Even for those of us who are not Democrats, the news that Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., is speaking at AU came as a pleasant shock. And considering how quickly the news spread across campus, it's safe to say that the rest of AU's student body was equally as ecstatic.
We should take this opportunity to reflect on AU's political climate. AU has made it clear that it is not sponsoring or endorsing the event, and that Obama's campaign is just renting the space on campus. AU is technically a nonprofit, so there are bylaws that prohibit candidates from speaking on campus about their campaigns.
However, the choice of Bender Arena as the location for what could be a major historical event speaks to AU's reputation of a school that encourages engagement in politics. This past year alone, AU has hosted an impressive repertoire of speakers, including Elizabeth Edwards, former President Jimmy Carter and Republican candidate Ron Paul. But it was after each event that these speakers had their largest impacts, as AU students seem motivated to put what they heard into action. We can only hope Obama's speech empowers AU students in the same way and motivates them, at the very least, to vote in the upcoming election.
Even more importantly, Obama's rally could do wonders for AU's image. An on-campus rally attracts national attention, and the university could use any good publicity it gets - especially amid the recent probe of potential kickbacks plaguing the AU Abroad office.
And, of course, maybe this event is the push students need to get AU more involved in the 2008 presidential race. We're not endorsing Obama, but a little bit of political energy from either side of the spectrum is a nice refresher, and students would be remiss to skip out on the rally because of their partisan inclinations. Political discourse is not something to avoid, especially at a school once prided as the most political in the United States.
