in fairness, Biden drew a crowd of nearly 100 (less, of course, if you don't count the media, personal friends and the Secret Service)

Sarah Palin IS the difference in this campaign!!!

I'm seeing this news story plastered on every site, so that's a very, very good sign.

Wht is amazing is that the Orlando Slantinal even covered it. I guess with that many there, they couldn't sweep it under the carpet.

Some sharp cookie needs to make a "Vote Sarah" lipstick and sell it.

Yes, you read that correctly. When she spoke at Lady Lake, Florida at The Villages, she drew a crowd of 60,000 people!

Wow, I read that correctly? Maybe I did. But you didn't.

From your very own links:

Estimates ranged from 25,000 to 60,000 though the numbers were impossible to verify.

and...

granted, Team Maverick's crowd estimates have been "problematic" in the past, although this one comes from a fire chief on the scene, not the campaign; granted, 60,000 is probably a high-end figure, with another fire official and several reporters who were there pegging it as closer to 25,000.

OK. Now it's been read correctly.

Does anyone find it odd how crowd control professionals and fire fighters can make estimates but REPORTERS have better estimating capabilities?

"Sa-Rah! Sa-Rah!" they chanted at every mention of her name, applauding loudly and waiving tiny American flags that were distributed -- along with free water bottles -- by local volunteers. The fire chief estimated the crowd at 60,000."

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080921/NEWS0107/80921022

Of course, thousands probably gave up after the miles of walking,long lines, heat etc.

"Does anyone find it odd how crowd control professionals and fire fighters can make estimates but REPORTERS have better estimating capabilities"?

"...with ANOTHER FIRE OFFICIAL and several reporters who were there pegging it as closer to 25,000".

"Marxist" rock band? Eegads, all the good artists are left-wing! Kid Rock and Ted Nugent gonna play at the next McCain rally? Losers.

Well, after a Portland area newspaper called my band "the worst band they ever seen" in a story we played to some packed houses. The Palin "phenomenon" proves the same thing. Some people will stand and watch absolutely anything no matter how bad the critics say it actually is or how much substance it lacks.

Welcome to American trash culture, Sarah, where you don't have to know very much at all, but some want your judgement to rule over their lives regardless. At 53, I still remember when most Americans wanted intelligent leaders like Kennedy. But that was when the country still had a future to look forward to.

A friend of mine was telling me how he's losing his house today. But who wants to hear about real problems that real Amerians are facing when Sarah Palin and John McCain can embellish grand tales of how "honest" they are to crowds willing to stand and listen to this nonsense such as "Ebay Jet" or "The Bridge To Nowhere" that often just don't square with the facts. I prefer to judge the honesty of others based on my evaluation of their acts, not have them proclaim it to me in some speech.
depp=true
notiz=**burp**...Ahhhhhh

All I know is, if charly gibson felt compelled to remove his glasses and so much as lifted an eyebrow with even a hint of scepticism, then the 60,000 number is clearly a load of crap.

"Sarah Palin and John McCain can embellish grand tales of how "honest" they are to crowds willing to stand and listen to this nonsense such as "Ebay Jet" or "The Bridge To Nowhere" that often just don't square with the facts.I prefer to judge the honesty of others based on my evaluation of their acts, not have them proclaim it to me in some speech.
"

1). The 'e-bay' and 'bridge to nowhere' stories do square with the facts.
2). Neither was mentioned in Sarah's speech in FL.
3). What evaluation of Obama's acts lead you to believe he's either honest enough or skilled enough to be POTUS?

Well, after a Portland area newspaper called my band "the worst band they ever seen" in a story we played to some packed houses. The Palin "phenomenon" proves the same thing. Some people will stand and watch absolutely anything no matter how bad the critics say it actually is or how much substance it lacks.

Like your band, apparently! LMAO

Welcome to American trash culture, Sarah, where you don't have to know very much at all, but some want your judgement to rule over their lives regardless.

Sort of like Wizbang Blue...

I prefer to judge the honesty of others based on my evaluation of their acts, not have them proclaim it to me in some speech.'

Which explains why you and your co-hort over at Blue are so open to criticism and can answer your detractors.

/snark

Man, leave the door open and I will walk through....

I love the squabbling over crowd size. Let's do the math.

