Thousands of Maryland democrats made their way to the Bowie State University campus Thursday, Oct. 7 for a rally featuring United States President Barack Obama and Governor Martin O’Malley among other democratic leaders. College students, democratic supporters and citizens seeking information as the General election fast approaches came out by the droves to hear the message.
After Patrick Lundy and the Ministers of Music performed a gospel rendition of “God Bless America” and BSU’s Student President led the “Pledge of Allegiance”, democratic dignitaries spoke.
Md.Senate President Mike Miller gave the crowd, “three reasons why to support Gov. O’Malley….education, education, education,” and said, “We’re not going to stand for the tea party in Md.”
Md. House Speaker Michael Busch championed the state’s position as “number one state in the union in K through Twelve education,” and Comptroller Peter Franchot commented on speaking to Southern Marylanders who had lost their jobs,are facing losing their homes, who ask ‘Where is our great country going?’ He said supporting Obama and O’Malley means electing someone “on our side.”
Congressman John Sarbanes quoted Truman, then said, “To the fear mongers: we’re not afraid,” and mentioned the 25 percent increase in Pell grants resulting from democrats’ efforts. Congressmen Elijah Cummings, Chris Van Hollen and Congresswoman Donna Edwards along with U.S. Senator Benjamin Cardin and Attorney General Doug Gansler all showed their support of O’Malley, Mikulski and President Obama.
Congressman and House Majority Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer continued to fire up the crowd. He said, “When President Obama took office, the people were talking about the chance of a second Great Depression after a decade of Republican faliure that got us there. We’ve been working every day since then to pull us out of that deep ditch into which they have driven that national car.”
Hoyer said, “Obama is leading the way out of that ditch, with democrats investing in roads, bridges, green energy… 98 percent of all Americans got a tax cut, we got access to healthcare for many people and made the biggest investment ever in higher education.”
Senator Barbara Mikulski said she was proud to work hand-in-hand with both Obama and O’Malley adding, “What I want you to know is the message you hear today is the message [Obama] speaks every single day. It’s the message you want to hear and we need to do something about it: Hope, opportunity and change!”
Of Gov. O’Malley, Mikulski said she’d known him for more than tewenty years and with him “it always comes down to the people, it’s always about you.”
Bright green O’Malley-Brown signs started flying when the Governor took the podium. O’Malley called Mikulski, “the hardest working woman in the United States Senate,” and thanked Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, who hails from Prince George’s County and is, “the highest ranking official in our country to have served a tour of duty in Iraq.”
He said, “Obama has given us the very decisive leadership that we needed at a critically important time. The last fellas to
