President Obama's final campaign rally was held Monday night in Des Moines, Iowa, wrapping up the 2012 campaign with an emotional speech marked by references to his 2008 campaign and the Iowa caucus victory that helped catapult his political career.

"I came back to ask you to help us finish what we started because this is where our movement for change began," Obama declared. "To all of you who’ve lived and breathed the hard work of change: I want to thank you. You took this campaign and made it your own ... starting a movement that spread across the country.

"When the cynics said we couldn't, you said yes we can. You said yes we can and we did. Against all odds, we did," he said.

The President wiped an occasional tear from his eye, and while looking over a crowd of 20,000 concluded the night by telling the story of Edith Childs, who inspired the "fired up, ready to go" chant of his first presidential campaign.

There's nothing really new in Obama's remarks in Iowa, but he does outline his vision for a second term in much clearer terms than he is given credit for doing.

[Credit: Occupy Iowa]

Precedent setting? Jurors find former state representative Ed Fallon of Occupy Iowa not guilty
of violating curfew law at Des Moines capitol because it violates Iowans' constitutional freedom to assemble.

Via:

A Polk County jury reached a verdict Friday in the first trespassing trial for an Occupy Iowa protester.

The jury found Ed Fallon not guilty of trespassing.

Fallon was charged with trespassing on the Statehouse grounds. He was one of the Occupy Iowa protesters who refused to leave the grounds after authorities said they violated an 11 p.m. curfew.

Juror Aimee Mairs told KCCI's Amanda Lewis that the decision was a matter of putting the U. S. Constitution above a state imposed curfew. She said four jurors were on board right away, but it took some time to convince the other two jurors.

Mairs said the jury decided Fallon was justified in being on the grounds for the purpose of exercising his First Amendment rights.

“It feels incredible,” said Fallon. “I’m excited about the positive aspects of this in terms of the freedom of expression and the First Amendment.”

Fifteen other members of Occupy Iowa awaiting trial were arrested at the same protest as Fallon, and all charged with trespassing. The not guilty verdict in Fallon's case could be great news for them. Or better still, perhaps charges will be simply dropped, sparing the court the expense of a jury trial.