Times Square Obama Rally!

Hi all,

We just got back from the Times Square Obama rally a few hours ago. (We had to stop and get dinner.) The Obama campaign had the area outside Mtv studios reserved on Broadway between 44th and 45th. When we got there at 415, it was kind of quiet (maybe 20 people) but we got buttons! Finally, the elusive Obama buttons!

But it didn't take long for the crowd to get Big Apple sized!

Many more pictures below the fold.

Here's the afternoon crowd:

I spent most of my time facing Broadway where everyone held up signs to passing cars. Lots of people were honking (that's a $300 fine in NYC) as they passed, some in unison with our Obama/Oh-Eight/New York State chants. There were kids hanging out of sun roofs and even polite nods and thumbs up. Cab drivers and tourist bus drivers were totally into us! I even gave one a bumper sticker!

By 5, we were officially a rally. The police had to bring in the barracades to keep us off the street. And the press arrived. (I'm watching the local news to see if we're going to be on tv.)

There were lots of creative signs!

There were Obama kids...

...and Obama pups...

You can really feel the energy of this campaign here in NYC. There are Obama folks on the subway platforms during rush hour with signs. I see Obama buttons which, despite what they say about us New Yorkers, IS an invitation to talk about the campaign.

In fact, the only Hillary signs I've seen in NYC were big jumbo things dragged over to our rally around 6. They were quickly ushered out with their silly signs now covered with Obama stickers.

We were peeling folks off of the Times Square throngs. Lots of people were joining us. Passers by were very receptive and asking for material.

And this is my favorite picture from today!

I sure hope Obama wins New York! If he doesn't it, it sure won't be for a lack of effort!

Go New York! Go Obama!

-fink

[Update: Looks like "Women for Obama" pulled in 500 people up at Columbus Circle today too!]

•  Tips kindly.

  My fiancee and I just got our polling station confirmations. Two more votes for Obama on Tuesday morning!

  -fink

  by fink on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 08:38:38 PM PDT

  •  I"m on the email list, but

    I didn't see anything about Times Square today, or else I'd have been there. I only got a notice about Women for Obama in The Park. Hmmph.

    by jeff in nyc on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 08:40:37 PM PDT

    •  wow! that is a great crowd!

      I loved living in NYC in my twenties: great to see such a show of support for your candidate!

      by dotcommodity on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 10:15:42 PM PDT

  •  Wonderful pictures!

    Thank you for sharing them - you know, I'm kind of glad that there aren't too many polls for Super Tuesday, because when Obama wins NYC, we can thank the grassroots effort and his message for doing the work!

    by scimitar on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 08:47:30 PM PDT

    •  What the polls don't capture

      is that people in New York are big on Obama. I overhear people talking about him all the time. New Yorkers aren't beholden to their Senator.

      We're also impossible to poll because not many New Yorkers still have land lines.

      -fink

      by fink on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 08:49:37 PM PDT

•  It might have been nice

  had the candidate shared your enthusiasm for his chances. I hear he's speaking at the Meadowlands Monday. Not quite so centrally located but, there's your shot.

  by mrblifil on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 08:40:54 PM PDT

•  Gorgeous stuff. I'd love to see him in person

  sometime. Hopefully he'll be back in Boston after Tuesday to give a victory speech!

  by haruki on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 08:41:50 PM PDT

  •  If you want to see him in Boston

    You don't have to wait till after Tuesday - he's here on Monday (RSVP link) at the Seaport Convention Center with Edward Kennedy, John Kerry, and Duval Patrick.

