The Photography of Justin Franz: Campaign '08

Friday, May 9, 2008

Campaign '08 - Life In America

Photos and Story By Justin Franz

---

Congressmen Ron Paul at the University of Montana - April 2008

Without question, the politics of running for president have become part of day to day life in America in 2008. You can't turn on the TV with out seeing a campaign ad, you can't drive down the street without seeing a bumper sticker and now you can't see this blogspot free of presidential politics (Starting from now on, this site will feature some non-rail photography. But no worries, for the most part you'll still get a healthy dose of branchlines, Alcos, SD's and mountain grades.)

As a journalism student here at the University of Montana, I had the chance to cover the election (mainly for my basic photo-journalism class) as it rolled into Missoula, Montana, with visits from Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Ron Paul. Usually the Montana primary, held June 3 this year, doesn't matter but as the Democratic nomination rolls on, more focus has been put in these later states (I'm not quite sure why Paul visited, considering McCain has secured the Republican nomination.)

On Saturday, April 5 Barack Obama (D-Illinois) brought his campaign to Missoula with a rally at the University of Montana Adams Center. Later that evening he continued to Butte for the annual Montana Democratic Dinner that featured both Obama and Clinton as guests. The following morning Hillary Clinton held a rally at the Missoula Airport, but since I don't have a car and I already got up way too early the day before, I let Hillary get by without being the focus of my camera (I mean come on, 10Am on a Sunday is crazy!)

Barack Obama - Adams Center - April 2008

On April 21, Congressmen Ron Paul (R-Texas) brought the message of his long shot campaign to the University Ballroom here on campus. Even though McCain secured the nomination, Paul continues to run. After signing his new book, Paul gave a speech to an ecstatic crowd.