Obama speaks in Jacksonville on Sept. 20
It was only a week ago that John McCain was preparing to roll into Jacksonville, with the radio and TV stations announcing that due to the anticipated large crowds, the venue had been changed. Instead, when McCain, Gov. Charile Crist, Sen. Mel Martinez, Jeb Bush, and other Republican luminaries took the stage at Veterans’ Memorial Arena, the place was embarrassingly empty.
Today Barack Obama came to town.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has just announced that no more people will be allowed into the Barack Obama Rally at Metropolitan Park.
Officers say the park is at it’s (sic) 10,000 person capacity.
Thousands of people are being turned away.
I was unable to attend because I must earn a living (and you thought we were getting rich off Pensito Review) but my heart was there. Obama was due to speak at 2:30 EST but reportedly did not begin until 3:40. It is now 4:30. I’ll post an update as soon as possible.
Jon mentioned that Florida is, again, a battleground state. Demographically speaking, many of McCain’s old fuddy-duddy rich supporters might not turn out to hear him pontificate (especially since he only brought Cindy as eye candy, and not Palin), but they will still vote for him. And Obama’s more ambulatory, younger, less chauffeur-driven backers would be more likely to leave their domiciles to see him.
But still…It’s been raining since this morning. The Gators are playing in Tennessee as we speak. These folks could be dry and comfy in a sports bar somewhere doing 12-ounce curls and watching the game. Instead, they’re standing in the rain listening to Obama. That’s gotta count.
Update: Jacksonville’s First Coast News (the joint NBC and FOX affiliate) is reporting even bigger numbers.
Twenty thousand people came out to attend the rally Saturday afternoon, but a reported 8,000 were turned away at the gates after the park was at over capacity.
Wow. I am thrilled. Sounds like Obama was too.
The Democratic presidential nominee took the stage just over an hour later, saying, “What an unbelievable crowd.”
“Are there any [University of Florida] Gator fans in the house? It sounds like there might be some [University of Georgia] Bulldogs out here. I guess there’s one [Florida State] Seminole out here,” Obama said. “I’m amazed we got such a big crowd — I don’t know if ya’ll are aware there’s football today.”
Once the crowd settled, Obama turned serious, acknowledging the bombing in Pakistan that took many lives Saturday morning.
“In addition to the threat abroad, I think everyone here understands that we’ve gone through some very difficult times here at home,” Obama said. “The events of this week have shown that the stakes of this election could not be higher; they could not be clearer. We are in the midst of the most serious financial crisis in generations.”
…Then he turned his attention to his opponent, “because he’s been talking about me.”
“President Abraham Lincoln — from my home state of Illinois — he once had a comment that applies here. He said to one his opponents, ‘If you don’t stop lying about my record, I’m going to have to start telling the truth about yours.”
…”Don’t believe what those people say,” Obama told the audience. “I will cut taxes for 95 percent of all working families. If you make less than a quarter million dollars a year — is that you? — you will not see your taxes increase one dime.”
…Then he turned specifically to why he spend (sic) Friday and Saturday in the state.
“Florida, I need you to make it happen…. I can’t win this alone,” Obama said. “If you’re not behind me, if you don’t feel that fierce sense of urgency — what Dr. King called the urgency of now — then we may not cross that finish line.”
The Democratic nominee made a promise that if the people of the state support his campaign, “we will not just win Florida, we will win this general election, and you and I together will change this country and change the world.”
I was there–it was PACKED. Tons of enthusiasm on display. Made me proud of J-ville!
It is a shame that the same old class warfare is still the way politics is played. I am an independent and a wealthy employer. Business cannot afford the weight of govnerment, how does that help the employee?
Too much government is a lose-lose.
Republicans won’t be happy, Matthew, until we’re a oligarchy like Mexico, with a tiny band of corporate fatcats who control 90% of the wealth, a small middle class to operate the shops and provide services and 295 million people living on $10k per year.
That’s where Republican policies are driving the country.
Hey Matthew, you were given your deregulation when Shrub Bush was elected, and look what it did. You wealthy people had your fun since Ronald Reagan was elected and you used it to screw the American people.
You businessmen had your chance when the chains were lifted and you screwed it up.
Matthew, I too am a business owner and employer (computer and Internet/web consulting) but it would be crass of me to state whether I am wealthy or not. However, to the last person, my dedicated and hard working employees agree that they would be willing to share a little more of their income to help those less fortunate (even though Barack Obama is going the other way to give us all a tax cut when elected). McCane is only interested in helping his fat-cat buddies, and they’re certainly not going to part with any of their wealth (aka “trickle down), so that leaves those in the middle to help one another. A proud American tradition right up there with greed. I sleep better knowing me and my people are among those who would rather share than hoard. How you sleeping, Matthew?
Thanks, but no thanks to McCain
Class warfare??!!! Are you kidding me man?!! You rich people have been trying to destroy this country since it started and you wanna gripe about class warfare? This week we’ve just witness the largest transfer of wealth probably in the history of mankind from the american taxpayer to bail out you “rich” people. All you guys do is privatize the profits and socialize “YOUR” losses.
Gosh Matthew, I don’t mean to pile on but it’s kind of a bad time to ask how government helps the employee or to talk about too much government while claiming to be an “independent” employer.
Seems like business in this country is independent right up to the point when it runs into trouble and then suddenly risk-based capitalism becomes something you guys were only kidding about. The taxpayers are told to suck it up because your enterprises are too important to “allow” to fail.
