About That Crowd of 75,000 for Obama in Portland

[Brainster]

Everybody was blown away by the photos of Barack Obama addressing a huge crowd. But it turns out that some of them (http://newsbusters.org/blogs/robert-knight/2008/05/20/free-concert-popular-band-preceded-obama-s-big-rally) just might have been there for the warmup act:

Unmentioned in national reporting was the fact that Obama was preceded by a rare, 45-minute free concert by actual rock stars The Decemberists. The Portland-based band has drawn rave reviews from Rolling Stone magazine, which gave their 2005 album Picaresque four and a half stars (out of five), and another four and a half stars for 2007's The Crane Wife.

Obama apologist and Time Magazine reporter Wonkette (http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/05/ill_get_you_and_your_little_in.html) pooh-poohed the notion that the Decembrists drew the crowd:

Obama didn't draw that huge crowd, indie darling gothic twee rockers The Decemberists did. Of course! Why, that band has filled concert venues with as many as 3000 seats on a regular basis and has sold literally thousands of albums!

Allmusic.com says their first album (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=DECEMBRISTS&sql=11:kpfrxqu0ldje~T5) topped out at #128 on the Billboard Charts, but their second made it up to #35. Not sure how many thousands of sales that represents. Allmusic also mentions that they have appeared on the Colbert Report.

According to Hugh Hewitt (http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/blog/g/f67b448f-a956-4406-8aba-a870c567a019), they like to open their concerts with a stirring rendition of the Soviet National Anthem. No kidding.

[Dragoonster]

So...Obama is using campaign financing reform as a subsidy for supporting communist rock bands!

But yeah, good catch, "Obama + free rock concert" is likely to get more out than "Obama". Still, the apologist makes good points about that group's success. Maybe stupid socialist Obamaniacs are happy with any free music. My disagree-matter and antidisagree-matter is about to annihilate itself.

[Dr Adequate]

Everybody was blown away by the photos of Barack Obama addressing a huge crowd. But it turns out that some of them (http://newsbusters.org/blogs/robert-knight/2008/05/20/free-concert-popular-band-preceded-obama-s-big-rally) just might have been there for the warmup act ... ... and then for some reason forgot to go home and ended up listening to some boring speech. Some of them even clapped, presumably because their bodies were still reflexively jerking to the Decemberists' hypnotic rhythms.

If only John McCain could get a warm-up act that good, eh?

[Puppycow]

Never heard of 'em.

[boloboffin]

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g171/boloboffin2/portland-10.jpg

Some of them might have been there for the band.

Minor tweak on Dr. A's excellent rejoiner: "stood there listening to some boring speech."

[kallsop]

I'm not sure what's worse, idol worship of a marginal talent rock band or an empty suit politician.

[ZouPrime]

Man, are they getting desesperate or what.

[joobz]

actually the decemberists are quite talented musicians. Their music is horrifically boring, but they are very talented.

[Daylight]

If only John McCain could get a warm-up act that good, eh?

Has John McCain ever had 7,500, let alone 75,000 show up to any of his rallies? I wonder what the record is (a political rally for an American running for an American office)?

[fuelair]

I'm not sure what's worse, idol worship of a marginal talent rock band or an empty suit politician.George Shrub was there? I missed that.

[boloboffin]

I'm not sure what's worse, idol worship of a marginal talent rock band or an empty suit politician.

Whatever gets you through the night, kallsop.

[JEROME DA GNOME]

Everybody was blown away by the photos of Barack Obama addressing a huge crowd. But it turns out that some of them (http://newsbusters.org/blogs/robert-knight/2008/05/20/free-concert-popular-band-preceded-obama-s-big-rally) just might have been there for the warmup act:



Obama apologist and Time Magazine reporter Wonkette (http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/05/ill_get_you_and_your_little_in.html) pooh-poohed the notion that the Decembrists drew the crowd:



Allmusic.com says their first album (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=DECEMBRISTS&sql=11:kpfrxqu0ldje~T5) topped out at #128 on the Billboard Charts, but their second made it up to #35. Not sure how many thousands of sales that represents. Allmusic also mentions that they have appeared on the Colbert Report.

According to Hugh Hewitt (http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/blog/g/f67b448f-a956-4406-8aba-a870c567a019), they like to open their concerts with a stirring rendition of the Soviet National Anthem. No kidding.

:D

[T.A.M.]

I'm not sure what's worse, idol worship of a marginal talent rock band or an empty suit politician.

Cynics that dislike other people routing for a Candidate that gives them hope...that is worse.

TAM;)

[Pookster]

They weren't billed as The Decemberists for the concert. They were billed individually. But still, I'm sure there were many there just to see them, especially in that part of the country. How many would be hard to guess, but their following is not too big. Interesting that they seemed to hang around for the main act too.

[Brainster]

Has John McCain ever had 7,500, let alone 75,000 show up to any of his rallies? I wonder what the record is (a political rally for an American running for an American office)?

According to CNN, John Kerry drew (http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/10/25/clinton.monday/) between 80,000 and 100,000 in Philly in 2004.

