So what did Obama say in Kansas City tonight?

[Telly Savalas]

The thousands of us who were stranded outside after having waited for hours would be really interested to know.

I have the utmost respect for the patient and dedicated volunteer staff who came out to help at the event, but you'd think that a campaign with a nine digit budget could afford to provide them with some fucking walkie-talkies and bullhorns, so that they could better coordinate their efforts and communicate with the crowd.

After spending several hours crammed in a lobby like sardines, many of us were rerouted outside where the rumor was floating about the crowd that Obama would come out and speak. I was out there about 40 minutes before some guy from the campaign made the announcement that it would be at least 45 more minutes before Obama would "come out and shake a few hands". The guy seemed more impressed by the size of the overflow crowd than he was contrite about the fact he was making us wait in 15 degree temperatures. I, like most of the others there, remained patient and in positive spirits the whole time. I left feeling that this goodwill had been abused.

I'm sympathetic to the fact that setting up a large event like this on short notice is a major undertaking, but presumably they've been doing shit like this for several months and the campaign's budget should be sufficient to hire able professionals that can organize these things a little bit more effectively.

A president is first and foremost an executive, and a good executive is one who delegates tasks to people that can get the job done. If he's picking a campaign staff that engineers a trainwreck like this, why should we expect more when he's in the White House?

And that's not a rhetorical question. I've never gone to anything like this before. If total clusterfucks are par for the course in events like this, I'd probably cut the guy some slack.

Any thoughts on this? (And I mean thoughts. If you're going to use this thread as a platform to dish out more vapid bumpersticker insults of one of the candidates, please go fuck yourself instead.)

[Egnever]

1. How large was the venue?

Did he come out and shake hands?

Its not easy to deal with overflow crowds.

Sorry you had a bad experience.

[Telly Savalas]

4. For basketball games, the place has a capacity of over 10,000.

It was 15 degrees outside, and I have a family that was waiting at home for me. After having waited three hours, I'm not going to wait another "45 minutes" on a vague promise that he'll come out and shake hands.

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. It wasn't in the main arena

It was in the exhibition hall on the west side. It only holds a couple thousand, not 10,000. It was the same place they used when Edwards was here in 2004. It's where they have the big Kiwanis pancake breakfast every year.

[Telly Savalas]

21. Sheesh.

They should have used the main arena!

Perhaps the issue was security. There was only one secret service security checkpoint everyone was funneled through, and you're only going to get so many people through it in 2 hours.

[proud2BlibKansan]

22. I said the same thing

So they had a security checkpoint? That's interesting. They didn't do that at the Bill Clinton event on Saturday.

Just saw the report on channel 9. 5000 people there and he came out to Barney Allis Plaza afterwards to talk to people waiting there.

[Adelante]

5. I think it was just under 15,000 nt

[John Q. Citizen]

2. Bill Clinton was famous for being an hour or two late at his campaign events. I know,

I took my whole canvass crew to see him at the Billings airport in 1992, and we waited and waited. For a few hours. I don't think it's a reflection on the skills of the campaign or the candidate. It just happens.

No body can really predict what the turnout will be, and I wouldn't take it personally.

[Telly Savalas]

9. Thanks.

The perspective is good. I appreciate it.

[sandnsea]

3. If you aren't there hours early

yep, they can be clusterfucks. I've always been lucky enough to get inside, but there have also usually been overflow crowds as well. Sorry that happened. Maybe a hot bath and a cup of cocoa will help you feel better? :hug:

[Konza]

8. I was going to go down to El Dorado to see Obama

but the two hour drive would mean there was no way I'd get inside. I called some friends who were already there and they advised that unless you show up at an Obama event a couple hours early, chances are you will be outside. I know, what a tragedy! We are upset that our candidate is pulling in 15,000 to 20,000 for a speech in 15 degree weather! That's a wonderful problem for the Democratic party to have.

I'm sorry the OP didn't get in. It can tick one off, but I really don't think the Obama campaign was quite ready for the size of what is happening. By Super Tuesday they will simply have to move to larger venues as the small stadiums are now always in overflow crowd situations.
But again, that's a problem any campaign would love to have ;)

[Telly Savalas]

11. I was there about two hours before it was scheduled to begin.

And there was already a massive crowd.

Need to go check the kitchen to see if there's any cocoa, cause I aint goin' out in the tundra again!

[suston96]

6. He didn't talk much but he shook a lot of hands. nt.

[tishaLA]

7. this happens quite frequently, esp

in the GE. its unfortunate but true.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. Oh I am so sorry you missed the event

We were there and it was unreal - there were so many people. Just absolutely packed to the gills. Even the traffic going in was just incredible. Took me 30 minutes to get from 670, up the ramp and to the parking lot one block away. My friend had press passes to get in the side door so we avoided the crowd at the main entrance. I knew a couple other people who had gone also but I don't know if they got in or not. Like I said, the crowd was just huge.