Biden's crowd size: 2,000
Palin's crowd size: 25,000 (low estimate)
Palin's crowd size: 60,000 (high estimate)

So the argument is whether or not Palin's crowds are 12 times bigger or 30 times bigger? Is there a way for McCain-Palin to lose this argument? But don't mind me, go on trolling...

Ok, fine. 25,000 is STILL pretty impressive. What was the last Obama draw? CharlotteObserver.com has the crowd for the 21st pegged @ 20K, with 5-10K more outside.

To put that into perspecitve, Obama's draw probably a high side estimate (like Palin's 60K) is roughly equal to Palin's LOW estimate.

Wrap your heads around that one y'all members of The Tinfoil Fedora Brigade.

hyperbolist - ""Marxist" rock band? Eegads"

Nah, they weren't there, the Marxist band more than likely is on this canadian bitches IPod.

And just think, your tax dollars goes to support the CBC, and a part of her salary.

So the argument is whether or not Palin's crowds are 12 times bigger or 30 times bigger?

No, the argument is whether you're going to be honest or deceitful.

hooson - "Some people will stand and watch absolutely anything no matter how bad the critics say it actually is or how much substance it lacks.

Yeah we learned that lesson when ObamaMessiah played to 100k or so in Europe. But as noted that was in part ot the free beer and concetrs before his speech.

Additionaly those "Yeropeans" gotta love the ObamaMessiah's "Global Poverty Act"(S.2433) a plan that sends OUR tax dollars to the U.N. As if we didn't send enough already.

more hooson BS - "At 53, I still remember when most Americans wanted intelligent leaders like Kennedy.

Kennedy, yeah, I remember him. A serial womanizer and as documented by the Discovery Channel may have been one of the most drug addled President in History.

BTW, hooson, how much foreign policy experience did John "I Make Babies" Edwards have as a VP candidate?

Brian - "No, the argument is whether you're going to be honest or deceitful."

Rather... it's which "expert's" crowd estimate you choose. Do YOU know which one is the best at the practice of crowd estimating?

Where you there to make a best guess? If not you just like everyone here relies on the media and who they quote.

Being "honest or deceitful" has nothing to do with it.

H00s0n says:

"Welcome to American trash culture, Sarah, where you don't have to know very much at all....."

................................

Your "contributions" at this website certainly serve to prove your present contention concerning how much or how little ones needs to know before stepping to the soapbox and shooting their mouth off. I feel exposed to "trash culture" every time you overstate your case and go verbosely off topic to extol your myriad fantasies about yourself. You should look carefully in the mirror before sliming people so obviously "above your pay grade" that you are a mere shadow in the room as their light illumines the rest of us.

Humility is not your strong point. Nor is wisdom. It would be a marked sign of maturity and wisdom if you would only close your mouth and quit proving your lack of content.

I replaced the letter "o" where it occurs in your name with "zeros". It just seemed so appropriate.

Meanwhile... the ObamaMessiah campaign may be doing a bit of astroturfing via it's PR hack Axlerod.

If that turns out to be true Axlerod may have pulled a drain plug on a floundering, but as yet not sinking, boat.

How amusing! "Who-son" trots over here to spread his nonsense but Lee is so paranoid he bans anyone who dares prove him wrong.

We need a special thread called "rebuttals to Blue". lee would freak out.

Brian, Hyper and Paul Hooson all have something in common: They are the deceitful ones. They are the ones that will start their thesis' with a lie. McCain sure did pick a great running mate. It still has the left goinng nuts and Obama yelling a senior citizens. I am loving it. ww

And yet the headlines I keep seeing are things like "Despite gaffes, Biden effective on campaign trail"

Not that the press is biased or anything...

I heard on the radio that Palin will be here in Jacksonville next month. I'll be one of the many, many thousands that show up :) Perhaps Cassy will be there and can give us the details then.

Someone tried to point out to me that Obama is certainly way more popular here just by the numbers that showed up for their respective appearances. They neglected to observe that McCain was here on a Monday morning (some of us have jobs) and Obama was here mid-day on a Saturday.

I didn't "lie", Willie. You're such an idiot.

Amazing! Last night the local news which covers The Villages reported the crowd at 18,000. More lies from McPalin?

"Welcome to American trash culture, Sarah, where you don't have to know very much at all....."

How true.

But, after all, you go into an election with the press corps you have, not the press corps you want.

hyper~

"I didn't lie, willie." Yes, you did. From your above comment, disguised as sarcasm:

Eegads, all the good artists are left-wing! Losers.

