Barrack Obama stirred the crowd in a Pennsylvania school public this week with a typically inspirational speech. Once again, Obama’s dark good looks and natural charisma aligned with his well-chosen words to stir up more support in his campaign to become America’s first black President. And, as usual, what Obama lacked in facts and policies, he more than made up for in charm and vocabulary.

“It's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential”, Obama told the crowd of children, school employees and parents, “If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll make progress.”

Many of the attendants of the speech, comprising of steelworkers, builders’ labourers and other lower middle class Americans, found inspiration in Obama’s cryptic words; “Yeah, he’s got my vote!” exclaimed Arthur Walsh, a 36-year old bartender whose son attends Pennsylvania State Elementary School, “he spoke to every single individual in that room today with that speech- from the headmaster to the children to their parents and even Ramon the janitor!”

Others were less impressed, not least 6-year old student Calub Washington. “I didn’t understand” the boy claimed, “he said we should make a difference, and prepare for a long walk and ask not what our country can do for us, but just what did he mean? When I asked my mom what Mr. Obama was talking about she just shushed me and told me that I should listen to everything that the great man was saying.”

Children and adults were then invited to take part in a public discourse with Mr. Obama. During the Q&A session, one young student asked Mr. Obama what his favourite cartoon was; his evasive answer (“Cartoons are the building blocks to understanding the great American tradition of storytelling”) only succeeded in raising more questions, at which time the mic was passed to the adults. Thankfully, they were easier to placate than their children, with promises of “a greater future”, “Better things” and “more stuff”.

Joe Griffin