The Corner has the goods:
When McCain and running mate Sarah Palin appeared this morning at Van Dyck Park, in the city of Fairfax, Virginia, the people spilled out of the natural amphitheater, over the sides, out the back, and nearly all the way to the Old Lee Highway. The rally had originally been scheduled for Fairfax High School, but some school board members objected. With controversy brewing, the McCain campaign moved the event to the park. It was a good idea; the high school facility could handle 6,500 people, which would have been a huge crowd in pre-Palin days. But today, the school wouldn’t have been nearly big enough. After the rally, McCain officials told me 23,000 people had been there. Even if that estimate was a little high, it was still McCain’s biggest rally ever — and that, at mid-morning on a weekday.
The message of the day, at least the word circulating among people in the crowd, was hope. This was a group of Republicans that — they’ll admit this now — had pretty much given up hope a few months ago. Now, with McCain’s selection of Palin as his running mate, things are different. “I think we really have a chance now,” a woman named Shirley, of Fairfax, told me. “It’s amazing.”
23,000 is pretty dang impressive, considering that McCain was struggling to bring in four digits prior to Palin. And this lady’s comments pretty much sum up exactly how I personally feel about the race now:
I approached a woman named Carolyn, from Arlington… I asked Carolyn whether she had been a strong supporter of McCain before the Palin announcement. “No, not so much,” she said. “A month ago, I wasn’t very enthusiastic about the race, but now I am. I was a rather disenchanted Republican, as were many of my friends.”
I asked why she had not been happy with McCain.
“I’d rather not go there,” she answered.
“For the obvious reasons?” I said.
“For the obvious reasons. I’m a Reagan conservative and he’s not.”
Look, there’s still a lot I disagree with McCain on. (McCain/Lieberman, McCain/Feingold, McCain/Kennedy, Gang of 14, global warming, ANWR, Gitmo… just to name a few.) But now with Palin, he has gotten me excited about this race again, just like Carolyn from Arlington. I stated several times here at R4′08 that I was going to wait until J-Mac picked a running mate to decide whether or not I was going to vote for him. Well, he’s selected Palin, and I fully intend to vote for McCain/Palin on election day.
September 10th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
If you look at that FoxNews poll, that woman’s rings true. McCain now has a 67% favorability among independents. Only 21% have an unfavorable impression of him. 50% have a favorable impression of Obama and 39% have an unfavorable impression of Obama. These numbers are shocking and seem to point a conclusion that some folks have been milling for months; the so-called independents are now heavily filled with folks who voted for George Bush in 2004 and are generally conservative, but who have become disillusioned with the GOP in the interim. And logically speaking, this makes a good deal of sense. In the past 4 years, how many voters came of age? Only those who were between 14 and 17 in 2004. This is a pitifully small number of people; in 2004, the entire 18-29 age group made up just 17% of the electorate, and no doubt that was heavily skewed towards the folks at the back end of the group (26, 27, 28, and 29 year olds). I’d be shocked if folks who were 14-17 in 2004 make up even 5% of the electorate this go around, even with all the Obama-mania. If we factor in the Democratic registration drive, and typical new-voters, probably 75-80% of the electorate voted in the last election; this is probably a conservative estimate (just 17% of voters were “new voters” in 2004). That means an awful lot of those folks voted for Bush. And maybe a good deal of them, while remaining “independent”, are going to vote for McCain now that Palin’s been added. It’s as good an explanation as any.
September 10th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
#1, I agree 100%. I have been suspecting that many of the undecided voters, are in fact, right-leaning indy’s. Thos voters who left the GOP, had to go somewhere.
September 10th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
They need to bring the McCain/Palin phenomenon to EVERY district and Senate race that they reasonably can with a new Rep challenging an incumbent Dem in a close race and incumbent Reps in trouble to hold the Dem majority low before a big comeback in 2010.
September 10th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
I know that Acorn has been signing new voters up in droves, but how many will actually get out and vote?
THe neighborhoods they are signing up are all 5th ward slums. sad but true.
September 10th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
This is what the Obama folks and the MSM still don’t get. This pick is brilliant not because she is a woman, but because it appeals to a newly excited base AND the middle. Something McCain could never have accomplished. Somehow he found a veep that excites the right-wingers and independents. They on the left think the Palin pick was a blatant pander to women, and they will spend the next 60 days hustling to win a traditionally secure voting block that they mistakenly think is under attack.
September 10th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
We’ve got so much momentum right now, I wonder if Obama’s attacks, rather than weakening us, just slit his own throat. I suspect so, but time will tell.
