Inside the Main Event

The Teeming Masses Watch Obama and McCain

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Obama on stage picture, by Greg Bocquet

Empty Seats! After all that?! photo by Greg Bocquet

Protesters Outside the Main Gate

Student Gathering on the Low Library Steps

Audio-Slideshow: People Show Support

Inside the press room

This was the press room at the start of the Summit. Many more media reps have recently entered the room now that McCain is speaking, in Low Memorial Library.

To Vote or Not to Vote

Within less than two hours, over 50 people registered to vote at a table set up across the street from Columbia for the Obama campaign, according to campaign volunteer Carol Martin. Meanwhile, protesting groups were calling on people not to vote. "Actively not voting is not the same as passively not voting," says Sean Venkat, a student leading the group outside the campus gate. "Apathy is thinking that you can go once every four years and vote and that this would change the world." Venkat says his political awareness began four years ago after a visit to Mexico, where people vote actively yet achieve no change.

Gov. Paterson gets a standing ovation

Photo by Greg Bocquet.

Protesters, police getting along

Manhattan School of Music students Katherine Thomas and Gina Izzo, both 21, chatted with Officer Mitchell from New York police as they protested outside Columbia at 116th Street and Broadway. There are still plenty of protesters at the entrance to the university — with lots of police close by — but police thus far have left the protesters alone.

Both Thomas and Izzo said the police have been respectful of protesters. "They're doing their duty. It's a good thing — I feel safe," said Thomas.

Thomas and Izzo said they didn't know about the protests beforehand, but they decided to join as they walked by.

"I don't believe McCain and Bush know what they are doing at all," said Thomas, adding that even her friends in Iraq think they should be coming home.

Usher meets with "Generation S"

At the start of the ServiceNation event today, famed R&B artist Usher met with "100 Exceptional Young Leaders" who gathered at Columbia University to discuss their ideas for the future of community service. Usher has been named ServiceNation's "Youth Chair," and he has deemed the country's youth "Generation S" for their service potential. Along with a list of musical accomplishments, Usher founded "New Look," a non-profit organization dedicated to providing youth from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds the opportunity to learn about the business behind sports and entertainment."Set a platform. Set a vision. I'll be the voice. I make that promise to you today," he told the group at the conclusion of the meeting.

9/11 Protests: different kinds, same intensity

Obama Gear

From Obama shirts

Obama visits Bill Clinton in Harlem

Photo Credits: Eric Baliantz & Ayman Oghanna

Registering to vote outside of Columbia

From Obama shirts

J-Schoolers On the Ground

Ground Zero, September 11, 2008

City Year

The Obama and McCain speeches are part of a larger program on Thursday. Alexandra Hernandez, 23, and Jamaal Williams, 23, practice for their speaking assignments outside the Journalism School Thursday afternoon. They shall be introducing the launch of the Public Service Announcement for City Year, an Americorps program. For more about City Year, visit CityYear.org.

Security Update

Starting at 2 p.m., campus security began checking Columbia IDs at the section of the campus around Alfred Lerner Hall. Security has also intensified with the arrival of the secret service.


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