LIVEBLOG 2: Barack Obama in Detroit, Mich.

[Ed. note: Minehaha Forman and Alexa Stanard covered the Obama campaign event in Detroit live this evening; we'll have wrap-ups and crowd reaction tomorrow morning. Be sure to check back for more!]

[FOLLOWING POSTED LIVE, UNEDITED]

10:05 pm –
We will cap green house gases;
those old steel factories in Michigan are gonna’ start making windmills.
We are going to create millions of jobs right here in Michigan.
We are going to help the automakers and save this planet if you are ready for a brighter energy future in America.
He [Gore] could have spent all his time talking to members of congress. But you know what he did instead? He trained almost 1000 volunteers who travel around the country to deliver the keynote address from an Inconvenient Truth.
Because Al Gore and I share a common understanding,
that change doesn’t come from the top down,
we shape our own destiny,
and it has always been young people who brought about the biggest changes;
that got women the vote,
that got African Americans a seat at the table.
It has always been you the American people who brought about change,
between hope and fear,
between cyncism and faith.
I dunno about you, Michigan, but I choose hope.
I choose faith.
Our better days are ahead of us, not behind us,
if we are willing to work for it, fight for it we can deliver on the promise of equal opportunity.
This is our moment, this is our time. If you will join with me and march with me…I promise you this we won’t just win this state, we will win this general election; we will change this country, we will change this world. [END OF SPEECH]

Gore and Obama have arms over each other’s shoulders as they wave to the crowd
Some people are staying and dancing in the bleachers to Stevie Wonder’s song, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered.”

[Todd Heywood: This speech was definitely stronger, and more powerful than the one delivered this morning in Flint. I think this is in part the fact that he is playing to an audience of 21-22,000 people, whereas in Flint his crowd was only about 2000 people. The energy of an audience feeds a speaker, no matter who it is and Obama clearly thrives on the energy from the crowd.]

[Ed. note: agreed, this was a stronger speech, although it was not only because the energy from the crowd was so palpable (even through the liveblog it was palpable).  Obama was able to gracefully graft Gore's Climate Change Project's meme, "The World Can't Wait" successfully onto the speech he gave earlier today in Flint. He's done this before and here in Michigan, with the merging of John Edward's "Two Americas" meme into his speech during the Grand Rapids event. Powerful stuff.]

Continued -9:59 pm –
we are going to re-invest in the auto industry here in the motor city because we are going to build the cars of the future
that is our future, if we come together
we can create an education system that is working for our children, every child not just some
we are going invest in early childhood education to close the achievement gap
insert teacher incentives stump speech line
insert college stump speech line
the crisis of climate change is real
and it’s here
I know sometimes it seems like a distant thing
when the weather starts changing, when hurricanes and tornadoes start coming
when 100 year floods start coming every year or tn years
and if that weren’t enough 4 a gallon of gas ought to be enough;
Sending that money to countries that will put that money into opposing us.

9:57 pm –
That’s why I’m running for president of the United States
[Todd Heywood: it is the first time he has said gay in Michigan, in the three stops I have covered]
When we come together as a nation we cannot be stopped.
We faced down the tyranny of the British empire;
we battled slavery,
to make sure the Declaration of Independence is not empty words.
If we are going to have an honest conversation about what is required to bring about real change, we can stop talking about the outrage of 47 million people without health care and fix it.
We will not wait 20 years from now to do it;
we will do it by the end of my first term as president.
We will restore fairness to our economy
instead of tax cuts to Exxon,
we are going to give tax cuts to you the American people.
$1000 for high gas and high medical;
we’re gonna make sure every worker gets the training they need to function in this economy.

(People in crowd each holding up cut out letters that spell out, “OBAMA” and “We Want Change”
Some people are starting to file out. Actually, lots of people are starting to make their way to the door; they must want to dodge traffic.)

9:54 pm –
when Bush assigned Cheney to make an energy plan, he met with the energy companies 40 times;
the voices of the American people are no longer heard;
the voices of future generations are no longer heard.
Our politics are simply designed around ‘what’s in it for me’,
what’s good this quarterly bottom line,
what will help me get elected,
what will be expedient.
You have become cynical,
you have given up,
you have stopped demanding more from your elected officials.
You’ve allowed Washington to divide us,
divide us along racial lines,
religious lines,
to use wedge issues.
But the reason all of you are here today, the reason I’m standing here as the Democratic nominee, the reason we have broken records all across the country is because you have decided we are going to do something different.
You have decided not this time;
we are going to come together.