I’d love to see us carry this mo into debate #1. If it does, and McCain wins decisively, we can start dreaming of a landslide, my friends. (Insert obligatory “the race is not over yet” gentle rebuke for me here)
September 10th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Hey, Mr. Lorelli. Biden now claims to have been in a helicopter that was forced down next to the infamous “superhighway of terror” between Afghanistan and Pakistan. See:
http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2008/09/biden_being_biden_1.asp
There’s only one problem with this account …
(Superhighway of terror?)
September 10th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
My mom is a longtime district chair in Fairfax County and went to the rally and said she’s never seen anything like it. My younger brother and sister also went and were happy to skip school.
September 10th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Now they need to make sure to inspire these 23k )and the 23k that show up for every future rally) to go out and Champion the McCain brand to their friends and neighbors. And participate in campaigning, GOTV, etc. This may actually happen.
September 10th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Hey I just heard that Worldnet Daily is accusing Obama of plagiarizing when he gave his “lipstick on a pig” speech. Check the link.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=74881
Didn’t Biden lose his bid for the same type of thing?? Maybe that was his suggestion.
This needs to get some legs folks!!!!
September 10th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Does someone here happen to have a picture of this massive rally? I would really enjoy it! Thanks in advance!
September 10th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
#11, pictures and video.
http://theoath.wordpress.com/2008/09/10/northern-virginia-mccain-palin-rally-a-first-hand-account/
September 10th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Here is a better video.
http://usatoday.feedroom.com/index.jsp?fr_story=f53597a18283e45e6c0e61f0c6475757756dbfeb&rf=rss
September 10th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
I know this video is off topic, but please take a moment to watch it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG4fe9GlWS8
September 10th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
I was there. It was awesome. I left at 8:30 am driving to Fairfax High School with my 18 month old son, when POTUS ‘08 on XM announced that the school officials had blocked use of the school at the last minute and that the rally would be held somewhere else. I pulled over and called my contact in the McCain campaign who informed me it would be at the park. Unfortunately, I had no map, and Fairfax city is one of those places I always, always get lost. I just drove around somewhat randomly until I saw a stream of people walking on the sidewalk.
I parked about 8-10 blocks away, as it became clear all closer spots were taken. I forgot I had removed the stroller from my car on Monday. Doh. So I had to carry my son. At about 2-3 blocks away, the line began–except the line snaked around through side streets. This line was probably about 8 blocks long. Lots of parents of small children like me.
One annoying thing is that once the line made it on to Old Lee Highway, a Code Pink Crazy Lady holding a massive, gruesome poster of a dead or dying Iraqi child crossed the street to our side when she saw me hold my son. And then she began shadowing me (she was walking in the street while I was on the sidewalk). I think she was purposely trying to upset my son, which just makes my blood boil. Anyway, I did my best not to engage her. Though when she demand “How can you be pro-life and pro-war? War is anti-life! All war is evil.” I answered “So you would have had us capitulate to the Nazis rather than fight a war?”
When I finally arrived at the gates and got through Secret Service screening (my son had fallen asleep in my arms at this point), people were already speaking (it was about 10:45 at that point). I found a place to sit on the north side next to a fence. At 11, Tom Davis started speaking (sound system was poor) and the only thing I caught was the importance of bumper stickers. There was a commotion when the Straightalk Express pulled up next to the fence. Out of the bus came Senators Warner and Graham along with former Senator Thompson. Fred was the next speaker. He had a nice dig against Obama (“First guy in history to make his executive qualification for the Presidency his handling of his campaign for the Presidency.”)
McCain and Palin arrived shortly after Fred finished in SUVs. The two candidates took the stage together with their spouses (“Eye of the Tiger” was playing). Cindy spoke first very briefly (sound system was atrocious at that point). Palin spoke next and was great (similar to her convention speech and other stump speeches I’ve heard). She focused on reform and her record as governor. The crowd was very pumped to see Palin and clearly very excited about her.
McCain was beaming at the size of the crowd. His speech was good to and similar to the end of his convention speech. Best line (we’ve heard it before): “I just can’t wait to introduce [Palin] to Washington. Change is coming!” He shook hands at the fence while leaving. I got my hand shaken, while my 18 month old was on my shoulders doing his best to give me a Don King hairdo. My 18 month old loved the excitement of the crowd. He was singing as McCain shook hands.
All in all, an awesome day.
September 11th, 2008 at 10:30 am
“I asked why she had not been happy with McCain.
“I’d rather not go there,” she answered.
“For the obvious reasons?” I said.
“For the obvious reasons. I’m a Reagan conservative and he’s not.”
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I have to express a certain amount of bemusement with my fellow Arlington, Virginian, here. I am a Reagan conservative, and I can tell you that McCain is more of one than is Bush