It’s not folks like us who are on the public dole, Matthew. We are not the problem. I’ll let you fill in the blanks as far as what possible role government regulation and oversight might play in this whole biz because if eight years of Bush’s missing-in-action “regulation” doesn’t speak for itself, there’s not much I can add.
I’m an Obama supporter. That said, I’m unwilling to ‘pile on’ Matthew, even if he sounds a bit selfish.
Don’t forget, the term ‘wealthy’ is subjective, that there are many business owners that are wealthy, but not greedy, and regulation can be cumbersome, especially on small(er) businesses.
Think of the unfunded mandates on businesses caused by the American Disabilities Act. Compliance for many was close to devastating.
So, before I pile on, I’d be asking Matthew how he treats his employees, which regulations imposed on him have had a detrimental effect on his business and what he feels is the proper balance between business interests and necessary regulation.
Obviously, no regulation is not the answer nor is too much regulation. In order to progress, we have to be able to talk to one another before we can provide a solution that is acceptable, though not perfect, for both sides.
Just my 2 cents.
What amazes me is the lack of awareness that we have all been totally devastated by eight years of Bushco. It cannot be ‘what about me?’ in this election. It MUST be, “What about the nation?” A McCain/Palin victory means even more of neocon policies, more assault on our Constitution, more war, more bigotry and the total destruction of the middle class. Wake up, America. The future of this country is on the line.
matthew:
u ain’t see nothing yet…
there should be a revolution in sight…just not familiar with its appearance yet…your concept of progress means the most bread in the table of the rich so the poor can get some left over…compassion from the rich so the poor revolves in low self esteem…no control upon society so the wolves can manage to eat the sheeps…
Matthew: I won’t use any pejoratives to describe the act with which I feel you should do to yourself and your opinion, but I will offer this. All American’s deserve 3 things: Access to quality health-care that all Americans pay for. 2. A quality education at the primary and secondary level, and a post secondary education that is low cost, and high quality. And most importantly. A world-class democracy. Public -financing of campaigns so that politicians don’t have to beg people like you to fund their campaigns, and free air-time over OUR airwaves to express their ideas.
Hey Mathew, class warfare? Give me a freaking break. Here’s a quote from Warren Buffet, one of the richest men in the world, regarding class warfare: “There’s class warfare, all right, but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning.â€
Please take your fake outrage and shove it. The conservative economic policies that have poisoned this country for the past 25 years have just been proven a complete failure. We’ve seen this movie before, most recently in the S&L scandals of the 80’s, of which McCain was an enabler, only this time it’s 10X worse. Hopefully the American public will come to its senses and send Obama to the whitehouse.
Well if people can’t distinguish a bold face light of day wide open lie from someone interviewing for the job of president after see the failure and lies of the current president, then Obama getting nasty isn’t going to sway that person… Being a fake politican is not what has gotten Barack Obama to where he is today. Character, integrity, leadership, judgment, empathy, consideration, responsibility, a caring heart, education, wisdon, thoughfulness, professionalism, and love for this country has.
He’s raised the game to a whole new level…
When republicans are going through neighborhoods stealing Obama signs, like mine was stolen today… You know some are comfortable being in the ditch. But the vast majority in America always strive and work hard to move forward, and that’s what we’ll do when Barack Obama is POTUS…
If McCain wins after what happened with the markets this week, it will prove that the election was rigged. The GOP is risking widespread civil unrest this year if they try to steal another election.
A report today on Google News (AP? I forget) said that Obama would be 6 points higher in the polls if not for racism. Since Obama is about 6 points above McNasty and the Republicrooks will easily steal 5% of the vote, it will be very close, indeed.
People hunger for change.
Eighty percent of the population, including the “wealthy”, agree we are headed in the wrong direction. The prevailing uncertainty, whether America’s downward trajectory would spiral into a tailspin under a McCain/Palin administration, is not surprising because there is good reason to believe it would. And that changes the political criteria.
Therein Matthew and others of like-mind ought to reconsider their vote.
Think about what it would mean to have a McCain/Palin administration:
The near collapse of our economy, caused by deregulation and lack of oversight, is proof positive no one is or will be immune to the effects thereof. And we’re still not even out of the woods, yet.
McCain publicly admitted he did not understand economics. When questioned on the subject his answers validate that. Worse he seems to lack even a fundamental, basic understanding of how the economy works.
Sarah Palin would unlikely be of much assistance considering by the end of her mayorship Wasilla — population 5,000 — was $22 million dollars in debt.
To continue making the same decisions expecting a different outcome is insanity; clinging to the same ineffective ideological policies likewise.
Yet McCain is stuck in that ideological mind-set and is too stubborn to change. Granted he changed his tune “saying” we need regulations, but there is nothing to indicate he actually would. He has championed deregulation for 26 years.
Furthermore his voting record is consistent. He does not change — his words do, but his actions don’t.
Meanwhile millions are living a nightmare. Millions more will, too, unless different choices are made.
While short-term solutions will slow things down enough to make things manageable, but to stop this juggernaut and reverse it requires implementing long term solutions simultaneously — otherwise things will get out of hand.
McCain promises to clean-up Washington, but how, he never says. McCain likes to blame others, but does not realize (or hopes no one notices) he is just as much to blame.
Identify the problem and what caused it half the battle is won. Heretofore until McCain acknowledges his part, voters ought to think about what that means.
Change is upon us one way or another. Whether we ascend or descend will be decided by this election. Thus it is incumbent on the voters to make the correct choice.
There is no second chance — not this time.
So for those reasons and more Matthew and others of like-mind need to reconsider who will best lead the country in a new direction.
Vote your hopes not your fears.
People of America, take back your country!