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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2008 > November > 02
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Obama speaks to 80,000 in Cleveland, despite the rain
CLEVELAND- The rain came but that didn’t stop Democrat Barack Obama from firing up a crowd estimated at 80,000 today, Nov. 2.
“A new day is coming, sunshine is on the way,” Obama said about half way through his 34-minute speech on a grassy downtown mall near Lake Erie. He spoke after Bruce Springsteen warmed up the crowd with a set of favorites.
As he had earlier in Columbus before a crowd of 60,000, Obama called Republican John McCain a “sidekick” to President Bush, not a “maverick.”
He urged the cheering crowd not to take victory for granted, but to pound on more doors and make more phone calls.
“If you will stand with me, and fight by my side, and cast your ballot for me, then I promise you this - we will not just win Ohio, we will win this election, and together, we will change this country and we will change the world,” Obama said before heading for Cincinnati and what is likely his final Ohio campaign appearance before voting on Tuesday, Nov. 4.
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Cleveland crowd gathers early for Obama rally
CLEVELAND- Tyrone Robinson and his wife Deborah lined up about 11 a.m. today, Nov. 2, for an opportunity to see Democrat Barack Obama, the presidential candidate they believe will make history if elected on Tuesday, Nov. 4.
The downtown rally on a grassy mall near Lake Erie and the football stadium where the Browns were playing started about 3:25 with warm-up speeches.Obama was expected later. Bruce Springsteen also was to perform an acoustic set.
“We’ve never had an African-American president,” said Robinson, a steelworker. He and his wife are black but race is not the only reason they’re backing Obama, he said.
“This man is not in office for black people,” said Robinson. “He’s in office for all people.”
The couple came from Maple Heights, southeast of Cleveland.
Karen Felix, who is white and from Rocky River, a western, Republican-leaning suburb, also got there early.
“I believe in this guy,” said Felix, an Obama neighborhood team leader.
The rally was the second of three Obama had in Ohio on Sunday. He was to come here from Columbus where a crowd of 60,000 gathered outside the Statehouse and then finish the day in Cincinnati.
A strong showing by Obama is needed in the Cleveland areas to offset Republican strength in other parts of the state.
“It is our time to make it better for the world by voting for Obama,” said Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, warming up the crowd.
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, lauded Obama as a steady hand and called Republican John McCain “a bit erratic.”
Brown said he knew many of the thousands in the crowd had been at rally near the same site on the day before the election four years ago for Democrat John Kerry, who lost.
“This year its going to be really, really different,” said Brown.
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D.C. mayor in Dayton today campaigning for Obama
Washington, D.C., Mayor Adrian Fenty will campaign for Barack Obama and Joe Biden in Dayton on Sunday.
Fenty, the youngest mayor in Washington, D.C., history, endorsed Barack Obama in July 2007.
Details of his visit are below.
Sunday, November 2 (Dayton)
Staging Location Stop By
2:00 PM
Community Center
1306 Salem Avenue, Dayton
Staging Location Stop By 3:15 PM Community Center 33 Barnett Street, Dayton
Staging Location Stop By 5:00 PM Greater St. John Missionary Baptist Church 4200 Germantown Pike, Dayton
GOTV Rally with Montgomery County Chair Marc Owens 6:00 PM Corinthian Baptist 700 South James H. McGee Boulevard, Dayton
