Olbermann: I wonder just how close this race truly is. . .

[Shopaholic]

Keith Olbermann from Today's Hardblogger on MSNBC.com: (I've editd pretty heavily to avoid the copyright rule)

The Kerry campaign appearances have been littered with faintings. You heard me. Folks passing out.. . .Hang on. That’s much more than a medical curiosity. To have 100 people feel woozy at a political event means there has to be countless more who don’t.. . Kerry’s been drawing 20,000 and up per appearance. They’ve waited up to five hours each for his arrival. . . Hmm. A challenger who doesn’t seem like a blank canvas any more. Polls showing him rising in categorical esteem. A reputation as a strong finisher.Big, fainting crowds.Think I’ll wait to see what the scouts say about the Republican Convention and the immediate thereafter. There’ll be plenty of opportunities for the incumbent to make his faithful melt to the pavement.But, sitting here far from the madding (and swooning) crowds, I sift through the scouting reports and wonder just how close this race truly is.

You can read the rest here:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5660340/

[fob]

1. K.O. with a big KO!!

[redwitch]

2. "I feel faint" says Redwitch

swoons and falls gracefully to the pavement.

[Richardo]

7. My stars! Redwitch has the vapors!

Fetch the faintin' couch!

Fiddle dee dee!

[redwitch]

15. what a lovely fainting couch!

Thank you sir, you are a gentleman. And I have always depended upon the kindness of strangers. Blush. Simper. Swoons again on the nice comfy couch while batting eyelashes.

[Richardo]

16. *Nothin's* too good for *you*, Miz Scarlett...er, Redwitch...

Will you do me the honor of accompanying me to the big barbecue at Twelve Oaks day after tomorrah? :D

[Yupster]

31. I love those old

Pirate uniforms of the late 60's. Stargell, Clemente, Oliver Sanguillen - them's were the days.

[iconoclastic cat]

8. Yeah, why don't chicks swoon anymore?

That's really a loss to our culture. I'm just not a man if I don't have the opportunity to catch the occasional hyperventilating female.

[Richardo]

18. Probably 'cause they're not bound and cinched up into corsets...

...the size of a sausage casing anymore.

This gal looks about ready for the couch, doesn't she?

:wow:

[NewJeffCT]

22. they do swoon

It's just the young teen or preteen girls over the Hot Teen Band of the Week or the Hot TV Star of the Week. Unfortunately, I was neither back in the 80s.

[West Coast Democrat]

3. I'll be seeing Kerry on Friday

It'll be a hot day. I'll try to remember to wear a big hat so that I won't get sunstroke!

[The empressof all]

5. Don't forget your smelling salts! (eom)

[qanda]

6. I guess you should take some smelling salts.

eom

[1monster]

19. Don't forget your water bottle too...

[Qutzupalotl]

4. I could understand the fainting...

if I'd waited in line five hours without eating, in 100 degree heat.

I'm not saying that's all this is, just that it could explain some. I don't know how much of it is Kerry's sheer star power--maybe some, but maybe not all.

[trotsky]

9. Well that's just it, it's not the fainting per se

but that people are willing to wait in conditions like that just to catch a glimpse of Kerry & Edwards. THAT'S what speaks to the star power / message / whatever you want to call it.

[rkc3]

11. We waited two hours to see Kerry in Greensburg, PA.

It was raining and not exactly warm outside. There were at least 8-10,000 people there and all were chanting and cheering for him.

We had one older woman faint and a WWII vet (a volunteer for the event to boot) taken out in a stretcher. I can guarantee you it wasn't his speaking style, but maybe his message of hope.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

20. Well what was your impression when you saw him in person?

Without the media filter?

I don't know how much of it is Kerry's sheer star power--maybe some, but maybe not all.

Is that speculation based on actually seeing Kerry, or is it based on watching the news on TV?

[Qutzupalotl]

23. It's speculation.

I haven't seen him in person yet. On TV, he comes across pretty well, though not faint-worthy, IMO.

I agree with the poster above--the story is not whether they faint for Kerry, it's what they're willing to do to see him. I guess that *is* star power.

[BayouBengal07]

10. I hear that

I had to work Kerry's Baton Rouge visit earlier in the year... 7+ hours in a suit in the parking lot of the governor's mansion. I eventually just cast off the coat and rolled my sleves up.

I got my volunteers' ID signed, but when I put it in my pocket, the signature smudged off >:(

[Brotherjohn]

12. "I wonder just how close this race truly is. . ." GOD, how I hope...

... that's the new meme. That could really start a bandwagon effect, where Kerry swells. I could just see Bush going DOWN after the repub Convention... say, to 60-40% in most polls?

[JI7]

13. these are people FOR KERRY

not just against bush, but FOR KERRY . they can be against bush and vote for kerry in november. nobody has to attend these rallies.nobody has to put up with the waiting, the heat, rain or whatever odd weather may turn up, the crowds etc. but they do because they want to see kerry and edwards.

[Shopaholic]

14. You don't stand out in the sun for 5 or 6 hours waiting for someone

just because you're against his opponent. I find it really interesting that the press isn't covering how large these crowds for Kerry-Edwards truly are!

[cynatnite]

34. Pic

JI7, I've seen this pic several times and I have just got to say, that it's a great one.

I love it!

Cyn:)

[Carni]

17. Kerry rally I attended felt like a concert

As Kerry's bus was pulling up... honest to God I felt like I was in the 70's at a Led Zep concert and the band's limos were arriving!

I have been to other rallies and they weren't all that exciting (nor were they packed with thousands of people who were willing to wait four hours to get in and see the candidate speak)

I tend to agree with Olberman...regardless of how Kerry is being painted as an aloof patrician type he has a definite following that is bigger than anything I have personally witnessed before!

On edit: I never got to attend a Clinton rally so perhaps this is a normal thing?

[West Coast Democrat]

21. Cool! I'm so excited!

I'll be going to the one on Friday with a bunch of people in my office. I expect to see thousands there...it'll be a huge event.

[Carni]

32. Is it in Flint?

I am kicking around attending that one as well! (but it's a haul from me)

[VolcanoJen]

24. Keith Olbermann Is My Sex God Hero

He's smart, sarcastic, onehelluva writer, and makes for nice eye candy, too.

Be still my heart!!

[West Coast Democrat]

25. And he almost won the Playgirl poll, didn't he?

I remember voting in that when someone posted the link.

[Shopaholic]

26. He came in 2nd or 3rd in the Playgirl poll

not bad. He does it for me too!

[West Coast Democrat]

27. John Kerry just left a message on my voicemail...

informing me of the upcoming rally in Portland! I'm so glad they're getting the word out!

[buycitgo]

28. so when is Rove going to start hiring

PAID SWOONERS for the chimp?

you KNOW that'll be the lead story all across the land

[buycitgo]

29. and who WOULDN'T swoon over this?

[spooky3]

33. ROTFLMAO!!!!!!

[DeepModem Mom]

30. kick

[Zynx]

35. I wonder too. I don't think it is that close.

See this post: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x612032