Ohio veteran travels along on Obama's whistle stop tour
WASHINGTON -- President-elect Barack Obama promised to take with him to the White House the stories of Madisonville, Ohio, Army veteran Tony Fischer and the other "everyday Americans" who joined Obama on a whistle stop tour Saturday from Philadelphia to Washington.
"Theirs are the stories I will be thinking of when we deliver the changes you elected me to make," Obama said as he started the tour at a train station in Philadelphia. "When we are welcoming back our loved ones from a war in Iraq that we've brought to an end, I will be thinking of our brave servicemen and women sacrificing around the world, of veterans like Tony Fischer, who served two tours in Iraq, and all those returning home, unable to find a job."
Before he was singled out by Obama, Fischer kicked off the day's events by leading the Pledge of Allegiance at Philadelphia's 30th Street Station.
He also got to wish Michelle Obama a happy birthday and shake the hand of daughter Sasha.
"She was very enthusiastic," Fischer said.
A neighborhood team leader for Obama during the campaign, Fischer said the campaign effort of getting regular folks involved has continued through to the inaugural events.
"This is the fun stuff that comes after the work," Fischer said. "So they're making sure that everyone, as best they can, is involved in that as well."
As the train guests chatted about the weather and the inaugural activities, Obama asked what everyone was most looking forward to.
"This!" they responded.
"It's a personal thrill for me," Fischer said. "It's a ton of fun."
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Veterans and active duty, we might have a President that understands and sees the problems that we face and our families face after serving our nation, today he and Joe Biden visited the "Tomb of The Unknowns" at Arlington and laid a wreath, no speeches were made, he was there to pay tribute before he even is sworn into office, this was something Barack Obama and Joe Biden wanted to do, that is a lot of respect in my book, with all that is on their minds and Tuesday is coming quickly and the weight of the nation will be on their shoulders, they have the thought to quietly pay tribite to the men and women that have paid the highest price an American can pay, their life in service.
I think we have a winning team for both veterans and active duty military it's about time......
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Ohio veteran travels along on Obama's whistle stop tour