    I'm not sure if I can go - I've got a deadline on Wednesday, and going will mean going early and waiting in line all day if I want to get in - but it should be quite the event.

    by Warren Terra on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 08:55:24 PM PDT

  •  obama in person

    ive volunteered for the campaign since he announced and ive seen Obama speak 4 times now and have actually met with him, shook his hand and told him about the work we were doing ... he is so natural, a really gentle soul,
    I want to share these diaries I wrote over at OMS about Obama in SF in November:
    Live from the Streets of SF: Obama on the Loose,San Francisco Live: Outside the Graham, and SF Redux: Inside the BG Auditorium

    and new york back in October ... here's a walk down memory lane for those of you who missed this incredible appearance in Washington Square Park

    by boatsie on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 09:16:13 PM PDT

  •  Why can't you go

    On Monday for the big rally?

    by Populista on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 09:31:23 PM PDT

•  Great news that Obama is playing

  well on HRC's home turf. The pictures are great. Thanks for posting them.

  by peraspera on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 08:42:26 PM PDT

•  February 5th is my birthday

  And all I want is for my home state to vote YES for Obama!!  Thanks for this GREAT diary!  I felt the enthusiasm!

  by noweasels on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 08:43:15 PM PDT

•  Was this the rally outside of the MTV event

  I was watching the MTV - MySpace event with the candidates tonight and they showed all the Obama supporters outside. Was that you?

  by aj4runner on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 08:43:58 PM PDT

  •  That was us!

    Get this. The Obama organizers were adamant that we not BOO the other candidates and made sure we all heard it twice. I heard some booing when Huckabee first came up on the big screen but they couldn't have gotten to all of us.

    I love that about this campaign: keep it positive!

    -fink

    by fink on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 08:45:31 PM PDT

    •  Cool! Excellent first hand report!

      I agree. Booing doesn't come across well on TV when trying to support your candidate.

      by aj4runner on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 08:48:44 PM PDT

    •  its hard, but keeping it positive works

      if you supporters are positive, you set him up better to roll out his zingers himself more devastatingly, like the "wheels coming off" comment.

      (wish Gore had been president the last 8 years too)

      by dotcommodity on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 10:19:17 PM PDT

•  I missed the Time Square rally

  but it looks like you had a good time!!!! The Bronx is fired up! Ready to go!

  by shanay on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 08:46:27 PM PDT

•  Awesome pics!

  Buttons!  I want my buttons!  I think those of us that vote earlier should pledge to send our buttons to the later states, since there seems to be such a dearth!

  I ordered 50 but it looks like I won't be able to use them in time...was planning on forwarding them on.

  by oscarsmom on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 08:46:27 PM PDT

•  Such great pictures!

  Thanks!

  I love all the homemade signs.  Those are really the best.  They say it all!

  I can't wait for the tsunami to roll into PA in April.  I think we are still going to have  real contest on our hands and we will have some HUGE rallies in Philly.

  by Mother of Zeus on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 08:48:24 PM PDT

  •  April!

    I don't know if my heart can handle it. But I guess if Pennsylvania matters, I'll have to start working over my brother, the hesitant Hillary - possibly McCain supporter.

    -fink

    by fink on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 08:50:51 PM PDT

•  Looks a lot like Boise!

  Great photos!

  by benthos on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 08:51:45 PM PDT

  •  Wow. That might be the first time...

    ...I've ever heard someone say New York City looks a lot like Boise.

    by mistersite on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 08:52:56 PM PDT

    •  New York was no Boise.

      They had 15,000 people! We did pretty good though considering we were a rally without speakers.

      -fink

      by fink on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 08:54:27 PM PDT

      •  My grandparents used to live in Boise,

        I know Boise, it was friendly to me, and New York, you're no Boise.

        by crankyinNYC on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 10:49:07 PM PDT

•  Those pictures give me the warm fuzzies

  It's just so nice to see so many people fired up! Cheers from an undecided non-voter!

  by kyril on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 08:57:58 PM PDT

  •  Non-voter?

    As in not going to vote, or just haven't voted yet?

    by mistersite on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 09:00:16 PM PDT

    •  Can't vote

      I'm an alien :)

      by kyril on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 09:54:44 PM PDT

      •  me too

        + have that extraterrestrial ID to prove it...

        by dotcommodity on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 10:22:44 PM PDT

•  Here's how to help in New York.

  http://my.barackobama.com/...

