other states are slowly legalizing gay marriage and hopes that one day soon it becomes the law of the land.
“My sister actually got married in Iowa, and they adopted a baby, and it’s awesome,” Engle said. “And I want it. And I’m from Missouri and now live in Florida and both are very conservative, so it’s unfortunate that I’m not able to live in a state that’s more progressive.”
He turned out to see Obama that day because Engle wanted to support Obama and thank him for being the first president to stand up for gay rights. He also hoped the speech would make an impact on his partner, he said, grinning at Pohrer.
“My partner, as a Republican, I would love for him to get enthusiastic and support Obama so for the next 60 days I don’t have to try to convince him to support Obama,” Engle said, laughing.
Further down the line in front of SPC, a group of college students was eager to see the president. Adrienne Thompson, 20, of Tampa said this is the first time she gets to vote in a presidential election, and she is excited to vote for someone she believes in.
“And I think he’s a better candidate,” added her friend, Laures Knowleds, 20, of St. Petersburg,” because there are a lot of things that Romney is going for that are not good for black Americans or college students. And I’m a female, black American, college student. … And I think between (Romney) trying to control a woman’s body with his extreme views and I heard comments about how he feels about black people, and it just doesn’t sit right. And especially being a college student and him trying to cut financial aid, that’s real big. That’s allowing me to go to school. So if that were to go, I’d either have to take out all loans or go back home. I already had to take out loans now, but the Pell grants and stuff are a really big help.”
Thompson said that she also feels that Romney’s views for America are not the way she wants to see the country headed.
“I feel like he would make the U.S. into a business instead of a country with values,” Thompson said.
Finally, inside the gates, thousands of people crowded into Natural Habitat Park Field to get a glimpse of the president. Even those unable to vote were having a good time. Andrew Forrester, now of St. Petersburg but originally from Tumbridge, Wales, supervised his children, Oliver, 4, and Henry, 2, as they ran around the grass in the VIP section of the audience.
“My wife is a big Obama supporter, so this was a great chance to come out and see the president,” Forrester said. “I’ve seen the Queen, and I’ve seen some prime ministers, but I’ve never seen an American president.”
Unfortunately, Forrester said, he still has his green card and it is a few more years before he can become a citizen, so he will not be voting in this election. However, his wife and his whole American family will be voting for Obama, and he is excited to expose his children to such an event.
“Any time you can introduce children to the democratic process and see people participating in something passionately, it’s excellent. Even if they are wreaking havoc,” he added, as his littlest one darted around his legs.
Charlie Justice, candidate for the Pinellas County Commission, was also in the VIP section and was ready to voice why Obama has his vote this year.
“He supports things that strengthen Pinellas, whether it’s protecting our community, protecting Medicare for our seniors or reinvesting in infrastructure that our country so desperately needs right now,” Justice said. “One candidate is for it, and one candidate just wants to cut everything for it.”
Pinellas County will need support for bridges and roads, and Obama would help make those possible, Justice said, but under a Romney presidency, that wouldn’t be possible. Also, Pinellas County has a strong senior population, so it is crucial to protect Medicare and Social Security for them, and Obama does that, he said.
Next to him, Kim Black, president of the Pinellas County Classroom Teachers Association was proudly wearing her Obama T-shirt and had many reasons why she supports giving the president four more years.
“If it wasn’t for President Obama, teachers and support workers across Pinellas County would have been laid off without the stimulus money, so we need to support him and make sure that he has a second term,” Black said. “Our students are depending on a high quality education in every classroom, and our community cannot afford to go back. The education platform for each candidate is very clear. There is one choice, and it’s Barack Obama. A pro-public schools and teacher supporter.”
In the last five years, Pinellas County Schools has lost $151 million due to property tax decline, and it was thanks to stimulus money for education that has helped the schools stay afloat, Black said. Cutting funding for public education on a national level would be devastating, she said. Furthermore, Obama supports college education, student loans and making higher education affordable for more people, she said.
“We don’t believe that our students should only have the education that their parents can afford,” Black said. “Every child in Pinellas County deserves a quality education. And we know that Obama supports public education. He’s a proven leader in our issues.”
After the parade of speakers, culminating in the president’s speech, the crowd seemed overall excited about his message and was excited to vote for him in November.
“I thought the speech was very inspiring,” said Maryellen Mariani of Seminole. “I’m a woman. I’m a mother. I’m a teacher. Obama is our best hope for a better future for our country and our children.”
Mariani teaches the hospital homebound program for sick kids in the county, so she also supports the healthcare law passed under Obama.
“I’m very, very happy that we have Obamacare, and I think it’s a definite improvement,” Mariani said. “A step in the right direction. And I hope that we can build on that.”
Sonja Barr of Tampa felt the speech “was awesome,” and for her, continued support for health care was the big item that resonated for her. She has children ages 21 and 19 as well as a 2-year-old grandson, and she feels it is crucial that they have access to affordable health care.
Robin Craig, also of Tampa, said she liked the points that the president made, and she wants to help him finish the job.
“You know, he needs a little bit more time to accomplish what he started out to do,” Craig said. “I’m very excited. I brought my kids to make sure they had a chance to be here and see the president speak.”
Craig said she wouldn’t trust Mitt Romney with her checkbook, never mind the country, and she hopes that Obama can get more cooperation in the next four years.
“Obama is basically handcuffed by Congress,” Craig said. “And he could have gotten even more accomplished if he hadn’t had the Boeners saying ‘No’ all the time.”
Janet Corin, 67, drove from Wimauma to hear the president, and she thought his speech was “fabulous.” What struck her about the speech was the contrast of the two parties’ plans, and she hates the idea of giving money back to the wealthy instead of giving it to kids to go to college, to people receiving Medicare, and for training for people to get the skills they need to get back to work. She said it scares her to think about what would happen if Romney wins the election.
“I think we’ll go down the tubes,” Corin said. “I think we wouldn’t educate our young people to have the jobs that they’ll need for the future and bring our country back to our optimum level, where we were during the Clinton years. You need an educated population to do the jobs.”
The Messler family of Largo was also happy with Obama’s speech. Stephanie Messler said it was exciting and she was surprised but happy to see how many people showed up. Her husband, Jordan, said that coming right off of the DNC, it is great to maintain the excitement and try to keep that momentum to allow the president to win four more years.
“I think (the most powerful part was) when he reminded us as he did at the convention that it’s you that’s making things better,” Jordan said. “It’s us. We’re getting out there and voting. We’re the ones who can make change, and if we don’t get out there and vote, then interest groups, lobbyists, they’re going to have the power.”
Jordan supports Obama’s views on the issues and the ways to get there.
“He’s for more jobs, better education, the environment, equal rights,” Jordan said. “For American values.”
One issue that particularly meshes with Jordan’s values is health care.
“Health care for all,” Jordan said. “And saving Medicare, trying to reduce health care costs and knowing he’s going to protect the economy from freefall and help the economy get back on track.”
For their daughter, Shayna, 6, the rally was simple.
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