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The Last Nominee To Deliver Acceptance Speech In Stadium? Yup -- It Was JFK
Yet another basis for comparing Obama with John F. Kennedy?
This morning it was announced that Obama would be moving his convention acceptance to Invesco Field, a football stadium that holds 76,000 people. The last person to do this was -- you guessed it -- the nation's 35th president, who delivered his 1960 acceptance speech as the Dem nominee at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum:
At about one minute and twenty seconds in, the camera pulls out to a wide shot that gives you a sense of just how grandiose the setting for JFK's speech was -- and how grandiose Obama's chosen venue may prove, too.
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Comments (28)
and McCain shakes his fist at invisible clouds at the Excel Center. "Why, you, you, young man! My friends!"
July 7, 2008 11:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
heh.
July 7, 2008 11:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
I couldn't find footage of it on youtube, but Pope John Paul II celebrated World Youth Day in August 1993 to a packed Mile High Stadium, and the visuals were very impressive (even though that was at the old Mile High), and it went off very smoothly. I'm sure the Obama campaign looked at this footage for perspective.
July 7, 2008 11:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, but it may rain!
LOL
July 7, 2008 11:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
Does this mean that McCain will deliver his speech in the MetroDome? Perfect, stale and antiseptic atmosphere for a "down to earth" republican like him.
Also, a perfect example of the bubble most Republicans live in. I can't wait. :) Then again, I highly doubt they could fill it.
July 7, 2008 11:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
They'd probably just hire extras to come fill those seats.
Weren't they doing that in '04?
[and am I the only one these comparisons scare?]
July 7, 2008 11:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
"[and am I the only one these comparisons scare?]"
No you are not. I worry about it all the time. I put nothing above the nutjobs amongst us. Though i'm sure the SS are prepared to deal with the crazies. At least I certainly hope they are.
July 7, 2008 11:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
To me the the fact that it also be on the same day as MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech will be even more dramatic. I can see Obama laying out his claim for America's future!
July 7, 2008 11:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
The Bush 2004 campaign used stadium events to great effect.
Remember? They'd helicopter in, the crowd would go crazy, the President would get tons of free campaign-related press, not to mention we were paying for the aircraft.
July 7, 2008 11:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
I can only hope that this gives my Broncos some good mojo in 2008-09. Should be fantastic imagery.
July 7, 2008 11:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
And, seeing that it'll be August, we don't have to worry about some asshole throwing a snowball at Obama as he lines up to kick the game-winning fieldgoal.
July 7, 2008 6:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
A good sign. My European friends are all rooting for Obama. The ones who are old enough to rememebr JKF say he reminds them of him.
July 7, 2008 11:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
"A good sign. My European friends are all rooting for Obama. "
They were rooting for Kerry too.
July 7, 2008 2:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, and all those same Euros are just falling all over themselves to help out in the Coalition of the Willing, and stand side by side with our brothers and sisters in arms in Baghdad for another 100 years, aren't they?
July 8, 2008 12:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
McCain wouldn't have been able to compete vs. Obama in a normal convention atmosphere. This is just going to ratchet up the disparity between them.
Like one of the nights of primary coverage on MSNBC. I think it was in February. One of the Tuesdays (and I kind of miss all those primary nights). Obama gives a rip-roaring speech, and then MSNBC switches to McCain's speech. McCain and about 15 other older white males were all clustered together on one stage, and McCain was, to put it politely, underwhelming.
I laughed so hard at the contrast that I cried. And Keith Olberman made it worse, by saying, immediately after McCain finished, something to the effect of "Note to the McCain campaign. Don't EVER time your speech so that it follows Obama."
July 7, 2008 11:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
I guess they took olberman's advice and had mcbush speak before obama after the last primary. It still didn't work though. I would send mcbush on vacation until November. He would be better off running on the public's false perception of him as opposed to the public actually seeing him.
July 7, 2008 12:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm just hoping they drag out the green backdrop for McCain's concession, er, convention speech.
Better yet, maybe it will be delivered in conjunction with a Shriner's fish-fry so McCain can drive a go-cart onto the stage and deliver his speech while wearing an honorary fez.
July 7, 2008 12:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Please note all of those empty seats at the Memorial Coliseum. Kennedy was hardly a shoe in. You can't imagine how reviled he was just for being Catholic...let alone being the son of Honey Fitz.
There will be SRO in Denver, though.
July 7, 2008 12:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
That was also the site of the 1959 world series, which I beleive held nearly 100,000. Obama has a much easier task to fill a mere 76,000 seats. Does naybody know what the attendence was at JFK's acceptance speech?
July 7, 2008 12:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'll bet a dollar the infield is full for O!
July 7, 2008 12:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
75,000 is the accepted figure for attendance at JFK's acceptance speech.
July 7, 2008 2:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
My Grandfather was there. He was a precinct captain for JFK. I still have an unused ticket for JFK's Coliseum acceptance speech I got from Grampa.
July 7, 2008 3:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
That ticket might be valid in Denver.
July 7, 2008 4:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
the pressure is on the repugs. OMG, I'm so looking forward to seeing how their talking heads spin this on TV!
July 7, 2008 6:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
I believe using the stadium not only makes you think of and connect to JFk, but it also compliments Obama's youth. The fact that he is striving to get the youth of America involved in politics and public service makes this selection evenmore understandable.
July 7, 2008 9:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
If you knew anything about JFK, the comparison is laughable! His family training and education were the best of Catholic culture and schooling. He was a war hero of the highest sort. He served several terms in the House and a full term in the Senate. He was known for getting things done, especially as a Cold Warrior (even working with a young Republican Richard Nixon!). He had a clear record of accomplishment before running for President. His philosophy would probably be characterized as 'conservative' today: cutting taxes, strong military, aggressive confrontation with the Communist threat. His book, "Profiles in Courage" is a classic; it's not about himself and relying on rhetoric, but about virtue and character. Go through each of these points and compare them with Obama. The only comparisons Obama can make are superficial ones: I'll announce in a stadium, too. As young as he was, JFK was leagues above what Obama could hope to be. We shouldn't find out what he can become with on-the-job training.
July 7, 2008 9:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
This thread is dead, but I cannot let that unmitigated bullshit pass.
Obama is self-made, not aided by a millionaire Ambassador father; he rose to one of the pinnacles of academic achievement through his own efforts, and he has -- himself -- written two good books, not to mention a widely recognized record of achievement in the IL legislature, and becoming one of only a handful of African Americans ever elected to the Senate.
July 8, 2008 2:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
You don't need to throw "unmitigated bullshit" around, do you? We're fellow Americans. I respect you. Hear what I'm saying with respect. The point about the book was what TYPE of book it was and its emphasis. I take nothing away from Obama for what he has done. I'm actually happy for the sake of race relations that he's managed to do what he HAS done. I was comparing WHAT they have done in COMPARISON. Kennedy had 12 years with a LOT of work done passing bills and affecting the world directly. With all due respect, Obama's record in Illinois featured an unprecedented number of non-votes. In his one and a half years in the Senate, he has NEVER convened the committee he supposedly runs and by concensus he has once again avoided votes and taking stands. Kennedy's "Ambassador father" was not there when he PROVED his worth on the PT-109; he did that all by himself. All of this achievement next to being a 'community organizer' (and less than two years in the Senate) I think justifies any hyperbole I used. Hope to talk to you again. The best to you.
July 11, 2008 11:20 PM | Reply | Permalink