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Sunday, October 26, 2008
First Peek: Obama at Johnson Field in Albuquerque, Crowd of 45,000+
Click on photos for larger images
Our videos and photos from Saturday night's Barack Obama rally at Johnson Field at the University of New Mexico are still uploading, but I thought I'd post a few before I give in to fatigue. And you can check out more yourself at our Flickr album and our YouTube channel
It was a mind-boggling and electric rally, with every inch of the field packed with people -- from the podium on the West to the dorms near Girard on the East, and widening out North and South to the limits. According to the fire marshal, there were 35,000 people inside the fences and another 10,000-15,000 or so pressed up against some of the outer barricades (though some were toppled) and extending out to the streets. Literally, a sea of people in the high desert, to see Obama, and be with on another.
Happy faces were everywhere, and they were of many hues, shapes, ages, orientations and ethnicities. All united for the cause of change and the leader who is promising to work for it, and for us. People were jazzed. People were "cautiously optimistic." People were exhilarated with the whisper, the hint of many victories in the air.
There were painted faces, stickers on the backs of bald heads, button-filled shirts and all kinds of signs everywhere. There was chanting and cheering and clapping. I have to say it -- there was hope in the air and on the faces and in the eyes of the old ones and the young ones and the ones in between.
We heard encouraging words from Ben Lujan, Sr., Sen. Jeff Bingaman, Martin Heinrich, Tom Udall, Lt. Gov. Diane Denish and Gov. Bill Richardson. We got laughter and lightness from comedian George Lopez. We didn't get any mariachis, but I wish we had.
Everyone we heard and everyone we talked to in the crowd had one thing, above all, to say: don't stop working now -- work harder! We want and need to create a Democratic tsunami, a landslide, an unassailable margin of victory in every race up and down the ticket. Don't. Hold. Back.
And then it was time for Barack Obama -- all lanky and confident and hooked into the crowd and urging us to bring it on home, together. Bring it on home, together. O-BA-MA! Yes We Can! Si, Se Puede! Now, now, now is our time, at last. It's coming. It's near. It's only 10 days away. Vote early. Knock on doors. Make phone calls. Drag friends and family to the polling place. Use every ounce of energy to make it happen, to make sure it's big, to topple the old and bring in the new, to make a start fresh and full of positivity. To win.
Afterwards, the massive crowd spilled out onto Central, high and proud and zinging. Car horns beeping all up and down the street. People whooshing Obama signs all up and down the street. Cheering and smiling and waving and laughing and a zooming kind of energy like we'd just won the World Series, or the Super Bowl or it was midnight on New Year's Eve.
And we were together in our revelry and ready to celebrate our way to the new time, the better time, the challenging but satisfying time to come. I mean it. It was over the top in the very best way, and there was joy and freedom careening down Central on a very special Saturday night at a very critical time in America. And we got to be a part of it. And we loved it.
P.S. Also see local blogs NM FBIHOP, the >New Mexico Independent and at Lopsided Mom for more takes on the rally. The UNM Daily Lobo has a nice report with audio interviews and a slide show. There are also some good diaries on Daily Kos about the huge event here and here.
Oh, and look at this -- 100,000 at Obama's rally in Denver today!
Photos and videos by M.E. Broderick.
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October 26, 2008 at 04:46 AM in 2008 General Presidential Election, Events, Obama NM Campaign | Permalink
Comments
God Bless America!!! VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE~
Obama/Biden '08
Posted by: Remi | Oct 26, 2008 7:37:06 AM
Thanks for the photos! When I got up this morning, I guess the rally was still going on. I scoured the NM sites for photos, but all I got were people standing in lines! Must have been wonderful. I did watch the KOAT, etc., reports on the rally.
Wish I coulda been there!
Posted by: KathyF | Oct 26, 2008 8:09:16 AM
kathy it was great. maybe i am getting too old but i have never seen the streets so rowdy. did you watch that video? That small clip is right by the frontier, but it was like that all the way to Girard....honk honk...OBAMA
Posted by: mary ellen | Oct 26, 2008 8:44:37 AM
Many thanks for your VERY late night post, much appreciated by a hard working volunteer en el Norte.
Obamanos!
Posted by: Intentionally Kind | Oct 26, 2008 9:01:59 AM
I was there. My partner, Angela, was in the media area. I think, by looking at the photos, you were on a different riser. She was by Univision.
It was terrific.
The diversity of the crowd was amazing and everyone was so... together... unified.
Wonderful!
Posted by: Natalie | Oct 26, 2008 9:49:12 AM
yep...i was on that platform too...what a sight. Me and you partner probably elbowed each other! Univision was real busy getting lots of interviews. I saw them interviewing the Giv, Ben Ray Lujan, Speaker Lujan i think,,, the Lt gov? anyways they were busy working. Getting the message out to the people..gosh real media.
Posted by: mary ellen | Oct 26, 2008 9:58:58 AM
We must have passed each other too - I was the one looking totally out of place up there with the real media!
Thanks for the coverage - I linked to your site on my own post.
Posted by: LosidedMom | Oct 26, 2008 10:29:52 AM
Here is my response to the rally. It is very evident that excitement is in the air. It is very evident that Obama has a clear advantage in both new voter registration and in the poll numbers.
Since I am a Hillary Dem voting for McCain, I can admit that chances are that Obama is gonna win. Make no mistake about it, I am kinda disappointed in our nation right now. It is inevitable and I wish him the best if he defeats us. A united country is better than a divided one.
As a prior campaign worker who worked for the Kerry, Dean, and Gore campaigns, I need to breathe a sense of caution for all of the optimists out there. Voter registation is good. Poll numbers are fun to look at. Also large rallies are great for motivation. However, all of the above is moot if come Nov. 4th turnout is the deciding factor.
