Obama attracts 20,000 in St. Louis

Posted: Sunday, February 03, 2008 8:07 AM by Chuck Todd

From NBC/NJ's Aswini Anburajan
St. Louis, MO -- Barack Obama returned to the Show Me State Saturday night, holding a late night rally in St. Louis as part of a west and midwestern barnstorm that lead him from Idaho to Minnesota to Missouri.

Speaking to a crowd estimated at around 20,000 people, Obama went through his stump speech, stressing his opposition to the Iraq War and its affect on families and going through the details of his economic policies. He ran through a series of attacks against him and received cheers for saying he had been "praising Jesus" for twenty years at the same church.

Obama also had a new line on children, telling the crowd that the whether it's rural America or urban America, caring for America's children was a universal responsibility. It worked well with his campaign themes and helped add a maternal side that could help him with women voters.

Obama was introduced by Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) who took an unnamed swipe at the Clinton campaign.

"This campaign didn't start in a back room," McCaskill said, adding that polls and consultants weren't the generators of Obama's campaign. She also warned the crowd that Obama may appear tired so the crowd should cheer loud enough to bolster the fatiguing candidate.

Though the number of people who showed up was impressive much of the energy was lost in the cavernous indoor stadium where the St. Louis Rams play. The extent of the crowd, packed onto a floor that on other occasions serves as a football field, could only be seen from standing in the bleachers. The majority of the space was empty, and the sound of Obama's voice and the cheers of the crowd sounded more like distant echoes than fiery and thunderous call for change just two days before a crucial election.

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Comments

The fact that Obama's campaign wasn't started in a back room is a key point. He was asked to run by voters across the country, as he campaigned on behalf of Democrats in the 2006 Congressional elections; everywhere he went, people from different races, ages, regions, religions, and backgrounds would tell him he should run for President.

That kind of organic grassroots movement beginning a Presidential run is almost unheard of in the modern day culture of the professional political class, and is something REAL that should not be discounted in picking an authentic President we can all believe in. It also stands up far better against John McCain in a general election; the people begged Obama to run, while McCain is now the runaway GOP frontrunner and yet can't even get half his own party to support him.

Shadow, Hamden, CT (Sent Sunday, February 03, 2008 9:01 AM)

One difference I notice between Hillary and Barack is that with Hillary everything seems to be about her, where with Barack it all seems to be a real cause. Obviously they all have and may even need large egos with any difference being just subtle, yet it appears to be important as Hillary seems to be possessed by her ego and to have no humility, which history tells us is dangerous. A good example is George W. Bush who has no humility, no honesty, no conscience and no concern for other than his private, self-serving agenda.

REG; East Valley Phx. AZ (Sent Sunday, February 03, 2008 9:17 AM)

Why not show the pics or a clip.

Because it's
20 K afro americans.
That's the only people he's playing to nowadays

That will really play in the Midwest.

nominate obama, McCain will be

Tuck,Realiltyville, KS (Sent Sunday, February 03, 2008 9:18 AM)

he going to blow the drawers off Clinton, unless they cheat, but we know Hillary would never do that. lmao

da ark (Sent Sunday, February 03, 2008 9:28 AM)

I attended the rally and it sure was a big crowd despite the fact that the event was scheduled late.I stringly think that the number would have been even more if it was scheduled earlier in the day.Remenber also that some people who would have loved to attend the event drunk their heads off at the madigras and could not come.
Though Obama is projected not to win Missouri, he will certainly put up a strong showing, if not win, and pick up several delegates.

Obama is our Hope.

Josh, St. Louis, MO (Sent Sunday, February 03, 2008 10:07 AM)

"The majority of the space was empty, and the sound of Obama's voice and the cheers of the crowd sounded more like distant echoes than fiery and thunderous call for change just two days before a crucial election."

Sounds as empty as Obamas empty call for "change" and "hope" - totally without substance!

Obama = 15 million uninsured and REZKO!

Hillary = health coverage for every single American.

HILLARY 08!!!

