Chicago SunTimes: Soldier Field getting political

http://www.suntimes.com/news/sweet/482518,CST-NWS-soldier25.article

Soldier Field getting political
AFL-CIO | Up to 15,000 expected at Democratic event

July 25, 2007
BY LYNN SWEET Sun-Times Washington Bureau Chief
WASHINGTON -- The AFL-CIO's Democratic Aug. 7 presidential forum in Chicago will be a mega-event now -- at Soldier Field, with up to 15,000 people expected.

It will also be a dramatic, visual display of the strength of union members, one of the most important Democratic constituent groups.

Most presidential forums and debates are in a theater with audiences that number in the hundreds. But the AFL-CIO is moving the forum from McCormick Place West outdoors to Soldier Field so union members and their families will be able to see the Democratic contenders.

Seven of the eight Democrats will be at the forum, moderated by MSNBC's Keith Olbermann.

"From Day One," said AFL-CIO spokesman Steve Smith, "we wanted to get as many of our members and their families in front of the candidates to listen to the candidates and to have the candidates listen to us."

Smith said the event, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., will be open to anyone who is a member of an AFL-CIO affiliated union. Free tickets will be distributed by the Chicago Federation of Labor. There will be sound systems and big screens put in place for the event.

everyone is saying about him, per talk radio and, our own liberal commentator, Bill Press.