Baltimore speaks to Obama

Published January 17, 2009 5:00am ET



As a crowd of thousands awaited the arrival Saturday of President-elect Barack Obama to Baltimore’s War Memorial Plaza, we asked those braving the cold one question:

What do you think the main priorities should be for the Obama administration?

Monica Recora

17

Student

Baltimore

“Education. We need to focus on making schools better.”

Linda Clark

53

Hotel hostess

Baltimore

“The economy. He needs to get the economy moving again so people have jobs.”

Lisa Breslin

48

College professor

Westminster

“Education. I work at McDaniel College, so I’m always focused on improving education.”

Tosha Fountleroy

42

Pharmacy technician

Baltimore

“The economy, I’m blessed to have a job, but there are too many people out of work.”

Mike Jenson

60

Baltimore firefighter

Baltimore

“He needs to get the economy going. If people don’t have jobs, then you can’t fix issues like health care.”

Ashley Biggs

21

Student

Baltimore

“Affordable housing, education and income stability.”

Beth Zeitler

24

Charity fundraiser

Baltimore

“To secure aid for the states. I work for Catholic Charities and we depend on state aid, so we’re all worried about cutbacks.”

Valencia Richardson

14

Student

Baltimore

“He needs to find a way to get people to work together, so we can fix problems like the economy and health care.”