Kathleen Sebelius spoke first. Then Claire McCaskill. It was cute, Kathleen called Claire her senator and she said she was Claire's governor.

Obama came out and it was like he was a rock star. Just unreal. I don't know if I was as impressed with what he said as much as I was blown away by the crowd's reaction. I was also impressed with the diversity of the crowd. I have been going to political events like this for a long time and I have never seen so many African Americans at a candidate's speech. Never.

He really didn't say anything he hasn't already said or anything earth shattering. He went through his platform point by point. He spoke for an hour and the people just loved him. He has absolutely incredible charisma.

Then when he was finished, he came out to shake hands and he was even signing books. THAT was impressive. And the crowd just surged in his direction. I would imagine that's why he didn't come outside, there were co many people inside who wanted to touch him and shake his hand and have him sign their books.

[BeyondGeography]

15. Great summary

Thank you.

[zulchzulu]

16. Nice report!

It is really something to see Obama in person. I saw Edwards a couple times in Iowa and he pretty cool as well.

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. He's a rock star

It really is an incredible experience. And considering it was free, it was a very memorable event. :)

I got to see him last year when he was here campaigning for McCaskill. He really is awesome.

And Bill Clinton was here Saturday and I went to that. So I am hoping Edwards will come too. He's the one I really want to see.

[Telly Savalas]

20. I could imagine.

There was a really positive energy in the crowd in the lobby. Even though we were packed in there tight, everybody was in good spirits and joking.

[Renew Deal]

23. I'm surprised by the number of DUers that were there.

I think it's at least 4.

[proud2BlibKansan]

26. It was pretty incredible.

I went to the same venue to see Edwards in October or November of 04 and there were at least twice as many people there tonight to see Obama.

[riverwalker]

12. it's the norm for those things

In 04' to see John Edwards, I stood outside for over an hour in a freezing rain on a cold November night in northern Minnesota, then when we got inside, we had to wait even more because John Edwards was about 90 minutes late. But ya know, I wouldn't have missed it for the world. You forget all that once the yelling and cheering starts, you warm up pretty quick. :bounce:

[zulchzulu]

13. The problem is that so many people want to see Obama, if that's a problem

I'm sorry you didn't get to see Obama and were crammed in that situation.

It's not Obama's fault that the weather was cold and the line was long. You can't blame his staff either. What were they supposed to do? They have to get people into the venue, have everyone run through security and make sure that not too many people get in a situation that's life threatening.

I saw Obama in Madison and arrived at the venue two and a half hours before and there was already a line going out of the building. It took some time to file in and security had to make sure no nut was in the crowd. There ended being about 20,000+ people in a venue that could barely fit that crowd. There's a lot of logistics to get so many people in a space that is controllable. When the event I saw finally started, three people fainted during his speech. Having quick access to the crowd and being able to grab the people who fainted was part of the plan with crowd control.

When seeing Obama these days, expect to show up three hours before the doors open and another hour to get out of the event afterwards. It's just the way it is... hopefully you get to see him again. It is totally worth it.

[Telly Savalas]

19. What were they supposed to do?

They could have done a much better job communicating -- that's my main complaint.

The speech was scheduled for 5:45. It was at about 6:30 that somebody came out to announce the "at least 45 minutes to handshakes" thing. How difficult would it have been to send one person out at 5:45 to give an estimate of 1.5-2 hours to the crowd? That would have saved a few thousand people that wait in the cold, as the majority of people left upon hearing the announcement at 6:30. (Perhaps most of them were planning on coming back, but that's not the point.)

There are a few other little logistical quibbles, as well, but I won't whine any further.

[grantcart]

18. happened to me the first time in Spokane washington of all

places when McGovern came. When people think they are watching history being made they come from hundreds of miles away. If he or John gets within 100 miles I am dragging my kid and hope someday they will understand.

[NJSecularist]

24. Thank you for the report

Your experience may not have been pleasant, but I don't care, I want to hear every hands-on experience every member of this forum has had with all 3 of our candidates. :)

[milkyway]

25. That sucks, I hope there's a good reason that they didn't use the main arena. When

Obama was in Jersey City a couple of weeks ago the line went on for blocks.

I think if Obama was at Central Park in NYC on a nice Saturday afternoon he could draw a half million people.

[proud2BlibKansan]

27. Local coverage

http://www.kctv5.com/politics/15148323/detail.html

http://www.kmbc.com/politics/15165291/detail.html