Obama: "I'm Tough"
AUSTIN, TEXAS -- Barack Obama wrapped up four days of campaigning in true Texas style; big and elaborate. Despite the chilly weather, nearly 20,000 people poured into Austin's Congress Avenue Friday, where he urged the supporters to help "get Obama a few more delegates."
"I want to remind everybody that if you haven't voted yet, you need to vote!" he told the roaring crowd.
Although he largely stuck to his stump speech, Obama made a concerted effort to differentiate himself from Hillary Clinton and John McCain. He said both Clinton are McCain are critical of his willingness to meet with rogue world leaders, a policy that he has long supported.
"That would be naïve, that would be irresponsible.' John McCain's been repeating this line over the last couple days, and I have to remind John McCain and Hillary Clinton of what John F. Kennedy said, that we should never negotiate out of fear but we should never fear to negotiate. That's what strong countries do."
Obama also said his competitors describe him as being "not tough enough, but he argues that he is "battle-tested."
"I gotta explain to people, I'm skinny but I'm tough. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't tough," Obama proclaimed.
"Listen I'm a black guy named Barack Obama running for president. You can't tell me I ain't tough."
In his opening remarks, Obama called for a moment of silence for the police officer who died in a traffic accident while in Clinton's motorcade. He went on to praise the work of law enforcement officers.
Obama heads to Ohio on today, where he will spend several days campaigning. He is expected to be back in Texas next week.