enthusiasm is all on Bernie's side!

when it comes to these rallies.

I tried to be as fair as possible when comparing the numbers. I only compared each campaign's rally events. Both campaigns have met with small groups, had roundtable discussions or did corporate tours and met with volunteers and supporters at smaller venues.

These were larger-venue events. They were touted as rallies in both campaign's emails and in the online marketing information sent out to supporters.

Her crowds aren't as big as Bernie's. There's a very stark difference.

It was Bill Clinton that signed the media consolidation act. We know who your daddy is! For all the complaining about the 'bought an paid for' media, why is this very fact ignored?

Clinton pulls 350 in Waterloo on 12/9 --three days later, Bernie rolls into the same town and shows her how it's done by pulling in 1500.

and they said that it was standing-room only and that people were turned away.

I thought she was tough as nails.

or not.

...which could be a predictor of caucus attendance.

People who are wiling to carve out time to attend a rally and spend a couple of hours there may be more likely to caucus.

Obama definitely had large crowds and that translated into incredible caucus participation.

Low rally attendance surely isn't a positive. However, I do agree that time will tell.

Paul 2008!

...who has won the Iowa caucuses, who has had anemic rally attendance.

Kerry, who ran against Dean--had a very strong following. He had many people at his rallies, just as many as Dean. I supported Dean in 2004, but saw both team's rallies. They were comparable in size.

Dean's support in Iowa was NOTHING like Bernie's support is for 2016.

Dean had a vocal fanbase that was young. Look at Bernie's rallies all over our state. It's young, old, men, women--a very eclectic cross section.

That's another stereotype that will be obliterated in January--"Bernie Bros". The optics and the coverage by the MSM of the Iowa Caucuses will demonstrate that this clearly is untrue. Bernie's crowds look like Obama's crowds.

Bernie had 27,500 in L.A. Roughly 28,000 in Portland, Ore.15,000 in Seattle; 11,000 in Phoenix; 10,000 in Madison, Wis.; 8,000 in Dallas; and 4,500 in New Orleans.

Just two sizes.

Nuance is not seen, or even big v really big. It is like a number over 500 is too hard to imagine so it becomes....big.

Paul was able to get a large crowd or two, but not 20+ like Bernie has.

It can be an immense benefit to your ground game if you properly harness that energy.

But it's not all that matters, it's one piece of a much larger puzzle.

I don't mean this to be snarky, but in what way is "Third Way Fresh Thinking?"

I'm not sure I follow.

but I have been known to be wrong on the odd occasion .... I don't think in this situation but in others

That they pretty much want to coopt most conservative ideals in order to catch the mythical center that supposedly holds these ideas, and despite most not showing these ideals when phrased in everyday day-to-day actions.

So yeah, I thought it was Republican Lite, too.

All three events that I listed were Clinton's "Fighting For Us Town Hall" events, according to the HRC website.

1. Waterloo, IA (at 5 Sullivan Bros Convention Center)
2. Ft. Dodge, IA (at Central Iowa Community College Student Resource Center) --ABC video
3. Urbandale, IA (Living History Farms)

All of Sanders events were "Town Hall Meetings" events, according to BernieSanders.com

She's just not drawing the crowds like Bernie.

and just be content with a handful of voters showing up?

oh wait, I remember. These massive crowds have blown his mind from day-one. At the first
rally, he thought there was something else going on, asking "what the hell are all these people
here for?"



Thanks CoffeeCat.
Good to know Iowa's feeling the Bern.

No doubt a spin produced by a focus group to put a the best face on tiny rallies.

I stole it too, but can't recall from who, but it was a DUer.

because things are about to get crazier in Iowa.

Bernie is drawing these 2000+ crowds while the Iowa media has been ignoring him.

If Bernie is amassing this kind of enthusiasm, support and crowd numbers in December, I think we'll see an explosion of Sanders support the last week weeks of January. That's when the caucus season really revs up.

The media descends on our state. Iowans fully engage and will be attending multiple campaign events. The candidates will be doing multiple events daily as well (big and small).

There are reporters everywhere. More reporters will be covering Bernie and the optics will no longer be hidden. I think this is key. Those large crowds will most likely grow exponentially. It will no longer be a secret that Bernie has incredible support here.

In the summer, Bernie drew 10,000+ crowds in Iowa. Then, he abruptly stopped doing that. And he didn't campaign much in Iowa in Oct/November. I don't know for sure, but it appears that he is saving those big numbers/bigger venues for January, when Iowans are fully engaged and making up their minds.

I think the optics will be huge and will position him as a strong candidate with impressive support. It will be fascinating, to say the least.

They're probably casing Bernie's rallies to see who they can welcome into their new homes.

Those of us that signed up for the Bernie rally in Minnesota knew before he did it was gonna be big. I saw the line going blocks long and I was like yep that's the place alright and I got in line.

reinforces CopyCat's point about investing time to go to a rally is more likely to translate into caucusing. I mean, that's a lot of time to stand in a line that's blocks long for a political rally and then to attend the rally itself is a commitment. I agree with CopyCat. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

and I am betting they will also phone bank and gotv.

..at the DNC and tell her: 202 863 8000

The power fixers aren't seeing the writing on the wall. They are risking the election for Democrats.

