Posted on 10/26/2008 8:19:17 AM PDT by ResistorSister
CANTON Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, who is scheduled to be in Canton on Monday, will deliver "an important address" at the Memorial Civic Center rather than his typical stump speech, his campaign said tonight.
A campaign spokesman said he could not disclose any further details.
The campaign is apparently organizing an event at the civic center at 1101 Market Ave. N that's different from the standard political rally. The spokesman said that no entertainment has been booked. In addition, Geoff Tompkins, manager and director of event services for the civic center, said Obama's advance team told him that they wanted a venue that would be appropriate for a "policy speech."
A press release said that Obama would "discuss his plans to turn around the economy, bring new jobs to Ohio and deliver the change we need in Washington."
The campaign says it will not release specifics on Obama's arrival and departure from Canton, nor would it say where he'll stay Sunday night. He is scheduled Sunday to campaign in Colorado. After his speech in Canton, he's set to go to Pittsburgh, a spokesman said.
LIVE IN CANTON
The event here will start at 12:30 p.m. The Obama campaign said the doors at the McKinley lobby entrance on the south side of the civic center will open no later than 10:30 a.m. Free tickets were distributed this afternoon and evening at Obama's campaign offices in Canton at 111 Second St. NW, Alliance at 15 S. Arch Ave. and Massillon at 35 Erie St. N along with the Stark County Democratic Party office at 4220 12th St. NW in Canton Township. Tickets were to be handed out between 2 and 8 p.m. Sunday.
The campaign declined to say how many tickets still were available or how many were passed out Saturday. Tompkins said the civic center's capacity can vary from 3,500 to 5,000 people, depending on the configuration. He added that the Obama campaign will pay $12,000 to rent the facility.
Healy said the campaign also had considered holding the event at Fawcett Stadium, but the campaign apparently went with the smaller civic center because of forecasts of chilly, rainy weather Monday.
RUSHING TO GET TICKETS
At about 7 p.m. tonight, a steady stream of people was stopping by Obama's Canton office to pick up the blue event tickets. At times, a line went out the door. A campaign volunteer said the line wrapped around the building at one point in the afternoon.
C.J. Cooper, 19, of Dover, a Walsh University sophomore, originally went to the office looking for tickets to a pro-Obama rally in Cleveland on Wednesday featuring rapper Jay-Z and Cavs star LeBron James. He ended up settling for tickets to see Obama on Monday.
"It's a little disappointing, but still encouraging at the same time," he said, tongue in cheek. He said he'll be skipping statistics class to attend Obama's speech. But he doesn't think his professor will care.
"I think he's for Obama."
Ophelia Owens, 60, of Canton, was shopping at the Value City Department Store in Canton Township, near Meyers Lake, when her son called her with news of Obama's visit. She immediately rushed to the Canton office.
"I want to be there to support him," she said. "I think we're almost in a depression. I think he's going to bring back the economy. I think he's going to bring troops home from the war."
Mayor William J. Healy II said Obama told him earlier this year at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Miami that he planned to visit Canton. Local Democrats have been pressing the campaign for weeks to arrange for Obama to visit Stark County. Healy said it could be Obama's last major stop in Ohio before the election.
"They knew Canton was one of the biggest cities they hadn't hit yet. I knew they wanted to save it for the end."
He’s probably going to announce that he sending lawyers to Ohio, Florida, and Pennsylvania and that he will contest the outcomes in those states.
Exactly. “an important address.”
Sheesh.
“leaving the O team and the media in the dust.”
I think Obama/Biden have a 1500hp Pro Stock in the race.Fortunately ,for us, McCain/Palin have a 7000hp Top Fuel car going against them!
My thought exactly. What an arrogant SOB.
“My real father was Franklin Davis”
I only want to listen to him confessing that he is an illegal alien communist.
Obama announcement, “While going to Grandmas I found my Birth Certificate!”
per The Charlotte Observer, AT the site!
oh, dear God.....and I was worried about ACORN, when it’s the government I should be afraid of.
Probably declare himself the winner and say he is taking office immediately.
He has discovered the internet...
A press release said that Obama would "discuss his plans to turn around the economy, bring new jobs to Ohio and deliver the change we need in Washington."
He's switching everyone to Gieco...
The campaign says it will not release specifics on Obama's arrival and departure from Canton, nor would it say where he'll stay Sunday night.
He is staying at a Holliday Inn Express...
The turning of Stark county from the conservative base it was in my childhood, and back when my Grandfather was editor of this now “kitty-litter-box-liner” Repository, is truly sad.
I’m sure BHO will pack the civic center to the rafters with thousands of screaming/fanatical followers. Stark county should be solidly McCain/Palin country...
Maybe he’s nominating himself for induction into the Football Hall of Fame.
He’ll say he’s 50% white.
No kidding. Palin’s first “policy” speech was about special needs children. Give me a break. She and McCain need to be fending off O’Bama’s attacks on the healthcare issue.
I hear surprisingly that he isn’t doing so good in that area even though it is solidly blue area of Ohio. McCain/Palin will be here in Zanesville at 4:30 today and the tickets were gone in hours.
He is much like the overplayed hit song. He is loosing steam. This will not help.
Or a ***FOX News Alert!!!*** "Britney wore panties today. Shemp has video!"
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.