Massive Barack Obama rally in Portland, Oregon shatters records
Earlier this afternoon, in Portland, Oregon, more people gathered to hear Barack Obama speak than live in the city of Redmond, Washington:
The Tribune's Washington Bureau has more:
The campaign, citing figures from Duane Bray, battalion chief of Portland Fire & Rescue, estimated that 75,000 people are watching him speak.Seventy five thousand people!
The scene suggests this is not an exaggeration. The sea of heads stretches for half a mile along the grassy embankment, while others watch from kayaks and power boats bobbing on the Willamette River. More hug the rails of the steel bridge that stretches across the water and crowds are even watching from jetties on the opposite shore.
The Tribune's Washington Bureau has more:
The crowd covers the lawn here at Tom McCall Waterfront Park, from the streetside entry gates down to the Willamette River. Portland fire officials estimate 60,000 people are packed inside the park proper and another 10-15,000 are watching outside the gates. Spectators are lining the bridge behind Obama and watching, bikini-clad, from boats on the river.The major Oregon blogs don't have much (if any) live coverage, but if anyone posts an original recap, we'll excerpt it here.
The stump speech is Obama's standard riff - 30 minutes long and counting now, despite the sun beating down on the candidate. He's added a few Oregonian flourishes, drawing big cheers when he said the country can learn from Portland's commitment to mass transit and bicycle lanes. The biggest applause came when he denounced the Iraq war; Oregon is a hotbed of anti-war activism.
Comments:
It was really hot, but the Obama campaign had volunteers spraying water mist on the crowd. There was really low security, the only policemen I saw were standing next to the podium. The line to get in stretched at least 20 blocks, winding around downtown, and it was like a parade with people selling Obama merchandise everywhere and ice cream trucks driving up and down the street. Volunteers from other campaigns (especial Steve Novick, candidate for US senate (D)) were out en masse. It was incredibly festive, and it was a lot of fun as well. It was great to see history in the making!
Great story! DailyKos had several good stories and alot of the comments had first person accounts.
We considered driving down to Portland last night but the had second thoughts. Now I wish we had!!
I guess no one is ever going to mention that Obama was at a concert. It would be way too inconvenient.
Oh well, knowing the truth set me free. I hope at least telling other this little fact set them free as well.
Post a Comment