[Todd Heywood: Yeah, Obama said gay and straight!]

We are going to come together and affirm the possibilities of America.
9:51 pm –
We can’t afford four more years of Bushenomics;
Michigan knows something about the Bush economic policies.

Despite us seeing an increase of 4 trillion dollars taking a credit card out from the bank of China in the name of your children and grand children, despite a foreclosure crisis, John McCain surveyed the land and said the Bush policies have been a success.
I don’t know who he was talking to;
was he talking to you?
He wasn’t talking to people without health care;
he wasn’t talking to you,
he wasn’t talking to me.
He has now proposed not only to continue the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest;
he wants to add…tax cuts for the richest corporations.

Exxon Mobil will get a tax break.
Under John McCain’s tax breaks, 1/4 of the tax cuts would go to folks making $2.8 million a year.
We have about 21-22,000 people here;
how many of you are making 2.8 million dollars a year,
other than Chauncey?
This is madness,
the idea that we would mortgage our future once again that is not a strategy for a stronger and more secure America.
We cannot afford John McCain because he is running for George Bush’s third term.
The problems we are facing now, are not just the problems of one person or one party;
they are not just the problem of John McCain, or George Bush.
Many of these problems go back decades;
we have been talking about health care for decades,
since Harry Truman.
We have been talking about failing schools in Detroit for decades.
We have been talking about energy policy for decades,
yet nothing gets doen year after year after year.
Why is that?

(Gore’s staying on stage the whole time, sitting on a stool.)

9:45 pm –
The name of my cousin Dick Cheney wont be on the ballot
(Obama smiles and laughs)
and that is a good thing.
I don’t intend to go on any family hunting parties with Dick Cheney.
(laughs)
Understand that what else unifies us is the simple understanding that we cannot afford 8 more years of the bush policies<.br>
John Mccain is an American hero;
he has endured things on behalf of this country;
he is a true patriot.
But John McCain seems to have lost his way
the truth is John McCain deserves credit for in the past showing some independence from his party
but somewhere along the path to the nomination of the party the Straight Talk Express lost a couple of wheels.
Examine the record;
I am not making this up.

On foreign policy there is not a sliver of light, not a proton, not a beam, nothing between George Bush’s foreign policy and John McCain’s.
Now listen: all of us agree that our troops have performed brilliantly.
They have done everything that is asked of them,
and nothing is more important that ensuring the mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters
of so many military families, that those loved ones are brought home safely. That is our number one priority<.br>
For John McCain to express that so long as they are killed it doesn’t matter…
we are spending 10-12 billion a month in Iraq, money we could be spending right here to new jobs.
This tells me we can’t afford four years of John McCain.

9:42 pm –
(Overheard: One crowd member thinks Gore will run with Obama.)
9:40 pm –
Now of course nobody told me the primary was going to last 15 months. That was a long primary. There are babies who have been born who are now walking and talking since I started running for president.
I was planning to run for the ’08 election, not the 2012 election.
But part of the reason it has taken so long is because of what Al Gore spoke about;
We had extraordinary candidates.
We had the best field either party has put forward in years.
We saw a historic race not just from me, but from Senator Clinton.
I want everybody here to be absolutely clear, Sen. Clinton is one of the finest public servants we have in service today.
She has fought tirelessly to provide children a decent start in life;
she has fought tirelessly to make sure every American has health care.
she has, in her own words, shattered a glass ceiling into 18 million pieces.
She is worthy of our respect; she is worthy of our honor. She is going to be in the forefront of bringing change
I am proud to have run against Sen. Clinton.
And she is tough. That is why this race took so long. She is a fighter and we need fighters in the Democratic Party because we have a lot to fight for.

We were able to organize in every state across the union and get young people to vote because of this primary.
i know we didn’t get a chance to come to Michigan the way we should have, but I want everyone to know that the Michigan delegation will participate fully.
For those of you who are worried that this campaign got heated, and the Clinton supporters won’t support Obama… we are all Democrats.
There was very little difference between our positions, which is part of the reason why it was so hard to find anything to argue about.
The name George W. Bush wont be on the ballot.
(At the “George W. Bush won’t be on the ballot,” people get on their feet, big cheers.)

