Oprah Winfrey's tour with Barack Obama is selling out quickly. The free tickets for the Columbia, South Carolina rally, originally scheduled for the 18,000-seat University of South Carolina basketball venue, but tickets were gone within two days for the December 9th event. Now it's being moved to Williams-Brice Stadium, where USC plays football.
This stadium holds over 80,000 for football, but for a political rally they can pack 'em in on the field, too, so the capacity should be over 90,000. Tickets will no longer be required. It's a gutsy call for the Obama campaign, since even if 35,000 people show up, the site will appear sparsely populated for the television shots.
If anyone can do it, though, it's Oprah. Her popularity cannot be overstated. Obama is likely to draw the largest political audience in this state ever, ensuring a couple days' worth of positive news coverage as the primary approaches. The weather is expected to be sunny and 70°, a beautiful day for an outdoor event, so it will be a positive factor. If they manage to come close to filling the place, it will probably headline the national news.
Hillary Clinton still leads in national polls and in South Carolina, but Obama is certainly gaining momentum at just the right time.
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Filed under:
2008 Presidential Race, Barack Obama, Celebrities, Democracy, Democrats, Media
Tags: Democrat, Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Presidential campaign, primary
Comments (6)
They are not coming to supp... (Below threshold)1. Posted by WildWillie | December 6, 2007 7:35 AM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
They are not coming to support or even see Obama, so what is the point? Do you think his message will even be heard? ww
1. Posted by WildWillie | December 6, 2007 7:35 AM |
Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Posted on December 6, 2007 07:35
2. Posted by Falze | December 6, 2007 9:11 AM | Score: 1 (3 votes cast)
Yeah, are they even going to let Obama speak? I can see it now, crowds chanting "Oprah! Oprah! Give us free cars, Oprah!" and she'll stand up and say, "hey, there are a lot of news crews here, try chanting 'Obama! Give us free health insurance!'" Glorious!
And, let me get this straight - it took 2 days to get rid of 18,000 FREE tickets? And they want to get 90,000? They'd better get Bruce Springsteen or Bon Jovi or something to open...
2. Posted by Falze | December 6, 2007 9:11 AM |
Score: 1 (3 votes cast)
Posted on December 6, 2007 09:11
3. Posted by 914 | December 6, 2007 11:19 AM | Score: 1 (3 votes cast)
Better start busing in the illegals to make it appear sold out.
3. Posted by 914 | December 6, 2007 11:19 AM |
Score: 1 (3 votes cast)
Posted on December 6, 2007 11:19
4. Posted by Oyster | December 6, 2007 2:37 PM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
What are they calling it? Oprama?
4. Posted by Oyster | December 6, 2007 2:37 PM |
Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Posted on December 6, 2007 14:37
5. Posted by Alan Herman | December 7, 2007 9:52 AM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
I think Obama will pack the people in. It won't be a sell out and it is extremely risky but I think it will help Obama in SC. The MAIN problem is tv coverage! I do not see CSPAN coverin but only one hour in Iowa this weekend. With the importance of this move by Obama and Oprah, why is there not ample tv coverage of this historic political event?!!
And they call tv left wing? sheesh!
5. Posted by Alan Herman | December 7, 2007 9:52 AM |
Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Posted on December 7, 2007 09:52
6. Posted by shrillprotestationsliberalmedia | December 7, 2007 11:40 PM | Score: -2 (2 votes cast)
Soap. Toothpaste. Literacy. Wingnut.
Some assembly required.
6. Posted by shrillprotestationsliberalmedia | December 7, 2007 11:40 PM |
Score: -2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on December 7, 2007 23:40