Residents and Ball State students filled Muncie's Books-A-Million on Friday evening for the chance to meet Gov. Mitch Daniels.
Daniels was in town to promote and sign copies of his newly released "Keeping the Republic."
"Daniels is a great role model ... especially for students because he teaches us to watch our budget," Maddison Klontz, senior political science major, said. "I like that he has been able to keep the state in the black, so he is incredibly fiscally responsible."
Daniels said although his publisher chose where he would sign books, he was happy to be in Muncie because he likes to talk to Indiana citizens personally.
"I have, throughout my time in office, made it a point to get out and meet people in Indiana one by one," he said. "I want them to feel that they can get out by their governor and tell him what's on their mind."
In his book, he makes sure to point out that it is not an autobiography or a self-advertisement. He said he wrote the book in order to try to save Americans by helping them make changes and decisions in order to govern their own lives. His advice to all Americans, especially young people, is to be the kind of citizen that is necessary to keep America strong.
"Be determined to make your own decisions," he said. "Don't let your economy be whittled away by government that wants to tell you what you can and can't do. Be the kind of citizen that we need to keep the republic going, which is one who participates and who demands that government stay within its limits."
Muncie citizen Debbie Gary likes that he has turned Indiana around financially, as she said. She likes him not only as a politician, but as a person.
"I just think he's an all-around good guy," she said. "He's an average Indiana guy. He's made a difference."
Gary would like to see more jobs in Muncie and Indiana.
"He's done it in the past, and I think he can do it again. He's got a year left, so hopefully he'll get that done," she said.
Some Ball State students planned to protest at the book signing, but the mall manager said the Muncie Mall is private property and could refuse to allow demonstrators at the store.
For everyone who does not support Daniels, like the students who wanted to protest the event, Klontz said they should reconsider.
"Give him a second look because he's really working for the people, unlike a lot of other politicians within our state," she said. "He's really someone to be respected."
She said it is possible that people don't like him because he is a little too blunt, but that is why she respects him.
"He doesn't play the game like a lot of people," she said. "He's very honest and up front about his opinions and beliefs."
Klontz believes that Daniels has done a good job of creating jobs in Indiana.
"He's created a really good environment for business in the state, so I think that's important, especially for kids our age getting out of college and looking for jobs," she said.
Although Klontz likes what Daniels is doing for the job market in Indiana, Daniels said he fears for the unemployment rate of the country. Daniels said if America doesn't make changes, the freedom of its citizens could be at risk.
"If we don't make some big, big changes, the young people of this country are going to be handed a very raw deal," Daniels said. "They're going to be handed a ton of debt and they're going to be handed an economy that cannot grow and create jobs at the rate we need them."
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