"Obama Presses Iraq in Iowa"

NBC (NJ's Aswini Anburajan):

DUBUQUE, Iowa -- In this Democratic stronghold of blue collar, union labor on the banks of the idyllic Mississippi, Obama’s town hall meeting once again focused on Iraq. The audience here was eager to talk about Iraq. All three speakers who introduced Obama referenced the war and President Bush, one openly calling the president a liar.

Obama started his speech talking of the economy. He decried low wages and said that CEOs “make more money in 10 minutes than a worker does in a year.” Obama also criticized the Bush tax cuts and referenced the mismanagement by the Bush Administration after Katrina.

Over the past two days, audiences have responded enthusiastically, cheering loudest when Obama calls for an immediate end to the war. “We don’t have to wait until George Bush is gone from office,” Obama said. “We can begin to end this war today, right now.”

Notes: At the end of each campaign stop so far here in Iowa, Obama has asked individuals to fill out support cards that declare a voter’s intention to vote for him.