O’Malley rallies in song

CORALVILLE - More than 200 people wedged into the Backpocket Brewing Company on Saturday to listen to Democratic presidential hopeful and former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley sing his vision for America - performing 'This Land is Your Land” with an acoustic guitar in hand.

'I've been to many other candidates coming to Iowa and he had the most life,” University of Iowa senior John Han said afterward. 'He's not doing great in the polls because I think there is too much similarity between him and the other Democratic candidates. But he defiantly has the most energy.”

According to a Real Clear Politics average of polls, O'Malley is last in Iowa with 5.2. percent support among likely Democratic caucusgoers on Feb. 1. The Coralville stop was part of his latest swing through Iowa, 'O'Malley Unplugged: The New Leadership Tour.”

O'Malley kicked off the event standing on a bench in front of a crowded room of craft beer drinkers and supporters.

In his stump speech, he spoke of building on President Barack Obama's progress including raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour; ensuring gender pay equity; bolstering Social Security; creating more employment for veterans and young people; beginning debt-free college for in-state public university students; regulating Wall Street; and seeing climate change as 'the greatest business opportunity the United States in over 100 years.”

'He was very articulate and thoughtful,” said John Jadryev of Iowa City. 'He exudes a quality of openness where other candidates seem to be so well defined into their thinking.”

Before capping off his speech with a singalong, O'Malley took questions from the crowd on a wide range of subjects including the Middle East, the U.S. Supreme Court and Alzheimer's disease.

'I asked the other two Democratic candidates how they are going to handle Alzheimer's, and they didn't really seem like they had a plan,” said Sophia Aguirre, 16, of North Liberty.

She has been named Miss Muscatine's Outstanding Teen for 2016, and through the Miss America organization has a community service platform focused on Alzheimer's awareness. Though she is too young to vote, she said she believes O'Malley cares for her cause.

'His answer to my question was perfect. He is the only person that gets personal and gets down to your level. He is the only one that has actually talked about Alzheimer's awareness and how to start to find a cure for it,” she said.

O'Malley was Maryland's governor from 2007 to 2015 and noted during his tenure the state eliminated the death penalty, increased school funding and approved marriage equality.

Despite the last place in the polls, supporters believe his views should be adopted.

'I don't know if I would say he is better than any candidate, but he is worth my attention and vote. I think he has been ignored,” said Maria Ortega Kummer. 'I am going to caucus for him ... and whoever gets the nomination needs to take what he has to say into account.”

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