Tampa McCain rally: Where is everybody?

About 30 minutes before John McCain is scheduled to lead a rally outside Raymond James Stadium, looks like there's maybe 1,000 people here. What's up with that? On the day before the election? Bush drew at least 15,000 people to a rally just across the street on the Sunday before the 2004 election.

"We are the quiet majority that goes out and gets things done. ... I smell victory,'' said state Rep. Kevin Ambler. Good thing he smells it, because it's hard to see it with this crowd.

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Comments

Ouch. Hey brother, that ain't victory you're smelling. It's the pony that must be in here somewhere.

[ind]

I smell an Obama landslide.

I'm shocked that many would show up.

Breakfast at Denny's, then they'll show up.

Florida goes blue this year. I smell it. $100 says my sense of smell is better than Mr. Ambler's.

[Joseph]

See us Republicans work -- don't know about the Democrats. They want to take our money from working and give it to those who don't.

[TRUE BLUE]

Sad,so sad that not even the Republicans care about McCain. His pick of Sara Fainin was the nail in his coffin.

[Campaign Manager]

Ouch.

Joseph, you are so funny. Democrats work just as hard as most Republicans. Your way of thinking is old and outdated.

[Joseph]

Anonymous (no name?) at 9:09 -- not outdated. Just take a look at the unemployment records for this year.

Unemployment records show a ton of Americans are out of work. The only 2 people that I know that have been laid off are both Republicans.

[Joseph]

I'm Joe the Plumber. Every john needs a Joe.

They are all on their way to the Obama rally in Jax

[freerider]

Joseph says "republicans work and democrats don't." Has something changed since 4 years ago when 15,000 republicans showed up for Bush? Were the republicans out of work in 2004?

Sorry 9:19 only a thousand at that rally for Obama in Jax so far, and McCain had 5000 at 6:30 am the day he was here on a Monday.

[Obama/Biden 08 real change not more Bush]

George Bush has destroyed the economy of all demographics; except the top 1% of the wealthy. It doesn't matter whether you are R or D, Bush and his redistribution of the wealth and corporate welfare socialism are hurting you. Even if you have a decent job, you may have a child who is fighting in Iraq for corporate profits, if not, your kids will still be paying for that war when they should be able to start out in life with a clean slate.

Republican policies are bad for all Americans, and John McCain would continue those same policies without change.

[Joe The Plunger]

Go Obama!!!!!!!

[Joe]

I support McCain, but don't need a rally to get me to vote. Sorry. I don't need my candidate to bring out overaged (even for McCain) singers, and comedians who have made a living of putting down the very folks a candidate is trying to woo (yes that is you Obama with Chris Rock and Buffett).

I'll just show up, along with many of my friends and family who are going to vote McCain. We don't need a rally to get me fired up with pretty soundbites like some others do.

[john]

That smell is the dead body of conservatism.

It took the republicans 8 years, but they managed to kill conservatism and bring the most liberal candidate in history to the presidency.

Bush was just the triggerman. McCain moved the body.

McCain could have separated himself from this by voting against the communist bailout. A golden opportunity to be a maverick -- blown.

LEFT FULL RUDDER!

[Dave]

Republicans are so predictable with the old "only hippies and the unemployed are Democrats" line.

This is why everyone hates you. You lie and treat everyone who doesn't agree with your politics as losers and anti-American.

That's no way to win supporters, you idiots.

[Paul]

Republicans have to work so Obama can redistibute their wealth to the Dems.
On the million man march, 3 Dems missed work

9:52 Joe it doesn't take much to fire you up I know. Just a little Limbaugh and Hannity and carefully crafted lies washed down with a generous pitcher of Kool-Aid. Fools like you voted for Bush a second time, and still cling to your guns and religion even though people like Karl Rove are playing you like a fiddle to accomplish your own destruction.

[Dave]

I enjoyed the YouTube video of Republicans waiting in line to see Palin talk, while screaming at Obama supporters across the street to "GET TO WORK!"

Like somehow they weren't there also.

[Disgusted]

If I didn't have to be in to work at 8 am, I'd be there. Most McCain supporters have jobs.

9:36, Obama's rally doesn't begin for about two hours.

[spence-bob]

"They want to take our money from working and give it -"

ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ....

Sorry, kind of nodded off there. Heard it all before. No truer now than it ever has been.

[Dave]

Look at all the Republicans STILL claiming that Democrats are all unemployed!

Why not argue they are black? Or poor?

Don't argue they are stupid, because you've proved that stupidity is the major focus of the Republican Party for at least eight years.

Sarah Palin is your hero? I wouldn't trust that woman to DRIVE me to work.

[John]

Wait, why didn't McCain just bus in a few thousand elementary school students?

[Lee]

If you believe that Bush is responsible for all the countries woes, then you have been reading this newspaper too much. Read from many sources on on all sides of the issue and you will know that both sides played a major role in this problem.
Adam Smith once again published something negative about Republicans so it is no real surprise. I cannot go to the rally because I work. Maybe McCain should promise more free money to people who do not pay taxes and he could get a few more to show up.
Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them. If we elect Obama, we will be giving total control to one party without any balance at all. We went through 6 years with one political party in control and it did not turn out very good, so why are we going to do it again? The best four years we have had in a while was with a Democratic president and a Republican Congress. We should repeat the opposite of that and then we would see some improvement.
Weird how the St. Pete Times ignores every story that is negative about Obama like his recently surfaced comments about bankrupting the coal industry. How many middle class workers are employed in coal? I also want to know why there are three figures that Obama's campaign gives for the lower taxes threshold between 150 and 250 thousand dollars. No story on that at all here.

