Spring Break
Penn, Politicians Rally For Obama
Kala Kachmar
Issue date: 2/4/08 Section: News
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The guest speakers, including TV and movie star Kal Penn, Stamford Mayor and former Senate candidate Ned Lamont and Connecticut Senate Pro Tempore Donald Williams, endorsed Obama and spoke of the need for change in this coming presidential election.
Lamont, who won the 2006 senatorial primary against Joe Lieberman in part because of UConn students, encouraged students to get out and vote for Obama in Tuesday's primary election. He said he was going to spend the next four days trying to get Connecticut residents to vote for Obama.
"Connecticut can make a big difference," Lamont said. "This is our chance to say loud and clear that Obama could be an extraordinary president both here and abroad."
Some students were drawn to the rally by Penn, who had a popular role in the movie "Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle" and has made appearances on TV shows like "House" and "Law and Order."
"In the past, I've voted for as many democrats as republicans and third-party candidates," Penn said. "But I've never been as motivated by anyone as I am by Obama."
Penn told a story about his friend from Texas who had to choose between working a minimum wage job to save for college or working for Halliburton making $90,000 for driving a truck in Iraq for one year.
"It's sad that in the richest country in the world, a student has to either work a minimum wage job or in a war zone to pay for college," Penn said.
Penn has been traveling around the country endorsing Obama on college campuses in recent weeks, he said.
"I just wanted to hear what a famous movie star - a younger one - had to say about politics," said Matt Palmer, a 4th-semester pathobiology major. "I feel like he can relate to our generation better than a politician can."
Williams stressed the importance of recognizing Obama's national and public service to America. He said Obama has the unique opportunity to bring change to America in a non-partisan manner.
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