Huge Crowds for Obama in Albuquerque & Santa Fe

Crowd at Santa Fe College (Photos from Obama New Mexico)

After holding a standing room only and beyond economic forum at the Kiva Auditorium in Albuquerque yesterday afternoon, Obama headed to Santa Fe for another packed event, this time at a gym at Santa Fe Community College. Heath Haussamen has some good photos here  and here from the energized event. Marjorie over at m-pyre also has some good pics from Albuquerque's overflow room.

The hordes of people trying to get to the site reportedly caused gridlock that backed up from the campus all the way to Cerillos Road. Hundreds had to be turned away. Some who made it inside had waited in line up to five hours in the cold. Steve Terrell pegs the crowd in Santa Fe, inside and out, as about 5,600 in his story for the Santa Fe New Mexican.

In Albuquerque, Obama's event packed the 2300 seat Kiva and filled a large overflow space inside the Convention Center with another 2000 or so people. Even that wasn't enough space to accommodate everyone. About a thousand more people people gathered on the Civic Plaza across the street, where Obama stopped to speak to crowd before heading inside. New Mexico FBIHOP has an of the event.

ABQ: Everett Chavez, former governor, Santo Domingo Pueblo,
greets Obama in his native language, asks a question.

The campaign's Obama New Mexico website has several posts with photos and video on the New Mexico events:

• Albuquerque Fired Up for Barack's Visit
• Kiva Auditorium Fired Up
• Live From Albuquerque: Economic Forum with Barack Obama
• Thousands Rally for Change in Santa Fe
• Santa Fe Fired Up Ready to Vote

I'll be adding more when I find other good coverage.