7:40 a.m.: Obama supporters hit the street

The Herald Bulletin

May 06, 2008 07:42 am

— At 7 a.m. Tuesday, the Anderson headquarters of Barack Obama's campaign were empty. Empty, except for a solitary supporter.
She said she had been in the office since 9 p.m. Monday and that the plan for election day was to keep supporters on the street, not in the office. The Obama supporter said clusters of supporters could be found near the corner of Eighth Street and Madison Avenue and the corner of Nichol Avenue and Raible Avenue.
It was at the corner of Eighth Street and Main Street that the two most visible supporters could be found. One on the southwest corner near the Madison County Government Center and one on the northeast corner in front of the Anderson City Building.
Clutching a posterboard sign reading "Obama for Hope," Elizabeth Wepler of Anderson stood beneath a flapping American flag jutting from the brick exterior of the courthouse. A 2003 graduate of Highland High School and a 2007 graduate of Indiana University, Wepler had decided to put some effort into a political cause before heading off to graduate school.
"I've been out here since about 6:30," Wepler said. "We've had some honks and some waves, so there have been some encouraging signs."
On the opposite corner stood Mark Semet, who drove 12 hours from Kansas to Anderson to support Obama. Semet, 57, met John F. Kennedy as a child and became a strong supporter of the Kennedy family. He said Obama represents the next step in furthering Kennedy's vision.
"I believe in the Kennedy dream," said Semet, who also worked on Howard Dean's campaign. "I think (Obama) is working for a great social cause."
--Justin Schneider

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