Bush draws 6,000 at Hara Arena (Dayton), Gets Emotional

[VolcanoJen]

http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/1029bush.html

Six thousand? Seriously??? Is it me, or is that a pathetic turnout for The President? Quite a step down from his big event in West Chester, some 30+ days ago. It's mentioned in the last paragraph below. Of course, Bush is appearing in Cincinnati Sunday night, at Great American Ball Park (aka Unnecessary Riverfront Stadium Part Deux), and he might just bring 'em out. God, I hope for his own sake that he can avoid the embarrassment of such a shitty turnout in Dayton.

I smell something in Ohio.. something about how people want to be behind a winner, and aren't so terribly interested in a loser.

Blame it on the loyalty oaths...?

At Hara Arena, before a crowd of about 6,000, Bush became emotional under the roar of an approving audience and a powerful introductory speech by U.S. Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio. Bush's eyes appeared to moisten and he wiped at them with his hand when Voinovich quoted from the book of Isaiah.

"'Those that trust in the Lord shall have their strength renewed. They will soar high on the wings of eagles. They will run and not get weary. They will walk and not feel faint,' " Voinovich said. "Mr. President, all these people are lifting you up in prayer."

Bush crammed nine months of campaign speeches into a final, 45-minute burst that was interrupted frequently by applause. He said he had fulfilled promises made in his 2000 campaign and defended the country against the new threat of terrorism. He pledged to continue working on lower taxes, medical liability reform, education and Social Security if elected to a second term.

His appearance came as polls showed the Ohio electorate almost evenly split between he and Kerry.

<snip>

When Bush visited the Voice of America Park in West Chester Twp. on Sept. 27, an estimated 50,000 showed up, which set a national record for Bush campaign stops this year.

ON EDIT:

Kerry at Ohio State University - Dayton Daily News

With Bruce Springsteen as his warm-up act, Sen. John Kerry took to an outdoor stage at Ohio State University and rallied 40,000 supporters to put him in the White House.

[rsmith6621]

1. Thanks For Making Me Sick

Bush is as much a Christian as a Pig is a Good source for a New York Steak.

[NEOBuckeye]

2. Kerry's rally in Cleveland on Monday will probably at least quintuple that

I think Ohio is going to Kerry. Bush will be crying a different kind of tear later Tuesday night.

[splat]

3. V bucking him up

"At Hara Arena, before a crowd of about 6,000, Bush became emotional under the roar of an approving audience and a powerful introductory speech by U.S. Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio. Bush's eyes appeared to moisten and he wiped at them with his hand when Voinovich quoted from the book of Isaiah.

'Those that trust in the Lord shall have their strength renewed. They will soar high on the wings of eagles. They will run and not get weary. They will walk and not feel faint,' " Voinovich said. "Mr. President, all these people are lifting you up in prayer."

He's tired of all this. He doesn't want to have to do this any more. but he pulls himself together and gives the stump speech all over again.

[flordehinojos]

4. tears and emotionality are a rehearsed act with the bushes. they kow when

to lay it on. (but also, does that doctored up photo that people have been talking about so much--and that i know very little about--have anything to do with crowd numbers, as in 100,000 for kerry; 6,000 for bush?--i mean is he wanting to pretend (he is the pretend-a-pResident you know) that he too can gather up the crowds?)

[gumby]

5. feellings, nothing more than feelings

blah, blah, blah.

These repukes can work themselves into an emotional frenzy at the drop of a hat, while at the same time they mock "liberals" for "feeling" instead of thinking.

Well, go cry me a river, you bloviating Repukes.

[mahina]

6. ba-a-a-a-a-arf

oh man spare me the emotionalism, all he cares about it power, period.
(sniffle) He's choking me up.

[realisticphish]

7. i was at the columbus rally

it was awe-inspiring; the puke turnout was pathetic, maybe 50 "protesters", though of course fox said abotu 500 :eyes:

:hippie: The Incorrigible Democrat

[VolcanoJen]

9. Very cool!

The Columbus turnout was phenomenal... who's polling/watching the turnout?

[Kukesa]

12. And speaking of protesters --

we had a group of about 50 outside Hara Arena to protest.

We even had a sign that read "Let Our Soldiers Vote" -- this, in reference to a young man from Dayton who is serving in Iraq and had his voter registration form returned because he had MOVED ??? Moved to Iraq ???

The protesters were also MOVED; they had to go across the street and one man who had a bull horn was told NOT to use it, under a threat of arrest.

I can hardly wait until Tuesday when we get our country back.

[AngryOldDem]

16. Protesters have not been under such scrutiny since the 1960s

Someone on GD 2004 posted a Washington Post article about this very thing yesterday. I pulled it, but I can't find it in my visited Internet sites.

Look for this type of thing to only get worse if Smirk wins.

Where were you? The e-mail I got about this said you were going to meet in the parking lot of a closed-up business.Were you actually in the Hara lot at first?

[Sugarbleus]

8. Hol ee Crap! A US Sen. from Ohio preached a mini sermon and

led a prayer in front of the entire audience???? That stuff the Sen. quoted is really heavy stuff from Fundies perspective.

I find it INSULTING to use that kind of scripture for such an evil and twisted person. It's sacrilege IMNSHO!!

"Lifting" someone up in prayer is equivalent to the story in/of the exodus where Aaron, the brother of Moses, held Moses' arms up while he held out his staff to part the red sea..! FERCRYNOUTLOUD, those sheeple and that Sen. ought to be ashamed of themselves! >:[

[BQueen]

11. Read this Phenomenal oped by retired Methodist Bishop

Who says w campaign is committing blasphemy by the "Bible ban" and "gay marriage" propaganda. Also addresses "only 3" ways in which w strays from major church tenets. Excellent...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2554908

Pass it on -- doesn't seem to be an online link -- does anyone know how to submit it to CommonDreams?

[Sugarbleus]

17. Hi BQueen. Yes, I did read that article the other day.. it is

Spot on! The only thing that confuses me is that I THOUGHT Bush was a member of an Episcopal church.

Additionally, Bush's "preaching" and religious ranting from the White House "Pulpit" sound much more in keeping with a straight Fundamentalist/Evangelical, Baptist/Pentecostal/Charismatic doctrine/dogma.

Weird.

[Xenus Sister]

10. "He said he had fulfilled promises made in his 2000 campaign..."

Oh the pain!


(I once saw Peter Gabriel at Hara Arena!)

[Kukesa]

13. That 50K crowd in West Chester was an inflated number. n/t

[Eurobabe]

14. gettin all emotional because he knows

it's Custer's Last Stand.

HAHA!!!

[AngryOldDem]

15. Hara Arena only holds 7,000

If you don't know that (as most national media do not) it looks like Smirk packed 'em in. Hara is a pit, too. When he was here last time he went to Hara...probably because the visuals can be much easily handled to make it look like he has more of a crowd that he pulls. I doubt you could do that at the Nutter Center or the Convention Center.

And I woke up to one pissed husband today...he was fuming about Voinovich's remarks.

What gets me is Bush's posture...what's with the arms constantly hanging out at the sides? I watched about two seconds of the rally on Channel 7 (that's about all I can take of Smirk)...and he looked like an overgrown extra from Lancelot Link Secret Chimp. Creeps me out.