Monday, January 07, 2008

Bradley ’65: Country needs Obama

He is legend inside Dillon Gym. His number hangs from the rafters at Madison Square Garden. And today, Bill Bradley ’65 threw his support behind Illinois Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign one day before voters go to the polls in New Hampshire.



The announcement took place outside Obama’s Concord campaign office, the same facility Bradley used for his campaign headquarters during his presidential run in 2000. Originally scheduled indoors, the 15-minute event took place outside because the crowd of more than 100, most of them under the age of 30, couldn’t fit inside.

“I believe that Barack Obama is what the country needs,” Bradley declared. “I feel very much like this is history. We can be part of history.”

Bradley said Obama practices the “politics of greater possibilities” and credited him with being able to see the “broader picture.”



“When you look at Barack, we can see how far we’ve come as a country,” he said. “And that allows us to see how much further we can go.”

Bradley added that politicians today have to reach out to the broadest possible number of Americans and let them know they can be a part of the answer to the problems facing the country.

Bradley jokingly pointed out that, with his announcement, half of the four highest-scoring basketball players in Princeton history support the Obama candidacy. The other is Craig Robinson ’83. His sister is Barack's wife, Michelle Robinson Obama ’85.

"Princeton is for Obama," Bradley said with a smile, referencing the Illinois senator's many ties to the University.




The Obama supporters spent much of the afternoon holding signs along the town’s main drag, and they were joined by volunteers from nearly every other Democratic and Republican campaign. The competitive shouting between campaigners and constant horn-honking from drivers showing their support made for a rather chaotic situation.

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