The demographics for Dems being young and tied to hourly-work requirements in general are not condusive for massive voter turnout. Hopefully this yr that trend changes. Seriously though I voted early yesterday because my boss told me if I called in sick next Tuesday I would be fired. Thankfully, I didn't have to worry since I took advantage of voting early
I voted for Ben Ray Jujan, Tom Udall, and John McCain. At least I know I can feel confident on at least two victories Election night. The third, well....my fingers are crosses and prayers are being said.
Posted by: Daniel | Oct 26, 2008 11:34:49 AM
Daniel, I don't know how you could vote for McCain and then Udall and Lujan. McCain is opposed to almost everything the other two stand for. However, to each his or her own.
The Obama campaign and those of the other Democratic candidates are focusing more time, energy, training and money on get out the vote than at any time in history. There is early voting and mail-in voting and that will allow everyone to find a time to vote.
Obama also has the highest enthusiasm ratings from his supporters so they are excited about voting. They will vote in large numbers.
Posted by: Ed from Tijeras | Oct 26, 2008 2:16:38 PM
I just discovered this blog and visited your Flickr and YouTube accounts and I'm very impressed. You have so many wonderful photos and videos of this and many other events. How do you find the time!
Posted by: Gobama! | Oct 26, 2008 3:15:53 PM
Hey I was thinking of y'all when I was watching Obama on CNN last night! Great video of the meep meep on the street in the Burque! Better times ahead! You guys are awesome! Si se puede!
Sending love from Atlanta...
Liz
Posted by: Liz Melendez | Oct 26, 2008 4:01:16 PM
Liz! Great to hear from you! Wish you could have been with us last night -- and that you could have performed for the crowd. Now THAT would have been awesome PLUS.
Burque was on fire last night alright. For miles around Johnson Field and UNM.
Love back atcha from your old hometown. We miss you but I guess Christmas is just around the corner and maybe we'll be lucky and you'll visit.
Posted by: barb | Oct 26, 2008 4:05:34 PM
Gobama....thanks for the nice words. My partner works real hard at this blog. We started it after the dean campaign and have been working for change since. This effort has been our contribution to the country and world. Barb lost her job in 04 and started this up and it has taken on a life of its own. She spends countless hours on this for nothing more than taking our country back. I must say I am proud of her, and wanted to voice my thanks for your nice words and recognition.
Posted by: mary ellen | Oct 26, 2008 5:47:34 PM
Daniel: "Since I am a Hillary Dem voting for McCain..."
I know this is the Internet and verification is difficult, but could this be an incredibly rare sighting of the thought-to-be-extinct "HillMcCain" bird?
I guess without photographic evidence, the Smithsonian and ornithologists just won't believe us. Still, one feels a sense of importance being so close to something so, so rare.
One wonders what the call of the "HillMcCain" bird sounds like? (Insert punchline here)...
Posted by: scot | Oct 26, 2008 7:19:01 PM
I took all four of my kids. 5 months, 2-1/2, 8, 11. we were in line for 3 hours, waited in the crowd for 2 more. IT WAS WORTH IT. OBAMA WILL BE LEGENDARY. HISTORY WILL REMEMBER HIM FOR 1000's OF YEARS. Once in a lifetime.
Posted by: secluded | Oct 26, 2008 8:54:11 PM
What I find hard to believe is that any Dean supporter--or "worker"-- would support McCain--did you ever actually listen to what Dean said? Have you compared it to what McCain is saying? Two totally opposite things.
Perhaps it was in another state, but I don't recall any Dean workers named Daniel in NM.
Posted by: KathyF | Oct 27, 2008 3:51:02 AM
Daniel is clearly a paid blog troll. He's definitely associated either directly with the McCain campaign or through a firm hired by the RNC, the McCain campaign or another Republican front group.
Posted by: Troll | Oct 27, 2008 7:48:48 AM
My 2¢ on Daniel's comment, you can't possibly support Hillary and then vote for McSame. McSame represents everything OPPOSITE of what Hillary/Obama stand for. Obama has the same basic policies as Hillary so voting for McSame just doesn't make sense unless: 1. Your an idiot. 2. Your a racist. 3. Your lying. 4. Your a Republicker never intending to vote for a Democrat. So Daniel, which are you?
Posted by: VP | Oct 27, 2008 10:43:24 AM
Now that makes me homesick! Thanks for the post.
Posted by: karlos | Oct 27, 2008 8:34:28 PM
I think Obama should get prsident cause all the change he is goin to do for us,we never had anyone that cared so much to banded things for our own good.s i think he should get it
vote vote vote for Obama
BABY BRI
Posted by: Brianna | Oct 28, 2008 8:27:12 AM
Republicans = criminals. Every single one should be thrown in jail!!!!!!! That'll teach the racist SOBs. When we take over with Obama in the White House and complete control over the Congress, we'll get RETRIBUTION!!!!! Conservative loudmouths like Limbaugh, Hannity and Villanucci should be off the air and have all of their property seized for being traitors. Jail is too good for them. Anybody who supported the facist Bush administration in any way needs to be taught a lesson that they'll never forget. Put Faux News right out of business the day after the election, with the police if necessary!!!! We'll make it so no conservative dare show his face in public. God bless OBAMA!!!!!!!! He'll take the rich Republicans' money and give it to those who really DESERVE it!!!!!
Posted by: Almar | Oct 28, 2008 9:32:24 PM
Note that the commenter "Almar" has the same IP address as the commenter "quixote" who has been posting right-wing comments on other threads. In other words, it's the same person. You can make your own guess as to why he or she is making this comment here.
Posted by: barb | Oct 29, 2008 9:12:41 AM