  -fink

  by fink on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 09:01:38 PM PDT

•  I'd love to say yes

  But I don't want to get up my hopes so I'm expecting the worse and fighting for the best.

  You guys got on the Obama HQ blog!

  Great work. Fired up!

  by Populista on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 09:02:11 PM PDT

•  He doesn't have to WIN NY

  He just has to get as close as he can to a tie. If he gets within single digits of Hillary Clinton not only will that eat away at her total delegates but it would be seen as a huge boost for Obama to have such a strong showing in Hillary's home state.

  by DeanDemocrat on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 09:08:51 PM PDT

•  At the Times Square rally today,

  one thing that amazed and inspired me was all the different people who came out to support Obama. I saw many people, young and old, holding "Veterans for Obama" signs. I saw children with their parents, asking questions about the political process and taking in all the positive energy. I even saw some Obama sign-holders convince a man who identified himself as an "independent undecided voter" join the rally.

  Perhaps the most telling moment was at 6pm, when all the candidates were scheduled to appear on the big screen in TS for an Mtv program, and people  began reminding each other, "Cheer for Obama, but don't boo the other candidates!"

  I felt like I was part of something great today.

  by brooklynkrow on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 09:44:23 PM PDT

•  I was there too.

  Some highlights:

  A NYC sanitation truck stopped in front of us, one of the guys gave a big thumbs up, jumped out and disappeared into the crowd. A moment later he returned to the truck and pasted an Obama sticker on the side of the truck. THE CROWD WENT NUTS!!!

  Lots of chants:
  Si, se pueda, yes we can!
  (call and response) Fired up! Ready to go!
  Obama, oh-eight, be a part of something great!
  Obama, oh-eight, is the one for New York State!

  I was working the Broadway side and trying to get cars to honk. A LOT did and then the crowd would go nuts again.

  Later some Ron Paul supporters set up North of us.
  And there were a few Hillary supporters. I felt it was kind of metaphoric for their campaign.The few supporters were saddled with these huge 3 x 5 foot signs but didn't have enough people to support them.
  Later, they moved through our crowd with one of the huge signs. I don't think they were trying to make a ruckus, the cops probably told them they would have to leave through us. But as they moved through, carrying this large sign, everyone held up Obama signs so you couldn't see their sign. Finally, the guys tipped their sign on end so it was like a sinking Titanic moving through a sea of Obama signs.

  I'd say there were at peak about 600 - 800 people for Obama. Everyone was having a great time and we never stopped cheering and chanting.

  by crankyinNYC on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 09:57:06 PM PDT

  •  Those HIllary folks

    We watched them coming from two blocks away. They weren't being diverted through our crowd.

    I thought it was a great metaphor for the Hillary mentality: always finding out where the party is and then coming over for some attention.

    -fink

    by fink on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 10:16:19 PM PDT

    •  No kidding.

      I was at first pissed and then thought why mess with the positive vibe we had. God, how stupid would you have to be to march through hundreds of Obama supporters with a 3'x 5' Hillary sign. Especially given the entire Hillary contigent was just four people.

      by crankyinNYC on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 10:24:35 PM PDT

•  I have an elusive...

  ...button.  I wear it on my winter coat everyday.  I take it off just before I walk into work, because my boss  (a very nice strong woman) is a Clinton supporter.  I got the button the night Barack won Iowa.  I was at an Obama return party in Chicago.  Man, was that fun.  Jesse jackson Jr. called us on the conference phone.

  BTW.  I've started using Clinton instead of Hillary.  Just to remind everyone.

  It's been quite an unlikely journey.

  Thank you New York!@@!@!!!

  by CupofTea on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 10:13:49 PM PDT

•  You might want to add this video to the diary

  Check this out, Times Square Visibility video at the Barack Obama website.

  You'll probably see yourself in it.

  by aj4runner on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 11:00:50 PM PDT