By Dennis Chin, Center for Community Change

The blogosphere is still abuzz about the Heartland Presidential Forum and the Campaign for Community Values.  Rightfully so, I might add since this is the start of something HUGE!  Don't you agree?

• Aswini Anburajan of MSNBC highlights how the Forum gave undocumented community members the chance to speak:

But most significantly, it gave a voice to the group of individuals 
at the crux of one of the most heated political debates in this 
election cycle -- illegal immigration.

• Amanda McClure at The Daily Iowan recounts one of the more touching aspects of the Forum:

Diedra Lewis of Massachusetts addressed Illinois Sen. Barack Obama
about his health-care plan. Lewis' daughter Alexsiana is faced with a
disease that could blind her, and Lewis has lost her heath insurance.  

"Can you look into Alexsiana's eyes and tell me all God's children 
don't deserve medical care," Lewis asked.

• Jennifer Jacobs at the Des Moines Register describes the atmosphere of the Forum:

And the audience of 3,600 did not hesitate to express emotion. As they
listened to descriptions of loss of health insurance, the stench of a
nearby factory farm, or a family split up by immigration officials, the
crowd frequently yelled out: “That ain’t right!” and booed.

• Senator Hillary Clinton certainly felt the intensity from the crowd based on one of her answers about immigration reform.  Carrie Dann of MSNBC breaks it down for us: 
  

Asked by Coalition member Billy Lawless if she would address
immigration reform during her first 100 days in office, Clinton did not
offer a definite "yes," saying, “Well, you've got to get the Congress
to pass the legislation." As hoots crescendoed from the rear of the
room, she continued, "The president can do as much as possible, which I
will do."

• To get a sense of the conditions outside of the event, Rick Pearson of the Baltimore Sun comments:

The event was held despite a sweep of snow, sleet, ice and freezing
rain that assaulted much of Iowa, including Des Moines, that led to a
temporary shut down of the city's airport and made travel officially
not-recommended.

    And yet, more than 3600 people came to see their voices heard.  Amazing!

That's it for now.  Remember to check our Manuel Pastor and Sally Kohn's article right here at the Movement Vision Lab.  And the caption contest is ON!  Submit your caption today here.