Crowd of 13,000 greets Hillary in Oakland, CA

[ElizabethDC]

Hillary Clinton rallies faithful in Oakland
Carla Marinucci, Chronicle Political Writer

Sunday, September 30, 2007

(09-30) 20:00 PDT Oakland -- Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton, casting herself as an agent of change in the 2008 presidential campaign, Sunday told an estimated crowd of 13,000 people in downtown Oakland that she will send emissaries around the globe "the day after I'm elected" to proclaim the message "the era of cowboy diplomacy is over."

"You cannot be a leader if no one is following," Clinton said to cheers, delivering a stump speech in which she lambasted the Bush administration over its policies on the environment, justice, economics and diplomacy.

Clinton's Oakland rally drew at least 3,000 supporters who paid a $20-a-head to get VIP seats, and an additional 11,000 supporters and curiosity-seekers. The crowd number rivaled a March rally at a similar downtown Oakland site held by her chief rival, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama. Obama's rally drew an estimated 12,000-14,000 people.

Clinton, on the first day of a two-day trip across the Golden State, emphasized what she said was the special role of California - a state where her husband, former President Bill Clinton, visited more than 70 times - in her effort to win the White House.

more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/30/MNM8SHF2M.DTL&feed=rss.news

[Cameron27]

1. Wow, incredible numbers.

Both she and Obama are really drawing them in.

[ElizabethDC]

3. Yep, it's very exciting to see.

I'm glad so many people are getting involved in the process and are going out to see the candidates.

[Colobo]

4. In all honesty, Hillary's got star power too. Very strong candidate.

[ElizabethDC]

5. Yes, I've long felt that way, and I'm glad when others see it, too. n/t

[laugle]

6. Thanks Katz.....

You once asked me "if BO were the nominee, would I vote for him?" I told you "you bet I would, and never doubt it!"

Now I ask you the same question about Hillary?

Come on Katz.....don't be afraid....

[Colobo]

2. Very nice. Now, let's see her draw 24,000 in Chicago.

[Kelly Rupert]

7. And then 75,000 in Peoria!

And 390,531 in Minot!

[oasis]

8. "the era of cowboy diplomacy is over"

Sanity returns.

[IndianaGreen]

9. I hope those 13,000 enlist in the military come January 20, 2009

Continuing the occupation of Iraq is continuing the war. Hillary, Edwards, and Obama explicitly said that they will keep combat troops in Iraq for at least 2012. Four more years of war, this time with a Democrat as Commander-in-Chief, but war nevertheless. If we are at war with Iran by then, a war made more possible with Hillary's vote for Lieberman's Iran War Resolution, we are going to need as many new recruits in our armies as possible.

[zulchzulu]

10. Comment from someone who was there

FWIW... I used to live in SF and know how the Chron operates...

uhbkeys wrote:
The police estimated the Obama event in march at 16,500 people. There is NO WAY today's Hillary event was anywhere near that. I was there. 7,000 max. period. I just LOVE the fact that the Chron eats up whatever the Clinton campaign says and puts in into print, whereas they lowball the Obama event. This is honestly getting absurd. CHRON: your readers are calling on you to REPORT on the news of the day, not make it up.

Either way, I'm glad Clinton got a crowd in Oaktown.

[ElizabethDC]

11. Well, also FWIW, regarding Obama's crowd in NYC

many estimates of Obama's crowd in NYC had it at far less than 24,000 - it was probably somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000. The official campaign estimates (from any campaign) are usually probably rounding up a bit. :)

Edit to add: The AP said the crowd was "over 10,000" (link: http://news.yahoo.com/photo/071001/480/32d8f05ad28c40189ca195941e5c5bab) so it's not just the Chronicle that's giving numbers.