Boston Globe: Thousands Expected for Boston University Obama Fundraiser Tonight

[flpoljunkie]

Thousands expected for Obama fund-raiser at BU
His 1st visit since he announced

By April Simpson, Globe Staff
April 20, 2007

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/04/20/thousands_expected_for_obama_fund_raiser_at_bu/

It won’t be a typical political fund-raiser, with a few hundred people seated at round dinner tables in a hotel ballroom. Instead, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois will address thousands of local college students and area residents in a Boston University arena tonight, as he hosts the official Massachusetts kickoff of his presidential campaign.

More than 5,000 supporters are expected to attend the (sold out) fund-raiser at the Agganis arena, where Obama will make his first public appearance in the state since he announced his candidacy for president.

Organizers say the event, which has been largely planned by college students, emphasizes two main themes of Obama’s campaign: inclusiveness and grass-roots mobilizing. ‘‘He’s going to come out and speak, and we’re going to go crazy,’’ said Joshua Darr, Massachusetts state director for Students for Barack Obama.

Shortly after establishing a chapter of the group at BU two months ago, Jon Marker, a senior majoring in political science, said he was contacted by the local campaign about organizing a youth-centered event in Boston. Students from a core group of 11 area schools — including Northeastern University, Brandeis College, and Tufts University — began selling tickets on their campuses, alerting their friends, and creating interest groups on social networking websites such as Facebook.

As political fund-raisers go, the price to attend tonight’s rally is cheap. Student tickets cost $23 a piece, while a group of young professionals called Generation O, which supports Obama, is selling seats for $115 or $230 each. Attendees can make a maximum contribution of $2,300, organizers say.

[rinsd]

1. Wow, that is impressive. Good for Obama. (nt)

[theoldman]

2. You mean they are not going to screen everyone to see if

they are loyal Obama supporters?

[Tarheel_Dem]

3. The size of his rallies have truly been impressive.....

If he doesn't win the primaries, I certainly hope he won't completely rule out the #2 spot. I think he would be a hell of an asset...no matter who the nominee turns out to be.

[Colobo]

4. Gobama!!!

[flpoljunkie]

5. Photos of Obama speaking from Boston's Agganis Arena tonight...

Democratic presidential hopeful and U.S. Senator Barack Obama, D-Ill., addresses a crowd during a fundraiser on the campus of Boston University, in Boston, Friday, April 20, 2007. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

[JNelson6563]

6. Great pics! Thanks!

:toast:

[Bullet1987]

7. It seems like...

Everywhere Obama goes, he attracts thousands of people. Out of curiosity...how many people has Clinton attracted TOPS??

Didn't Obama get like 50,000 people somewhere?

[flpoljunkie]

8. Agganis Arena fundraising event was sold out. Capacity is 7,200.

Over 20,000 came out in Austin, Texas, to see Obama--the largest crowd ever in Austin for a presidential candidate. Obama has drawn record crowds wherever he goes--a racially diverse crowd of all ages.

[flpoljunkie]

9. Another photo from Agganis Arena from the Boston Globe...

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama made his first public campaign stop in Massachusetts Friday, speaking before thousands at BU's Agganis Arena. (Globe Staff Photo / David Kamerman)