Philly Kossacks: Obama Rally Tonight

While the majority of you probably already know about this, there's an Obama rally tonight on Independence Mall.

From the official site:

Join Barack Obama at an On Track for Change Rally in Philadelphia this Friday, April 18th. Below are the details for this event:

On Track for Change Rally in Philadelphia with Barack Obama

Independence National Historical Park
Market Street and 5th Street
Philadelphia, PA

Friday, April 18, 2008
Gates Open: 6:00 p.m.

***Public transportation is strongly recommended***

The event is free and open to the public; tickets are NOT REQUIRED but an RSVP is encouraged. Space is available on a first come, first served basis. Please RSVP using the form to the right.

For security reasons, do not bring bags and please limit personal items. No signs or banners permitted.

They're asking that you RSVP early, at the link here or above.

I'm looking forward to this, as in my years of political involvement I've never actually been to a full blown campaign rally.

I propose we kossacks settle on some sort of personal identifier, so we can pick each other out of the crowd.  The obvious thing is to wear something orange, but that seems kind of passe.  My suggestion: Orange Juice.

•  Tips for raising ye olde roof.

  Let's show the founding fathers that we haven't given up on the revolution.

  by Capt America on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 05:44:35 AM PDT

  •  I'll be there!

    I'm bringing a buch of high school kids with me. They are so psyched! This'll be the first big campaign rally for all of my group, including me, I feel like a kid on xmas eve!

    I'm coming from the burbs and will take the train down to avoid the traffic/parking nightmare, but I'm not sure what time to head down. The gates open at 6pm, does that mean the rally would be around 8-ish? Any clue?

    by Kelly of PA on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 06:04:54 AM PDT

    •  Sounds About Right...Hope ALL U Kidz

      enjoy it to the Max--it'll be an experience to remember!!!

      by serrano on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 06:07:34 AM PDT

    •  I don't know when it starts.

      Judging from the live rally footage that I've seen on t.v., I'd say 7:30 or 8 sounds about right.

      I'm really looking forward to this too.  I figure there will probably be more Obama rallies here in October or so, but that's a long way off at this point.

      by Capt America on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 06:07:42 AM PDT

    •  FYI, Obama rally in Wynnewood tomorrow

      Not sure where in the burbs you are coming from, but I found out last night that there will be a rally with Barack at the train station in Wynnewood, doors opening 9:30. They seemed a little worried about turnout when I talked to them last night, so you might want to go to that as well.

      by democrattotheend on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 06:10:14 AM PDT

      •  I'll be there too!

        Wynwood is about a 1/2 hour from my house. Found out about the event at campaign headquarters yesterday. I'm taking my 6 year old to that one. He wants to see Obama but I think the rally tonight will be too crowded/overwhelming for him. Tomorrow's event is supposed to be much smaller, so I think it'll be more kid friendly.

        by Kelly of PA on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 06:14:09 AM PDT

•  Please come back and tell us all about it.

  With plenty of pics.
  Enjoy yourself.. I envy you so.

  Go Obama
  

  by notquitedelilah on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 05:49:40 AM PDT

  •  Tips for Orange Juice!!!.....

    or...Jugo de Naranja, as we like to say.  Btw, gotta tell ya, the Orange Juice in northern Mexico is soooo much sweeter than what we get here...

    by serrano on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 06:06:04 AM PDT

•  I'll be there!

  Losing my Obama rally virginity today. Actually my political rally virginity, in fact :)

  Anyone else going to be riding the R5 in from the Lansdale/Doylestown direction? If so, which train? (I haven't decided yet, not sure how early to try to be. I have a funny feeling that "doors open at 6" means that there'll be 20,000 people outside by 3. But I really have no idea what to expect...)

  by sab39 on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 06:23:30 AM PDT

  •  I'm taking off from work at 4.

    I work in Center City, so I figure I can just walk over, maybe pick up a bite to eat on the way.

    I have no idea how crazy it's going to be.  My feeling is that it's going to be packed, but 6 on a Friday is kind of a rough time to be trying to get into the city from outside, so it might be that the crowds aren't so bad and it's just a steady trickle in.

    by Capt America on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 06:31:51 AM PDT

    •  Have a great time! It is such a great experience

      We were so fortunate to see him here in Missoula, MT.  Be sure to take your camera.

      by MTmarilyn on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 06:37:07 AM PDT

  •  I'm taking the R5

    But I'm not sure what time to leave either. I figured that there's going to be a TON of people, so there's no way I'll get up front. I don't want to wait for hours just to get a mediocre seat/place, but I'm willing to wait a couple of hours regardless. So I think we'll head down around 4:30, get downtown around 5-ish, and then hang out and talk to other supporters for a few hours. What time are you leaving?

    by Kelly of PA on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 07:41:41 AM PDT

    •  I'm probably going to go early afternoon

      I'm willing to wait a few hours for a once-in-a-lifetime event :) So I'm probably going to leave work shortly after lunch, 2:30 or so. Looks like that train gets me downtown at 3:18, I can stop and get a late lunch/early dinner at the Gallery and then head over a mere 2.5 hours before the "doors open" (not sure what that means for an open-air rally anyway).

      Ping me (ie reply here) if you change your mind and decide to head in earlier; it'd be nice to have company on the train and while waiting :)

      by sab39 on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 08:32:40 AM PDT

      •  I would go earlier

        But I have to wait for the kids to get home from school. I'm taking 3 high-schoolers with me, they don't get home from school until about 3pm. I also have to pick my son up at school and get him to the sitter. So the earliest I could possibly leave is 4pm, which would mean the 4:25 train. I'm gonna push for that. the kids have texted me saying that they wanna get down there asap. I'm so happy they're excited and getting involved!

        by Kelly of PA on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 09:26:03 AM PDT

        •  Aww

          I'm glad they're excited too :) but sorry that it means you won't get down there until later. Maybe we'll end up on the same train on the way back afterwards.

          Then again, I'm not sure how we'd know...

          by sab39 on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 09:58:23 AM PDT

          •  Well..

            If it helps...I'm wearing grey yoga pants, a pink tube tob, and have curly shoulder-length brown hair. That should help you find me among tens of thousands of people. :-)

            by Kelly of PA on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 11:06:11 AM PDT

            •  As for me...

              I'm wearing a blue shirt, jeans, and a black jacket with an Obama button (of course). My photo is on my homepage linked from my profile altho it's a teeny one. Hopefully the number of tens of thousands riding back on the R5 will be slightly smaller :) I'll keep an eye out for you.

              Leaving now... Have fun and good luck getting good spots :)

              by sab39 on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 11:32:57 AM PDT

•  Saw Bill Clinton here in '92

  If it's the courtyard area, its not going to be big enough. Obama needs to hold something at Love Park like Kerry did in '04. Plenty of room there, but it would play havoc with traffic around City Hall during a rush hour - bet you th Obama campaign thought about this.

  Actually shook Clinton's hand as he worked the rope line back to his caravan in 1992.

  by JohnnyAppleseed on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 06:36:27 AM PDT