newsobserver.com projects - A brief word on Palin crowd estimates - Comments

Re: A brief word on Palin crowd estimates

ccven84 — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:13:09 -0500

"Chief of Police for the Department of Agriculture?!" Why the heck is there a "Chief of Police for the Department of Agriculture?!"

Hmmm... Misdemeanorin' moo-cows? Bad-check chickens? Felonius fowl?

No wonder the state is going bankrupt...

Re: A brief word on Palin crowd estimates

gvgsteve — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:11:05 -0500

I absolutely agree that the crowd size was under estimated ... hummm.

What was mind boggling was this: my wife and I stood in line for over 2 hours and we never saw a single person get upset or impatient or cut in line. We also did not see security of any kind until the very end. We met and talked with some really nice people in line.

Even when we learned that the arena was full, the response I heard form a couple folks was "It would have been great to get in, but I am really thrilled to see this many people turn out for Gov. Palin".

I've never seen anything like it, and I think it really is a testament to the people that were there.

Re: Rancid posting by mmlem

Bob_Sconce — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:36:18 -0500

Yes. At the time, we were supporting Iraq in its war against Iran which, if you recall, a few years earlier had held a bunch of Americans hostage. It was the middle of the cold war and times were different. We also supported Osama Bin Ladin against the Soviet Union. It was the cold war and there were a number of cases of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." Sure, Hussein was a bad guy, but at least he didn't have hundreds of thermonuclear warheads pointed at the US.

Back then, we didn't have the benefit of 20/20 hindsight that we do today. (If, indeed, it is 20/20. We don't know what would have happened had we done something different. We could be speaking Russian right now.)

Re: Rancid posting by mmlem

bnartist — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 22:15:31 -0500

In 1983 when Donald Rumsfeld met with Saddam Hussein he did not raise the issue of Iraq's use of chemical weapons.

Rumsfeld is one of the people who got us into the mess in Iraq.

Re: Rancid posting by mmlem

tangoz — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 22:01:23 -0500

SeattleSlim

Saddaam Hussein killed millions, some by NERVE GAS. For whatever our reasons good or bad for going into Iraq, a madman and his murberous regime is DEAD. Over 29 million people have the RIGHt to self determination if we do not cut and run.

You sound like Neville Chamberlin at Munich in 38. We cannot show weakness or what Biden says will come true and many Americans will die here in the US. We did not start this war, but by God we will finish it.

Re: Rancid posting by mmlem

SeattleSlim — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 20:43:59 -0500

It's a free country, you shouldn't threaten to fire people just because you backed the wrong guy. And you say you're a republican because you're not on welfare? Most people aren't, even the illegal aliens you show such hatred for.

I am a democrat because I don't believe in giving billions of taxpayer dollars to Halliburton, and I don't believe in going to war and killing people for no reason, even if they happen to be in Iraq.

May God have mercy on your bitter soul!
OBAMA / BIDEN !!!

Re: A brief word on Palin crowd estimates

ryanteaguebeckwith — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 18:35:24 -0500

We're putting something in tomorrow's print edition.

— RTB

Re: A brief word on Palin crowd estimates

kwyjibo99 — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 18:16:11 -0500

I was also at the rally and can attest to the fact that there were thousands who stood in line but did not make it inside the Expo Center. I would estimate far more than 2,000-5,000 outside. How convenient that those who only receive the print edition won't see Mr. Beckwith's explanation or corrected figures on the crowd.

Re: A brief word on Palin crowd estimates

jblaw — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 17:47:26 -0500

You reported in Sunday's "News and Observer", "the Alaskan governor told more than 5,000 wildly cheering supporters in the Expo center at the State Fairgrounds....."

The expo center holds 10,000 people and I was one who did not get inside. I and about 5,000 more stood outside to listen. We were in line by 4:20, and by 6:30 when we finally reached the doors and went through security, we had to stand outside. It was not fair of you not to mention the crowd numbers standing outside to support Palin, but only a low ball guess to the number inside. I would love to get the number of people who went through security...that would be one way to get the truth.

It was such a big news event that 20,000 people came out to see Obama in Raleigh a few days ago. I guess if you covered that... it was really 40,000 to 50,000 people and you just made the same little mistake as you did for Palin's supporters.

I would love to hear from you as to why your number of supporters from Palin was not more accurate...of course you did state more than 5,000, but doesn't more than 15,000 also tell the truth......it's a truth too favorable for Sarah Palin and McCain, right!

My new slogan is... Got a Brain? Vote McCain!

Re: A brief word on Palin crowd estimates

jwc123 — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 16:35:09 -0500

Whether it was 1 or 10,000 it's unbelievable that ANY American with a functioning brain would put a someone as ignorant and divisive as Sarah Palin within a heartbeat of the the Oval Office.!

Re: A brief word on Palin crowd estimates

domewatcher — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:14:36 -0500

The following hand written report was found after the Palin rally. This paper was wadded up and stained with what appeared to be diet Coke. It is a tragic story and please be aware that it is sad. But this story must be told as it may win a Pulitzer.

