This pictures of Emma Cosigua as she reaches to shake the President’s hand, captures the excitement shared by our volunteers who went to McGavock High School to hear his speech last Thursday, Jan. 30. Everyday we support President Obama, but how often is it do we actually get to see him in person here in the Volunteer State? Well, on Thursday January 30th, 2014 opportunity knocked and the president came to Nashville. Organizing for Action sprung into action to welcome President Obama to Tennessee. It may have been on short notice, but we were able to see that he got the welcome he deserved. In a follow up to President Obama’s state of the union address given on January 28th, he went out into the country to talk about what he has planned. One of those stops was at McGavock High School, on the eastern side of Nashville. This high school was failing badly not so many years ago and was on the verge of a takeover by the state. They turned themselves around to the point they are now a model for everyone else. This caught the eye of the president who choose this venue for his speech focusing on education. Organizing for Action had people both inside and outside the high school to welcome him. Outside, supporters held signs and cheered on the arrival of our commander and chief. The chilly, windy weather was no obstacle for them! Indeed, the excitement of welcoming the president overcame any discomfort from the cold. Inside, Organizing for Action volunteers and supporters stood ready to welcome the president at close range. While we were packed in there very tight and had to stand for hours, it was more than worth it! The crowd roared when President Obama came into the high school gym after being introduced by McGavock High School student body president Ronald Elliott. President Obama speaking inside McGavock High School in Nashville. President Obama speaking inside McGavock High School in Nashville. President Obama spoke about the value of education. He talked about the need to pay our teachers better, a remark that got him a huge round of applause. Praise was heaped on McGavock High School for the work they’ve done in not only turning themselves around, but in preparing their students for the workforce. On a sadder note, he solemnly spoke of the recent shooting death of a student of this school. Acknowledging the soaring cost of a college education, he repeated the need to make higher education affordable to everyone made in his state of the union address. The speech was littered with a nice mix of the serious, but also the humorous. On time he even joked about his plane Air Force One being a rental and that “I have to give it back”. He also joked that he wanted to open the state of the union address by saying “The state of the union is cold”, in reference to the recent polar vortex cold snap. At the conclusion of the speech, he went up to the VIP section and had a few words with some of the dignitaries present including actress Ashley Judd and former Tennessee Senator, vice president and presidential candidate Al Gore. Next, he shook hands with and spoke briefly to some of his supporters in the crowd. Some of Organizing for Action’s own members were among the lucky ones who got to shake hands with him. Emma C, Scott J, Ellen F, Aman M, and Carl W were among those who got a handshake and a word or two. Emma C, who actively works with immigration reform, was briefly acknowledged by the president who responded to her remark about the dreamers during his speech. Scott J told him “Nice speech Mr. President” while shaking hands. He replied with a “Thank you sir”. This was a great opportunity to personally welcome the president. We all had a wonderful day and it is a day not soon to be forgotten. Press coverage was very good too, Scott J and Ellen F even got interviewed by Nashville NPR after the speech. I don’t know about you, but especially after this speech, I’m “Fired up and ready to go”! By Scott Julius, former OFA Fellow and presently active volunteer from Oak Ridge TN.
Posted on: Mon, 03 Feb 2014 13:59:40 +0000
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