‘Barack Chalk Jayhawks’ show support for Obama
Facebook group of KU students attends nighttime rally for U.S. presidential candidate
Published on Mon., August 27th, 2007
As presidential candidate Barack Obama looked out at the crowd, he noticed a group of excited college students.
“Where are you all from?” Obama asked.
The group said it was from the University of Kansas in Lawrence.
“So, you’re the Barack Chalk Jayhawks,” Obama said.
Last Monday, the students met with about 70 Kansas City area residents to welcome Obama at the Westin Crown Center Hotel in Kansas City, Mo. The students, formed entirely through a Facebook group, called themselves the “Barack Chalk Jayhawks.”
The Barack Chalk Jayhawks are only a Facebook group, but are composed of students from various campus organizations. Marc Langston, Wichita senior, and College Democrats of Kansas president, said presidential candidates were very aware of the importance of Facebook and the Internet in next year’s presidential election. Langston said creating a Facebook group made it easier to include all campus organizations involved in Obama’s campaign. He also said that Monday night’s success was largely because of the Facebook group and because of students contacting Obama supporters in the Kansas City area. The group’s ultimate goal is to see Obama again, only next time on campus.
“The purpose is to have enough students sign up to encourage Sen. Obama to visit us at the Dole Institute,” Langston said.
The Barack Chalk Jayhawks’ current projects include planning a trip to the Iowa caucus in January, and organizing a benefit concert, “Barack and Roll,” for this fall. Langston said that most of the group was still in shock from meeting Obama at last Monday’s rally.
Dan Melsheimer, St.Louis senior, said Obama related well with the students. Melsheimer even experienced a college-like moment with the senator.
“I moved down the line after he shook my hand, and he saw me again,” Melsheimer said. “He asked if I had shaken his hand, and when I said, ‘Yes, Senator,’ he put up his fist. I got to do a pound shake with Obama.”
Langston said he was impressed with the dedication of the students to show up at the rally on such short notice. He said it was important to keep up the energy to win the election.
“Eighty KU students motivated a person running for president to work harder,” Langston said. “It could have been just four of us, but others took an interest. Students can decide who will be the next candidate, or even president.”
The Barack Chalk Jayhawks said they would continue their support of Obama and work to bring him to campus. Langston said he thought university students were the key demographic in the election.
“We will do what Senator Obama said, verbatim: ‘Keep doing what you’re doing, and we will win the primary and go on to win the general election,’ ” Langston said.
— Edited by Chris Beattie
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