Obama speech moved indoors

politico44 ^ | 9/5/12 | BYRON TAU

[ColdOne]

Democratic officials confirm to POLITICO that President Obama's prime time address will be moved indoors to the Time Warner Center.

The Thursday address was scheduled to be at Bank of America stadium — an outdoor venue with more than 70,000 seats. But forecasts are predicting thunderstorms, forcing a last minute change in venue.

[carolinablonde]

They’re moving from a venue that seats over 70,000 to one that seats about 15,000 because of the weather? Right.

[Clintons Are White Trash]

I’m thinking Banquet Room C at the Holiday Inn will suffice.

[traditional1]

A phone booth down at the corner, so long as a Teleprompter is in there....

[GeronL]

lol. All those tickets worthless. Greek columns wasted.

Locking out 50,000 people could cause a riot. How do you choose which 15,000 to let in? Do women get first dibs? gays? LGBT? Species confused? Beastiality Rights Activists? Black Panthers? La Raza? Abortionists?

I don’t envy the person who has to decide this.

[dangus]

I’m suuuuure there’s going to 55,000 fans devastated by having lost their opportunity to see him. Not.

Psst: When was the last time a Charlotte football game was canceled because of a chance of lightning?

[ComputerGuy]

Ah yes. Those fickle rains of Mecklenburg County.

[YukonGreen]

Not enough people signed up to fill their buses so how were they going to fill the stadium? Thunderstorms - what a joke

[popdonnelly]

I guess the Democrats can’t afford the free rock concerts and the bratwurst they provided in 2008.

[HereInTheHeartland]

Probably the plan all along. Although they got lucky and have a forecast with rain chances to give them cover for this.

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

Locking out 50,000 people could cause a riot.

Only if they actually wished to go.

[massmike]

This should hold 'em all......

[Raebie]

Our local weather dude (who really knows his stuff)is flummoxed by this decision.

His latest tweet: “It’s a simple question...if you have a Panthers gmae, concert or soccer match with a 20% chance of storms would you cancel 24 hours prior?”

[Milton Miteybad]

But forecasts are predicting thunderstorms, forcing a last minute change in venue.

In the interest of total honesty, I would have said, "But forecasts are predicting an embarrassing number of empty seats, forcing a last minute change in venue to an alternate location where the "empty seat" problem will be less likely to humiliate the President even further.

[Lacey2]

Great opportunity here for the R&R campaign. A commercial featuring a 15 second clip of an empty Stadium with the caption (no voice), “President Obama’s supporters eagerly await his acceptance speech”

[bcsco]

In a statement, the DNC organizing committee CEO Steve Kerrigan said: "The energy and enthusiasm for our convention in Charlotte has been overwhelming and we share the disappointment of over 65,000 people who signed up for community credentials to be there with the President in person. We encourage our community credential holders and Americans across the country to continue to come together with their friends and neighbors to watch and participate in history. The President will speak to these credential holders on a national conference call tomorrow afternoon, and we will work with the campaign to ensure that those unable to attend tomorrow's event will be invited to see the President between now and election day."

Over 65,000 signed up for credentials? That's definitely less than the stadium capacity of 70,000, but fairly close. Apparently they weren't sure they could get the extra numbers to fill every seat. I'd say Clint Eastwood and his act at the GOP convention has them paranoid about empty seats.

Now, with a capacity of 15-20K, many of these people will be left out, having to settle for a video conference. I wonder how many will be available for that?

[JLAGRAYFOX]

Ladies & Gentlmen: First, Charlotte Motor Speedway, 200,000 seats, second, a football stadium, 74,000 seats and...now an 18,000 seat basketball court arena!!! What a farce. Attention: Bill Clinton, this buffoon, Obama, and his hate America, evil wife Michelle on now on the same venue as you will be tonight. You have the opportunity to broom him while smiling and clear the path for Hillary and you to take ove the Democrat Party and have Hillary run for POTUS in 2016. Obama and all his Democrat, socialist ilk are toast!!! Love it!!!

[gov_bean_ counter]

A little rain???

No problem. The guy who was going to lower the oceans and heal the planet should be able to delay a thunderstorm or two for a couple of days...

This should be the Romney/Ryan surrogate's line for the next couple of days.

[Raebie]

From our local met, who is scratching his head:

Chance of severe weather threat is 0%, rain only 20% in the afternoon.

[lacrew]

Per ‘weatherdotcom’, there will be isolated thunderstorms, with a 30% chance of rain.

So much for Mr. ‘Gutsy Call’.