Obama speech finds receptive crowd

By Tim Krohn
Free Press Staff Writer

MANKATO August 29, 2008 05:23 pm

— Of the 70 students who gathered at Minnesota State University to hear Barack Obama�s acceptance speech, his biggest supporter may have been someone who can�t vote for him.
�I believe change for America means change for the world. I love this guy,� said Krishna Dhungana, 19, a civil engineering student from Nepal in his first semester at MSU.
�I don�t usually let my tears fall down, but tonight I did,� said Dhungana, who joined other students in the Student Union to watch Obama on a big screen TV.
Nicole Nelson, a freshman from Stillwater, was also mesmerized by Obama�s oratory skills.
�I believe what he says. You see all these presidents and politicians say things and you don�t believe them, you can just see it,� said Nelson. �I think Obama talks from the heart.�
Caitlyn Gerchak, a freshman from Moorhead, said Obama�s frequent references to education and college resonates with young people.
�I think it�s really important for college students to get out and support him. He�s fighting for us. McCain has never talked about college students.�
Kelby Thompson, a junior from Centerville, said he thinks young voters will turn out to support Obama in November. �People think young people don�t vote, but the young people will make a difference in this election,� Thompson said.
He thought Obama did well in his speech by differentiating himself from John McCain and in providing specific actions he would take as president.
�I think his speech was awesome. We need change in this country and I think Barack will do it.�
The gathering at MSU was one of many organized on college campuses across the state and the nation Thursday night.

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