A rising star from Illinois makes some noise in L.A.
Sen. Barack Obama addresses a rapt crowd at an African American museum and attends a Democratic rally at USC.
By Carla Hall, Times staff writer
October 27, 2006
(Mel Melcon / LAT)
SHARING A LAUGH: Sen. Barack Obama jokes with L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. They took the stage together Friday in support of fellow Democrat Phil Angelides.
....(Barack) Obama swung through Los Angeles on Friday, speaking to a crowd of 825 at the (California African American Museum). Then — with actor Ben Affleck — he promoted Proposition 87 at a news conference at USC's Topping Student Center. Later in the afternoon he delivered a 14-minute speech in shirt sleeves at a campus rally with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and just about every other California Democratic office holder who could find their way to USC.
People came to the day's events clutching copies of Obama's new book, their cameras and their hopes that he is the political force that can unify a divided country....
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"He has already proven himself to be the most galvanizing leader to come out of either party, in my opinion, in at least a decade," said Affleck, wearing an untucked blue shirt and gray trousers as he introduced Obama, in white shirt and dark suit jacket, who went tie-less all day."...
"It was nice to have Ben Affleck there," said...a (USC) freshman, "but Barack Obama was the star."...
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/politics/cal/la-me-obama28oct28,0,7589810.story?coll=la-center-politics-cal