Published: August 29, 2008 01:55 am      

NORTH TONAWANDA: Obama’s big moment on display at Riviera

History was made at the Riviera Thursday, if for no other reason than the few who gathered there to watch an historic candidate speak from 1,500 miles away.

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama spoke in front of a crowd estimated at 84,000 at Invesco Field in Denver, Colo. and, for the first time, another 25 or so at the Webster Street venue in North Tonawanda. Thursday was the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s famous “I have a dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial 45 years ago.

“I stand before you because all across America, something is stirring ...” Obama said during his acceptance speech.

Stirring, perhaps.

A comparable crowd next door to the Riviera at Dwyer’s Irish Pub sipped drinks and watched the Bills, although post-convention coverage could be seen on their screens later on.

But those who knew of the event, organized between the theater’s Executive Director Frank Cannata and Niagara County Democratic Committee Chairman Dan Rivera earlier this week, were an enthusiastic audience.

Madeleine White and Jessica Haupt came from Buffalo to watch the speech and were both impressed by what Obama delivered.

Haupt said she voted for Obama in the primary, but she gave Clinton some consideration as well. The one thing that her decision boiled down to was integrity.

“She’s been involved in scandal before, but she also had anti-Obama,” Haupt said. “I was disappointed.”

That message was something Obama reinforced in his acceptance speech, drawing a line in the sand with John McCain that he was willing to talk issues, but would not debate patriotism or dignify personal attacks.

White agreed with that sentiment, saying that the way someone treats an opponent says a lot about their character.

“You’ve obviously got to make a case why you’re the better man to some degree,” White said. “But there’s a lot to be said for being able to bite your tongue.”

The McCain camp has often fallen back on an argument that Obama talks big, but can’t back up his lofty ideas with numbers and dollars. Haupt disagreed, saying he lays out his plans perfectly in his books and makes them easily searchable on the Internet.

“Pick up a book and do some research,” Haupt said. “We have a World Wide Web.”

Later, a man who would not give his name called the Tonawanda News to complain that the coverage nearly interfered with the night’s match up between the Bills and Detroit Lions.

“How come all the networks had this Obama thing on tonight?” he asked. “It almost interrupted the Buffalo Bills game. I think the game was more important.”

According to pollsters and other “experts” on presidential politics, those Democrats who pulled for Hillary Clinton in the primaries are being considered swing voters, some of whom may vote for GOP hopeful John McCain. That, however, was not the consensus of Hillary supporters, who turned out Thursday in support of the Senator from Illinois.

Registered Democrat Stacie Dopko, 27, of North Tonawanda and her boyfriend Tim Arnts, a Republican, attended together.

“Instead of sitting home watching it we got out of the house, why not?” Arnts said.

He said he has supported McCain, but the jury is still out.

“His age,” he said of McCain. “That’s pretty much it. The big thing with Obama is his lack of experience.”

Dopko, who voted for Hillary in the primary, said she feels the issues she cares most deeply about cannot be served to her liking by a Republican president.

“My big things — the environment, pro-choice just don’t jive with the Republican party in general,” she said.

North Tonawanda Mayor Larry Soos, Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster, Committee Chairman Rivera and local first-ward chairman of the North Tonawanda Democratic Committee Dennis Barberio attended the screening.

Dyster said he made the trip on account of what he feels could be a pivotal election year.

“It’s a very exciting night for all of us in the Democratic party,” he said. “I couldn’t be more proud of the Democratic party tonight and I couldn’t be more proud to be an American.”

His wife, Becky, is also a former supporter of Hillary for the nomination, but said the choice to shift her support to Obama was a no-brainer.

“I’m probably not the best person to talk to because it took me about two seconds after Hillary conceded (the nomination) to decide I was going to vote for Obama.”

Cannata said he has extended a similar offer to county Republicans to use the Riviera for that party’s convention next week. McCain is expected to announce a running mate sometime tomorrow.

Reporter Dan Pye contributed to this report.

Contact reporter Neale Gulley at 693-1000, ext. 114.