9:35 pm –
[Todd Heywood: "Quiet desperation" is a reference to Aurthur Miller's famous Death of a Salesman -- as well, ironically, a line from the Stephen Sondheim musical Assassin. It's a line that John Wilkes Booth says to Lee Harvey Oswald.]

Obama: “They’ve lost hope in the future. they’ve lost hope in their capacity,
they feel abandoned and alone and it is not just in the inner city.
You see that same disaffections in the barrios in Texas and the hills of South Dakota.
47 million people without health care, wondering if we can continue the essence of the American dream, which is that each successive generation will have a better life.
We feel that dream slipping away;
We can’t afford to wait;
We cant to fix our schools;
We cant wait to fix our health care system;
We cant wait to bring good jobs and wages back to Michigan;
We cannot wait to bring this war in Iraq to a close and that is why I’m running for president of the United States of America.”

9:26 pm –
Obama: “I’m running because of what Dr. King called ‘the fierce urgency of now.’”

9:23 pm –
Obama thanks Michigan’s congressional delegation,  Chauncey Billups, the list goes on.

He’s urging people to register to vote.

“I wanna thank Al Gore for everything he’s done to ensure we leave a planet that is better for our children. [people are still on their feet] Obama says:  “You all can sit down if you want. I don’t want you to get tired. I’ve got a few things to say.

[Todd Heywood: While the Senator may have been jesting in his comment for people to sit down and not feel faint, it must be remembered that in Grands Rapids someone in the crowd did faint and require medical attention during his speech.]

9:20 pm –
[Todd Heywood: the handshake and hug between Obama and Gore was a symbolic passing of the torch to a new generation of leaders. It was the visible image of Kennedy's historic torch comments upon his swearing in following his win in 1960.]

9:19 pm –
“Our future generations will ask, “Why didn’t they choose change? [I hope instead they will ask] “How did Americans in 2008 find the moral courage to .. [crowd gets too loud to hear]

Gore: “America our time has come. Ladies and gentleman, the next president of the United States, Barack Obama!”

The crowd is ALL on their feet, chanting,”YES WE CAN!”

Obama speaking now. He is thanking “One of the finest governors in this country.”

9:17 pm –
“We look the other way while the entire polar ice caps melt before our eyes. our future generations will ask why didn’t they choose change? How did Americans in 2008 find the moral courage to…”(crowd gets too loud to hear).

[Todd Heywood: "how will we know when a massive wave of reform...was overtaking our country? I think we might recognize it if we saw millions of young people getting involved in politics." Brillant begging to patriotism, change and history. Gore is doing an amazing job in framing this entire election in historic terms well beyond the Republican/Democratic concepts.]

9:13 pm –
Gore now at the podium, Obama sitting to his right. The crowd chants, “YES WE CAN!” wildly.

He’s talking about respecting John McCain, to lots of boos.

He’s comparing the Republican attacks on Obama’s “experience” to those made on John F. Kennedy when he ran. He says he feels “that same spirit in this auditorium.”

“If you live in the city of New Orleans, you know that elections matter. If you or a family member serve in the in military you know that elections matter. If you lost your job, and are struggling with your mortgage, you know that elections matter. If you bought tainted cat food made in China, you know that elections matter.”

“We need change!” chanted by the crowd.

9:08 pm –
[Todd Heywood is watching along with us via feed from Barack Obama's site; he says, "This is the Al Gore I witnessed on Albert and MAC street in East Lansing in 2000. He is energetic, charismatic and statesman like-- something the mainstream media failed to capture during the 2000 election. Obama appears confident, and relaxed while listening to Gore. Gore's commentaries on age as an issue were right on and powerful."]

9:02 pm –
The entire crowd is on their feet, clapping, screaming…Griffon’s done singing now and people are chanting, clapping, “YES WE CAN!” stomping their feet.

More people from the audience are filling the floor in front of the media space. The Joe is at capacity in terms of seats.

Governor Jennifer Granholm is now on stage.  “I’m mad as hell about what this administration has done…We’re ready to rock and roll, We’re ready to Barack and Roll!”

“20 Joe Louis Arenas could not hold all those who have lost their jobs.” [thanks to George Bush] (big boooo from the crowd)

“We’re here tonight to get even” “We’re here tonight to put a new president in the White House”

She’s talking about renewable energy. “Renewable energy means jobs.” She’s speaking VERY passionately, shouting over the crowd.

“We have the skill, we will have the president who is committed,” she shouts, “YES WE CAN.”

“Check this out Michigan: President Obama intends to bring renewable energy industry and auto industry help. Where else but Michigan!”

The crowd is cheering “For all of you who supported Sen. Clinton…” at the mention of Clinton a big booo…can’t hear what she said.

[Ed. note: Granholm likens Michigan to the Stevie Wonder song, "signed, sealed, delivered" -- Michigan is Obama's.]

Former Vice President Al Gore and Sen. Barack Obama going on stage now; the crowd is so loud, I can’t hear anything else.

8:45 pm –
Detroit Piston point guard Chauncey Billups just got on stage.

The crowd goes WILD.

I can’t hear anything — my ears hurt.

[Ed. note: TAKE THAT, Ted Bauer; Detroiters are not only going to savor the present, but thoroughly enjoy all the promise of the future.]

Billups: “I’m proud to see Detroit come out for the same reason I came out today: to support Barack Obama. Even though everybody came out to see a great speaker and possibly our next president…I just want to say as good as it is to see everybody, we gotta make sure that everybody gets registered to vote. If we don’t go out and vote it’s gonna be tough.” The crowd screams. Many are on their feet. Michelle Griffon is going to sing the national anthem.

8:30 pm –
It’s hard to see who’s here because there are people standing on the floor in front of the podium. There has to be at least a few hundred on the floor. [Ed. note: I wonder if many of the VIP's are in the box seats; Alexa Stanard is getting crowd reaction and will also try to ID some of the VIP's.]

The crowd is getting louder; there’s another wave going around.

Alexa has now spotted David Woodward, Oakland County Democratic Chair, and Ella Bully Cummings, Detroit Chief of Police, in the crowd so far.

8:15 pm –
Two Detroit campaign workers — Steven Dunworthy and Monique Perry — who have travelled all over the country are on stage. They asking people to get out cell phones and text MI to 62262 for campaign updates.

They are talking about the grassroots movement, “We’ve been so honored to have the support of millions.” Now Steven and Monique are asking people to be quiet and not to chant so people can hear what they are saying. They are asking people to make their donations, putting their money into the envelopes they got at the door and then give it to the ushers, passing the money down, “Just like they do at church,” said Monique.

A “Yes we can!” chant continues throughout the crowd.

8:00 pm –
Quick fact: The Joe Louis Arena has capacity to hold over 20,000 people.  [Ed. note: It is not yet full to capacity, but people are still filing in, says Minni.]

7:52 pm –
A wave is going through the crowd around and around; it’s been going for about 5 times now and counting. The cheering is deafening.

One crowd member who just got in says the line outside goes all the way along the riverfront and it’s about a mile long.

This doesn’t have the energy of a political event. They’re play pop music and it seems like a concert or a sporting event…that’s the kind of energy that’s here. But then again I don’t attend a lot of campaign events.

It’s like waiting for “the show.”

7:37 pm –
They are singing “Lean On Me” now; the audience is clapping along, as they would in church. And now they are singing a gospel song. They are taking a bow now, getting lots of applause.

People have brought their little kids to see this; it’s a family affair.

I’ve never seen this many people of all ages so excited about one thing.

One guy said, “If I see Al Gore and Obama on stage together, I might cry or faint.” (I didn’t get his name as he was moving with a group of people.)

They are playing a recording of Obama saying, “Pundits like to slice our country up into blue states and red states … we are one people,” one of the themes from his website. People are cheering like crazy.

The big screens overhead just came on, displaying, “Detroit Barack City.” A rock song is playing. There are hot dog vendors in the building, like a hockey game.  People are chanting, “O-bama!” VERY loudly.

7:14 pm –
The Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit is on stage right now, singing to the audience; there are about 25 of them onstage.

They get a huge round of applause after first song and are still on stage (kinda reminds me of church choir). The crowd is about 85% black people … still considerably diverse, though.

5:13 pm –
This is CRAZY down here, there are choppers all over, people EVERYWHERE. It’s truly a grand event, people of all ages, races, from all over waiting in huge lines. The line goes all the way down the river walk by the Detroit river. There are two lines, one at each end of the building. Both wrapping around the building. More people keep coming. Someone has an update on their cell phone that Gore was going to be here tonight and they started shouted to the crowd, “Gore’s coming!”

