Impressed with my first Kerry rally

My parents and I went to the one in Allentown, PA. We got red tickets and were able to be near the front with a really good view of Kerry. The crowd was big and enthusiastic - I think there's no way Bush leads in PA. Kerry touched on the "W stands for wrong" theme along with social security, health care, assault weapons, and jobs. He threw in a couple personal stories that connected well IMO. I don't buy the cold image when it comes to Kerry. All of us were beaming as Kerry represents our hopes in this dark time. The only thing that worried me was the lack of African Americans in the crowd. Also there were Rendell, Hoeffel, Driscoll, and some more Lehigh Valley politicians. Hoeffel has really improved in his speaking since starting out in politics.

Before I went, I got a good dose of Republican "hospitality." A Freeper-type woman owns a cafe near the rally. She wouldn't let any rally people use her bathroom. They had to be customers. I told her that she acted like the typical Republican. Zing! There were also a few disruptors along the route, but not many.

Do you have any good Kerry rally stories to share?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=653889#654150 :hi:

I'm guessing that there weren't too many folks of color there because the Lehigh Valley is pretty white, and also a good hour and a half away from Philly--maybe too far for a lot of people to drive. Edwards visited Norristown (my hometown) a couple weeks ago, and it was sponsored by the Black Caucus, I think. My friend took her mother there, and said turnout was good. Whenever they visit Philly, there is always good minority turnout. Bush won't DARE go near Philly--he has to cower in Bucks County.

I saw Kerry here in Atlanta during the Dem primaries. I didn't find him cold or stiff, either. The crowd was really revved up, and also very diverse.

Blacks are about 8% of the city's population and there didn't seem to be near that percentage there - but I'm not focusing on the negative part, especially because of what you said. :hi:

from their 2000 disenfranchisement, and I fully expect (and hope) that there will be HUGE turnout on Nov. 2. I heard an NPR report about Kerry yesterday that was actually pretty good, talking about his travels with Jesse Jackson (it actually somewhat redeemed Jackson's recent ass-holish and destructive behavior) and they were getting great responses from minority voters. One lady said that she could tell Kerry "felt it in his heart" just like Clinton did, and Shrub "just doesn't feel it, and you can't pretend it if you don't feel it."

I didn't know Allentown was 8 percent black. I do think that the Dem GOTV networks in the state are pretty good, though, so I'm going to stay optimisic. :)

6000 people there. The town has less than 100,000 people and the nearest big city is Portland, about 300 miles away! Cheney was there 3 weeks before and got less than half that, and this being a county (Jackson) that historically votes republican.

Not only that, this was a physical endurance test. Many of these 6000 people stood for 4.5 hours in 95 plus degree heat, waiting for their candidate to arrive, not to mention waiting in line before hand and for 2 hours (it got me the front row) and the 1.5 hours it took to leave the parking lot!

All of this and NO facilities! Let's put it this way, no discomfort or pain could be worse than 4 more years of Bush.

there is not much worse than 4 more years

Thanks for sharing. :hi:

At the rally I went to, the gates opened at 3:30 and people that had white (internet) tickets were still coming in at 6. Good to see determination!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: