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Last Updated: Mar 31, 2009 - 2:29:20 PM |
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Marengo resident Candi Schmieder introduced presidential candidate Barack Obama as he made his first return to Iowa since the caucuses in January. Above, more than 7,000 people greet Barack and Michelle Obama in Des Moines. Mitch Traphagen Photo
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DES MOINES - Marengo resident Candi Schmieder stood on stage before thousands of people crowding the streets of downtown Des Moines. She spoke about Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, telling the crowd how he inspired her. Two of her three children were with her - she said her youngest, Mitchell, was more interested in seeing his babysitter than a potential future President of the United States.
Schmieder continued to speak, the crowd approved and applauded in all of the appropriate places. Then she welcomed Obama to the stage. The crowd erupted in cheers.
“We’ve been to, counting tonight it will be 19 events where the senator or his wife have been,” Schmieder said before the event. “This is the first time I’ve gotten involved in the political process on this end. Usually I vote in the general elections but I’ve never caucused before or done anything with the pre-presidential election. Hearing Senator Obama speak and reading The Audacity of Hope really inspired me to get more involved. I thought politics was such a complicated game playing-process before, but he just seems to make common sense with a lot of the ideas he has. He also convinced me that each person is an important part of this process and that our voice does matter. It does make a difference when you get involved.”
History is on the verge of being written in this campaign. Early projections indicate Obama has locked in a majority of the delegates towards his party’s nomination. That happened only hours before Schmieder took the stage. But her journey began long before Tuesday night.
Candi Schmieder speaking before 7,000+ people. Mitch Traphagen Photo
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“I was the Precinct Captain,” she said.. “My daughter and I went around and canvassed. We went door to door and talked to people about Senator Obama. We made phone calls, volunteered wherever we could with the campaign and for some reason, out of the 1,000 or more Precinct Captains that they had in the state of Iowa they asked me to do this tonight!
“They called last night and asked me to do this and I said yes and then hung up the phone and thought, what did I just do? I get nervous speaking in front of 100 people!”
There were considerably more than 100 people crowding the downtown streets. But if she was nervous, no one knew. She handled her time on stage as though she had been doing it for years - and had days to prepare. Instead, she merely took the day off from work.
“ I went and ran out and bought a new outfit,” she said with a laugh. “I did have to take the day off though. I told my boss I’d just be a mess. He said no you just go ahead and stay away for today.”
“It was in this great state where we took the first steps of an unlikely journey to change America,” Obama told the cheering crowd.
Certainly, Schmieder has changed on the journey. She got involved.
Candi Schmieder with her son Jacob shortly before going on stage in downtown Des Moines. Laura Timm Photo
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Skies: PtcldyTemperature: 79F 26CDewpoint: 63F 17CRelative Humidity: 57%Wind: E at 3m - 5kBarometric Pressure: 30.08SUpdated: 10:02:49 PM