In Iowa, student journalists report on Obama’s visit to their campus

Sam Kienzle, a senior from environmental science, wore a pro-health care reform button on Thursday outside of the Field House. He said he was there mainly to observe. “Iowa City is my home town. And this is a spectacle,” he added. He liked to see all kinds of signs people held during the demonstration, but those that indicated racial slur bothered him, he said. He also said he was expecting to see about 100 more people join the demonstration. Photograph by Josie Liu, PhD candidate Unv. of Iowa

We’re grateful to students from the University of Iowa who offered grassroots reportage on Obama’s visit to Iowa. If you’d like to read direct and non-mainstream filtered accounts of this pivotal visit, here are some summaries:

Heather McKeag gives an account of the drama that ensued as opponents of the bill picketed outside the venue of Obama’s speech:

Demonstrators from all over Iowa gathered in protest and support of the new federal health-care reform legislation.

Supporters of the reform proudly raised signs that read “Health Insurance Reform Now” and “Standing Together for Health Care Reform,” while protester’s signs read “You’re Fired” and “Obama Stole My Wallet.”

“I disagree that health insurance is wasteful spending. However, I wouldn’t disagree that we are in a huge deficit.”
Andrew Alemao, a UI senior said.

Also check out this quote McKeag reported on from another protester:

Nancy Bothius, a doctor of pharmacy and clinical assistant professor came to protest critical issues she has witnessed in the medical field. Nancy’s sign stated, “I support health care reform but NOT this reform.”

However Lisa Brahm reports that it wasn’t all about protests as Obama found a friendly audience at the Filed House:

President Barack Obama applauded Iowans on their support of the health care reform just as much as the packed audience in the University of Iowa field house applauded him. People from the Iowa City area and students from the University of Iowa waited in a line around the corner from the field house eager to listen to the president speak.

His speech consisted mostly of the health care bill that he signed Tuesday afternoon, and while there were several protesters outside and even a brave young man yelling rebuttals at the president inside, many people in the audience were joining in on cheers before the president took the stage and frantically snapping pictures as he approached the podium.

Spectator and University of Iowa student, Paige Wallace described the scenery inside the field house as, “filled with Iowans eager to hear what the President had to say.” As the president walked onto the stage Wallace snapped pictures as she stood on her tip-toes in order to get a better view.

“His delivery was even better in person than when watching him on TV,” Paige said, “He is such a likable person. I didn’t feel like I was listening to the President speak. He seemed just like an average Midwesterner just like us.”

And finally, a summary of reactions before and after the speech from Kelly Oelmann’s report :

Several hundred people from all over the state and country lined up outside the Field House at the University of Iowa this morning in hopes of seeing the President Barrack Obama before or after his speech. While some picketed on one side of the street and others watched from the other side on this chilly windy day, they all wanted to get their voice heard.

A concerned business owner, Robin Staak of Iowa City says, “it is unconstitutional…it’s against the law….your telling people that they HAVE to buy something.” She believes that this bill will absolutely cripple our country.

Logan Garmoe age 14 of Mt. Pleasant is neutral about the bill. He states that the bill is, “taking away choice. They’ll keep doing that. It will keep getting bigger and bigger until we don’t have any way in it.”

College students like Dustin Krutsinger, a second year medical student wanted to encourage President Obama to go back to the Constitution. Krutsinger states, “they continue to ignore the Constitution.”

Tina Thomann of Riverside believes that the health care bill is, “a step in the right direction.” Vernon Rollins of North Liberty agrees and says that it is great that it passed. Vernon was one of the many lucky to receive a ticket to enter the building.