HUGE Kerry/Edwards Rally in Kansas City

[Arugula Latte]

As many as 30,000 attendees...

Holy Guacamole.

http://blog.johnkerry.com/ scroll down to "Kansas City")

[DemMother]

1. I love Elizabeth Edward's entries

I like the whole blog, but I especially enjoy her writing.

[Tarheelhombre]

5. Link to Newspaper Article

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/9341338.htm?1c

[Tarheelhombre]

6. Hundreds waited at Midnight to glimpse Kerry

The night before, hundreds of people waited in Lee's Summit for the campaign train to roll slowly by at midnight, all to get a glimpse of the candidate waving at them.

[tapper]

8. Over a 1000 in Lawrence Friday night

... waited until after midnight for the train that was over an hour late and didn't stop :(

But we're supposed to have the Edwards coming back and speaking tomorrow! :bounce:

[newyawker99]

14. Hi tapper!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[beyurslf]

2. Thank you so much for the post. We have had many calls here today about

the Lawrence event. Many people from Wichita drove 3 hours to Lawrence only to see the train whiz by. It is great to see the reason and know they are working to correct it.

[Annette]

3. I was at the KC rally last night!

I could not believe how many people were there!! The KC Star Newpaper said "A crowd the Secret Service estimated at 20,000 - aides called it the biggest Kerry has seen along the campaign trail in his quest for the presidency..."

And of course the Bushites were out trying to disrupt the rally, one Kerry supporter became so annoyed with a Bushite after asking him to be quiet that he finally grabbed an air horn out of a Bushite's hand and threw it.

[Arugula Latte]

4. Welcome to DU!

[Tarheelhombre]

7. From the New York Times....

The John Kerry who drew more than 15,000 people in Harrisburg, 10,000 in Milwaukee, and more than 25,000 outside Union Station in Kansas City on Friday night is a far cry from the primary contender who denounced President Bush and decried all that Democrats believe has gone wrong in the Bush administration.

[Xenus Sister]

9. Whooo! I know the guy who did that!

"And of course the Bushites were out trying to disrupt the rally, one Kerry supporter became so annoyed with a Bushite after asking him to be quiet that he finally grabbed an air horn out of a Bushite's hand and threw it."


I'm in Chicago but my brother-in-law lives in Kansas City, and my husband was down there working. They and others went to the rally. My husband called me late last night and told me that story. He confronted the "protesters" but wasn't the one who took the air horn. I told him they should have kept the air horn instead of throwing it away. I'm so envious of them for getting to see Kerry.

[jn2375]

10. Harrisburg rally estimates changed to 25,000

our major Harrisburg paper changed the est to 25,000 they said the police estimated the figure upward. I was there it was packed.!!!!!

[hatrack]

12. There were what, 30-40 Bushbots there?

Whoever tossed the air horn, I'll buy them a beer!

It was absolutely jammed last night! I'd say 25,000 is a pretty good estimate.

There's just no comparison to 2000. Gore came through almost exactly four years ago back in mid-August, and about 1,000 people turned out downtown for a rally just after work.

He came back in October and held a nighttime rally, but even then drew 8-10,000 tops.

I had only one complaint - we had infield tickets, but ended up almost directly beneath one of the speaker trees - DAMN it was loud! I ended up chewing up my ticket and stuffing spit-soaked wads of paper in both ears - and I was a rock musician for 10 years (!).

Aside from that, it rocked. Kerry was loose and comfortable and energetic, Edwards was right on target (though both a bit hoarse) and people were absolutely eating it up. An impressive and encouraging event!

[Arugula Latte]

13. Even with all their bluster and bravado

you know that the Bush supporters who come to these rallies have to be just about ready to pee in their pants when they see the size of these crowds! :kick:

[newyawker99]

15. Hi Hope_is_on_the_way!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[chieftain]

11. This Proud Kansas Citian

remembers when JFK spoke at Truman Corners Shopping Center in the '60 Election . I think this one is going to turn out good as well .

[liberal N proud]

16. I remember Clinton in Idependence MO in 1992

Clinton was at Santa-Cali_Gon days in Independence, MO (Harry Trumans home town). There must have been 30 or 40 thousand people there including the then daddy bush supporters. I know it was skewed for the celebration that was taking place but wow, that was the first time I had been in such a large political event.
It was great. We stood in the rain for hours waiting. My wife acutally got to meet him at that event.
Hope the numbers this time are a good sign.