Posted on 10/07/2012 11:56:05 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Already running camera on waiting crowd
PORT ST. LUCIE Crowds expected to top 10,000 are jamming into Tradition Square for Mitt Romney's campaign visit to Port St. Lucie.
On a hot and humid afternoon, Romney is expected to land at Palm Beach International Airport around 2 p.m. U.S. Allen West, R-Palm Beach Gardens, will introduce GOP U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, who faces Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in a Senate bid.
Mack will lead the way for Romney, who is expected to speak just after 3 p.m. with his wife Ann, said Romney spokesman Tom Brandt. Florida Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi also just arrived.
A handful of attendees have been taken out on stretchers from the heat. But cloud cover and potential rain are moving into the area.
Meanwhile, traffic is backing up on the shoulder of Interstate 95 about a half-mile north of Tradition Parkway.
October 6, 2012: Mitt Romney thrills throngs of admirers in Apopka
.......The citizens at Apopka Amphitheater were also both ready and willing to endure some difficult conditions, and lucky they werent worse.
The Romney campaign said it took in RSVPs from 14,000 to 15,000 people to the event, though it did not know how many actually came. Apopka Chief Administrative Officer Richard Anderson said earlier the amphitheater had a capacity of about 10,000. The place was overflowing, and most of the last few thousand people, at least, who arrived had to fight through crawling traffic. Many people abandoned their cars along the roads grassy shoulders and walked a mile or more to get to the park.
But these people were happy to be there together, and having watched Romneys debate performance last week, they were feeling like winners. They thundered a welcome when Romney and his wife, Ann, took stage, then cheered and roared repeatedly through his 23-minute speech.
They and Romney caught a major break when vicious evening thunderstorms rolled over menacingly but passed Apopka by, leaving just a few sprinkled drops..... - Story
[FRIDAY]
Romney gets group hug in St. Pete
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. The defining moment of Mitt Romneys first Florida appearance after his consensus triumph in the first presidential debate was, perhaps, not something he said in his upbeat 25-minute speech, but the reaction of the crowd of 5,500, plus about 2,000 standing outside the barriers at St. Petersburgs Pier Park.
When Romneys campaign bus pulled into Pier Park at 6:50 p.m. Friday and the candidate got out, the crowd didnt just scream and cheer as is the norm for this kind of thing, but pressed in on him as he made his way to the outdoor podium, like a group hug.
That sense was echoed by some of the people who attended the rally.
He grabbed my hand three times, said an excited Audrey Rumsey of Spring Hill, who came with her parents, Walt and Mary Southard.
http://www.adn.com/2012/10/06/2652324/romney-gets-group-hug-in-st-pete.html
The Romney coat tails could carry a lot of R’s into Congress next month.
They need to turn on the sound!
2 more debate butt kickings still to come too! Gotta seal the deal and get this monster out of our house!!
Yes... there it is!
Allen West speaking
Who’s there?
AG Bondi spoke after West.
Ann Romney speaking now.
Romney arrives at Tradition Square in Port St. Lucie U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Palm Beach Gardens, arrived at Tradition about 2:15 p.m. to a crowd shouting "West, West!" He will introduce GOP U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, who faces Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in a Senate bid.
Romney is expected to speak just after 3 p.m. with his wife Ann, said Romney spokesman Tom Brandt. Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, and others are speaking before Romney. Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi also is expected to speak.
The crowd about 2:20 p.m. was led in a Hebrew prayer followed by the pledge of allegiance. Alana Ferraro, a Port St. Lucie High School graduate who is attending Florida Gulf Coast university, sang the national anthem, with hundreds singing along.
Negron took the microphone before Romney arrived, saying "Romney has to win Florida, and we're all going to make that happen."
St. Lucie County Fire District crews have taken a handful of attendees out on stretchers from the heat. But cloud cover and potential rain are moving into the area.
Residents came from across the Treasure Coast and beyond to hear the candidate they hope will be the next president.
Trudy Ruddy, 81, of Green Acres in Palm Beach County, said she came to see Romney speak because of her family.
I came here because I have five grandsons and I like what Romney has to offer them: a future. I want my grandchildren to have a life in which they are not saddled with debt and no jobs, Ruddy said.
Teresa Cabal, 50, of Miami, said today is her 50th birthday and what better company could she spend the day with than the future president. Im so emotional to be here. There is so much motivation.
Mary Waterman, 57, Palm Bay, said I think Mitt is going to be our next president, and its part of my bucket list to see the president before I die. Mitt is everything Obama isnt, and thats what our country needs. My son is in the Air Force and Obama has cut the militarys budget. Im here for my son, too.
Kathy Farrell, of Port St. Lucie, said she arrived at Tradition Square about 12:15 p.m.
Im sweating, but Im excited. Romney is the only one of the two not running a dirty campaign. He is the change the U.S. needs.
Roger Godin, Stuart, said Ive lived all over the world as an executive chef at major hotels, and I came back to America to this mess Obama left us. Romney is going to change this. We need a real president who can speak without a prompter.
This story will be updated."
Unbelievable crowd in Apopka!! Things are looking up.
Post #13 photo is of the Port St. Lucie Rally that is just wrapping up.
Awesome crowd today too! Florida is looking good.
Wow! My friend went...hope she’s posts pix on facebook..if she does, I’ll add them here.
That would be great! Hope she does. Thanks.
Now....you get an idea of the Romney/Ryan massive supporter turnout that is coming and already happening in early voting states. Obama is going down to landslide political defeat, and.....the nice & wonderful thing, also, he will taking multidudes of Democrat s down with him, including, hoefully, even Debbie Wassermann Schulz!!! As for the great Allen West, he will make short shrift of dirt bag, drunk, Patrick Murphy in a NY minute!!! Let us all work to destroy the entire Democrat Party, traitors that they all are!!!
Folks....pray that Paul Ryan destroys that human piece of low life, Joe Biden at the VP debate, next Thursday. i knwo Mr. Ryan will make us all proud. Time to take our country back from the “Obama Stash” & “Free Handout” Obamabots!!!
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.