Presidential candidate Barack Obama made an unexpected appearance here in Bloomington in between appearances at Columbus and Terre Haute yesterday.
Word spread quickly from Kirkwood to the rest of campus when he stopped at Nick's to greet the mass of students celebrating Little 500 weekend. At first it seemed like a rumor, but eventually it became clear that it was no hoax.
Barack made an effort to experience the best college weekend in the nation
Obama quickly attracted a huge gathering of students at Nick's, shaking a few hands and even signing a few autographs for his star-struck supporters. Before that he visited Bill Armstrong Stadium and the women's race, generating a huge amount of buzz for the crowd.
The surprise move by Obama did wonders for his appeal with students, despite the fact that it was fairly informal and required minimal effort. The simple visit gives him even more of a edge on a campus that is already full of pro-Obama students. Especially for those who weren't already decided for the May 6 primary, it was a very convincing campaign move. "I'm a big, big Obama supporter. He's so tight,"
one girl told the IDS.
For students who rely more on likability and appeal when making political decisions, Obama couldn't have picked a better way to improve his "tight" factor with college students than coming to town on Little 500 weekend and visiting one of the best bars in the city. If he continues to go the extra mile in the future, he should see great results in the primary.
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