I'd like to get some perspective on the Obama rally in Austin

[skipos]

20,000 is absolutely huge, but have there been other *primary* candidates in the past that have had rallies nearly that successful? I heard Dean's rally in Austin had 3000 people, and at that point in that was considered pretty big.

Has John McCain drawn huge numbers in AZ? Giuliani in NY? Clinton in NY or AR? What about past primary contenders?

[helderheid]

1. Dean only had 3000? WOW!! Sounds like the $ I sent Obama was well spent!

[Nimrod2005]

2. About 10 days before the 2004 elections, I attended a Kerry event, we had about 10,000

So yes, this Obama event is WAY WAY HUGE in camparison...Becasuse at the Kerry's event, HE WAS ALREADY OUR NOMINEE.

This Obama guy is getting it done!

[helderheid]

3. AMAZING!

[skipos]

4. Where was that?

I remember a pretty huge post-nomination Kerry rally in Philly ( I think). I do think it is a bit different to have a rally this huge as a primary candidate.

[Nimrod2005]

5. Very Blue Broward county in S. Florida.

[Nimrod2005]

6. The one in PA had Bill Clinton? No? that's why it was huge.

[blm]

10. The one in Philly was largest one w 130,000 but other rallies had 80,000

with most of the rallies in smaller cities coming in around 40-60,000.

We were still well in the throes of corporate media protection of Bush at the time, though, so all Kerry rallies were still met with corporate media bias for Bush - still trusted by the American people, and still can't be matched on fighting terror......and other media regurgitations of Rove's talking points.

[TomClash]

7. Here's a perspective I find interesting

The Dallas Mavericks, the best team in the National Basketball Association, played the Miami Heat Thursday night and drew just over 20,000 spectators.

[Scout1071]

12. But, that is capacity for American Airlines Arena.

Or darn near capacity. Most arenas are under 20,000.

[nevergiveup]

8. I am an old

political junkie who actually remembers the 50's and 60's. I do not recall this much enthusiasm for a candidate this early. Obama has tapped into a need for someone new, exciting and a little above "politics as usual". He also has his Oct 2002 anti Iraq War speech going for him. He has now been thrown into the pressure cooker and it is going to be brutal. I really like the guy and hope he has whatever it takes to survive. If he is still drawing crowds like this late next fall then fasten your seat belts because it is going to be a wild ride.

[brazos121200]

9. The turnout for Obama in Austin reminds me of the

enthusiasm young people had for JFK during the 1960 campaign here in Texas. I can remember the huge crowds who turned out here in San Antonio when he would come to town. But that was in the heat of the campaign, this is 10 months before the first primaries, so it is even more remarkable. I think Obama has tapped something big among young and not-so-young people in this country. It's been a long time since I've seen anything like it.

[cooolandrew]

11. Let's be honest it's revolutionary for a democrat to be drawing those figures in Texas. Obama is ...

the man.

[alfredo]

13. Wasn't the capacity of the park 20,000? Could he have drawn even

more at a bigger venue?

[UTUSN]

14. This post is about AUSTIN, not a slam against OBAMA, O.K.?

I am an old school, run of the mill Dem, who can support a WIDE spectrum of Dems---not Zell, however---and way over to the "Progressive" edges. I have voted for everybody from McGOVERN to LBJ. That in itself is a spread. So PLEASE keep flames somewhere away. I realize my contrarianism irks a WIDE range of otherwise good Dems. So here goes.

Austin is a great Liberal oasis in Texas. It is also "precious" in its "Austintaceous" way, wannabe CUTTING EDGE of same, wannabe California, wannabe Santa Fe. The young there are VERY young, ignorant of history and Dem roots, going BIG for NADIR and Kinky FRIEDMAN. Yes, Kinky had "beautiful" campaign posters, very arty.

So regarding what this means in terms of OBAMA support, to me it means Austinites want to be IN on the LATEST THING.

So, I've insulted Austin and the Young. Go ahead.