How was the Florida rally tonight?

[Thrill]

Was it on TV?

[Thrill]

1. Looks Fun

[Skarbrowe]

3. The Dynamic Duo are going to be

just a few miles from me tomorrow morning. AND I got a telephone invite. I know it wasn't all that personal. It went out to all donors I suppose, but it was nice to hear anyway.

But, alas, I am actually leaving the Ft. Lauderdale area early in the morning to go a couple hours north to CAT and pool sit for a couple going on vacation.

Someday I'll get my priorities right.
Maybe I can catch them later somewhere in South Florida. Bet they will be back.

Skarbrowe

[coeur_de_lion]

12. Link for St. Pete Times article on the Rally 7/7

Thousands from bay area line up for Kerry, Edwards
The Democratic candidates find an enthusiastic crowd in St. Petersburg on their first day of campaigning as a team.

http://www.stpetetimes.com/2004/07/08/Worldandnation/Thousands_from_bay_ar.shtml

Excerpt:
The St. Petersburg Police Department generously estimated the crowd at nearly 10,000. Only about 2,000 got into the historic Coliseum for the event, which started about 10 p.m. and lasted about 45 minutes. After the rally, Kerry and Edwards went outside to greet supporters.

Activists said the large crowd for an event announced less than 24 hours earlier was testament to how energized Democrats are four months before the election. Even waiting in line for hours did little to mute the enthusiasm many Democrats expressed for their presidential ticket - and hostility to President Bush.

[madfloridian]

2. Here is an article.

I have friends that went, may hear more later.
http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2004/7/7/48009.html

[Soleil]

4. The husband went....

He said it was packed, the venue only seated 2000, so thousands didn't get in. The crowd to get in stretched for 3-4 blocks. He waited outside & listened (as best he could) with a few hundred others. So many left thinking that they weren't going to get in. He said there were about 60-70? freepers screaming across the street while the outside crowd tried to listen. Kerry & Edwards came out after the speech & shook hands. Sorry there's no pic...... Husband says "it was a great, enthusiastic, friendly crowd", and how fun it was for him to exchange insults w/freepers (we really need to get out more)& shake Kerry & Edwards hand.
A local station (Bay news 9) is the only one I know who carried the whole speech.

[spooky3]

9. Thanks!

[newyawker99]

26. Hi Soleil!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Rebellious Republican]

5. I was there, it was awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We got there around 8:30 pm, there was already a line wrapped around the entire block to get in. The reason I could not get there sooner was because I made a Veterans For Kerry/Edwards poster on my computer, pasted it on foam core, and pinned my ribbon rack and my Navy Enlisted Aircrew Wings on it. It looked great.I wore my old Cami shirt with my Navy cami cap. We did not get in the Coliseum but was right out front. The Coliseum holds 2000 people, there were at least that many waiting outside, it was unbelievable. There were a hand full of freepers across the street, they were hardly noticeable. I had one freeper vet approach me and get right in my face. He said that "Kerry was Evil", then started babbling something, he looked like he could have been Jessica Lynch's brother, or the product of incest(I know redundent). I almost felt kinda sorry for him, except for the fact that he was in my face. That pissed me off, we started to exchange some heated words, when I noticed a secret service agent standing behind us. I think he had noticed this debate taking place and stepped over to separate us if it got to hot. Thats when the wing nut noticed him as well, and started to back off, he decided that it was not a good idea to continue this conversation. I guess he thought when he got he my face I would back off, I think it sure surprised the hell out him when I put face even closer to his and started to read him the riot act. My how they think everyone is intimidated by them, whats really funny is when someone is not, it confuses they hell out them. He found out that this Democrat is not intimidated and I he probably figured I was someone masquerading as a vet. Guess he found out differently. He slinked off into the crowd and that was the end that. Boy did I get some serious applause. Well later after Kerry and Edwards finished their speech inside, channel 10, a local news station was set up outside and saw my sign and interviewed me with my sign, live, unedited. He asked me what I thought of the speech, I said I thought it was fantastic, he asked what I found most exciting about them, I said, I thought that they were very intelligent, knew exactly what they were talking about, and that they TELL THE TRUTH! Well thats the readers digest version. Gotta hit the rack, work comes to early THIS morning, I will fill in the blanks if this thread is still around tommorrow.

[faithnotgreed]

6. hope they showed your interview on tv! thank you

[Rebellious Republican]

16. Yes they did, I had a couple of calls waiting for me when I got

to work this morning, congratulating me. As a matter of fact they showed it twice, the original was a live on air interview,they did a repeat of the interview this morning as well. My friends who saw it told me that I sounded very professional and articulate. I was glad to here that, I was so psyched that I was not sure how well I came off.

[Zen Democrat]

7. Does the Secret Service let protestors mingle at Bush rallies?

No, they don't. And it's not just because he's prez. I attended a Clinton rally in 1996 and there were protestors with signs sprinkled thoughtout the crowd who tried to heckle and were shouted down.

Nothing like this is allowed at Bush rallies.

[Rebellious Republican]

20. I think that the Secret Service had been watching this guy

The SS agent stayed back at a distance but followed him as he went away. I did not see him come up on us, he was just there when I glanced over while this exchange took place. He was only about six feet away from us. I asked my wife if she saw the SS agent come up, she said she did not, she said the same thing, he was just there! Boy these guys are good at not being noticed, gotta give the Secret Service credit, I think they knew he was a disruptor and was keeping a close eye on him. The wing nut did not seem to get into anymore heated debates, I think he singled me out of the crowd because of my old uniform and sign with awards. I think it was more than he could take, A VET for Kerry, I loved it!

[spooky3]

8. Thanks for a great report and for standing up for yourself!

[Rebellious Republican]

17. I was not going let some whacked out freeper spoil my good

time! My wife has never seen that side of me before, she was very impressed and proud of me! At first it scared her a little bit, but she knew I was more than capable of holding my own. I am not exactly a little fellow, not to large either but in obvious good shape.

[Justice]

10. Thanks for That Report

[Rebellious Republican]

18. Your Welcome, glad to have been able to go, so that I could! N/T

[soup]

11. Glad you made it there.

Sorry someone chose to get in your face. According to a newspaper article this morning, you also had a back-up of 10,000 people if you had needed it. 10,000! was the police estimate of the crowd that showed up with less than 24 hours notice.

My formerly apolitical daughter-in-law and a friend went at about 7:30 and said the entire area was just electric. They didn't get inside either, but stayed until a little after 9.

I posted last night (in a rather disposable thread) when she called me on the cell phone to let me know she was there. I'll share it with you here since it sounds like you arrived later.

Daughter in law just called from downtown Saint Petersburg. Kerry and Edwards are due to arrive shortly for a rally.

Guess there's a handful of protesters across the street yelling '4 more years'.

They were drowned out immediately by a huge roaring response of

"FOUR MORE MONTHS! FOUR MORE MONTHS!"

just thought I'd share my smile.

Oh, did you happen to catch all of the 'similarities' list that John Kerry opened with? Right now I can only remember two parts, 'we're both named John' and the 'People magazine' punchline, which I won't repeat since it loses some of it's impact without the lead-in. Darn memory fails me at the least opportune times.

Again, so glad you were able to go, and look forward to your filling in the blanks.

10,000 people! Wow, just wow.

[spooky3]

14. LOL! Thanks. I think JK said "JE was voted one of People Magazine's

50 Sexiest People. I read People Magazine."

[Rebellious Republican]

19. No, I did not get to hear the lead in, the sound was not that good

to begin with outside. I think they must set up an impromptu low watt PA system outside, not expecting the turn out that they got. second, the crowd kept chanting over the freeps when they would start up, it was hilarious. They were like so insignificant it was pitiful. Third, thats when the freeper vet came up to me and we started to get into it, and I focus all my attention on him, he really looked nuts, I mean this guy should probably be in an institution somewhere. As far as the entire area being ELECTRIC, lightning storm is more like it. I guess thats why they call us the lightning capitol of the world. Thanks for sharing your antidotes as well.

[Crazy8s]

23. Neato!

I think I saw you on TV!

[Rebellious Republican]

25. Thanks and welcome to DU, Yep that was me, I just saw it for the

first time. I went to the channel ten website, its title was Republicans banter with overflow crowd of Kerry supporters . I know they show a lot of the freeps in this story, but I got the last word. No, channel 10 is not right bent. They also did another story before that called Kerry-Edwards bring their show to Florida. It is devoted to them!

[Rebellious Republican]

27. MAJOR MEA CULPA, I MEANT LYNDIE ENGLAND not Jessica

Lynch. In my haste I accidental compared the freeper vet to Jessica Lynch, I meant Lyndie England.

[tlmorris]

13. Rally photos

Here are some photos from the rally. I haven't had a chance to white balance, color correct or sharpen, but you'll get the idea. Some are from outside the Coliseum before Kerry and Edwards got there. You can get an idea how many Bush supporters showed up. The rest are, obviously, inside. I got inside just before they started the show and managed, somehow, to get to within about 30 feet of the stage.

This was my first political rally, and I can't really compare it to others, but it was electric. The crowd was absolutely thrilled. The rally didn't end until around 11pm, and the crowd outside afterwards was as big as the crowd inside during.

Kerry really came off as a real person last night, as opposed to the cardboard stiff he's been looking like. Edwards was as charismatic and engaging as the rumors indicate.

If they come to your town, go early and go often. And takes lots of film (digital in my case). There were many, many cameras, so I'd expect a lot more photos to surface in the near future.

[spooky3]

15. Great photos--thanks!

[Rebellious Republican]

21. Oh, and I forgot to mention, on the back side of my sign I had

I DU DO YOU
DEMOCRATICUNDERGROUND .COM

I had several people ask me about it, I think we might see some new Florida DUers coming to visit us here!

[madfloridian]

22. I just put up a link to Ch 10 video on the news.

In this forum.

[Rebellious Republican]

24. Thanks MF, I just saw it for the first time.....

However I only have a 56k modem, the resolution was pretty poor. The audio was good, yea I got my 15 seconds of fame!