Posted on 09/21/2008 5:59:43 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
Sarah Palin tonight attracted the largest crowd yet to any Republican campaign event this cycle, drawing tens of thousands of Floridians out in a conservative-leaning retirement community north of Orlando for a solo rally.
Exactly how many voters Palin, making her first campaign trek to the Sunshine State, had in The Villages is uncertain.
Mike Tucker, a local fire marshal, estimated 60,000. But reporters on the ground, including AP's Brendan Farrington and my colleague Ken Vogel, would only say "tens of thousands," suggesting the marshal's estimate was on the high side. The St. Pete Times's Adam Smith had another fire official in the crowd say it was about 25,000.
Regardless, the size of the crowd underscores just how enthused conservatives are for Palin and the sort of buzz she's still able to drive nearing a month after her introduction as John McCain's running mate.
Republicans can always draw good crowds out at the sprawling Villages -- exactly a year ago I saw Fred Thompson thronged like a matinee idol there -- but the Florida GOP is saying tonight that Palin's crowd broke state attendance records. At the very least, it outpaced the 15,000 President Bush drew to the retirement community four years ago.
To reiterate: An Alaska governor who was virtually unknown a month ago and is the number two on the presidential ticket may have doubled or tripled the crowd for a sitting president.
Bambi is toast.
I read somewhere that Biden’s biggest crowd was 2000....
because Sarah LOVES America!!!!
I’ve seen the “We Can Do It” poster on the campaign trail — it might have originated with us Freepers! Congratulations if you were the first — it is inspired.
It was unfreakinbelievable. She is popular and the reason McCain is being heard in Florida.
At the very least, it outpaced the 15,000 President Bush drew to the retirement community four years ago.Now perhaps math isn't my strongest suite, but it looks to me like Sarah quadrupled Bush's crowds.
To reiterate: An Alaska governor who was virtually unknown a month ago and is the number two on the presidential ticket may have doubled or tripled the crowd for a sitting president.
Uh, I’d say it was more like quintupled - I was there for both rallies - it was phenomenal to say the least.
hopefully her first act of reform will be to cause all of these cowardly, baby-killing, unethical, dirty mouthed freaks to leave our country...and do so simply by being herself....Sarah takes their INSANITY and brings it into the light simply by being herself! GOD BLESS this tough lady and her family!
A pitbull in high heels.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26825079/
They will do anything to try and sour our mood.
Love this line:
“But Biden made four stops in his two days, and ventured into Republican strongholds like Fort Myers and Sarasota. He took questions from the audience at each stop and did interviews with local media.”
Easy to take questions when you have only 14 people in the room.
GOP strongholds. I love how they give the idea that Biden was taking questions from the local GOP club.
And those were just his lobbyists!
If it had been Obama it would have been called 60,000. But being it is Sarah Palin, they call it 25,000.
Report? Details?
You never hear the press talking about going into Democratic Strongholds.
The MSM just does not get it like their Messiah that regular main stream America just aint like the MSM and their idols.
Hell, Biden has more plugs in that dome than he draws at appearances.
I am seeing a new approach by the MSM now. They are reporting almost NOTHING on Sarah.
If BO had drawn 30-60K at a rally today it would be front page. Yet it is not at CNN or CBS. At MSNBC the earlier mentioned AP story is there, but it is a slam at her.
They are going to try and limit her exposure to the folks.
The st pete times.Thats all I needed to read.Notice there was no name for the fire marshall who said only 25,000.Liberals are such lying pansies.Bury that rag please.
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