August 23, 2007
Barack Takes Brooklyn
Last night Barack Obama came to Brooklyn to join supporters and community members at The Marriott Hotel on Adams Street. The event was set to begin at 7pm, and for hours prior to that (even after doors opened at 5:30) crowds filled the streets around the hotel - many waiting to get a glimpse of the candidate and many just waiting to get in! It turns out the event was oversold, a reader tells us a volunteer came out and said, "Well, you know, some folks brought their grandmothers or girlfriends along, and then the Marriott changed the size of the stage so we just couldn't handle all the folks with tickets. Sorry. Give us your name and a contact number and we'll get back to you." Tickets for the “Official Brooklyn for Barack Kick-Off” were only $25, a far cry from the $1000 pricetag on the July 24th event held at the Brooklyn Heights home of Nina Collins.
With a lot of support in Brooklyn, the right-leaning National Review asks if people are just too caught up in his charisma to really listen to what he's saying.
For instance, take Obama’s remarks on energy: “People are fed up with the lack of energy strategy in this country. Why is it that we’re paying three bucks at the gas tank?” First of all, who’s he talking to? Less than half of New York City residents own cars. Second, making cars more expensive to drive happens to be all the rage in this city right now.
The Daily News says, "Obama was otherwise self-effacing as he looked to connect with the New York crowd by recalling his days living in a Park Slope apartment when he attended Columbia University and for some time afterward." He joked about not being able to afford to live there now...but the Park Slope babies have his back anyway. From the enthusiasm being reported today, it seems he connected with the Brooklynites just fine, gas price talk aside. And when asked why voters should vote him over Hillary, he replied, "We can pull the country together." More on last night's event here, did anyone go and not get in?
Obama also stopped by The Daily Show and gave John Stewart and viewers 11 full minutes of his time. He Twittered earlier yesterday saying he was on his way there, but hasn't updated since. The Daily Show has been talking to a few Presidential candidates as part of their Indecision '08 coverage. Watch the video of Obama/Stewart (has a nice ring to it) here.
Photos via Brandon Kings and Kyllo's Flickr.
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The national review has doubts about obama, eh? Who'd have guessed?
I had a ticket but couldn't get in because they oversold the event. There were several hundred people in the line behind me who also didn't get in. I changed my plans that evening so i could be there, only to get turned away and offered a sign-up sheet for the next event. One staff member mentioned refunds, which would be nice, but I'm not holding my breath. Politicians aren't known for giving money back. Obama seems interesting and all, and I would still like to hear him speak, but, come on, what a way to treat your voters.
I'd say a lot of Brooklynites owns cars, even the newly transplanted Williamsburgers.
I was there too-whoever took one of those pictures of the line was literally right behind me.
As for not getting in-the email I got told me to come early because it was sold out-I got there before 4:30 and even I got nervous about whether I was going to get in or not. It was obvious it was going to be hard to get in and you had to get there extremely early just to get a chance at seeing him.
I also noticed the car and gas talk and I sensed that people got puzzled for a second, like "do you know where you are?". But he got us back. It was probably the typical stump speech he gives, but seeing him do it in person and seeing the crowd all hyped up made it very powerful. I wanted to go in with my arms folded trying to be stony, but I got swept up in it and started nodding and saying "that's right" and clapping a lot.
I think any of the three leading Dem candidates would be great-hopefully Edwards and Clinton will soon have rallies for small donors-I would love to hear them too.
I also stood outside more than an hour only to be told we couldn't get in cause they oversold the event. Craziness. I like Barack but I'm damn sure getting my money back for this. It's basically the same as a concert promoter overselling a concert and then turning people away-- you don't get what you paid for, you get a refund.
I was there too, and didn't get in. Even though I had a purchased ticket. Doesn't give me any faith in him when his team oversells an event. That sort of behavior is simply unacceptable. And there were many in line behind me who didn't get in either, and they all had purchased tickets. Doesn't make any sense to me. He lost my vote.
I was there, and got in, and it was electrifying. Someone needs to beat Hillary and Obama can do it. The call and response to wind up the crowd at the end was powerful stuff.
Gothamist, seriously, what the F are you doing posting the National Review's take on a Democratic candidate's event? Have you lost your mind?
I get the dry heaves just thinking of that bunch of drooling cretins.
Why does Obama care what gas costs anyway? In the perfect Democratic world we would drive cars and if we did they would be electric. If anything, high gas prices should spur development of better cars. Is he saying he would do something to lower prices? Like what? Drill in Alaska? Ask the Chinese to stop buying so much oil?
"He lost my vote."
So policy takes a back seat to your convenience when voting for President of the United States. Interesting.
#8 here - meant to write "we wouldn't drive cars"
If no one in NY owns cars, why is every street filled with them? A lot of Brooklynites do own cars, particularly in the farther reaches where there are fewer public transportation options.
Obama lived in Park Slope while he was going to Columbia? Does that make very little sense to anyone else?
11 - true. a little off topic, but the one thing that still gets me is if I look out my office window in midtown and subtract delivery and utility trucks, 8 out of 10 vehicles on a block at a given time are cabs! since we aren't planning on curbing cabs, I fail to see how all this congestion mitigation is actually going to do anything to improve the environment.
Seriously stating "Doesn't give me any faith in him" for not getting in is so ridiculous, it baffles the mind.
Granted, its irritating but correlating that to losing or even winning your vote is plain silly.
I'm sure you can get into a GWB event if you sign a loyalty pledge, so would that make you more likely to vote for him?
STFU.
I thought it was "Cluster@#%$ to the White House" rather than Indecision '08.
I have friends who lived in Bushwick while attending Columbia...though I couldn't take such a long commute, Harlem for me! Park Slope does seem a little strange...
i think i live in park slope and the 2/3 gets me to columbia just fine.
The commute from Park Slope to UWS ain't so bad. Now, the commute from Bay Ridge to UWS, that's a bitch.
While it's horribly inconvenient, these kinds of things happen a lot on political campaigns, which will often rent smaller rooms than they need in order to make the room look full etc. Don't throw out your vote just yet, give the campaign a chance to make good on its commitment.
While I can't yet bring myself to vote for any of the current crop of Democrats or Republicans, I can't help but be impressed with Obama's ability to keep himself above a lot of the usual campaign garbage. He is the most eloquent of the Democratic candidates, though I think Hillary Clinton will ultimately get the nomination.
I got there around 5:10 and my group was put in the "overflow room." We couldn't see the speech but could hear it over a speaker system. It was humid and the air was stuffy and we were packed and standing but everyone was still engaged and excited. Obama came in after his speech and shook hands and spoke briefly on a small stage.
I wasn't thrilled with the event planning but I was pretty enthralled with Obama.
Fire it up! Ready to Go!
Hillary is going to be a more intelligent version of George W. Bush. More eloquent but ultimately fails to accomplish anything. Lobbyists will still rule Washington. Middle East policy will still favor Israel. Troops will still be in Muslim countries so we will still be under the threat of terrorism. And if we haven't heard details of a healthcare plan yet, what makes anyone think there is one? We're doomed.