Turnout Huge For Raese's Rally: Gov. Sarah Palin and Rock Legend Ted Nugent Rock Charleston

Huntington News ^ | Oct.ober 31, 2010 | Staff

[2ndDivisionVet]

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and her husband, Todd, provided a last-minute surprise visit to the Ted Nugent rally for Republican U.S. Senate candidate John Raese in Charleston Saturday afternoon. The crowd present for the event was the largest of any event held by either Raese or Governor Joe Manchin this year.

An estimated crowd of 2,700 came out on a clear, sunny October day from across West Virginia and sang the "Star Spangled Banner" with Nugent, the rock legend from the late 70s who has emerged as a leading voice for sportsmen and women across America. The event--part political rally, part Mountain State family reunion--was held at Haddad Riverfront Park in downtown Charleston, just a few blocks away from Manchin's residence at the Governor's Mansion.

"The size of this crowd on such short notice should tell us something about the momentum John Raese has going into Tuesday's election," said Jack Ellis, HNN's Senior Political Analyst. "Raese's campaign didn't know that Ted Nugent was going to be able to get here until just a few days ago, and the Sarah Palin visit was added too late for the media to really get ahold of it. Yet nearly three thousand people showed up? Amazing."

"This kind of turnout reminds me a great deal of the kind of crowds George W. Bush had when he visited West Virginia in 2000," said Ellis. "Crowds like this go back home and are great evangelists for their candidate. This single event could put Raese over the top on Tuesday."

According to event organizers, Todd and Sarah Palin took an overnight flight from Alaska to arrive Saturday morning in time for the event. The former GOP Vice Presidential candidate was embraced by the crowd when she suggested that Joe Manchin should fill out his term as Governor, staying put at the Governor's Mansion.

"I've been travelling a lot of country roads these past few months, trying to get people to understand how important it is that we do elect the right people on November 2nd to turn this country around," Palin said.

Palin said that Manchin "is trying to say now, Barack who? Never heard of him."

But Palin warned that Manchin will be expected to "fall in line" behind President Obama if he is elected.

For his part, Ted Nugent called Palin and Raese his "blood brothers" and added that, with only three days to go until the midterm elections, "It's time to kick maximum ass."

"I am John's buddy," said Nugent. "Know it, celebrate it, and never ever back down from what you believe in."

After the rally in Charleston, the Palins joined the Raeses at a Tea Party Express campaign event in Wheeling.

"This ranks as one of the most interesting of all political events in the past few years here," said Ellis. "With basically two or three days' notice, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate drew a crowd with concerned Republicans, Democrats, and Independents from across West Virginia. They all agree on one thing--the Obama Administration has got to be reined in. That's their bond, and John Raese is their candidate for U.S. Senate."

[who knows what evil?]

Every journey starts with a single step...or something like that...

[who knows what evil?]

...no kidding....that needs to be a poster.

I expect that to be crafted in to a 'Palin/Nugent 2012' poster sooner rather than later.