Posted on 08/02/2004 2:38:26 PM PDT by TomasUSMC
ping
The Ford Fieldhouse at Grand Rapids Community College can hold more than 4000 people. If President Bush was staged at the north or south side, they could easily fit about 7000-10,000 people inside Ford Fieldhouse with the bleachers set up for the basketball games as well as everyone on the floor.
The place where they could hold the largest capacity would either be at Van Andel Arena or Houseman Field. Houseman though has a parking problem.
Is it true the President will be here again in Michigan this Thursday. I believe its Saginaw? What is the POC.?
The police estimate released to the Press for the Kerry rally crowd was 5000. Kerry mentioned 20,000 from the stage...he was just exaggerating (because his estimate will probably get play in the mainstream press...the local news outlets were more objective). Bush had a capacity 4000 at the Fieldhouse (preferring an indoor, weather-proof venue). Kerry was 2 hours ahead of a thunderstorm that would have washed out his whole outdoor event. Bush filled the Fieldhouse with 4000, but could have brought in well over that figure. While the city of Grand Rapids leans slightly Democratic (the current mayor and the last mayor, John Logie, and both Kerry supporters), the suburban areas are nearly 2-1 Republican. Ottawa County, just west of Grand Rapids is one of the most Republican Counties in the U.S....consistently voting GOP by a greater than 70-30 margin. Kerry's people have been very active around Grand Rapids...passing out flyers...going door-to-door. Conservatives need to be active and outspoken.
Thanks for the update Strato. Yeah It just shows you what kind of a lunatic liar Kerry and I guess all Democratic Presidential candidates are. Of course if you are lying to democrats well IS that a lie?
I'll be on the Radio in around 15 minutes giving a summary of this thread. Call in and help me out on the Roger Fredinberg Show, Talkone.com, 1 800 8505043.
Tell em Tomas sent ya.
We've turned the corner and were not turning back.
Agreed. I left GR for the lakeshore almost 8 years ago. I've never looked back.
And last time they raised taxes on the 'rich', I didn't know I was rich....anyone that drives a car was 'rich'.
. . .I thought the same. . .or just some unconscious mechanism that keeps attention on 'her'. . .but in truth; do think she takes some meds.
Could not decide whether one could blame her complete lack of rhythm on a 'slowed metabolism' or she is just completely tone deaf as well.
No matter how she tried to bring her hands together in some meaningful rhythmic arrangement. . .she was never in synch, ever. . .
Well, I no longer have a car and haven't driven one in more than 4 years. So, if Frenchie becomes President and raises taxes on you rich folks, he won't raise mine! LOL! :D
Two words: labor unions. It's not the individual firefighters so much as their unions.
I work at the college and worked on the appearance; the Ford Fieldhouse capacity according to the fire codes is 4,000. From what I saw, 4,000 is a generous estimate of how many people attended.
The stage for the Bush was at the north end of the fieldhouse. There were bleachers behind the stage and lecturn, as well as bleachers flanking the stage on either side and extending out into the floor. There were also chairs in the front of the stage, and the press section was directly behind the chairs on the floor (the press had a few rows of chairs for print media, and the TV media had a three-level platform to set tripods up on).
That's not to say that more people weren't interested in going; certainly there were - but it was a more small, intimate appearance and only a very limited number of tickets were made available to the general public.
The number of attendees at any given political event always seems to be in contention (for obvious reasons). I believe that there were at least 10,000 people at the Kerry rally; Grand Rapids leans very democrat - and the unions were really rattling cages to turn out their members (even those from out-of-town). Though it's only anecdotal, I stood in line with many union folks.
The spokesperson for the city estimated the crowd at 9,000-10,000:
http://www.thehollandsentinel.net/stories/080304/loc_080304001.shtml
The Grand Rapids Free Press estimated the crowd for the Kerry Rally to be 10,000:
The State News has 20,000:
http://www.statenews.com/article.phtml?pk=24822
Wood TV has pictures of the event showing how packed Calder Plaza was:
http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=2110785&nav=0RcePQ78
If Chief Dolan counted only 5,000 - it must have been during Teresa Heinz Kerry's rambling, long-winded speech when everybody went to go get a hot dog and lemonade.
Did you hear about this?
A reader points to this item from our friends at the American Spectator, who notice that Kerry told a joke about how he loves Ohio football... in Michigan. Whoops.
"I just came here from Bowling Green," Kerry told the crowd to subdued applause. "I was smart enough not to pick a choice between the Falcons and the, well, you know, all those other teams out there. I just go for Buckeye football, that's where I'm coming from."
At that point, before all the boos began raining down upon him, Kerry seemed to realize his error. In an attempt to silent the angry crowd of University of Michigan supporters, Kerry said, "But that was while I was in Ohio. I know I'm in the state of Michigan and you got a great big M and a powerhouse of a team." Then his face, presumably, the Botox permitting, turned Big Blue.
If the Bush campaign were smart, they would figure out how to get audio or videotape of this gaffe to every University of Michigan student, alumni, and fan in the state. Probably fans of Michigan state and even the Detroit Lions, too.
http://www.nationalreview.com/kerry/kerryspot.asp
It seemed to me that every possible seat was filled, they were even letting people sit in the press area. So 4000 is a good number for the Presidents event. Matter of fact, it was announced as 4500 at the Kerry rally.
Either way, lets see what happens at the Iowa rally. Both candidates will be just 2 blocks apart.
Bring it on!
look at photo in post #25
LOL, good stuff!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.