Rushville woman chosen for dinner with Barack Obama

By EMILY UDELL, Associated Press Writer

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By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Mar 26, 2008 at 9:29 PM EST

Story Updated: Mar 27, 2008 at 11:00 AM EST

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Bonnie Locchetta said a lot of people from the small Indiana farming community where she lives will be surprised to learn she's having dinner with presidential hopeful Barack Obama.

The 44-year-old Rushville woman chosen to eat with the man vying for the Democratic nomination after making a $25 donation to his campaign describes herself as an independent voter living in a conservative community.

"I'm friends with a lot of Republicans in my town," Locchetta said Wednesday.

The single mother said she has followed Obama since his speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, and was inspired to "put a little money where my mouth was" on Monday to support the Illinois senator whose policies on the economy, the war in Iraq and education she believes make him the best candidate in the upcoming presidential election.

"He says a lot of things that make sense to me and he's coming at things from such an angle that I think he can change things," she said.

Locchetta, who manages a church in Rushville, about 40 miles southeast of Indianapolis, said she'll use the dinner as an opportunity to bend Obama's ear about the problems facing average Americans.

"I want to ask him what he plans to do to help people like me send their kids to college and help people like me to retire who have no savings and to help people like my mother who's struggling to afford her medication when she's also struggling to pay her housing and all her bills," she said.

Indiana, which has 72 delegates up for grabs in the May 6 primary, is drawing attention from both Democratic candidates.

The announcement that Locchetta was selected as one of four donors invited to the dinner followed a campaign blitz across Indiana by Obama's rival Hillary Rodham Clinton, former president Bill Clinton and their daughter Chelsea. Hillary Clinton plans to visit the state again Friday and Saturday.

Obama spoke on March 15 to a packed school gymnasium in Plainfield, west of Indianapolis and is expected to return to the state, though another visit hasn't been announced.

Kevin Griffis, a spokesman for Obama's campaign in Indiana, said the campaign wanted to invite at least two first-time donors to the dinner, and selected Locchetta because of the note she submitted with her donation and the fact that she lives in a state that hasn't yet held its primary.

"Obviously it made her that much more attractive as somebody that we wanted to invite for the dinner," he said. "This is an opportunity for him to hear directly from someone from Indiana at length and candidly."

Obama's campaign was soliciting donations until March 31 to fill three other seats at the dinner. A date and location for the event had not been decided.

Meanwhile, Locchetta was receiving congratulatory calls and e-mails from Obama supporters nationwide and planning what she would say to the senator during the dinner.

"I want to give him the perspective of the average schmo who's trying to put gas in car and pay the electric bill and buy groceries and send their kids to school," she said.

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