The affection was strong among the tens of thousands of Kerry backers who filled Love Park. Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers said a preliminary estimate found the crowd between 80,000 and 100,000.

[Pookster]

According to CNN, John Kerry drew (http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/10/25/clinton.monday/) between 80,000 and 100,000 in Philly in 2004.

If I'm not mistaken, wasn't Bruce Springsteen at that rally? He played at a number of Kerry rallys right before the election.

[joobie]

anyone have a picture of that? love park wouldn't fit 80000 people if you stacked them 3 high.

[corplinx]

I think I speak for most of us by saying "Who in the hell are the Decemberists?" and then rolling our eyes at the notion that any large segment of the audience showed up to see them.

[T.A.M.]

According to CNN, John Kerry drew (http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/10/25/clinton.monday/) between 80,000 and 100,000 in Philly in 2004.

I believe that was once he was declared the nominee, right?

Be interesting what size of a crowd Obama would draw in Chicago in the fall...I would say over 100G easily.

TAM:)

[NotJesus]

Everybody was blown away by the photos of Barack Obama addressing a huge crowd. But it turns out that some of them (http://newsbusters.org/blogs/robert-knight/2008/05/20/free-concert-popular-band-preceded-obama-s-big-rally) just might have been there for the warmup act:



Obama apologist and Time Magazine reporter Wonkette (http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/05/ill_get_you_and_your_little_in.html) pooh-poohed the notion that the Decembrists drew the crowd:



Allmusic.com says their first album (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=DECEMBRISTS&sql=11:kpfrxqu0ldje~T5) topped out at #128 on the Billboard Charts, but their second made it up to #35. Not sure how many thousands of sales that represents. Allmusic also mentions that they have appeared on the Colbert Report.

According to Hugh Hewitt (http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/blog/g/f67b448f-a956-4406-8aba-a870c567a019), they like to open their concerts with a stirring rendition of the Soviet National Anthem. No kidding.


You seem to be running low on material for your anti-Obama threads. What's next -- "Obama not really all that good at basketball"?

[Brainster]

I think Pookster probably has the best take on it; more of an influence on the crowd size than Wonkette credits, but less than Newsbusters attributes. According to their Wikipedia page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Decemberists), they appeared at the Hollywood Bowl, which seats 17,000; I see no reason why they couldn't equal or exceed that in their home town, particularly for a free concert.

I don't know if Kerry had Springsteen at his Love Park appearance; he did have Bubba:

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_97774834736f56b22.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=12304)

This article estimates the crowd (http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/10/26/1098667767372.html?from=storylhs) at 50,000 (for Kerry and Clinton).

[Daylight]

According to CNN, John Kerry drew (http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/10/25/clinton.monday/) between 80,000 and 100,000 in Philly in 2004.

Thanks Brainster

I don't remember Kerry drawing so many. That was the general 8 days before the election.

So Obama gets 75,000 in a dead primary. When we're in the full general it should be interesting to see how much he exceeds this.

[Pookster]

I think Pookster probably has the best take on it; more of an influence on the crowd size than Wonkette credits, but less than Newsbusters attributes. According to their Wikipedia page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Decemberists), they appeared at the Hollywood Bowl, which seats 17,000; I see no reason why they couldn't equal or exceed that in their home town, particularly for a free concert.

I don't know if Kerry had Springsteen at his Love Park appearance; he did have Bubba:

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_97774834736f56b22.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=12304)

This article estimates the crowd (http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/10/26/1098667767372.html?from=storylhs) at 50,000 (for Kerry and Clinton).

Obama had a rally at the big stadium in Columbia, SC early this year (late last year maybe). I forget exactly how many attended, but it was like about 30,000. It was advertised as a big event. There was a lot of excitement and news coverage leading up to it. It was a huge success as far as attendance considering how little known Obama was around here. One problem though when looking at the attendance figure -- the guest speaker was Oprah. Obama was hardly even mentioned in all the local coverage. :eye-poppi

[Mercutio]

I think I speak for most of us by saying "Who in the hell are the Decemberists?" and then rolling our eyes at the notion that any large segment of the audience showed up to see them.

Any band that my college-age son and I both have on our ipods has got to appeal to more than one minor audience. Still, Dr. A.'s point stands; this was clearly an enthusiastic audience eager to hear Obama speak.

[KoihimeNakamura]

Also sung the theme song to Friends.

[aerosolben]

According to their Wikipedia page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Decemberists), they appeared at the Hollywood Bowl, which seats 17,000; I see no reason why they couldn't equal or exceed that in their home town, particularly for a free concert.
A few things:

I see no mention of the Bowl concert (with the Philharmonic) being a sell-out crowd - the source for the Wiki article does mention them usually playing 1500-3000 venues.
One reason is that LA is considerably larger than Portland.
This whole thing is stupid. If you want a measure of support in Portland, just observe the 106,000 people who voted for him in the county.

[Cleon]

This whole thing is stupid.

QFT.

Sweet sweaty Jebus on a kaiser bun, how lame do these anti-Obama threads have to get?