A large crowd waits to enter the Colorado Jet Center for a John McCain rally in Colorado Springs on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2008. (Chuck Bigger, Special to The Denver Post)Posted on 09/06/2008 12:19:46 PM PDT by GVnana
A large crowd waits to enter the Colorado Jet Center for a John McCain rally in Colorado Springs on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2008. (Chuck Bigger, Special to The Denver Post)
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. — In just the second day out on the campaign trail with running mate Sarah Palin, Republican Presidential candidate John McCain will get a rock star's welcome this morning at the Colorado Jet Center.
Campaign staff say more than 10,000 people are expected to crowd into and overflow out of an airplane hangar at the Colorado Springs airport. They began lining up as early as 5:30 a.m., even though doors for the event didn't open until 9 a.m.
Palin is scheduled to start speaking at 12:30 p.m., followed by McCain.
By the time doors did open, traffic jammed for miles around the airport and the line of people waiting to get in wound for several hundred yards around large hangars.
"We wanted to be here for this memorable day," explained Patricia Strawser, who left her Denver house with her husband, Tom, at 5 a.m.
They arrived at the airport at 6 a.m. and found 50 people already in line ahead of them.
"I've never done anything like this before," said Tom Strawser, who wore a cowboy hat adorned with little American flags. "Nothing."
The crowd was made up of both veterans of political rallies and first-timers. Patricia Strawser said she worked for Democrat Al Gore's campaign in 2000. Tom Strawser said McCain's pick of Palin, the quick-witted, charismatic and conservative Alaska governor, made all the difference.
"Sincerity," Tom Strawser summed it up. "She's very authentic. I've never been inspired by anyone else like this except Bobby Kennedy."
"It has energized the base," added Patricia Strawser, a naturalized citizen from Colombia who said she became a Republican because she feels it's the party of moral values. "And it shows how bright John McCain is. He knows how the game is played. It is game on now."
Other people in the crowd said Palin has brought an enthusiasm level to the McCain campaign that now rivals that of Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama's famously devoted supporters.
"Military moms means what they say," Cathi Judy, a 52-year-old woman from Penrose whose husband is serving in the Army in Iraq and who has two children serving in the military, said in reference to Palin and her son, who is also in the military.
Radio show host Dan Caplis stirred up the crowd by pointing out several Republican women who hold elected office in the state.
"It just seems funny to hear Barack Obama say that he's for equal opportunity for women," Caplis said. "Tell that to Hillary Clinton."
He then led the crowd in chants of "Palin power!"
Sitting high up in the bleachers adjacent to the stage, Lorena Mitchell said she thought McCain would have received a rousing reception in Colorado Springs regardless of whom he chose as his running mate.
"This is typical El Paso County," said Mitchell, a Colorado Springs resident who is a lifelong Republican who has served as a party precinct chair for several years.
She said she has attended rallies for five presidents and several presidential candidates but has never seen McCain speak in-person.
"I thought, 'Gosh, if he's this close, I ought to come see him and show people I support him,'" she said.
But sitting down in the crowd, Mitchell's brother, George Mitchell, said he wasn't so sure. Mitchell, a Democrat, said he came with his sister and his girlfriend, who is also a Republican, to the rally. He held a sign reading "Maverick" over his head, but he said that was to block the intense morning sun.
"I'm still undecided," he said. "I came here to see what he looks like. Obama scares me too."
And, as for Palin, he was equally skeptical.
"I have nothing against hockey moms, don't get me wrong," he said invoking Palin's oft-quoted self characterization. "But c'mon, you've got to have a little more experience than that."
Lorena Mitchell was chuckled at her brother's skepticism.
"I think this will change his mind," she said.
Give her a break, a week ago she was sitting in Alaska.
This is her first “stump speech”. There will be different ones in the future.
I agree, they had almost 40 million watch. We have all heard it. SARA DONT LISTEN TO THE AIDS OR CAMPAIGN GURUS
BE YOURSELF.....SPEAK FROM THE HEART. IT IS GOING TO SOUND BAD IF ALL YOU CAN DO IS REPEAT....THAT’S WHAT OBI ONE DOES.....THIS IS NOT YOU
I heard some of Sarah. Frankly, she needs some fresh material.
