Here's Syverson's speech:

Remarks of JoAnn Syverson
Xcel Energy Center – Saint Paul, MN
June 3, 2008

Good evening, everyone. My name is JoAnn Syverson and I love being a Democrat and I love Barack Obama! I am honored to welcome Senator and Michelle Obama to the Twin Cities on this historic night.

Not only do I admire Senator Obama, but as a communications teacher here at the University of Minnesota, I also enjoy studying him. I see a uniquely talented man who will restore our country and its Presidency to a high level of credibility in the world that we haven’t seen in many years. I see a man who is intelligent, insightful, positive, tolerant, and unwaveringly ethical. These are his personal qualities that will make him a great President, but they are also the qualities that we want the world to attribute to America as a country once again. And Barack Obama will be the President to rebuild our image in the world after debacle of the last eight years with George W. Bush.

I support Barack Obama for our nation’s interests. I look forward to the day when everyone will be able to afford necessary healthcare, receive as much education as they need and want, and live in a cleaner environment. I look forward to a President who will unite the American people for the good of all. We all know the issues and how Barack Obama as our President will greatly benefit our country.

However, I also support Barack Obama for a very personal reason. I am so proud to be here tonight with my husband, daughter-in-law and two of my sons. But on this exciting night, while my head is here with all of you, my heart is half-way around the world in Iraq with my oldest son, Captain Marcus Alexander Syverson IV, who is presently serving his second tour of duty in Iraq. He proudly serves his country; he doesn’t complain—but his mother worries—and prays a lot. He has served with men who have died in combat - one in particular comes to mind who was going to be leaving Iraq within a few weeks. My heartfelt thoughts are with the families of our brave, fallen soldiers.

Marcus was due to end his Army career this month, but was called to active duty in Iraq a second time and will be there for another fourteen to seventeen months. My son will continue to serve his country until his tour is finished no matter who is elected in November. But every day I ask myself, “Why?” Obama was an early opponent of the Bush Administration's policies on Iraq, and he too asked, “Why?” Unfortunately, not enough politicians were strong or brave enough to join him in asking, “Why?” Senator Obama favors phased re-deployment of our troops with the goal of removing all combat brigades from Iraq. Seems reasonable to me. Any other mothers, fathers and wives out there agree?

Like so many of you, I used to be ambivalent about politics. In fact, at one point, I was even a Republican. One politician was as good as another. But through the years that proved to be wrong. These last eight years, especially, have been a wake-up call to Americans. We need change.

On February 5, over 200,000 Minnesotans turned out to caucus for their preferred Democratic candidate – over 200,000 people that no matter who they caucused for that night, were united in their belief that we deserve better than four more years of the failed policies of George W. Bush.

We believe we deserve better than a politics that divides us. We deserve a candidate that can bring us together and unite us behind a common purpose.

We deserve better than empty promises of change. We deserve a candidate that is not afraid to deliver it.

We deserve a President who will change our country’s image to accurately reflect the true character of America to the world and help us regain our lost credibility.

We deserve a President who will lead our country with politics of hope and humanity!

We deserve Barack Obama.

Ladies and Gentlemen, please join me in welcoming Michelle Obama and the next President of the United States - Senator Barack Obama!

(Karla Wennerstrom is the editor of the Eden Prairie News. She can be reached at editor@edenprairienews.com.)