19,000!!!!! at Obama, Biden Dublin, OH rally

[DogPoundPup]

DUBLIN, Ohio--Barack Obama and Joe Biden took their message to the nation's test-market Saturday evening, hosting a boisterous outdoor rally outside Columbus, Ohio.

With the sun sitting over a football field at Dublin-Coffman High School, Obama and his running mate took turns bashing opponent John McCain, largely on pocketbook issues. Obama, particularly, pointed to President George W. Bush's comments Saturday that the economy was making progress, even as a report said personal income in July saw its largest drop since 2005.

Estimates had the crowd at the sprawling suburban high school as high as 19,000. Local campaign officials said it was larger than expected, especially given that this Saturday was the highest of holy days in Central Ohio: the day of home football game for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Obama referred to as much, leading the crowd in a chant of "OH-IO" -- the same one done at football games. (One wag in the press corps said, "I wonder what he'll do in Michigan?")

Biden took some fresh foreign policy swipes at McCain, saying that Obama had been proven right in his positions on adding troops in Afghanistan, setting a timetable for the removal of forces in Iraq and opening a diplomatic dialogue with Iran. "Barack Obama was right. John McCain was wrong."

Biden was cheered loudly when he referred to his native Scranton, Pa., perhaps suggesting that his roots may play well in this state as well. As for the newly announced vice presidential nominee on the Republican side, Sarah Palin was not mentioned by name. Obama joked, however, that in the 19 months of the campaign, he has visited every state in the country "except Alaska." The crowd hooted. "I might have to get up there," Obama said.

Obama and Biden were introduced by retired Sen. John Glenn (D-Ohio), still a legend in his home state. And both politicians in turn praised Glenn, with Biden saying that meeting Glenn for the first time in the Senate was one of his biggest thrills.

Glenn, now 87, for his part, also called McCain a good friend and said he "went through some things I'm not sure I could go through." This, from a man who orbited the Earth three times in a small capsule.

Glenn referred to Ohio's long-standing reputation as a consumer test market and suggested that this battleground state could again prove decisive. "If it will sell in Ohio, it will sell in the whole U.S.," he said.
http://weblogs.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/blog/2008/08/obama_biden_draw.html

[DesertFlower]

1. i saw it. wow 19,000. i knew

it was a big crowd. i wonder how many did McCain drew in pennsylvania.

[Heather MC]

12. More than usual, but a fraction of OBiden's crowd count

[DesertFlower]

13. O'Biden. i like that.

:hi:

[Heather MC]

17. ha ha I was lazy typing

:hi:
What do you think of
LipStick VP pick?

[DesertFlower]

20. cute. nt

[BlooInBloo]

2. hahahah! About 4k more than they're bussing in for the republican convention.

[gateley]

3. What was the turnout for McCain/Palin -- anybody know? nt

[and-justice-for-all]

4. 19,000! suck it RNC! nt

[Epiphany4z]

5. umm how many

did McCain manage to bus in for his vp pick thing?

[eshfemme]

6. Despite the efforts of the MSM, everyone knows that Obama's the next POTUS!

[BeyondGeography]

7. Great news...sounds like the ticket is playing well

[Tarheel_Dem]

8. Boy, did I underestimate the size of the crowd. 19,000? Woot!

[RollWithIt]

9. I'm sure my hated rivals in Michigan will understand, we're all hurting, all we have to fall back on

is football.

[bigwillq]

10. Awesome!

:bounce:

[vaberella]

11. They still beat McCain with just a test rally!! My God!! I love you 'Bama/Biden '08!! n/t

[FrenchieCat]

14. Kick!

[FrenchieCat]

15. Kick!

[grantcart]

16. I heard Wolf Blitzer just say that McCain/Palen had a big crowd

Now is that by Alaska standards or Obama standards?

[vanboggie]

21. It's just the Wolf Blitzer

Wolfie has no standards. He'll say anything to make his neo-con masters look good.

[President Decider]

18. 19K .... Gee, this is double the amount of people in the town that Palin was the Mayor over ....

he, he , he ..... I couldn't resist.

[catgirl]

19. K & R!!!!

OH-IO for Obama/Biden!!!!!

[WhiteTara]

22. GO OBAMA

We are so lucky. We have a GREAT candidate the mobilizes voters all over the country. We have had our Democratic Headquarters open for a couple of weeks and the people streaming in and out all day long wanting to volunteer and talk. We have a life sized cutout of Obama and people flock to have their picture taken with the cutout!!!

It is important to get our message out. Walk precints, get in the call out campaign WORK FOR FREEDOM. This may be our last chance