Report from Arizona

[hinachan]

Hi, everybody!

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go to any of the fun festivities in Tempe (I used to live there...oh, the agony!), but I have some reports from our local news media.

After the debate, John Kerry made a speech at the Tempe Beach Park, and ASU students were there in force. I think Teresa made a speech too, but we didn't get full coverage; they cut away to Bush at the Bank One Ballpark. x(

Foo Fighters were playing earlier, and JFK was telling about the origin of "foo fighters", which was apparently a WWII term that has something to do with not being able to believe the crap you were seeing in combat...which, JFK said, was quite reminiscent of how we feel when observing Bush's policies! He was in high spirits, loving the desert evening, getting the crowd really pumped (and trying not to trip over the cables that were strewn all over the stage). Afterward, Chuck Berry performed (which I sure hadn't heard about!), and then they cleared out. There's going to be more news coverage on this at 10pm our time (in about an hour...no, we don't have daylight savings time, so we run the same time as LA between the end of April and the end of October).

The crowd was estimated at around 10,000, but I think it might have been more...he was calling out greetings to those clear in the back, and the crowd was just really psyched.

Here's an article from our local paper's report on the pre-debate protests:

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1013debate-protest13-ON.html

Other local sites with coverage:
http://www.kpho.com
http://www.azfamily.com/ (Channel 3, independent station, also has an article about Michael Moore speaking at the Celebrity Theatre and other activists' protests)

BE SURE TO VOTE AT THE POLL AT AZFAMILY.COM!!!!

[Mz Pip]

1. 60-40

for Kerry. :-)

MzPip
:dem:

[Cha]

2. Kerry~60% ..and thanks

for that wonderful uplifting report from AZ!

And Welcome to DU, hinachan

[petersjo]

3. Thanks for the report from Tempe

I know where the park that you mentionedis in Tempe and can picture the scene. We (Iowa snowbirds) will be there in time for the election. Looking forward to those desert evenings.

[KelleyKramer]

4. That sounds awesome!

Wow, 10,000 people!

Big crowd, especially that late at night.

I guess the Bush 'loyalty oath' crowd was less than a dozen!