Students reflect on opportunity of seeing President Obama’s speech

On Wednesday, Jan. 13, after with giving his final SOTU address, President Obama paid a visit to Omaha, starting off a round of visits to traditionally red states in an effort to connect with all Americans.

Held at the newly developed Baxter Arena, tickets, which were of a finite quantity and also free to obtain, were exhausted soon after their initial offering to the public. Alongside thousands of college and adult aged supporters, many high school students from across the metro also gathered to honor the President, who had not been back to one of the Midwest’s fastest growing cities since his first campaigning in 2008. Although no signs were allowed into the auditorium, none were needed, as the president received an almost instantaneous ovation upon his entrance onto the stage.

Sophomore John Woodworth, who attended the event with a group of other Central students said, “As the president came in and the people stood up there was an overwhelming gasp in the arena, everyone automatically acknowledged his presence and it was an amazing feeling. A true once in a life time experience.” The president took little time in accepting the oratory approval, and transitioned quickly to his remarks, which overlapped somewhat with his SOTU given the evening before and also included renewed calls for more bipartisanship.

Nebraska as a whole has traditionally voted red in essentially all national elections, however its largest city of Omaha often crosses the aisle, electing Democrat Brad Ashford to Congress this past year. Even those who may not have been supporters of the president came out to pay homage to the commander-in-chief, as junior Noah Rhoades said, “I spoke to a lot of people who considered themselves seriously conservative but still found themselves waiting outside in the cold out of respect.”

As the president’s remarks were centered largely on attempting to unite a deeply divided nation, Rhoades also

observed this mood taking place in the audience as well when he said, “To see people come together and make the event about the future of the country rather than the future of our parties really helped to assure me that despite all of the mudslinging and mindless attacks from both sides of our political divide, we are still able to put those things aside and come together when it really comes down to the direction of our country.”

President Obama has often been regarded as one of the more “in” presidents, so to speak. He uses Twitter, Instagram and takes selfies.

Consequently, much of his support base come from age demographics that utilize such mass media, for example, college students. As the event was hosted by the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), the university actually canceled all classes for the day, anticipating that a high volume of students would be heading out to support the visiting dignitary.

Representing the whole spectrum of Omaha’s diverse inhabitants, members of the audience came from all walks of life and all backgrounds to listen to the president.

“When he [President Obama] entered the arena, everyone was awestruck. His presence was welcomed even before he started speaking. Supporters of all ages and ethnicities had gathered to share this incredible event,” sophomore Bennett Jackson said.

Like with most things political, entrance and first impressions are of the utmost importance, and President Obama’s was no different. Arriving in an imposing 18 car motorcade, the most powerful man in the world stepped onto the stage to a roar of approval, yet also showed an obvious amount of approachability.

“It was surreal,” Rhoades said. It always seems like the president is such an inaccessible figure for most people and I think there’s a sort of American mythology that comes with the position, so to see him in person and be able to shake his hand put a lot of things in perspective, [with] the most profound being that he really is just a human being with all the doubts and aspirations as anyone else in that arena.”

Even before President Obama made his remarks at the Baxter Arena, he also visited the home of Lisa Martin, a Papillion resident and high school English teacher who had written him a letter one year prior, detailing her fears for the future of her new born son.

He began his time in Nebraska by first meeting Martin and her family giving his word that her son’s future looked bright. It was this same message that he had come to Omaha to declare.

Speaking to the over 10,000 people in attendance, Obama ended his remarks in a confident voice saying that “America’s been through big changes before, and each time we overcame our fears and we overcame our fears and we overcame our challenges,” and lastly, “That’s what we do as Americans.”