[Alex]

The funny part is that the McCain campaign thought Joe the Plumber was going to inspire America.

I feel bad for the field reps over there. You know the Senior Staff jerks are blaming them for this.

[Dan]

I'd be embarrassed to show up at a McCain rally too. I have a reputation to preserve, and being an idiotic loser isn't part of it.

[Dan]

But wait! Didn't you hear Obama's middle name is Hussein? That's like that guy in Iraq!!! Grr!

(This is the best Republicans can come up with).

[SB]

Go head vote for Obama. He will make it so we can do as little as possible and have everything handed to us. I would be able to quit my job after 25+ years and sit back and relax because I am sure not going to bust my butt so others get a free ride. If you think we pay too much in taxes now just wait until he adds the illegals to our system with social security cards and medicaid help. I work for what I have and am struggling like most working people are but at least I work and try. The man has a relative living in public housing and illegally in the county and claims he knows nothing. I will be first in line for my handout..

[Rich]

It took a dem to get us out of the mess george senior made.. it will take a dem to get us out of the mess george w. has made too...
GO OBAMA/BIDEN 2008

Yeah, cause it's not like rich people can get away with not paying taxes, or get big gubermint handouts when their real-estate investments go bad!

[Edison Carter]

Obama's middle name is Hussein...

And George's first name is the same as the King we broke away from...

[Dan]

Obama never promised all the things Republicans claim he has.

It's sad to see how pathetic my father's party has become.

Just fear-mongers, racists, fundies and the mentally ill are left.

How about not insulting everyone that doesn't agree with you politically, and quit making up wild lies about Obama for a change?

Maybe then you can take your party back for intelligent human beings, instead of the whiny losers you have become.

[John]

"We are the quiet majority that goes out and gets things done..I smell victory,''

Actually, that's the rotting corpse of conservatism in America. At least Bush can list that as the one worthwhile accomplishment of his administration.

Thanks GW!

You poor little repiggies better get used to heariing "President Obama." Life will go on, you will calm down, no one will seize your home or raid your bank account. The most important thing for me is that the short-tempered, quick-on-the-trigger, non-thinking neo-con nasties will be out of power totally, wandering around in the wilderness.
Good riddance to them, and shame on the repiggies for giving them a warm place for the past eight years. GOOD RIDDANCE TO BUSH/CHENEY. What a nightmare.

[B]

spence-bob; heard it all before and it is not true? Interesting. That means you don't trust, or believe, Obama's own words. How can you not believe Obama? When has he ever given reason to doubt his sincerity and honesty? I am shocked that anyone would even question him. When Obama speaks, he means what he says, doesn't he?

[otis]

Maybe you shouldn't have gone with failin Palin.

What were you thinking McCain?

[Daily]

Children of the future need OBAMA

Please remember us, the future.. Don't vote Mccain.

[Dave]

I like to read the ignorant, lying comments by Republicans on this board.

Every one of them illustrates why America is overwhelmingly tired of the same old nonsense. Republicans, your era is over, and you blew it.

Go Obama! Better times are coming!

[Joe]

To: Posted by: | November 03, 2008 at 09:59 AM

i love when someone posts something, that isn't blasting particular people, we get attacked and called idiots and fools, etc. Last I checked, i didn't call you or any Democrats a fool or bunch of hippies or gay loving athiests, etc...

Please show the same respect here to me. I can understand if I said those things and i'd be fair game, but I didn't so you posting that sort of stuff just reinforces more stereotypes and lumping folks in one pile.

For your info, I don't watch FoxNews, don't care to hear Rush, Think Rove is an idiot, cheney is a moron, Bush is a moron too.

HOWEVER, what Obama has said, doesn't impress me. He gives good soundbites, but from what i've researched, his policies and his agenda i do not support. in fact, other than 1992, this will be the 1st time since then that I've voted for a Republican president.

96-Clinton
00-gore (wanted McCain back then though)
04- no one, Kerry and Bush were both morons and i'd rather not vote for the lesser of both evils.

I HAVE voted for congressional Repubs though. So please don't lump all Republicans as your small minded stereotypes. We can actually vote across party lines for those that will BEST do the job. I know I do. How about you?

Also, everyone at that rally wasn't just there to support Obama. Newschannel 8 or 10, I forgot had interviewed several people at the Obama rally and a few said they were just there to hear Buffett, not to vote for Obama. So that rally, wasn't all voting for Obama.

[Dave]

You sound like a decent, intelligent person, Joe.

Too bad the Republican Party has no use for people like you.

[Mark]

Republicans would be the ones showing up... and Republicans are also the ones who carry Jobs. Everyone is at work, low turnout is expected.

[Whitey4O8ama]

SB=BS

[John]

Mark,

Nice try. But where were they in 2004 when 15,000 showed up for Bush?

[SCBlue]

yea, Repubs...keep working..I'm retired and looking forward to getting over a $2,000 savings with President Obama..I already voted..and was so happy to do so. You keep your jobs..its paying my social security.