McCain: 16,000 seats for 3,000 people.

Posted: Monday, September 15, 2008 | Posted by Chico Brisbane | Labels: , , , ,


Well today John McCain did as John McCain does and booked a 16,000 seat venue for his solo return to the campaign trail. The problem is that only 3,000 people showed up which was just enough to cover the floor. Huge sections of the seating stayed empty and it wasn't long before someone got the bright idea to utilize huge American flags and County First signs to obscure row after row of empty seating. Sarah Palin didn't fare as well as expected on her solo journey on the campaign trail, but she did manage to draw in twice as many as McCain. Nevertheless, it is still a far cry from the crowds of 15,000 and 20,000 that McCain-Palin drew together, but even those numbers have been discovered to be exaggerated. That's an easy trick to play via the McCain campaigns "Main Street Rally" concept when you pack people into a narrow street somewhere in Podunk County USA, but in an arena setting, you either fill seats or you do not.

This may be the reality of the "Palin Effect" as some have called it. It is more likely than not that the curiosity over Palin is not so much what she has to say, but rather that of a car wreck on the highway. We know that we shouldn't look, but we just can't help ourselves. I've seen John McCain in televised debates and it's difficult to watch. One the other hand, I've seen Obama put well seasoned polititions like Sen. Dodd in their place. His responces are sharp, unexpected and leave many a candidate wishing that they had phrased their comments differently. As far as Palin goes, if her interview on ABC with Charlie Gibson was any indication of her grace under fire, then Joe Biden is going to mop the floor with her.

1 COMMENTS:

  1. TexasTom77 said...
  2. Chico,

    You crack me up! - I've seen your replies around HuffPo and McClatchy and you seem to enjoy pissing people off. Keep it up!

    Thomas

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