Martin (Sent Sunday, February 03, 2008 10:27 AM)

It is time for a woman President in America. Women are the majority and I don't think they would do worse job than the males. We need a leader that will protect and defend all poeple of America. A leader who goes to a church of all colors.

Terry, New York

Terry Shaw, Rochester (Sent Sunday, February 03, 2008 10:34 AM)

I invite you to go to wcco.com for a mpls report. There is a video of the Target Center rally. Watch the last 5 minutes - distant echoes? I don't think so!

Marlin (Sent Sunday, February 03, 2008 11:40 AM)

I was there last night. A group of us went after attending the Soulard Mardi Gras celebration, and it ended up being a serious ending to a carefree day. What I will never forget, are the looks on the peoples' faces that were in attendance. Obama may be a politician, and politicians "are what they are" within their societal structure, but he still gives all generations something to hope for, a quality that has not been witnessed in years. And that is change in itself. I was told by several people that lived through the 60s that they believed then that the world could be changed, but their dreams were not fully realized. They became discouraged. Today we also have a restless youth, yearning for change, desiring a paradigm shift, willing to create a structural change in society. There are those of us that are ready to let loose of escapism and socio-economic barriers. We just need a reason.

Jenni, Belleville, IL (Sent Sunday, February 03, 2008 12:22 PM)

Why is it important for you (First Read) to stress the attendance at Obama ralies? Is this to insinuate that HRC doesn't attract as many at hers? It is interresting to read your articles on Obama verses Clinton and pick out the subtle and not so subtle bias toward Obama over Clinton. Why don't you just call it like it is, an everyday campaign for Obama?

Barb in PA (Sent Sunday, February 03, 2008 1:00 PM)

Obama is not for all people hes a blaton lyer .just this moring i was watching cnn and he talked about hickabee and how chuck norris was backing huckabee and obama said that all that was old news and that he did not need hollywood to back him.well seems to me he has his Opra every where he goes and her mony .now whoes the lyer.wow a vote for Osama is a vote against Amreica.and he lyed when he said all of illinois voted for him once again anothe blaton lye.his campain is all a blaton lye .he wont stop at nothing to get votes.well hes not getting the Latino vote we will never vote for a black and a mu slim at that so keep on lying and with the medias help you might win for dog catcher.vote for Hillary 2008 she has experience and can get the job done.

Remoses (Sent Sunday, February 03, 2008 2:11 PM)

I was at the rally and the crowd was massive but given the size and shape of the venue it was not all that loud. Nonetheless it was a great specatacle and his speech had lots of substance. It didn't help that people were standing up for 3 hours waiting for him to appear either.

Romano le Politicien (Sent Sunday, February 03, 2008 10:37 PM)

Quite evident, you were not at the same place I was. I thought the crowd was quite enthusiastic and the energy was definitely electric! Everywhere I went, people were really fired up for Obama.

Joyce Moore (Sent Monday, February 04, 2008 4:05 AM)

I was at the rally too, and there were people of all races, colors, and ages there, no majority at all. It was a bad space, yes, but the fact that 20,000 people stood up for 3 or 4 hours, packed like sardines next to one another just to hear him speak certainly says something.

CW, St Louis, MO (Sent Monday, February 04, 2008 4:01 PM)

Quote from Remoses: Obama is not for all people hes a blaton lyer .just this moring i was watching cnn and he talked about hickabee and how chuck norris was backing huckabee and obama said that all that was old news and that he did not need hollywood to back him.well seems to me he has his Opra every where he goes and her mony .now whoes the lyer.

Do you have spell check?? You see.. this is the intellegence (or lack thereof) that backs Hillary. Why hasn't the media mentioned that Hillary has the highest percentage of uneducated supporters?

Good Grief!

Turn the page!

Obama '08

Lo in OR (Sent Monday, February 04, 2008 7:59 PM)

Completely agree with Lo in OR. People tend to look to someone they have things in common with and it is clear that Remoses is a complete Idiot.

JS (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 11:21 PM)

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