Bush Bombs in Detroit (Pontiac)

[ScreamingMeemie]

How to make yourself look bad. Reserve the Pontiac Silverdome (seats 80,000 and is the former home of the Detroit Lions)and then have only a quarter of those seats you were hoping to fill actually fill. :hi:

If you look at this article: http://www.freep.com/ The picture captions "nearly" 20,000 while the story says "over" 20,000. Hmmmmm? No radio coverage this AM...no local news coverage this AM vaunting the triumphant king. Ahhhhh, It's great to be a Democrat in Detroit. :hi:

[KlatooBNikto]

1. Even Tony Orlando and the Dawn can fill more seats.

[evilqueen]

11. LMAO

Hell yeah! I'd go see Tony Orlando and Dawn before I'd go see shrub.

[mr_hat]

26. Dawn is dead. >

Or is it Tony Orlando?

[Hand]

32. Not sure about Dawn, but...

Tony's been pushing up daisies for years now...

:silly:

[Tansy_Gold]

39. Uh, no, he hasn't

He's a big time Christian performer in Branson, MO.

I think one of the "Dawn" singers did pass away several years ago, but Tony himself seems to be alive and kicking.

[southpaw]

47. So it's only his CAREER that's dead!

"He's a big time Christian performer in Branson, MO."

Branson: Where hacks go to die... slowly.

[Hand]

50. Woopsy!

I guess I was thinking of... well, someone else.

Oh, well. Good to know that he's in Branson--that vastly reduces the likelihood that our paths will ever cross. Same goes for Yaakov Smirnoff. :puke:

[WCGreen]

56. Dawn of the Dead?????

Couldn't resist....

[Hand]

59. HAR!

Yer bad...

:spank:

[Chiyo-chichi]

2. Awesome.

Who would want to see a lame duck president repeating the same thinks you've heard him say for months anyway?

[noamnety]

3. Thanks for the post

I have to say, I'm relieved to hear that! I was wondering how full it would be.

[sisenor]

4. I saw the picture - are the seats in the second tier completely empty?

That's what it looked like, but I am not sure those were seats up there.

[Francine Frensky]

10. No. Lots of folks just came dressed up as empty seats.

(old skip carey joke)

[helpisontheway]

5. That is great but

20,000 is still a nice size crowd. One would think that in Detroit area he would not be able to get a crowd that size. I was at the gym this morning and I could see Fox (gag) tv. They showed Bush giving his little speech and there were quite a few African Americans in the background. I hope Shrub does not cut away at the AA vote in Michigan.

[ScreamingMeemie]

20. More than that showed up for Kerry last week, and I cannot wait to

see what Saturday brings. :hi:

[HFishbine]

29. Really?

Did they let them out of the pen?

[Owlet]

6. Actually, 80,000 showed up

<snip>
In a major security snafu, 60,000 potential Bush supporters were turned away from a campaing rally at the Pontiac Silverdome, former home of the Detroit Lions NFL team. Details are sketchy, but early indications are that a screening device used to measure the loyalty of potential rally attendees malfunctioned and instead measured their intelligence.

"It looks as though the only people allowed into the rally were those with IQ's between 100 and 105", said a campaign source who aspoke to reporters on condition on anonymity. "Anyone with an IQ below 100 was not allowed to enter."

Asked what hapenened to voters with IQ's over 105, the spokesman replied, "This is a Bush rally. We don't have to worry about anyone over 105 trying to get in."

The disappointed 60,000 milled around outside the stadium for an hour before dispersing. "It was a peaceful crowd..very passive", said Assistant Police Chief Nate Baumgartner. http://www.owlsweb.com/images

[lil-petunia]

7. LOLOLOLOL

Beautiful. It would be funny if it weren't true!

[NicRic]

14. Isnt bushes IQ under 100 !

Presidential I.Q.'s

147 .. Franklin D. Roosevelt (D)
132 .. Harry Truman (D)
122 .. Dwight D. Eisenhower (R)
174 .. John F. Kennedy (D)
126 .. Lyndon B. Johnson (D)
155 .. Richard M. Nixon (R)
121 .. Gerald Ford (R)
175 .. James E. Carter (D)
105 .. Ronald Reagan (R)
098 .. George HW Bush (R)
182 .. William J. Clinton (D)
091 .. George W. Bush (R)
or, in IQ order:
182 .. William J. Clinton (D)
175 .. James E. Carter (D)
174 .. John F. Kennedy (D)
155 .. Richard M. Nixon (R)
147 .. Franklin D. Roosevelt (D)
132 .. Harry Truman (D)
126 .. Lyndon B. Johnson (D)
122 .. Dwight D. Eisenhower (R)
121 .. Gerald Ford (R)
105 .. Ronald Reagan (R)
098 .. George HW Bush (R)
091 .. George W. Bush (R)

[Carni]

34. Is that for real? Clinton's IQ is 182???

That is an incredibly high IQ!

I don't doubt that Clinton is extremely intelligent but that is just off the charts!

[Tennessee Gal]

46. That is a hoax!

Claim: According to a study by the Lovenstein Institute, President Bush has the lowest IQ of all presidents of past 50 years.

Status: False.

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/hoaxes/presiq.htm

I wish it were true!

[FlaGranny]

49. The point is,

even though this is a hoax, it is quite believable and closer to fact than some imagine.

[trogdor]

54. He looks like someone who eats paste.

[GreenPartyVoter]

18. :^D

[Say_What]

8. Aren't his audiences by invitation only??

That tells me that there's not a lot in MI who support Chimpy. Cool. :bounce:

[DoYouEverWonder]

9. That's just bad planning

It is very important for any promoter to make sure the venue fits the size of the expected crowd.

If you book a space that holds 10,000 and only a 1000 show up, it feels like the show was a flop. However, if you book a space for 500 and a 1000 a show up, the event feels like a huge success.

