CSU Campus Welcomes Obama Campaign Visit

The Colorado State University campus is buzzing with activity and anticipating the visit of President Barack Obama.

UPDATE 5:20 p.m.: The President spoke to Hurricane Isaac, student tuition, the economy, and the spending disparity in campaign ads. The AP reported similar earlier today at his campaign stop at Iowa State.

http://youtu.be/JSQiJMDnqec

UPDATE 5:12 p.m.: “We’ve got more work to do.” The President has concluded his remarks at CSU. The speech closes with Bruce Springsteen's "We Take Care of Our Own."

UPDATE 5:11 p.m.: via Reporter Trevor on Twitter

UPDATE 5:08 p.m.: "I want you all to understand your power. Don't give it away." The President further added, “If you’re going to get cynical wait until you get old.”

UPDATE 5:04 p.m.: "We're Moving Forward." The President is now comparing and contrasting his campaign positions versus his opponent touching on Don't Ask Don't Tell in the process. "We don't believe in sending people to the sidelines."

The President also touched on women's health. One of largest cheers was for "Women should be allowed to make their own health care decisions."

UPDATE 5:02 p.m.: via Grace Hood on Twitter

UPDATE 5:00 p.m.: Topic shifts to tuition and student debt, drawing large cheers from the student population at CSU. The President mentioned that he and Michelle just paid off their student loans 8 years ago.

UPDATE 4:56 p.m.: The President is touching on familiar campaign themes of the strengths of the Affordable Care Act, his economic plan vs. the Republican economic plan, and voter registration. The crowd booed and the mention of the economic plan for the Republicans being presented at the RNC this week. The boos were met with a quick rejoinder from the President:

UPDATE 4:51 p.m.: From Grace Hood, on site at the speech at CSU quoting the President, "Don't listen to the cynics....we know where we need to get going and we will get there."

UPDATE 4:45 p.m.: Via Colorado State University on Twitter

UPDATE 4:40 p.m.: The President has taken the stage at Colorado State. The Rocky Mountain Collegian is streaming the event live on their homepage.

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Thousands of supporters including CSU College Senior Nathan Long from Lakewood waited for hours in the hot sun. Long said he voted for Obama in 2008 and plans to support him again.

“I think Obama tries to focus a lot of energy on the younger generation, and on college kids and higher education as a whole,” he said.

Billed as a “grassroots event,” the Obama visit is part of a two-day campaign swing through college campuses in Iowa, Colorado and Virginia. Remarks are expected to focus on college affordability, Pell grants and job creation.

Waiting to hear the President’s remarks, the crowd heard pump-up speeches from Sec. of Interior Ken Salazar, 2^nd Congressional Rep. Jared Polis and Gov. John Hickenlooper, who all stressed the importance of voter registration.

“Do not let your commitment to democracy end this afternoon,” said Hickenlooper. “Talk to you friends, talk to your family. Tell them President Obama is strengthening middle class America.”

Far from the Monfort Quad on the west end of campus, Mitt Romney supporters had their own event earlier in the day to support their candidate. Former Leut. Gov. Jane Norton was the main speaker, and highlighted jobs, underemployment and the importance of smaller government.

“We have a clear choice this year. Sometimes we don’t always have a clear choice. But this election there is a clear choice,” she said. “Gov. Romney believes in the strength of our country. And the strength is not in government, but it’s in the private sector being unleashed being able to do what it does best.”

Obama last visited the CSU campus as a candidate in 2008 just days before the election. He campaigned earlier Tuesday in Iowa speaking to students as well on that campaign stop.

http://youtu.be/D8zpHvyDeUs