The size of Palin’s crowd? You make up the number
September 22, 2008 at 10:26 am by Wayne GarciaJust how many people watched Sarah Palin speak at the GOP-built The Villages over the weekend? Don’t look to the MSM, they’re all over the map:
- 25,000. Fox in Orlando: “The outdoor rally took place at the Lake Sumter Landing Market Square. More than 17,000 tickets had been handed out for the event and an estimated 25,000 people attended.”
- 60,000. The News-Press: “‘Sa-Rah! Sa-Rah!’ they chanted at every mention of her name, applauding loudly and waiving tiny American flags that were distributed — along with free water bottles — by local volunteers. The fire chief estimated the crowd at 60,000.”
- 30,000. Tampa Bay’s 10: “At a campaign event on Sunday drawing about 30,000 people, Governor Sarah Palin criticized Senator Barack Obama for - she says - telling his supporters to “argue” with those who have a different point of view, and to ‘really get in their face’.”
- Thousands. Orlando’s News 13: “Thousands gathered in The Villages to see the Alaskan governor.”
- Tens of thousands. AP: “But she was welcomed like a star, with tens of thousands cramming into a plaza and nearby streets in this enormous retirement community about an hour north of Orlando. Some waited more than five hours in 92-degree heat to see her speak for 23 minutes.”
- 25,000-30,000 or more. Miami Herald: “But Palin drew thousands more than the estimated 20,000 people that turned out for Bush. A fire rescue official estimated the crowd at 25,000 to 30,000, while the Republican Party of Florida pegged the audience at twice that size.”
- Who knows? St. Petersburg Times: “There was no official crowd estimate and unofficial estimates, from 25,000 up to 60,000, were impossible to verify. By comparison, President Bush drew an estimated 15,000 to The Villages four years ago.”
- 25,000+. Tampa Tribune: ” ‘The most appropriate sign there - ‘Sweatin’ for Sarah,’ she said, opening her speech to a crowd security officials at the scene estimated at 25,000 or more.It may have been the largest crowd ever for a presidential campaign event in Florida. George W. Bush was reported to have drawn about 20,000 in 2004 at The Villages, a complex with about 80,000 residents; Obama drew more than 15,000 in Tampa in May, the largest crowd for a campaign event in the city.”
For those who weren’t in the crowd, which neared 1 million, here’s a clip:
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:48 am
How come there were no aerial photos of Palin’s rally? There were plenty of them for Obama’s more populated speeches (Portland, Berlin, etc) and based on them it was hard to argue with the numbers.
September 22nd, 2008 at 11:39 am
…and a partridge in a pear tree!
September 22nd, 2008 at 1:17 pm
I was one of the thousands that was there and I have the sunburn to prove it. I really don’t know how she managed to wear that business suit jacket and keep such composure. All in a day’s work for a politician I suppose. She was as awe-inspiring and elegant as ever and she really rallied the crowd and got us Republicans excited. I look forward to seeing her as Vice President.
September 22nd, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Actually there was an airplane overhead that was flying a Sarah Palin banner that would have gotten a good crowd shot.
September 22nd, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Good update on this by Trib’s William March at http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/news/story/about-that-palin-crowd-floridas-largest-political-crowd-ever/.
Of all the state media, it appeared that Times and Trib handled the uncertainty about the crowd size the best, making us in Tampa Bay still very lucky to have two vital, primary news operations
September 22nd, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Give me a break. These are retired people who drive around in golf carts just for somethin’ to do. You can get 10,000 out on an afternoon by advertising a free scoop of ice cream. I’ve been to that square and there is no way in hell that 60,000 could have been there. Keep dreaming; of these large numbers and that she and her sidekick aren’t going to come after your life savings. Just like GW did. Oh, right, you all came out by the thousands for him too.
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:36 pm
…it’s the girth that counts!
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:50 pm
So true, deb. Sara was in a place where residents lined up at 1am for the 6am grand opening of a supermarket. The lure was a free pineapple. you gotta luv the place! And just think, a morning visit to Disney World, then to the Villages! what could be better!