We have a Democrat seminar bloogger here.
BE AWARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think of Obama’s very recent complaint about 19 months of campaigning, flying (to other countries besides), hotel food etc. and his Greek Temple Nomination set. It made me think of the Fable of the Tortise and the Hare.
Many on this forum have vowed no vote for McCain, no way no how. They say they would rather lose the election then put a RINO in office who would further destroy the Party. Fair enough. But what about with palin on the ticket? Surely she has the conservative credentials to get the nod from the McCain naysayers here?
It is far easier to get elected president as a VP then as a challenger from the Party out of power. So what about it all you McCain haters, will you be voting for McCain Palin this time if only to get Palin in the WH in 2012 (maybe) or definitely in 2016?
Settle down. I'm 100% behind her and McCain already has my vote. I just want her to go beyond the RNC speech. I have no doubt she can be just as great.
Bump for later.
Maybe it's because we're news junkies and especially attentive to her speeches so we notice repeat lines.
I don’t know.
Fresh material is good.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
“They’re gonna carry this state!”
Be sure to spread the news that Sarah will be at the Tampa Convention Center this coming Monday (9/8) at 3:00PM. No tickets required. My husband and I are going and have spread the word among friends. Sure the place will be packed so be plan to be there by at least 2:00, and thinking we perhaps should go earlier. :)
I will vote for him, hoping Sarah becomes president either during or after his term.
Not yet. The stream that I watched is down. Give it a while and something will appear in a search.
Yes, and she’s self-made! Her resume doesn’t include being married to an ex-president, or the child of a former president or a family with millions in the bank. She did it her way, an amateur in the very best sense. Make no mistake, America loves this woman. She’s without guile, pretense and posturing. She’s not the creation of a servile sycophantic press. In short, she’s everything that Obama and Biden are not. And she’s unflappable and imperturbable to boot. But make no mistake, her enemies will stop at nothing to destroy her. We must all be a repository of strength to her. She deserves nothing less.
Give her a break. She hasn’t had a day off since before she was announced. Probably very little sleep. And imagine the stress, even for her, of waiting all day on Wednesday with the knives out. OK to repeat her speeches. She will get a day off soon and they will revamp. People want to see her in person and John. He is tired too. They are both doing great.
Just because you heard it doesn’t mean everyone has heard it.
And advertising research shows that for most people, they have to heard it many times because they internalize something.
That’s why you see corporations run the same ads many many times. Because they also know that to be persuasive, it not enough for people to hear it once.
Political campaigns are no different, the objective is to sell the candidate.
Obama talking about fannie mae on cnn now!
However, Sarah could truly “Give them Hell” if she was in a position of authority.
I've been feeling exactly as you have since McCain clinched the nomination (even before the campaign, to be accurate).
I was also one of those folks who could hardly bring myself to pull the lever for McCain this fall.
But, in picking Sarah Palin as his running mate, John McCain revealed something about his character that made me re-evaluate him as a Republican, and as a person.
I believe that John McCain has shown me (at least) that he has the ability to change his mind when confronted with facts, logic, and reason.
He would not have picked Gov. Palin if he were stuck in the "maverick" mindset. He would not have picked her if he weren't listening to us. He would not have picked her, knowing full well the kind of reception she'd get from conservatives, if he weren't already shifting his own views about conservatism.
And, understanding that Sarah Palin stands with her principles first, he would never have taken her on if he intended to waver from the straight conservative path. She will "give him hell" if he even thinks of trying that.
In short, McCain has gained a measure of trust from me. I will now vote for him with a clear conscience, and feel good doing so.
BWAHAHA! Was the chosen one listening to Palin?
Most candidates do have a “Stump Speech,” where they repeat the same speech in several different towns. Usually it works, because no one publicizes every one.
However, so many heard her convention speech, she will at least need to come up with a fresh stump speech, or just react to Obama’s weekly goofiness on the trail.
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