[evilqueen]

13. Let's hope Shrub keeps wasting money with shit like this. n/t

[ewagner]

35. One of the oldest rules

for political operatives..........

Make the enue smaller than the crowd you expect....

It's hard to project a "bandwagon effect" in an empty hall.

Bad mistake by the bushies and they obviously tried to cover it by limiting media coverage and getting the best camera angles possible from what coverage there was......

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

12. I posted this last night re: Bush's "Silverdome African American Caucus"..

...a travesty. Dragged Don King and a small group behind a blue curtian in the middle of the Silverdome for a "private meeting."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1193909&mesg_id=1193909

[DoYouEverWonder]

16. They put the blacks in a box

in the middle of this huge space. This pic is just beyond ridiculous. It looks like one of those mazes at a county fair.

[ScreamingMeemie]

23. Oh my God. That is horrid. A horrid little picture.

What were they afraid of them doing? Dispersing in the crowd and blending in? :shrug:

[jean]

27. it looks like handlers got all the black bush supporters lined up and

ready for a perfect photo op and then let the rich white men come in. How perfect that Don King is at the center of it all.

[snippy]

37. How very republican. It would be bad for Bush with his base if they saw

him meeting with Negroes.

[TrueAmerican]

15. That's pretty Bad

In comparison John Kerry had 17,000 show up in Las Cruces, NM which is about 1/15 the size of Detroit.

[Philostopher]

45. 15K in both Springfield and Dayton, Ohio too.

20k isn't especially impressive in a city the size of Detroit, no -- I hadn't thought about it that way.

[auburngrad82]

17. I've noticed that the Bush soundbites have had very little crowd noise

lately. Maybe it's a sign that his constituency is abandoning him for Kerry. That may also be why he's trying to win Democratic votes. And we all know THAT ain't gonna happen.

[DoYouEverWonder]

19. Of course the media won't cover it

Kerry and Edwards are getting record crowds. While Bush can't fill a small venue and Cheney only meets with small, hand picked audiences.

[ScreamingMeemie]

22. The scene in Warren last week for Kerry was amazing. He and Mr

Bush should have switched venues. :hi:

[ScreamingMeemie]

21. I've noticed that the crowd that does make noise sounds like they are

at a revival. Things like, "Tell it, George." and the like....Creeps me out.

[dmkinsey]

24. I sent a "story suggestion" to NPR

this week re the relative size of the bush crowds v the Kerry rallies.
Surprisingly, the next day I heard a small comment in the campaign report saying the number of people at the bush event that day and their state of enthusiasm..

I recall a story some weeks ago that featured the Republican cheerleaders prepping the crowd for their role.
I notice now the negative sounds from the crowd,groans, etc. seem coached as well.

Pathetic

[LibDemAlways]

42. Chimp's handlers shot themselves in

the foot with potential crossover voters when they declared loyalty oaths were required at appearances. How can a Dem or an undecided size up the idiot if they can't get in?

[sevendogs]

25. Oh, my!

This is hysterical. I have been laughing like an idiot, all alone in the house with my dogs. If someone hears me, I will be committed. But I will be laughing. People dressed up like empty seats. I can't stand it.

[ScreamingMeemie]

30. Welcome to DU sevendogs!!!

:toast: It is good to be able to laugh. :)

[newyawker99]

38. Hi sevendogs!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

57. If you're on DU You're never home alone..welcome

:hi:

[IdaBriggs]

28. Thanks for posting this! I was reading the Oakland Press...

and they were reporting 30,000 -- seemed kind of unbelievable to me, but they were only reporting 15,000 for Kerry. :) Ida

[ScreamingMeemie]

31. Funny, isn't it? It's also amazing that the Detroit News appears to be

telling the truth polling wise these days. I was sure they would try and fill the seats with out of towners and such. :hi:

[nonconformist]

33. My sister drove by the dome during the rallly

Said there were at least 75 protesters at one corner. She also said that while she was stopped at the light, the people in the car next to her got into a screaming match with some of the protesters.

[bushwakker]

36. Bush's "ground game" is worse than the Lions'

[demokatgurrl]

40. He actually drew 20,000? I find it very hard to believe.

photo, please.

[notadmblnd]

41. The silverdome seats approximately 100,000 people

nt

[ScreamingMeemie]

44. 80,000 almost to the chair.

:hi:

http://www.silverdome.com/

"The 80,325 seat dome is an entertainment center for all seasons...and all events."

[5thGenDemocrat]

48. Yes, but consider

That's 80K with a football game taking up the field. Figuring for people on the floor (what, two acres?) the Dome had to look mighty empty indeed.
John
And nothing is worse than the Lions ground game. Except for maybe last year's Lions' ground game.

[ScreamingMeemie]

51. I'm sure it was positively cavernous.

:hi: How many days till Funday XI??? So we can all get together to celebrate sanity restored. :hi:

[5thGenDemocrat]

52. It is now 232 days, 21 hours and 15 minutes to FUNDAY

That's next June 18, for those keeping track at home.
John
And we're REALLY looking forward to meeting you.

[ScreamingMeemie]

53. I will be there if they have to wheel me the heck in!!!

:hi: Can't wait to meet you all either! :bounce:

[notadmblnd]

55. and with the overflow to the field

the building could accomodate approxamately 100,000 thousand people

[ScreamingMeemie]

58. Sure, but it seats 80,000.

;)

[Bozita]

43. Ch 4 had a reporter on the floor -- forbidden to speak to attendees...

...or move out of her restricted zone.

She mentioned it on air.

NO questions asked of her by the anchors.

A real missed opportunity.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

60. Link to the article not the site. It is no longer on first page.

[Cha]

61. Lucky you!

Thanks for this!