I just got back from the Kerry rally in Wheeling, WV!

[Ohio Dem]

Great time. It was outstanding. There were 15,000 people there. At least that's what they announced, and I do know that there were very many people, so I believe it. I saw about a dozen protesters, so when the brag on FR that there were forty or so (that's what they normally say when they get ten), don't you believe it.

Senator Rockefeller made an appearance, and it reinforced my view of him as one of the good guys. I wish he was my senator instead of the two idiots we have here in Ohio, but you can't have everything. When Edwards was speaking, one freeper near me started yelling something about Kerry being a flag burner or something. He wasn't very coherent. Some woman came up to him and explained the facts to him or something - I couldn't hear what she was saying. Whatever she was saying, it was making freeper-boy shake with rage and stupidity. She left him after awhile, and he just stood there looking stupid while the crowd just sorta laughed at him. Finally, he walked away (under his own power), we cheered, and - get this - he told us to shove it. THAT was funny. For the record, the others with him were repubs (one had a Bush/Cheney button on) but they didn't say anything, and they were left alone. Try wearing a Kerry/Edwards button to a Bush rally and see what happens to you.

Ben Affleck didn't talk long, and we couldn't hear him very well for some reason that they later fixed. Kerry's and Edward's speeches were very close to what they said at the convention.

One thing Kerry did mention, though, was a local pizza chain. He was listing things about the local area the way politicians do everywhere, and he brought up DiCarlo's Pizza. He said he was taking a large one and an extra bag of cheese with him. Anyway, I stopped at a DiCarlo's on the way home, and it was PACKED. The consensus among the workers was that it was because Kerry mentioned them. There were a lot of people there that had Kerry buttons on, so that may have some merit. The guy behind the counter said he was working at one of the Wheeling restaurants the last time Kerry was in town, and he said they ordered a large with an extra bag of cheese. LOL. I don't know if that's true or if he just heard an earlier customer mention that. Either way, he said it was much more crowded than usual. I said, nice and loud, "look at that. Kerry's been in town for a couple of hours, and already the economy's better!" The people around me liked that. Like I said, all democrats there. And I wasn't even in Wheeling anymore.

All in all, it was a great time. My only disappointment was that Teresa wasn't there. (She's in Pittsburg visiting a sick relative.) I hope they come close to me again.

[BeatleBoot]

1. Way Too Cool!

15,000 ?

WOW!!

Thanks for the update!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gotta go tell my wife....

[Cha]

2. Thanks for that report, Ohio Dem..it was great. I feel like I'm

on the campaign trail with all these reports from all over the Country.

It's so smart to get real People involved on a local level where ever the trail takes them.

[Sugarbleus]

9. I'm lapping this up too. I feel like part of the events and I thank all

for reporting back to us the good news and pics. ThankyouThankyouThankyou.......this keeps me energized :bounce:

WTG WV!!

[NJCher]

3. thanks for the report

Nice contrast to the biased piece of cr*!p I saw in the NY Post this a.m.


Cher

[chookie]

4. 15,000 people -- really?!

They showed a clip on local news here (Pittsburgh) as "yins" were preparing for their arrival, and it looked like a very nice crowd (the riverside setting was very nice too) -- but WOW -- 15,000! The venue in Greensburg today reportedly got about 5,000, and went off splendidly.

There was a similar unpleasant freeper encounter I believe in Cleveland today that made CBS News, in which an apoplectic Bush freeper loudly confronted a group of anti-war protestors (mostly middle aged people BTW at a Bush event ). He was shaking with rage, and screaming that his son was fighting for their freedom. A woman there went up to him and said her son DIED in Iraq dying for their freedom too -- and it got very ugly and on the verge of violence. A friend pulled the screaming freeper away or it might have come to blows, as this guy was totally out of control.

[Ohio Dem]

5. That's what Kerry said.

He said they were hoping for 7000, but they were told the number was 15,000. I'll tell you this, there were a LOT of people there. 15,000 wouldn't surprise me at all.

He said that where ever they were last night brought in over 20,000.

[PA Democrat]

6. Hi Chookie

I was at the Greensburg rally and they were expecting 5,000, but Kerry website reports 10,000. I would believe the Kerry campaign because they could not fit more people inside the rally area and had a huge overflow crowd on the hillside above the rally as far as you could see.

[RamboLiberal]

10. I caught that piece on CBS

I was half listening while surfing DU - but apparently the protestors were vets back from Iraq and families. The Freeper was screaming at a woman who lost her son in Iraq that his son in the Navy was risking his all for these protestors.

The mother held her own. Shameful bastard.

[Ohio Dem]

19. Re: "mostly middle aged people BTW at a Bush event"

Not at the Kerry rally. There were middle aged people, sure, but also teens, people in their twenties, and older folks. I wouldn't want to pick which group had more people. My parents went, too, and my mother commented on the way home that she couldn't believe how many young people were there, considering it was a Saturday evening. It's not like they don't have better things to do on a Saturday than come to a political rally, unless they really care. In my mother's words, young people usually don't care. She's right. But they do this year.

