The Obama show comes to Boise
Senator Barack Obama at a rally Saturday in the Taco Bell Arena at Boise State University in Boise, Idaho. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
BOISE, Idaho -- This is starting to feel a little like "Groundhog Day" -- not the holiday, the Bill Murray movie: Another campaign stop in a Feb. 5 state, another blockbuster crowd for Barack Obama.
But even though the storyline may be a bit repetitive, that doesn't make it any less remarkable. Hordes and hordes of people have come out to see Obama in his swing through states that hold primaries or caucuses on Tuesday.
The numbers: more than 15,000 in Denver; about 13,000 in Phoenix; between 6,000 and 6,500 in Albuquerque, and almost 6,000 in Santa Fe last night. And then there's this morning's rally here in Boise: Obama's campaign says nearly 15,000 people came out to the Taco Bell Arena at Boise State University, where the Illinois senator just finished speaking.
To put that in perspective: That's about 10 percent of Boise's voting-age population. And it's roughly three times the number of people who participated in the 2004 Democratic caucuses in all of Idaho.
"Look at this. What an unbelievable crowd," Obama said. "They told me there weren't any Democrats in Idaho. That's what they told me. But I didn't believe them."
The vast majority of the Idahoans here are, in the words of Obama senior strategist David Axelrod, "virgin ears" -- they've never seen Obama in person before, never heard the stump speech, never laughed at his joke about being disappointed at learning he's a distant cousin of Dick Cheney, not Paul Revere. And they are listening raptly.
Nicki Taylor, a 28-year-old from Nampa, Idaho who works for a veterinary supply company, came undecided and left convinced. She was moved by Obama's message, and by his crowd. "Driving here today and seeing all the cars -- unreal," she said."
Is it enough? That's the question. Obama's Feb. 5 tour is still very much about introducing himself to the rest of the country, for whom Hillary Clinton is the more household name. So the challenge Obama faces on Tuesday mirrors the one he's faced all along: Can he convert this buzz into something concrete?
I was there too, and I want the Obama campaign advicer to know he needs to go even more full swing to people. We need people to hear him. I believe everyone who hears him will be convinced he is ready to change the country
As an life long Idahoan and a Democrat it was great to have some one pay attention to us. I was at the rally and it was magical to see a Democratic presidential candidate in person. I waited in the cold starting at 6:30am and I was in the middle of the extremely long line. There was a lot of people there who would not have been there four years ago if it was for Kerry. Obama pulled all of us Democrats who have been in hiding for years in Idaho, out into the open. After his speech there was little doubt in the crowd ,that self-identified Idaho Republicans in attendence would be rethinking their party affiliation and casting a vote in the Idaho democratic caucus. Alot more Idahoans will now be behind Obama, but the state party needs to ride the wave to help make the change and let people know they have a choice other than those with an "R" by there names.
Just because "Hillary Clinton" is a household name, doesn't make it a good thing.
At my house, we already refer to Barack Obama as Mr. President.
Mr. Obama offers something that Ms. Clinton does not - integrity, idealism, and the pragmatism to reach across the aisle to get things done. People are tired of the same old corrupt and bitterly partisan politics and the negativism and are getting energized by the optimism, candor and intellect of this man.
Let's add to that perspective. Idaho has 1.5 million people in the whole state.
Denver and Phoenix have that many in their city limits.
And he was in the largest event arena in the state. The only thing larger we have was on the other side of the parking lot at the outdoors, covered by 4 inches of snow, football stadium.
We made it inside after standing in line with my 8 year old son and 67 year old father. If you didn't get one of the 14,000 seats that meant standing 3 to 4 deep at every aperature. It was amazing.
Senator Barack Obama was just as impressive in his latest rally in Phoenix. 13,000 folks, many of them attending their first politcal rally ever. This old desert rat (or curmudgeon) was a bit taken aback by the energy and enthusiam for a guy who really if very new to the national stage. He seems very genuine and seems to rise above the "business as usual" political gridlock that we Arizona Independents are quite tired of. I too, left his event here convinced that he's the right candidate for the new century. I'm glad that your experiences were the same.. As the crowd here was chanting "YES WE CAN" I decided that perhaps they are correct.
I was at Taco Bell Arena in Boise today. The arena was set up for 8,800, but they pulled the black curtain down behind the stage and starting filling the bleachers behind the stage. Thousands were turned away.
I heard a vet of the Iraq war while standing in line (for 1 1/2 hours in 34 degree weather) that he voted Republic in the last 2 elections, but not this time.
On the way out, the father of a family of four summed up Obama's speech: 'truly inspiring."
People in Idaho are truly hungry for messages of change and hope, and Obama delivered. The fact that the took the time to stop here anmade us feel that we count...and that in itself made the crowd grateful.
I'm convinced that Barack can unite the country. Here in Denver on Jan. 30th there were 18,000 people at Denver University. Later that day Hillary spoke to a group of 3,000. At D.U. people were packed into the hockey arena and TWO overflow halls. He has tapped into some things that Democrats, Independents, and I daresay a few million disenchanted Republicans are looking for: someone with intelligence, charisma, dynamism, and a hopeful vision of the future. I don't think McCain, Clinton, or Romney have a snowball's chance in Hades of breaking through the bitter partisan politics that exist in this country. Now the media barons and AM radio pundits need to step back from their corporate candidates or they will lose the remainder of their dwindling audience to internet, independent media.
I was There!
Being an individual living here in Canyon County, Nampa, Idaho who has felt snubbed by the Republican mind set and becoming more cynical with each election season of "politics for the rich and by the rich," I had to go check out someone who reminded me of the hope that I felt when I was still an impressionable open mind. I'd recieved the e-mails about Baracks supposedly radical Muslam upbringing and did some checking of my own. It seems as though the religious right is at it again, and that pretty much sealed it for me. I'm tired of the Bush/Clinton era, and to paraphrase Barack, it's broken now we need to move ahead and fix our country now.
With Obama we have a leader who seems to truely care for all Americans whether black or white, brown or green. I had to see it to beieve it.
Idahoans came out to see and were not dissapointed. The crowd was totally mind boggling! Getting up at 5:40 A.M. was worth the effort. I saw Hope in an individual who talked to the people not at the people. A man who's views on not going to war with Iraq mirrored my own. I could keep on rambling........
I'm convienced that Barack Obama is the right person at just the right time to be the President of the United States. Hope and Change
I was There!
The turn out was huge! 14,000 inside and another 2,000 who couldn't get in.
In fact it was the largest crowd at any event of BSU's Taco Bell arenas history! Baracks message of "Hope and Change" radiated throughout the audience.
In a Red state such as Idaho it was almost like turning water into wine! There were many Democrates, a mix of Republicans and Independents in the arena so the wines color would have been a wonderful shade of "Deep Purple."
I needed to check out Barack and came away with more than "I'm just not sure of anything political anymore." A "Hope and Change" now messge gave me a sense that there is a politician who does want whats best for every American. The unexpected opportunity for Idahoans to make a difference in
our state caucus gives a much needed feeling of inclusion.
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
Send your comments to masspolitics@globe.com
browse this blog
by categoryINside Boston.com