Obama supporters hit the streets in Missouri

The students went door to door in the cold weather to support Obama.

By Michael Sewall, Outlook Editor
Jan. 25, 2008

Young voters continued to support Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., when MU students joined Columbia citizens and a few state political figures on Jan. 19 to go door to door to spread the word about their favorite presidential candidate.

People in support of Obama canvassed for him throughout the state Saturday, led by Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., in St. Louis and State Auditor Susan Montee in Columbia.

Ted Farnen, chief of staff for state Sen. Chuck Graham, D-Columbia, also attended the Columbia canvass as a volunteer.

Montee endorsed Obama in the summer, despite her previous support for former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., and her work to elect women into office.

"I know things cannot go on in this country like they have," Montee said. "I believe we can do something better."

Mizzou for Obama director Glenn Rehn gave a short presentation to volunteers, who amassed about 20 people, before they began canvassing.

Rehn spoke about the process of canvassing, which requires volunteers to go door to door to discuss a specific candidate or policy and supply a registered voter with information.

Each volunteer was given a packet that included a map of his or her targeted area, literature about Obama, an optional script with information about Obama and a form to fill out after each visit.

After leaving a home, volunteers marked which level of support the voter had or did not have for Obama.

Rehn, who also canvassed for Obama in Iowa for the state's Jan. 3 caucuses, said the grassroots effort definitely helped Obama secure victory in the first major presidential contest.

"Hopefully we can bring the same success to Missouri," Rehn said. "We need to maintain that positive campaign presence that helped us in Iowa."

Sophomore Tyler Hansen, a first-time canvasser, said he supports Obama because of the change he promises to bring to the country.

After finding no one home his first two stops, Hansen continued on and met with voters who ranged in their level of support for Obama and issues that mattered most to them.

Then, Hansen spotted a truck pulling into the driveway of a house he passed earlier, and headed back for a second try.

Hansen met Columbia resident Mark Stannard at the door, again began to give his reasoning to vote for Obama and offered Stannard literature.

Stannard interrupted him half-way through the routine speech:

"Wait, you're a student?" Stannard said. "Well then because of you, I'll probably vote for Obama."

Share on Facebook

More Jan. 25, 2008 Outlook Stories

Most recent Outlook Stories