[AlecBGreen]

7. good news!

while WV is only a few EV, it is too great a state to go for Bush. Give em hell Kerry!

[yardwork]

8. Not only that, but Wheeling is right on the Ohio border

and culturally has a lot in common with the southeastern edge of Ohio. If Kerry went over well in Wheeling, it means that he will go over well in SE Ohio.

[Ohio Dem]

11. There were a lot of Ohioans there, too.

They said, "who's from Ohio?" and it was almost as loud as when they asked for West Virginians. There were plenty of people from PA, too. Wheeling is also on the Pennsylvania border, for the record.

[gauguin57]

12. Thanks for the report! Sounds like a great time!

So, we had 15,000 there, several thousand in Greensburg, 20,000 in Scranton and, at the rally I attended in Harrisburg,

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2120987

Secret Service estimates of 25,000 to 30,000 people. And that's within 48 hours of the convention ending.

When you hear of a rally, PLEASE put out the word on DU. The nation needs to see how many people are turning out for Kerry. (These rallies will really pump you up -- they're just plain FUN, as well as helping the campaign). The nation needs to see your face at these rallies. If I get a chance to go to another one, I am so there. I want to be another person counted by the Secret Service -- 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 .... = thousands and thousands of us.

And wear your Kerry gear. You might think it doesn't do much ... but wearing your button/shirt 1) gives undecideds a chance to ASK you why you support Kerry and 2) gives those supporting Kerry a chance to see they are not alone -- especially if you live in a conservative community like I do. I had my button on in a restaurant tonight, and as I left and thanked the musician providing dining music, he said, "I like your badge!" Then, you have the chance to remind people to get to the polls to make it happen.

Can you FEEL it people? HOPE IS ON THE WAY!

[RamboLiberal]

14. Trib "Shove It" Review did nice story on Greensburg Rally

Note they report 8,000 - 10,000

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/trib/news/s_206055.html

Kerry brings convention themes to Greensburg

<snip>

An estimated crowd of 8,000 to 10,000, mostly partisan Democrats, braved sometimes torrential rains to hear what they had to say. Their party's presidential nominee attacked President Bush's Iraq policy, touted Kerry's own military experience, pledged to make improvements to health care and hammered his campaign theme of improving the nation's outlook.

"We can do better," Kerry, Edwards and other speakers repeated during the rally.

Both Kerry's and Edwards' remarks were similar in theme and content to the speeches they made earlier in the week at the Democratic National Convention in Boston.

"John and I will restore trust and credibility to the White House once again. We will lift this country up," Kerry said.

He managed to tailor part of his speech specifically to Greensburg, talking briefly about the city's history, the renovated train station where he lunched afterward and "Hutch," the city's venerable fire chief, Ed Hutchinson.

[osaMABUSh]

17. Greensburg was jammed with K/E supporters: 0 for B/C

I was there and there were NO 'W' supporters whatsoever.

I take issue with the Trib Review on the Kerry being "stopped several times during his 30-minute speech":

"Kerry was stopped several times during his 30-minute speech, first by demonstrators who held up signs and chanted for AIDS research, and a second time as medics rushed to help a spectator who had fallen ill."

First it was only twice and Kerry interrupted his own speech both times and both were positive moments for Kerry.

1) He noticed a lady was fainting and called attention to it. Kerry's daughter and EMTs took care of her.

2) He acknowledged some AIDS protesters and spoke passionately in support of the cause.

[doc03]

20. That's surprising, didn't Richard Mellon Scaiffe give orders

that no stories or pictures of Al Gore could be on the front page of the Trib back in 2000?

[doc03]

13. The local TV in Wheeling said that 15000 people checked through

security and also the Delta Queen was docked there today. I wish I could have been there, had to work. Bush also passed through Wheeling today and stopped at the new Cabelas store nearby that will be opening on August 12.

[Ohio Dem]

16. Why did he stop at a store not yet open?

According to him, "I've come by because first I love to hunt and fish . . ."

Did he think he could buy something there? He probably did.

[doc03]

18. There is also a regional distribution center for Cabelas there

along with the store. I guess he was there to take credit for the jobs. The real credit goes to WV Governor Bob Wise more that anyone..

[Ohio Dem]

22. And the county commissioners and other local gov't.

They talked about this at the rally. All these people are Democrats. And the people around here know it. (I know you know it, too, doc. This post is aimed at the people unlucky enough not to live in the Ohio Valley.) For Bush to try to claim this one is stupid in the extreme. This store has been built in spite of Bush.

[K8-EEE]

15. Kick!! Thanks For This.

Very uplifting!

[Robbien]

21. I just love these rally reports.

Your's sounds so great. I am jealous of you being able to be in a big crowd with that much positive energy. And getting to see and hear our next President and Vice President!

[Hubert Flottz]

23. Thanks for the glowing account!

Here in Charleston the 4 local TV stations all failed to cover the visit in Wheeling! We won't forget!