Anyone who has been to an Obama rally: How early should I get there to make sure I get in?

[Leftist Agitator]

I'm going to Pittsburgh on Monday to see Obama speak at the Mellon Arena, seating capacity 17-18000.

The proceedings start at 3:00 P.M. How early should I and a friend get there to make sure that we get in?

I'm thinking 1:00. Is that too late? Too early (which I sincerely doubt)?

When would be the best time to arrive to ensure that I get to see the next President of the United States?

[Poll_Blind]

1. I'd be surprised if they aren't lining up by 10am.

PB

[VeraAgnes]

2. 8:00 AM.........

I expect a HUGE turnout.

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

3. 5am...

And I am serious. The rally started in my city on September 27 at 12:15pm and I was in line at 5 am. By 7am there were already at least 500 in line. By 10 am it was nearly 10 thousand in line.

And his momentum has increased since then, get there by 3am... if you really want to get it in and actually see him, camp out. Make a night of it with your friends. This is not a joke.

[rzemanfl]

4. Go yesterday and wear comfortable shoes. Two hours is not

enough time-my wife and I arrived at 8:30 for a 1:00 start. There were at least a thousand people in line ahead of us.

[Botany]

5. Obama is different than other candidates he is on time.

If he set to talk @ 1:30 he starts @ 1:30.

@ 1:00 you will be way back from him.

I would say 12:00 to 12:30 .... bring something to read
and pee first.

[graywarrior]

6. 3 to 4 hours

[parasim]

7. Good question.

I was hoping to go to a Obama/Hillary rally in Orlando last week (but ended up not being able to make it, due to work load)... anyway, I asked a friend who attended an Obama rally in St. Paul, MN and she said that I should be there at 8 am (for a 3 pm gate-opening) because of her experience in St. Paul.

I just heard that Obama and Bill Clinton might be in Orlando this next week, so I'd love to go, and am expecting to try to get there very very early. (50,000 showed up for last week's rally)

Anyway, I'd say get there as early as you can.

[Lancer]

8. 6:00 a.m. Srsly.

I went to an open air Obama/Biden rally a few weeks ago that started at 12:15. Yes, they were on time. But we got in line at 9:15 (I wanted to be there MUCH earlier) and were still about 50 people back from the stage.

[Leftist Agitator]

10. Where was this at?

[madaboutharry]

9. 3 to 4 hours, minimum.

It will be worth the wait. :)

[stillcool]

11. I saw him a while back in New Hampshire..

out doors. He was scheduled to speak at 10:30, and I got there at 8:00, and the line was incredible. I can't imagine how early people start lining up for an inside event, but I would imagine it's several hours.

[tpsbmam]

12. In Asheville, people camped out overnight.....

but not most. The line was already long at 10 a.m. and the event didn't start until 2. Not everyone got in -- the crowd was estimated at 28,0000! I'd get there are early as you can possibly manage.

[Name removed]

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[marauding liberal]

14. Momentum is building!

We just saw him in Leesburg, VA--arrived at 2 hours early. Crowd was expected to be @ 10K. Well, the crowd was 30-35K and we barely got in.
Go as early as you can.

[AlCzervik]

15. it'd go around 10:00am, i saw him way back last October before he won the nod

and we waited in line for 3 hours on a Monday night.