Obama's Denver Event: Police Say More than 100,000 Attended

By Jeralyn, Section Elections 2008
Posted on Sun Oct 26, 2008 at 12:50:00 PM EST
Tags: Barack Obama, Colorado '08 (all tags)

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larger version here.

Update: Police say more than 100,000 showed up to hear Obama. A pretty good slideshow of photos is here. Another is here.

Bump and Update: 9 News is live streaming the Obama rally in Civic Center Park. He should arrive at any moment. 7 News streaming has a larger screen. The music has been very good so far.

Update: He's speaking. "It's good to be back in Denver. It's good to be back in Colorado. Introduces Sen. Ken Salazar. Gov. Bill Ritter. Our soon to be Senator Mark Udall. Congresspersons Diana DeGette, Ed Perlmutter.Former Mayor Federico Pena.

He asks how many have already voted. Loud cheers. He tells them to use the mail-in ballot, don't stand in line. He thanks everyone for the good wishes, cards, etc. on his grandmother.

"Colorado, in just 9 days, you have the chance to elect your next President." He's beginning the prepared remarks, you can read them here.

[More...]

Adlibs: After talking about the Clinton '90 s he adds that things were very good under Clinton. After the jobs portion, he adds, "Yes we can", "Si Se Puede." He's actually adlibbing frequently. When he gets to the part about people who don't have health insurance being able to get the same insurance as members of Congress, he adds "including John McCain."

On the public service portion, he lays out the options: join the military, the peace corps, work at a Veteran's hospital... He adds a portion about parents needing to get kids to turn off the tv. He urges people to turn off the lights, check the their tire pressure.

On the people who have served, in addition to Republicans, Democrats and Independents, he adds colors. He is not just reading this speech, he obviously knows it so well he can add full paragraphs on his own.

Very, very impressive. He has really grown as a speaker over the course of this campaign. He's totally presidential. McCain pales by comparison.

More photos:

****

Park Opens Early to Accomodate Crowds For Obama Event

Police opened Civic Center Park in Denver 45 minutes early today to accomodate the growing crowds arriving to hear Obama. The program is set to begin at 11:30 am MT.

The Obama campaign expects 34,000 to attend. Here's a webcam from the Rocky Mountain News. Lines are stretched out for blocks as everyone has to go through a metal detector.

This kid is just the cutest.

Update: Here are Obama's prepared remarks (pdf)for his speech in Denver today.

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Obama's Denver Event: Police Say More than 100,000 Attended | 11 comments (11 topical)

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I'm starting to get the feeling (5.00 / 0) (#2)
by Socraticsilence on Sun Oct 26, 2008 at 02:10:49 PM EST

That I need to volunteer-- been big semester (I volunteered in the primary, and did it in 2004)-- just to be a part, I just have this feeling that in 20 or 30 years I'm going to regret it if I can't tell my kids about helping this happen.

: Please do (5.00 / 1) (#5)
by rdandrea on Sun Oct 26, 2008 at 03:15:11 PM EST

There's plenty of work left to be done. And the outcome of the election depends on getting it done.

: You should canvass. (5.00 / 0) (#8)
by lilburro on Sun Oct 26, 2008 at 05:43:38 PM EST

It's incredibly easy, (easier than phones IMO), they target only people likely to support or already supporting Obama. It is quite fun, you don't have to ask for money, you just have to say hi, see if they're registered, and ask if you can provide any answers to their questions.

: Your kids may be about as interested (none / 0) (#3)
by Cream City on Sun Oct 26, 2008 at 02:15:34 PM EST

in hearing about the old days as a lot of them are today in hearing about '60, '64, '68, '72. Um, sorry to say that it turns out we who worked so hard for wins then have nothing much to say. History matters not when you're making history. . . .
But heck, don't let it stop ya. Working in campaigns is an education that has helped me keep a lot of 'em in perspective ever since, at least.

: I try to do that too, (none / 0) (#10)
by BrassTacks on Sun Oct 26, 2008 at 08:14:54 PM EST

But my kids and grandkids aren't impressed that I worked for McGovern and Bill Clinton. But I guess Bill wasn't really the first Black President.

Fort Collins police... (5.00 / 0) (#6)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Sun Oct 26, 2008 at 03:20:57 PM EST

...are expecting 50K up there this afternoon.

Anyone still think Colorado is a toss-up state?

The transition back to (5.00 / 0) (#7)
by samtaylor2 on Sun Oct 26, 2008 at 03:51:33 PM EST

Huge crowds at the end is great. I have to guess in an area up for grabs, this makes huge news, and makes the choice seem easier.

My brother and sister in law are by the big flag! (5.00 / 1) (#9)
by Katherine Graham Cracker on Sun Oct 26, 2008 at 05:51:17 PM EST

They said it was a lovely event -lots kids people smiling, laughing and chatting.

My SIL said she wished Shrub would leave office early and take his vp with him. She said a couple of months of Nancy P would be just fine.

Are you going to be... (none / 0) (#1)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Sun Oct 26, 2008 at 11:35:41 AM EST

...amoung the throngs at Civic Center, J? I thought about walking down, but the strong winds that we've had all weekend have given me a bad migraine.

i saw.. (none / 0) (#4)
by connecticut yankee on Sun Oct 26, 2008 at 02:59:32 PM EST

him in Orlanda last week. It was a pretty cramped outdoor location but afterwards they said there were close to 50k in the area. Only a few thousand had a good view.

Voting early (none / 0) (#11)
by BrassTacks on Sun Oct 26, 2008 at 08:25:51 PM EST

I waited 45+ minutes on Wednesday to vote early in Virginia. When I left, the wait was longer. This was mid afternoon. The election workers said they had been packed since early voting began, all day, everyday, right up until 8:00 at night. Only democrats had people outside with sample ballots and yard signs to take home. Inside, about 40-50 people were waiting to vote in a large waiting room. They were a wide range of very young to very old. Unfortunately, they seemed to be split between McCain and Obama. The very elderly voters wore McCain stickers, and so did some of the very young, workers who appeared to be under 25. I found that rather surprising. Most people who I talked with during the long wait were voting early because they feared long lines on election day. They 'heard' that election day lines would be long. That seemed like an odd reason to vote early, considering how long the wait was to vote early. Perhaps election day will not be as bad we've 'heard' because so many are voting early.