Barack Obama Tells Butte, Montana to “Tap ‘er Light.”

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Sun Apr-06-08 07:01 PM
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Barack Obama Tells Butte, Montana to “Tap ‘er Light.”

BUTTE, Mont. -- Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton rolled into this legendary copper-mining town Saturday for that night's big state Democratic Party dinner, where they were to address some 4,000 Montanans electrified by the state's suddenly-relevant June 3 primary. (http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/04/05/a_silverhaired_superdelegate_i.html?hpid=topnews)

The dinner is a big, big deal in Butte, which claims the title of birthplace of the American labor movement and which drew so many immigrants from far-flung lands to its mines that it likes to call itself "Butte, America, not Butte, Montana."

Today, the enormous hole in the ground right next to downtown that is the Berkeley Pit -- 1,780 feet deep and a mile and a half wide -- is being filled back up with old mining fill, the city's handsome 19th-century streets are lined with empty storefronts, and until this week the only bold-face name to visit the town in recent years was actor Matthew McConaughey, here for the funeral of local boy Evil Knievel.

Before heading over to the city civic center, Obama stopped by a local bar, the M&M Cafe, to shake some hands.

Before stopping at M&M Diner in Butte yesterday, Obama swung by his hotel to change out of his suit and into more casual garb, wearing a gray Columbia fleece and a casual button-down shirt sans the tie. When he got to the state's Mansfield-Metcalf dinner tonight, the suit was back on, but Obama was boasting of his desire to drink a beer. (http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/04/06/864112.aspx)

"I spent a little time in the M&M. I wanted to have a beer, but my staff wouldn't let me. They said you have to go talk we don't want you slurring your words," he told the crowd.

His emphasis on appealing to Western voters appeared to be more than just cosmetic, however. In his speech in Butte, Obama emphasized a message of personal resilience, declaring that people in the West's desire for good government had nothing to do with getting a handout. He also spoke about Native American affairs, promising that his administration would place a higher priority on their concerns than past administrations. Montana is home to 10 Native American tribes.

The trip underscored the senator's support in Western states, and he played up the idea that despite being poor in delegates, states like Montana may be rich in potential Democratic support.

“I am absolutely convinced that this is our moment, this is our time,” Obama told a packed Butte Civic Center. “If you in Montana can stand up and fight for me we will win not just this nomination, but we will win the general election.”

Obama, a U.S. senator from Illinois, walked to the podium at 6:40 p.m. to a prolonged standing ovation, as the crowd waved “Montana Loves Obama” signs. The cheering subsided after more than a minute, but erupted 70 times during the 41-minute speech.

After telling his audience Montana is just as important as any other state in the nominating process, Obama said he's running for president because he wants America to be a country that helps its citizens rather than telling them “you're on your own.”

“We know that government cannot solve all of our problems,” he said. “We don't expect it to.

“But that's not an excuse to spend another four years doing nothing. We don't want another four years of George Bush's can't-do, won't-do, won't-even-try type of politics. We're a better country than that.”

Barack Obama said he supports environmentally sound ways to use coal and promised to appoint a high-level adviser on Indian issues if elected president.

Obama acknowledged his support of clean-energy technology might worry voters in a region that produces lots of coal.

"I know Montana's a coal state. My home state, Illinois, is a coal state, but we've got to make sure that we are investing in technologies that capture carbon because we can't sustain the planet the way that we're doing it right now," Obama said, speaking to 8,000 people at a college arena in Missoula, Mont. "Look at this incredible landscape around you. We've got to pass that on."

Obama talked about issues facing America's Native people during an interview with the Missoulian following his speech Saturday at the Adams Center.

In an interview after his speech, Obama talked about his proposal to significantly strengthen the government-to-government relationship between tribal nations and the White House.

A key to his Native policy platform includes creating a senior White House staff position filled by a Native person, recognizing that the Bureau of Indian Affairs hasn't provided Natives a clear channel of navigation.

“My strong belief is you have the bureau, which is often treated as sort of a backwater by the White House,” he said. “Maybe it has access to the White House if there's a problem; otherwise, there's not that direct contact between tribal leaders and the president.

“It's very important that there's somebody in my White House who on an ongoing basis is keeping me informed, keeping me abreast,” said Obama. “It's the same reason we want an annual summit with tribal leaders in the White House. I want tribal leaders all across the country to feel as if they have direct access to me, that they're not going through layers of bureaucracy.”

“When I look at the history of Montana and all the Native peoples have done to preserve their culture, when I think of what the pioneers went through to carve out a way of life for themselves, you're reminded that each generation passes on some obligations to work for the next generation.”

“This is long overdue,” said Obama. “I've consistently believed we have treaty obligations, we have moral obligations to make sure we improve health care for Native American communities. A lot of illnesses being experienced are preventable illnesses. For us not to make these investments is unacceptable.

And this, from Obama's speech at the Montana Democratic Party dinner last night:

I love this country not because it’s perfect, but because we’ve always been able to move it closer to perfection. Because through revolution and slavery; war and depression; great battles for civil rights and women’s rights and worker’s rights, generations of Americans have shown their love of country by struggling and sacrificing and risking their lives to bring us that much closer to our founding promise. And as long as I live, I will never forget that I am only standing here because they did...

It’s a country where the improbable love of my parents was actually possible; where my mother could raise me without much money but still send me to the best schools in the nation; a country where I’ve seen hope triumph in neighborhoods that were devastated by joblessness and poverty; where I’ve seen ordinary Americans find justice in a courtroom; where I’ve seen progress made for working families who need leaders who are willing to stand up and fight for them.

That is the country I love. That is the promise of America. And in this election, if we can shed our cynicism and our doubts and our fears; if we remember that we rise or fall as one people, and that we can meet any challenge that comes our way if we meet it together, then I believe that this generation will do its part to perfect our union and keep our promise alive in the twenty-first century. Good night, God Bless, and as they say here in Butte, “tap ‘er light.”

Watch Sen. Obama's Butte speech and interview here: http://montanasnewsstation.com/Global/category.asp?C=50433

Read Sen. Obama’s speech here: http://thepage.time.com/obamas-remarks-at-montana-democratic-dinner/