The report reads:

This is Joe the Reporter. I’m embedded with the Palin campaign as it visits Raleigh. I have been trying to get an estimate of the crowd size but every time I look up I see someone with a beard. I am wearing my helmet with full face shield…. and it, along with the dragon skin body armor, makes it difficult to count. Each time I get up to 10 people I try to write it on my pad but I am shaking so badly I get mixed up. I really am trying. I got up to 64 people while ago and then everybody jumped up and yelled for Sarah. It scared me because I thought the big beard Palin supporter had found me. I have on knee pads to protect my pants. I am wearing the pants from my black suit with white stripe. It is my best suit and I wanted to wear these pants because they have a low rise and they make me look buff. I am so worried about the big bearded Palin supporter. If I get out of this alive I may try to get another job. They are looking for someone down at the post office. My cousin has risen very high with the post office and now has his own window. He said they have guards at the post office and never worry about big bearded Palin supporters….. because it is a Federal crime to send a postal employee sprawling to the ground. He also gets to wear a uniform and is a real hit with all the ladies. Ladies love a man in uniform and you should see the way the girls swoon over him at Hardee’s. So I may be a postal worker if the big bearded Palin supporter does not get me. If anyone gets this please tell the world my story. Tell them I died trying to count the number of people at the Palin rally. I may be dead or you may see me at the post office. Be kind to your postman because he may be a refugee newspaper man. So I’m either dead or at the post office. If I am dead, have them send the N & O hat I won in the Opie contest to Coach Amato. And please support making it a Federal crime for a big bearded Palin supporter to kick a newspaper reporter in the back of the knee, sending him sprawling to the ground. Make sure the "sprawling to the ground" is part of the Federal legislation. It has such a nice ring to it. I've got to go nowwwwwwwwwwwwww.............

Re: A brief word on Palin crowd estimates

Bob_Sconce — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:13:18 -0500

I don't know how many people the expo center holds, but there were several thousand who never made it inside. When they closed the doors, the line stretched from the Expo center, looped a few times in the paved area by the Expo center, went 3/4 of the way around Dorton and then looped back on itself about another 3/4 of the way around Dorton.

Despite comments I've seen from commenters here and elsewhere, I did not see any poor behavior among the crowd, even after they had been turn aside after waiting for 2 hours. But, in any sufficiently large crowd, there are always going to be a few bozos, regardless of whether the crowd is Republican, Democrat or composed of little old ladies.

Re: A brief word on Palin crowd estimates

rmmlem — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:10:30 -0500

I am sorry to report that many of we conservatives were working even on Saturday. In many cases preparing layoff lists for next week just in case. As for me it was easy. On Friday I checked my employee parking lot and anyone with an obama bumper sticker is on the list. As for the obama rally last week. Of course the attendance was 5 to 1 against a Palin rally. Think about it. Rally during the week? Only an obamacrat on the dole could show up in such numbers. Do not work for a living, never did, never will. I am a Republican. Why? Because everyone cannot be on welfare.

Re: A brief word on Palin crowd estimates

domewatcher — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 13:30:40 -0500

I think you are being unfair to the newspaper reporters. Don't you recall what happened to the reporter at the Palin rally near Elon?

One of the Greensboro reporters was kicked in the back of the knee and sent sprawling to the ground by the big bearded Palin supporter!

Do you expect the newspaper reporters to be counting the people...... or looking out for the big beard Palin supporter? I do not know how much money these newspaper people make but I don't think it includes hazardous duty pay or combat pay. And I'll bet the reporters had on some of their better clothes.....they were probably trying to impress Sarah. Being sent sprawling to the ground is especially hard on men's pants.

They were probably so nervous about the big bearded Palin supporter that they weren't able to count. If they did try to count the people their hands would have been sweating so bad that the ink would run on their steno pad. I would have been scared to.

Ease up on the newspaper reporters. They were under duress. Take up the count with the TV people or the helicopter people or Opie.

Leave the newspaper reporters alone!

Re: A brief word on Palin crowd estimates

Isaac136 — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 12:02:57 -0500

I assumed that the N&O was just trying to be charitable to the capital city's reputation by underestimating the number of idiots who would actually attend a McCain/Palin rally.

A brief word on Palin crowd estimates

ryanteaguebeckwith — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 20:27:51 -0500

Dome underestimated the crowd at Sarah Palin's rally in Raleigh.

As a member of the traveling press pool, I followed the Alaska governor from her landing at the UPS terminal at the airport in a van motorcade to the event.

We arrived shortly before she spoke through a side entrance and left shortly after she finished. We did not hear the opening speech by former Sen. Bob Dole or stay to watch the crowds leave. We could not leave the cordoned-off press area to join the crowd or see the front of the building.

Multiple e-mailers have told me about the long lines that I did not see.

Complicating things was the fact the the McCain campaign does not provide crowd estimates. (The Obama campaign regularly sent an e-mail with a contact number for local police or fire representatives who had an estimate.) An attempt to reach the Raleigh police before deadline was unsuccessful.

My original story went with a vague "several thousands" in attendance, but I felt that was underselling it. After talking with some other reporters in the press pool, I guesstimated 5,000.

A local TV station estimated 10,000 in attendance. I don't know their methodology, but based on the reports I've gotten from other people in the crowd at the rally, the higher figure is probably more accurate.

Update: Police provided an official estimate late Sunday.

Joel Keith, chief of police for the N.C. Department of Agriculture, said 5,500 supporters were allowed inside the Exposition Center along with several hundred volunteers and VIPs. He said another 2,000 were in a cordoned-off area outside, and thousands more were turned away from the event.

"It's the largest crowd we've had there for any event except the State Fair," he said.