Democrat Barack Obama was fired up and ready to go on Tuesday on a visit to the birthplace of his presidential campaign rally cry.
The story is a staple of Obama’s campaign rallies — the wet, tired, dispirited candidate, visiting rural Greenwood, South Carolina, last year to court the support of a local state representative, was inspired by a woman in a church hat who got the small, quiet crowd roaring with the chant “Fired Up! Ready to Go!”
Obama uses the story as an example of how “one voice can change a room,” and how the ripple effect can “change the world.”
The chant also can change a campaign event, as thousands of Obama backers have roared it from Iowa to South Carolina, including his big rallies with talk show host Oprah Winfrey.
Suddenly, Obama noted, even “Oprah is saying fired up, ready to go.”
On Tuesday, Obama was joined by the chant’s originator, Edith Childs, a Greenwood city councilwoman and local celebrity who joined him on stage and led a crowd of about 2,000 in a spirited version.
With Obama joining in and dancing behind her, she added an extra chorus.
“Go out and vote, go out and vote, Obama, Obama, will be our next, will be our next, president, president.”
Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.
- Photo credit: Reuters/Chris Keane (Obama at a campaign rally in Greenwood, South Carolina, January 22.)
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8 comments so far
I hope democrats don’t waste the opportunity Bush has given them by voting obama or hillary. They will not win, and it is because they are divisive. No one wants to admit it, but America is still a very sexist and racist place. It is not like it used to be where the racism or sexism is out loud, but it never went away. For that simple reason to vote for either of them is to waste the great opportunity bush has given democrats. John Edwards is white, but he is not sexist or racist, and is more importantly is on the side of the power and lower class (which is mainly minorities). If you think I am wrong then why do women and blacks get paid less for the same work? Just don’t waste your vote by voting for someone that will lose the presidential race. That is what matters, not voting for someone because of they are male or female, or the color or lack of color of their skin.
- Posted by Martinwhen I said “John Edwards is on the side of the power…” I meant “John Edwards is on the side of the poor and lower class”.
Also lets stop the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.
- Posted by Martin(to Martin)
- Posted by CarterObama and Clinton have just as good of a chance as any of the other candidates. You just have to have an opened mind on all the issues. Whoever wins the election is going to have a big mess to clean up regardless.
Martin,
- Posted by CarlyIf you are not already on anti-depressants you need to be. Let me understand your
comment..because you don’t believe in yourself you don’t believe in others and that’s sad. FYI: A white man can be just as divisive on race & sex as anyone else ex. Bush & Hurricane Katrina…Clinton & Monica Lowenski. The only reason race and gender is interesting in this election is because it’s never happened before(on such a legitimate level meaning the majority of Americans are backing it) and everyone is excited about it(not hateful about it, like you). It’s because everyone feels like they are a part of the political process now because they can visibly identify with someone. The country has never had a chance to have this kind of conversation so some people may not know exacly what to say(people like you). The fact that Bush managed this country so poorly(as a white man) is the reason why Americans are opened to some one totally different. The only way the Democrats will be in jeopardy of losing this election is if, by some aboration of nature, John Edwards becomes the nominee.
Obama for president. What, you think America is a white country? Not anymore baby, and I’m white and female, and I’m voting for Obama cause Hillary is just too scrappy for my taste. She even alienated Al Gore, and who, but her, could alienate Al Gore?
I like Bill Clinton, but I think someone needs to remind him that he already lived in the White House for 8 years, and maybe it is someone else’s turn. What has given the Clintons the impression that they DESERVE to be in the White House?
- Posted by LisaW.One more thing, women and african-americans may get paid less thanks to hopeless folks like you, but their VOTE COUNTS THE SAME.
- Posted by LisaW.Edith Child’s “fired up” rally cry has now sparked a bunch of Seattle musicians to write and record “FiredUp, Ready to Go” as a gift to the campaign.
Images from the recording session which included Pearl Jam Drummer Matt Cameron and Pastor Pat Wright’s world-traveled Total Experience Gospel Choir can be found in this Flickr gallery
- Posted by Stephan SchierJohn Whitesides , in the tank for Obama.
FACT IS BARRY SCREWED HIMSELF ON THIS ONE :
“While an Illinois state senator, Obama supported a state tax holiday very much like Clinton’s proposal, but without the saving mechanism of a windfall profits tax. …
During one state Senate floor debate, Obama joked that he wanted signs on gas pumps in his district to say, “Senator Obama reduced your gasoline prices.” ”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/06 /study-illinois-gas-tax-ho_n_100350.htm l
LOL @ JOHN. CAN YOU SAY B-I-A-S-E-D ?
- Posted by Joe Blow