Sec. Albright visits Hungarian and Polish American neighborhoods

Secretary Madeleine Albright visits Hungarian and Polish American neighborhoods in Toledo, Ohio on behalf of Barack Obama

Sec. Albright meets with community leaders from the Hungarian American comminity of Birmingham in Toledo. The group had a lively discussion about both domestic and international issues at the well known Tony Packo's Cafe in the neighborhood.

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Obama best for restive world, Albright tells Toledo crowd
By ALEX M. PARKER
BLADE STAFF WRITER

Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright stumped for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama yesterday in North Toledo, claiming he is the most capable of dealing with a world in turmoil.
"We have a huge problem, but we also have a great solution, and that is Barack Obama," Ms. Albright told about 75 people at the Chet Zablocki Senior Center in North Toledo.
"He has the capability to look at a problem in a large scope. I find him to be a compelling person, and a very wise, calm, and judicious person."
Ms. Albright, who was born in Czechoslovakia and came to the United States in 1948, served as the first female secretary of state under President Bill Clinton.
After the speech, she acknowledged that Mr. Obama's Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain, had been an ally of hers while she was in the White House on issues such as normalization of relations with Vietnam - but she said he was trapped in "20th-century" thinking.
"Those of us who support Senator Obama aren't saying that everything [Mr. McCain] has ever done is wrong," Ms. Albright said. "He is, I believe, overly confrontational on some issues, and he is not showing the kind of judgmental wisdom that Senator Obama has been showing, in thinking through things."
Ms. Albright answered questions for about a half-hour.
The conversation included everything from the expansion of NATO to global warming and human rights.
Ms. Albright dismissed charges from Mr. McCain that Mr. Obama's tax plan is socialist - a charge that has circulated since Mr. Obama told Springfield Township resident Samuel "Joe the Plumber" Wurzelbacher that he wanted to "spread the wealth."
"I think it's ridiculous," Ms. Albright said. "I think what happens in this country is that just saying the word 'socialism' is supposed to raise all of these fears of Communists under your bed. And I think it's a code word that should not be thrown around."
Introduced by state Rep. Peter Ujvagi (D., Toledo) - who, like Ms. Albright, immigrated from Europe - she enjoyed a hot dog at Tony Packo's before the event.
"I've always thought that Toledo, and a lot of Ohio, is a fascinating microcosm of America," Ms. Albright said.
"I love coming to a city that has such great diversity and spirit."
While her speech was well-received, she may not have swayed many votes - most already seemed to be in Mr. Obama's camp.
"He's the first Democrat I've gone out and worked for," said Chris Weisfelder, 66, who recently returned to Toledo from Sweden and said she was shocked at the state of the country.
"The only way I can sleep at night is to go out and work on the solution," she said.