Obama addresses LV rally

Kirsten Searer

Friday, Oct. 15, 2004 | 11:10 a.m.

Barak Obama, one of the stars of the Democratic National Convention, was mobbed by politicians, Democrats and cameras this morning as he entered the West Las Vegas Library.

The Democratic U.S. Senate candidate from Illinois, in town for a fundraiser and a rally, playfully bowed to Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., when he approached the veteran lawmaker and assistant minority leader to shake his hand.

Obama spoke to about 200 Democratic supporters at the library but first told local media he was concerned about recent reports that a voter registration group funded by the Republican National Committee may have torn up cards submitted by would-be Democratic voters.

Obama stopped short of saying Republicans have an organized method of disenfranchising Democratic voters, but said the Republican Party probably realizes it will fare better in the upcoming election if voter turnout is stifled.

"We have to encourage all people to vote," said Obama, who stepped into the national spotlight with a rousing keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention in July. "If everybody votes, Democrats will win. If we have a low voter turnout Republicans will win."

When asked about a recent comment by Clark County Commissioner Lynette Boggs McDonald that the Democratic Party represented the "last plantation in America" Obama said he hoped that all of America's political parties would compete for African-American voters. But he said President Bush's administration and his policies have failed minorities.

"When you get past the rhetoric of the Republican Party, what you tend to see are the same failed policies," Obama said.

Obama said he is traveling the country to rally Democrats because he would rather serve in a U.S. Senate with a stronger Democratic contingent.