That’s a wrap!
Posted: Sunday, December 09, 2007 9:39 PM by Domenico Montanaro
From NBC/NJ’s Mike MemoliMANCHESTER, N.H. -- The Double-O road show came to an end in New Hampshire tonight, capping a weekend of events featuring the queen of daytime talk and a candidate, who is surging in the polls.
Though the campaign had announced earlier this week that the event was at capacity, the Verizon Wireless Arena was not full. The lower bowl was filled, but at least half of the upper deck was empty. There was even room on the floor in front of the stage.
Obama did say there was a “pretty good crowd,” and “not bad on a school night.” It was also 28 degrees, and snow began falling just as the event geared up.
The campaign said the attendance was 8,500, which would make it the smallest crowd of the four events this weekend. The campaign, however, said the number would make it one of the largest, if not the largest campaign event of the primary season.
Obama’s speech was largely the same, except for one acknowledgement early in the speech. Obama welcomed members of the AFL-CIO, who he said were his special guests. “They’re here at my request, as my special guest because the Verizon Wireless Arena does not hire stagehands who are union workers,” Obama told the crowd. “This is a great facility, and we should have union workers in here to make sure that the stagehands are getting a fair shake.”
The union was reportedly angered when Obama chose the venue because of its anti-union stance, and a picket was averted only when the Obama campaign brokered a settlement. “We should have union workers in here,” Obama said.
Introducing Obama,
Oprah Winfrey poked fun at “pundits” who have speculated whether her marketing power would extend from books to politics. “They act like I don’t know that you all got some sense,” Winfrey said. “I know you all know the difference between book clubs and favorite things and free refrigerators. I know you all were hoping I brought that refrigerator. I wanted to, I just couldn’t swing it.”
Gov. John Lynch, whose wife, Susan, endorsed Hillary Clinton last month, spoke to the crowd shortly before the main program began. He welcomed Oprah Winfrey to New Hampshire, calling her a “remarkable person, who has done so much to help and inspire people.”
He also said he wanted the crowd to know “how much I admire” Obama. Lynch, despite his wife’s endorsement, has said he is remaining neutral in the contest and instead is focused on being a good host. Obama later thanked the “outstanding governor,” as well as the two New Hampshire members of Congress --
Paul Hodes, a national co-chair, and
Carol Shea-Porter, who has remained neutral.
Obama’s campaign called the timing of the event ideal, as a new
MSNBC-Mason Dixon poll shows the Illinois senator now running neck-and-neck with Clinton with just one month to go until the first-in-the-nation primary. Clinton had maintained a double-digit lead here for much of the year, and has most of the state’s Democratic establishment in her corner.
“It’s an energy boost to our supporters, who feel some excitement and momentum,” said Reid Cherlin, Obama's New Hampshire press secretary.