K&R

IA and NH, hands down. Then, and only then will he get the attention he truly deserves.

Yet CM(Corrupt or Corporate America) will still dismiss him. He is no friend of corporations. Just ask him.

Guess what CM?

This election is about US, not them.

when Obama won Iowa, then he lost NH. But the gains he made just from winning the first state, truly were paradigm-shifting.

I can't wait for Bernie to win Iowa and NH--and to see an even bigger paradigm shift and the media frenzy that follows.

Clinton's entire narrative that she's spent eight years building, "I'm the inevitable and eventual nominee" will be destroyed.

Of course, I'm sure we will hear how Bernie can't win in any other states, and I suppose Clinton will (again) bad mouth Iowa and our caucuses, and on and on and on...

tonight, my husband flipped the station to MSNBC (I don't watch them anymore) and it was a bunch of questions about best & worst stuff. From the bits and pieces I heard, I NEVER heard Bernie's name mentioned once. BUT I did hear several say, not sure exactly who, but THERE WAS NO DOUBT in anyone's mind that Clinton is going to win '"HANDS DOWN" in both Iowa and NH! And win big, so it might be the end for Bernie.

I DO NOT KNOW where they come up with this stuff, maybe it's just the same old thing of saying something over and over enough to make it come true.

From what I hear from alternative news, it's a very different song that's being sung. My husband KNOWS I won't watch MSNBC but he put it on anyway. Had some thoughts about accidentally ON PURPOSE spilling too much salt on a few things. I DID pepper more heavily than usual though.

Just couldn't help myself!!

I was thinking, CM will continue to shut his ass down til the people have spoken.
It took some real balls to cut him down the way they did, when he is the only honest candidate out there.

I can't wait for the primaries. Then, they(CM) will have no choice.

I'm ready for a revolution.

Is (CM) Tweety? As I said I only heard what filtered through while I was cooking so wasn't aware Chris Matthews (CM) was part of the group. I know I heard Lawrence O'Donnell for sure. I think Eugene Robinson too. Was M. Harris Perry there too?

I switched the channel as soon as I could so it may have gone on much longer.

Corporate media. Sorry.

way covers anything other than Corporate controlled media.

but the last time I tuned in, they were very left wing.

What happened to them?

Are they just completely in the Hillary tank?

It's almost a total shutdown of reporting for Bernie. Has been for months.

With 6 people owning damn near all the media, and the fact that Bernie is against corporate America being controlled by an oligarchy, what does one expect? We all know the game they are playing.

I can't wait until the votes are counted. The people will not be subdued.

the final straw for me was Ed Schultz some time back. I do KNOW Chris Hayes is much more liberal than most, perhaps even Rachel. I switched from DISH to Verizon because I found out former employees got a big discount on billing. They don't carry FSTV, LINK, RT and some other programs I watch so I bought the small ROKU so I can listen to these shows. I can PU some streaming from my PC, but too much to move from room to room.

Anyway, FSTV has a documentary where Chris Hayes is featured and it he talked about his liberalism and his environmental dedication. I guess he's on a short leash at MSNBC, but hear he slips "some" information that they allow him to report.

I though Rachel was more liberal too, just not sure. I've heard her make some supportive comments about Hillary but my information is limited because I don't watch her.

People are just not enthusiastic about Clinton.

So, they count more than the rest of us.

so what does she need from "people?" If the corporate media and the DNC keep Bernie and Martin under wraps, she won't need to worry about the voters.

Remember on Christmas Day and the Grinch heard the Whoos singing and he didn't understand, "But it came without ribbons...boxes or bags."

Same with an Iowa caucus win.

The night of the caucus, Hillary won't understand Bernie's win, "It came without the media, the PAC money or the endorsements from entrenched politicians."

Seriously. We don't need all of that baloney when we've got "We The People."

Oh, the frustration they must feel.

but I have a little superstition thing about not becoming too confident.

Bet you didn't know the planet's revolutions around the sun are powered by my worrying...

But it only further proves me to work harder for the campaign, make more calls, donate more money and do other things to help.

There's so much work to be done and anything could happen. The last 2-3 weeks of Jan will be when this race is decided. No camp had a certain win.

And anyone who can get to Iowa to help, should get here!! Be a part of history!!!

Remember, you can not listen if you talk over everyone.

Thanks for the thread, CoffeeCat.

Happy New Year and here's to a Sanders' victory in 2016!

and comparing Hillary's attendance with Bernie's attendance.

Clearly, there are stark differences.

What those differences translate into, the night of the caucus, remains to be seen.

Harnessing the energy and enthusiasm of those rally attendees can translate into more volunteers who make calls, canvass, organize and caucus. It's as simple as that.

I'm sure attendance at all candidate rallies will grow (even MOM's). Will be interesting to see by how much, and what that means, in the end.

I've been an active Democratic volunteer and caucus participant. I've attended numerous rallies held during several caucus cycles. There certainly is a direct correlation between large crowds at rallies and large caucus turnout.

Obama is the prime example. Edwards also had large crowds. Kerry and Gore also had high attendance at their events. I would also say that Hillary had some big crowds too in 2008, but I'm not seeing those numbers this year. Her crowds are way down from 2008. But again, we still have 28 days and the most important part of the caucus-campaign season yet to come.

Cheers.