Report from Las Vegas, NM - The Train Tour

[Snoggera]

The train pulled in about an hour before I had thought it would, so it was good to have gotten there hours early. There was a huge line, and Governor Richardson later stated that over 9,000 people were in attendance. The atmosphere was charged with positive emotions.

I was pleased to see so many of various ages taking part in the Kerry celebration! There were many children who listened intently to the speeches, and that was heartening. As I was walking back to the car, I stopped and spoke with two elderly women getting ready to get into their car. They had to be in their eighties, and had driven over an hour just to get to Las Vegas, and had to stand in the heat for another hour before being able to get in.

There was a couple there from Albuquerque that seemed to be having the time of their lives. They were loud, humorous, and generally fun to get to know.

Edwards gave a very good speech regarding why all should vote for Kerry. Teresa spoke, and was her usual charming self.

Kerry spoke with more passion than I have seen. It was a glorious sight to witness.

The lightning storms held off until after the rally. Everything went perfectly. I have never been to an event where people were so upbeat and charged, and polite. One man gave up his prime viewing location so that a man with a small child could stand there and better see.

These are just my impressions of the event. I am extremely glad to have gone.

Just thinking about these last few years, and hearing the messages from these wonderful people had me tearing up at times. I don't think I was the only one.

BTW - Have you ever seen the expression on a secret service agent's face? I do believe they take their jobs seriously!

edited to add: There were four members of the opposition there that I saw, and they only had one pathetic sign between them. No shouting or interaction with the Kerry supporters at all. They seem a little disappointed!

[My Pet Goat]

1. Thanks for the first hand report...

these are always very interesting reads for me.

[Democat]

2. Thank you for the report

Good to read!

[enigmatic]

3. Thanks for this; I love reading the first hand accounts n/m

[Arugula Latte]

4. Me too.

I just can't get enough of them. They help my spirit, for some reason.

[sandnsea]

5. Pic

Las Vegas looks like a charming town. Thanks for your story, and here's a pic from the blog.



This has got to be a good omen! Beautiful.

[Snoggera]

6. Yeah!

It's a great town. The most democratic county in a democratic state. It was beautiful.

Thanks for the pics!

[Cybergata]

9. Las Vegas use to a vacation haven for people...

thanks to the A.T. & S.F. railroad and Fred Harvey. Outside of Vegas, there was a resort full of Hot Springs and the Montezuma Hotel, a crown jewel in the Fred Harvey string of Railroad resorts. :hippie:



Photo courtesy of Denver Library

[Cybergata]

7. I wish I had know about this

I would have driven to Vegas to see this. Ah, Northern New Mexico, so beautiful and so leaning towards the Democratic Party. :hippie:

[Cha]

8. Ah! Good report, Snoggera!

I feel almost like I was in New Mexico with ya'll!

Nice to hear there are some Kerry/Edwards rallies without the requisite bush thugs.

Democracy in Action!

[MuseRider]

10. It sounds much

the same as it was in Lawrence. People in the crowd were very friendly and polite here too. I am glad you got to hear Kerry and Heinz-Kerry as well, we missed that part.

We had a lot of secret service but it was much better than being searched and sterilized. I would much rather meet those cold gazes than feel stripped as you go in.

Thanks for the report, I am glad you had a good time. These guys are great at this.

[Gloria]

11. Stopped in Las Vegas my first trip out to NM prior to moving here....

They guy at the motel told us about the wagon ruts still in the ground...so we went looking for wagon ruts. I kept hallucinating wagon ruts.....went up and down the road looking. To this day, I'm not sure if I saw them or not...

The little town square with the old, restored hotel is so lovely...that hotel is a step back in time!!!

Wish I could have been up there! Down here in CD 2, we have a tough fight with all the Repug ranchers and drillers................

[Beaverhausen]

12. Wish I lived in a swing state! Great report

Here in California our 55 electoral votes are pretty secure so I guess we won't get a visit by this dream team!

Thanks for posting this! Aren't crowds of liberals the coolest?

[JI7]

13. Teresa dances with some guy

[Snoggera]

14. Nice pic

There was some great Mariachi music being played all afternoon. From what I've read, Las Vegas is 75% hispanic.

[A_Possum]

15. All my photos in a photobucket album

And a couple in this DU thread

Photo album of 80 photos here. Slideshow is fun.

I had wanted to try to take pics of the Bush supporters, but by the time they showed, I'd waited an hour and was nearly thru security--no way I was turning around to get a shot of that crew. :P

[Snoggera]

16. Hell! There were only 4 of them!

and a few of what I took to be Libertarians.

The * supporters just seemed to be standing there looking bored. They had one little sign between them.

[PlanetBev]

17. Thanks for the report, Snoggera

I passed through your town in 1979. Ordered me a green chili burger, thinking that it was one of those Ortega-type canned green chilis that us weenies in Los Angeles like. Took a bite and damn near burst into flames. Southwestern chilis are not to be messed with.