By Ivan Pereira and Jeremy Walsh
Children sat on the floor making their own visual aids for Obama, the Democratic senator from Illinois, while parents talked about how the nationwide primary races were going.Despite Obama's commanding 55 percent of the vote in Saturday's South Carolina Democratic primary, the elephant in the room was U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.). New York is her home turf and the fight is going to be uphill, said volunteer coordinator Jonta Williams.”I think there's a large basis of support for her,” Williams said, “But I've been doing this since May, and [support for Obama] has definitely grown since then.”Many of the Obama supporters at the office Saturday were preparing to head to Manhattan for a larger rally. Their reasons for backing him differed.”It's time for a change. We need a change,” said Queens Village resident Marlene Pengelly, 50. She said she admired Obama “for the man himself ” rather than any particular plank in his platform.Jamaica resident Earl Watson, 55, boasting a red “Republicans for Barack Obama” pin, said he did not agree with many of Obama's positions on key issues. But Watson, who is black, said he felt “a kindred historical connection to fulfill the wishes of my grandparents.” Watson said he also supported Obama because he sees in the Illinois senator a potential for a dramatic change among the American left.”I think Barack has served as a lightning rod in an irreparable split in the Democratic Party,” he said.For Williams, supporting Obama had to do with her desire to see more progress in federal government.”I was frustrated with things not happening,” she said. “The Democrats shoot down this bill or the president vetoes that bill. [Obama is] not an ideologue. He has his positions, but he recognizes there are other ideas out there.”Although the office is targeting southeast Queens residents, out of town Obama fans paid a visit to show their support. Indiana resident Pat Smith, 56, and her father Jim Bergdoll, 83, drove all the way to Queens to help the office campaign in the city.Since her state's primary takes place in May, Smith said she did not want to wait at home while the rest of the nation decided the future of the country.”I haven't seen a leader like this since 1968 and Bobby Kennedy,” she said. “This is the time to make a difference and this is the person to do it.”Kennedy stunned American voters during the early days of the '68 election by winning the California primary, beating his two major party rivals, U.S. Sen. Eugene Joseph McCarthy and Vice President Hubert Humphrey before being assassinated.The office received a special welcome Tuesday afternoon as nearly 40 teens from area youth hip-hop groups, Hip Hop Political Education Committee and Hip Hop Stand Up, marched down the streets in support for the Illinois senator with Councilman James Sanders (D-Laurelton). The march came at a very crucial time as Obama tries to win more support in New York leading up to the Super Tuesday primary.”Most people don't pay attention to elections until a week before. Now that we won South Carolina, we want to let people know that he has a good chance of being the first black president,” said Michael Griffin, the office's supervisor.Reach reporter Jeremy Walsh by e-mail at jwalsh@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 154.