And you added so much to the discussion with your immature, ignorant swipe.

"Amazing! Last night the local news which covers The Villages reported the crowd at 18,000. More lies from McPalin?"

Well, Tampabay.com reports:

As it was, Palin's appearance at The Villages drew what appeared to be the largest crowd of any presidential rally in Florida this year.

There was no official crowd estimate and unofficial estimates, from 25,000 up to 60,000, were impossible to verify. By comparison, President Bush drew an estimated 15,000 to The Villages four years ago.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article821588.ece

Regardless of the numbers, the naysayers have to reckon with Palin's popularity.

I've heard Governor Palin described as a combination of the girl next-door, Ms. Right, and "the one that got away," all rolled into one. I liken Sarah Palin to a strike in bowling. The best credential for governing anywhere though, is that the candidate possesses the will of the people. I think she's got it. I can hear the ball on the hardwood floor; straight down the center: strike! This woman connects, she'll take down her rival: http://theseedsof9-11.com

I was THERE - FRONT and CENTER! It was so amazing to see and hear Sarah speak and to see her beautiful family!

She's nutty as a fruitcake

beachdog - "She's nutty as a fruitcake"

This from an animal whose favorite past-time is smelling asses of other "beachdogs."

THE SAME THING HAPPENED HERE IN COLORADO SPRINGS A FEW WEEKS AGO. EXPECTED A FEW THOUSAND AND 13,000 SHOWED UP! THE GATHERING WAS PATRIOTIC AND JOYFUL AND WE DIDNT HAVE A "ROCK CONCERT" BEFORE THE RALLY. WE ACTUALLY HAD BOY SCOUTS LEAD THE RALLY IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLIGENCE... AND PATRIOTIC MUSIC PLAYING FROM THE BIG SPEAKERS SET UP. EVERYONE KNEW THE WORDS TO... GOD BLESS AMERICA, THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER, AND LEE GREENWOODS PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN...FLAGS FLYING FROM EVERY HAND AND HOME MADE SIGNS EVERYWHERE...IT WAS SO MUCH FUN AND I GOT TO SHAKE THE HANDS OF JOHN MCCAIN, CINDY MCCAIN, AND SARAH PALIN!! MCCAIN LOOKED TRIM AND PRESIDENTIAL, CINDY SLIM AND ELEGANT, SARAH BEAUTIFUL AND ENERGIZED!! IT WAS AMAZING AND THE WHOLE EVENT MADE ME FEEL SO PROUD TO BE...AMERICAN!!!

Rather... it's which "expert's" crowd estimate you choose. Do YOU know which one is the best at the practice of crowd estimating?

No, and that's not the point at all. You don't need to choose the "best" estimator. When the estimates range from 25,000 to 60,000, with one outlier estimate at the high end, then posting "Sarah Palin Draws Crowd of 60,000; yes, you read that correctly" is not honest.

Are you the type, when you get mail from Ed McMahon reading "you've won up to $1M", do you call your family and say, "I won $1M; yes, I read that correctly"?

brian - "Are you the type, when you get mail from Ed McMahon reading "you've won up to $1M", do you call your family and say, "I won $1M; yes, I read that correctly"?

No, I'm the type that tosses that kind of junk mail in the circular receptacle unopened.

Just like spam email... and the vast majority of your comments here.

why do some people call him obamamessiah? i know he's the more religious candidate, but that seems a bit blasphemous.

You can tell the difference between 25,000 and 60,000. But even if it was "only" 25,000, that's a lot of people to attend a rally. She hasn't lost an ounce of her popularity.

Let me also say that if the low estimate of 25,000 is correct, that's a similar number of people going to see her that saw her at the RNC. The arena holds approximately 20,000 seated participants. The floor another 5,000 roughly. That her rallies in given locales draw this many, suggest she's got the pulse of the American public, and is continuing the phenomenon that she is. The left that keeps bashing her and dismissing her as just can't fight the jealousy.

I was at this rally! I was 7th in line; (got there just before 7:00 am). I was 15 feet from the podium; I talked to her and shook her hand... What a lovely, congenial, intelligent, strong woman; Sarah Palin, YOU are every woman!!!!

This photo is NOT a zoom-shot. It was a TAD warm that day!!!