By MASUDUR RAHAM

Senior Reporter

Barack Obama addressed the woes of Michigan residents to a crowd of about 1,500 for a town hall meeting held at Troy High School last Monday.

“Few understand the need for change more than the people of Michigan,” he said. “While the rest of the country has been speculating about a possible recession, Michigan has been in one for a long time now.”

This town hall meeting was overshadowed by bigger news later that night; Obama officially had enough delegates to assume the Democratic candidacy for president, clinching the Democratic Party nomination after winning the Montana and South Dakota primaries. Obama is the first African-American to become the presidential candidate for a major political party in the U.S.

In his speech at the town hall meeting, he spoke on topics ranging from health care, jobs, oil prices and education, and how they apply to Michigan residents.

He criticized Republican candidate John McCain for focusing more on the Iraq War than the economy. He also lambasted McCain for his views on the economy.

“[McCain] said that the economy is strong… I don’t know who he’s talking to, but he’s not talking to you, and he’s not talking to me,” Obama said.

Obama also remarked that he respected McCain as a “genuine war hero,” but that McCain is “running for George Bush’s third term.”

Obama said that he will bring home the troops in Iraq and bring the war to “an honorable close.”

Pauses in his speech were filled with enthusiastic applause and chants of “Yes we can.”

Obama also addressed the issue of health care and explained his policy to the audience. Anyone satisfied with their health care policy can keep it and that those who want a policy from the government will be able to get one. Also, those who can’t afford it will be subsidized.

Obama spoke about the loss of manufacturing jobs, a subject close to heart for many Michigan residents. He also stressed that in an increasingly competitive global economy, Americans need to be more competitive.

“We cannot build a moat around America,” Obama said.

Obama also praised Hillary Clinton for “running a strong campaign.” It is unclear at this point whether or not Obama will pick Clinton as his running mate, but at the meeting he spoke of party unity and said  that despite Clinton’s role, “she and I will be working together this November.”

After the speech, Obama fielded questions from the audience for about half an hour. A student who identified himself as an Oakland University graduate asked what Obama planned to do about the rising cost of higher education, and brought up OU’s 14 percent tuition increase last year. In response, Obama explained his education policy, and said that he will increase funding for Pell Grants because they give money to “students that need it most.”

He also said that he will implement a plan that will give every student $4,000 a year for tuition. But to be eligible, students will have to do volunteer work.

Obama also said that he will strive to include mental illness under the same plan as other health problems.

“The person suffering from deep depression needs just as much care as the person with a broken bone,” Obama said.

There was no audible evidence of dissent or any visible protests against Obama at the meeting.

The visit marked the second time that Obama has campaigned in Michigan since pledging not to campaign here during the primaries after Michigan broke party laws by moving its primary to an earlier date. He also spoke at a rally in Grand Rapids to a much larger audience, when John Edwards announced his endorsement of Obama.