Big Obama rally in Anchorage yesterday.

[Blue_In_AK]

We had a another big rally here yesterday for Obama with about 1,200 participants. This makes three out of four of the past weekends that there have been rallies here of more than !,000 people, either anti-Palin or pro-Obama. I've never seen anything like it.

I've got a lot of photos to go through, but in the meantime, here's one, and AKMuckraker's take on the two opposing rallies yesterday. For some reason our newspaper chose to emphasize the pro-Palin rally, which apparently about 300 people attended, and only posted a couple of pictures of ours, so I'm getting the word out.



http://mudflats.wordpress.com/

Once again, there were duelling rallies here in Anchorage. The McCain-Palin rally was held in the just-completed Dena’ina Convention Center in downtown Anchorage. The Obama rally was held outside, just a couple blocks away, at the Delaney Park Strip.

One would think that the Republican rally celebrating the hometown girl, in her very very red state would have drawn a huge crowd, and that the Obama rally would be a few brave intrepid souls with a couple signs shivering by the side of the road. One would be wrong.

The Obama rally was all set up and running when I arrived - tents, face painting, t-shirt sales, voter registration, postcard writing to swing states, a huge stage and sound system. By 1:00, there were more than a thousand people milling around with signs, kids, dogs and huge smiles. This was definitely a feel-good place. Hundreds lined the roadside waving signs to appreciative honking motorists, and hundreds more milled around the tent area. Anchorage mayoral candidate and former legislator Eric Croft got up and spoke, so did Kat Pustay who’s heading up the Obama campaign in the state. Then came Ethan Berkowitz, Democratic candidate for the U.S. House seat currently held by Don Young. Ethan welcomed his “fellow revolutionaries”. The crowd went wild.

I looked at my watch. It was after 1:30 and I knew if I didn’t get to the McCain Palin rally soon, I’d never go. So I ripped myself away from all the positive energy and the fresh air, and hurried over to the Dana’ina Center. 3 people stood outside waving signs. I figured I had to smile, so I did. “Come on in, we’re having a rally!” one of them effused. I took a big cleansing breath, and in I went.

I just had a feeling this rally wasn’t going to have as big a crowd as the Obama rally, because the rally that was held for Palin herself, when she was in Anchorage a few weeks ago only had about 500 people show up. But I walked into the room and I really was stunned. I felt like I had entered an empty chair convention. It was really bad. I actually felt sorry for the organizers for a minute, before I snapped myself out of it. A head count yielded about 250-300 people. Clearly they had been hoping for more.

<snip> ,,,, much more with comparative photos.

[Aviation Pro]

1. Alaska turns blue?

Choogaloo, join the landslide express.

[NNadir]

2. The polls I see say we cannot win your state, but then again, we got hope.

[Blue_In_AK]

3. If Sarah keeps f***** up

everybody might be surprised.

[NNadir]

7. That would be a pleasant surprise, you betchya.

[darius15]

4. I'm actually pleasantly surprised about Alaska. This was a dark red state that

showed Obama being very close in many polls before Palin was picked. I think we have a shot in 2012.

Go Alaska!

[intheflow]

5. Good morning, Blue!

:donut:

The comparative shots at the link are great! :rofl: Did you go to the rally and get any shots of your own?

[Blue_In_AK]

6. Yes, I did.

I just haven't had a chance to go through them yet because we were over at my daughter's house last night. I'll probably put up a gallery at SmugMug later this afternoon. The rally was wonderful. Very high energy, good speakers, great signs, lots of support from the passing motorists, and music by the very wonderful Native Alaskan band Pamyua, who were fabulous.

[JeffR]

8. Fantastic!

Nice for everyone to see that there are lots of true-blue Alaskans fighting the good fight.
:thumbsup: :hi:

[Cha]

9. Mudflats Rules! Thank

you, Blue~ Just an awesome sight to see all those Alaskans for Obama~