Published: August 09, 2008 10:18 pm         

Obama supporters gear up to canvas Valley

TERRE HAUTE — Stopping for a quick lunch with local Democrats and supporters of Indiana’s Democratic candidate for governor Jill Long Thompson, ground-pounders for Sen. Barack Obama prepared to canvass Terre Haute on Saturday and today.

Volunteers from both campaigns mingled at 509 Wabash Ave. about 1 p.m. Saturday, as portions of Obama’s group had been in Sullivan earlier.

The Obama campaign is conducting a state-wide project this weekend, registering voters and knocking on doors from New Albany to South Bend, Terre Haute to Fort Wayne, and about 20 other stops in between.

Volunteer Mike Somerville said he’s supporting the Democratic senator for president for a number of reasons,

“I’m supporting him because I want to make sure the right people are accepted to the Supreme Court,” Somerville said outside the building as campaign staff handed him maps and other canvassing materials.

Somerville was also critical of income tax breaks for “the wealthy” which he said have sky-rocketed since the Eisenhower administration.

Sid Ulrich, 21, a junior at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and the director of the school’s Barack Obama for President organization, said he began volunteering early in January.

“After how the political atmosphere has been going for the last eight years, I’m not just hoping to change candidates, but I’m hoping to change how candidates approach politics,” he said, expressing optimism in drawing support for Obama at Rose-Hulman, despite what he acknowledged is usually a conservative group.

The economy and other actions over the last eight years make people want to change gears, he said.

Both Ulrich and Somerville were instructed on canvassing procedure, given maps and candidate literature, and offered some talking points about the campaign.

“If you run across a supporter, always ask them if they want to get involved,” Bryan Shanafelt, 20, told them.

Shanafelt has taken time off from Portland Community College to help with the Obama campaign, and he reminded the volunteers to “keep voter registration in mind.”

Obama volunteers will be knocking on doors this afternoon throughout the Wabash Valley.

Brian Boyce can be reached at (812) 231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.