There are little kids here and old ladies. I talked to the police and they said their biggest problem right now is unlicensed vendors. It’s otherwise a peaceful crowd. I’m still outside. No Media allowed in until 6:00 pm.

“I’m not a one-issue voter. He’s the most inspiring political figure of this time. I like the way he runs his campaign. For a black man to do what he’s done — I’ve never seen anything like it in my life– I’m truly inspired.” Derek Gillis, 26, Detroit.

The Starks family is sitting in folding chairs eating sandwiched on in line. They have brought their children with them ranging from 8-18 years old. Kyle Starks is 17 years old and will be 18 in November when it’s time to vote. He said he is a new Obama supporter because he supported Hilary before she dropped out. “I’m most interesting to hear about his plan for universal health care,” he said.

Joanne Starks is 58 years old, and she likes the way Obama influences young people. “I’ve heard his positions on issues … But what impresses me is his ability to energize young people. Look around and see kids, 18, 8 — we didn’t ask them to come, they wanted to!”

Michelle Starks, of Lathrup Village looks forward to hearing his plan for Michigan. “I’m going to hear his plan for economic growth, for employment. Also how he’s going to improve schools.”

Brian Colver,33, of Flint drove down to Detroit because he wanted to come to the bigger event, and he had friend volunteering here. “Really, what it comes down to, is that he’s a sincere, genuine person. I’ve been listening to politicians speak for many years, and I feel he has good judgment, he’s honest, and has a better chance of turning things around for this country. I hope race won’t be a deciding factor for him in November.”

Ramsy, left, and Porter, right, wait in line.

Lauren Ramsy, 19, of Farmington Hills wants to hear about his plans to stop the war. “I will leave the country if McCain gets elected.” She said passionately. “I have too many friends going over there [to Iraq] and never coming back. McCain will keep this war going forever — it’s almost like he has a vendetta.”

“During his acceptance speech when he won the nomination, he didn’t even mention that he was the first black man to be nominated he talked about the issues. This is not about race.”

Devon Porter, 18, Farmington wants to hear his plans to get jobs back in Michigan. “In four years, when I graduate, I want to know I can get a job.” She said. “I just got out of school for the summer, I have a nice resume, and it’s taken me three months to find a summer job! I want to hear something — anything– about the economy.”

“I’m just excited to see him speak. He’s a great, great speaker and we [as a country] haven’t seen anything like this in a long, long time,” said Mat Miller, 31, of Monroe, Michigan. He was there with his friend Heidi Allen, 28, who added enthusiastically that it was worth the drive.

Ashley Addrow-Pierson, 19, Farmington, also wants to hear his plan to get jobs in Michigan, and she also wants to know what he will do about gas prices. She’s a Journalism student who commutes to college every day, and gas is hurting her pockets.

Angela Hunt walks down the sidewalk on Jefferson where she found a precious parking spot. She’s walking up the sidewalk behind three teenage girls, who are chatting and sipping on Starbuck’s drinks happily. Hunt wants to hear from Obama about how he will create jobs in Michigan, because she herself is an unemployed nurse. She said she will be leaving Michigan shortly to find work. “I have a degree and have been a nurse for 14 years.” She said. “And I can’t even find a job. I have two teenage girls, and one’s going to college this year. When they get out of school, what’ll be there for them?” she asked. “

Kaleesha Lynn-Hunt of Detroit, is very excited to see Obama, she even coaxed her sister and her friend to join her and her mother. “I support him deeply,” she said. “I believe he can make a difference. I think he will support people who can’t get jobs.”

Angela Hunt says she made her daughter come along; the daughter was initially resistant to coming to the event, but once she got there she perked up. “This is history,” Angela said. “this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Barack Obama is to this generation what MLK was to my mother’s fifty years ago.”

Jalecia Kimbrough, 16, of Detroit, said she was dragged here by her friends. “I’m the undecided vote,” she said, as her friends chuckled and joked, “You can’t even vote yet.” She responds with a smile, “But when I can I’ll be the undecided type. I’ll wait ’til I know the issues.”

Kandace Hunt, 17, is inspired by Obama. “He’s not only the best but he gives us hope,” she said. “If he becomes president it’ll prove that you can be whatever you want to be, no matter what color, what gender, what race. He just will prove you can do it! I’m pretty sure he’ll become president.”