Jodi Rave: Montana man rides Whistle Stop Tour

Politics

Monday, January 19, 2009

"Matt Kuntz had the train ride of his life on Saturday, and he had the next president of the United States at his side.

Kuntz, of Helena, was the only guest invited to join President-elect Barack Obama on the caboose deck as the Whistle Stop Tour slowly rolled out of Philadelphia, en route to Washington, D.C.

“It was just the president-elect, his wife and myself,” said Kuntz, one of 16 “everyday Americans” invited as guests on the train. “It was amazing. The coolest thing about this was to see all the people so excited, just packing the rails and so excited to see what direction the country is moving in.”

Locomotive 44 carried Obama from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., for Tuesday's inauguration - where he'll become the 44th U.S. president - retracing the inaugural route once followed by Abraham Lincoln.

The Whistle Stop Tour began Saturday morning with Obama speaking to a select crowd of 300 people at the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. Throughout the day, Obama laced his speeches with mention of ordinary citizens who achieve extraordinary heights in their lifetime through hard work and dedication to family and community.

“As I prepare to leave for Washington on a trip that you made possible, know that I will not be traveling alone,” said Obama. “I will be taking with me some of the men and women I met along the way, Americans from every corner of this country, whose hopes and heartaches were the core of our cause, whose dreams and struggles have become my own.”"

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Jodi Rave: Montanan rides the rails with Obama (The Missoulian 1/18)