Posted on 09/10/2008 11:52:50 AM PDT by NewMediaFan
FAIRFAX, Va. - It was Republican John McCain’s turn on Wednesday to relish the kind rock-star treatment usually associated with his Democratic rival, Barack Obama, in the tightening race for the White House.
Under burning sunshine at a park in a suburb outside Washington, D.C., McCain and his newly minted running-mate Sarah Palin drew a crowd of approximately 23,000, which his campaign said was his biggest on the presidential trail.
Campaigns are notorious for inflating crowd estimates. But a McCain’s aide stressed the number was the real thing — provided by a fire marshal no less.
It could very well be accurate. Supporters by the thousands poured onto the grassy slopes of Fairfax’s Van Dyke Park waving blue and yellow McCain-Palin placards and chanting slogans (“Sarah, Sarah, Sarah” ranks among the loudest). Some chastised the media for “picking on” Palin.
The pair did not diverge from speeches they’ve delivered all week, almost to a word, threading a folksy narrative of their lives with the bread-and-butter assertions of their campaign: the Iraq war can be won, drilling for oil in the United States to secure energy independence and that their ticket would bring reform to Washington.
Much of the crowd was a sea of red shirts, courtesy of the Virginia Republican Party, which exhorted on its Web site for supporters to wear red, the party’s color, to keep the battleground state Republican.
After backing President George W, Bush in the 2000 and 2004 elections, Virginia is now a swing state, according to an average of statewide polls by Real Clear Politics which has McCain up a slender 0.7 percent in the state.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.reuters.com ...
WOO HOO - The Momentum shift is palpable.
This writer will be gone from reuters by tomorrow. WAY too straightforward.
Obama’s Gallup Daily tracking numbers:
Sept 2 50%
Sept 3 49%
Sept 4 49%
Sept 5 48%
sept 6 47%
Sept 7 45%
Sept 8 44%
Sept 9 44%
Sept 10 43%
The left should scream LOUDER!
Wonderful time in Fairfax today, although my feet are killing me. We had to park in a shopping center near Rt 50 and walk down Old Lee Highway, which was a good two or three miles away. Then the line wrapped throughout the streets of a nearby neighborhood. There’s no way a gym could’ve held all these people.
Overflow crowd, scattered over a plane the size of a football field, with hills surrounding it and packed with people. I’d put it closer to 30,000 people, none with seats. Young, old, newborn babies, ladies with walkers, veterans, Hillary-types, and a smattering of Obama lunatics across the street.
Tom Davis, retiring VA congressman, and Fred Thompson, a nice bonus, warmed up the crowd which was already kinetic when they reported the motorcade was arriving.
Cindy McCain in a green dress, salty old sailor McCain with his chiseled visage, a sporty looking Todd Palin and THE star of the show, Governor Palin, who was radiant and sophisticated in a black dress and gold broach. She is stunningly beautiful in person, and the crowd hung on her every word. It was almost anti-climatic when McCain spoke, alhough he gave a rousing speech nonetheless. A hearty succinct rally, a wave and they were gone.
Or so we thought. There was a massive bottleneck to exit Van Dyke Park, but timing is everything. As we reached Old Lee Highway, the secret service stopped traffic and here came the motorcade. Two or three SUV’s with real serious looking secret service, and suddenly, the Straight Talk Express bus emerged.
When it got about thirty feet from our curb, it suddenly stopped and McCain got out and shook hands. I couldn’t believe my fortune. I didn’t get close enough, but he got back in and stood in the sunlight throught the windshield, both he and Cindy waving to the raptuous street scene.
What an amazing morning. And I’m very proud that my two young daughters got to see their first political event, and it was this one.
Go McCain/Palin 08, Virginia and beyond.
Now it's time for Colorado and Nevada.
Who was there? Xshub was there!
This could be the first time a president is elected on the coattails of his vice-president.
From your lips to the McCain campaign's ears. They need to use her to get back the majority in Congress. It's probably too soon to start, but I hope they realize that with a rock star of this magnitude, anything is possible!
Anyone know what McCain’s campaign schedule will be on a State-by-State basis?
So she has has taken over obama as the biggest celebrity in america??
Did Mac use my favorite line? “Senator Obama doesn’t have the strength to do it!” (Meaning shake up Washington)
No celebrities are airheads, like Britney Spears, Madonna, and Barry Obama.
Sarah Palin is a phenomenon.
The more that I read about the size of McCains crowds the more I think Obamas new theme song should be “Slip Sliding Away”.
Well said.
Yes, I can feel the palpitations...........;^)
PS - McCain is the real deal ...
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