Obama Election Night In Grant Park

Chicago Tribune:

Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign will hold what it hopes will be an Election Night celebration in Grant Park in Chicago.

The large public space between the Loop and lakeshore also hosted a papal visit in 1979 and a Chicago Bulls NBA championship celebration in 1991.

An Obama aide confirmed the location this morning, but said logistical details such as whether attendees will need to register online or obtain a ticket in advance are still being worked out and will be announced in the coming days.

The Obama event is expected to take place on the south end of the park in an area known as Hutchison Field.

Read the whole story: Chicago Tribune

Comments

[milo h minderbinder]

For anyone wondering if this will cost the city anything, it has been reported that the campaign is paying for all of it (upfront in fact). This isn't costing taxpayers a penny.

[wendynyc]

As long as they have really good security!!

[Hockymom]

I will be amazing to see, I wish I could see it. It isn’t out of line for him to plan this in a big space because he has already had huge crowds, so win or lose they will come. I hope he wins, and at this point I can’t see why he wouldn’t, but I have been disappointed before. I think I will be so disappointed if he doesn’t this time I may actually move to Canada, but that might not be far enough.

[yvonne61]

EVERYBODY PRAY THAT HE WIN NOVEMBER 4 2008 BECAUSE, IF HE DON'T WE SCREW. HOPE ON THE WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Carsy]

Isn't going to be kind of cold in November for a outside event?

[cnobody]

it was single digits when the Bears had their Super Bowl parade and a half million people came out to celebrate.

[milo h minderbinder]

Yeah. They do the inauguration outdoors in DC in January and that still gets a huge turnout.

[K-Dog76]

I'm all for Obama having a big outdoor celebration in the city, that means I can go and I'm not even voting for him! I'll still go for the spectacle and historical significance. He is a worthy candidate, even if he isn't my choice and as a resident of Chicago, I would gladly pay him my respect...

Now I know some of you radical far-lefties would move to Canada if McCain wins... the fact is either candidate will do a good job as president, and I look forward to people working together instead of pointing fingers. I hope pulls it off as president.

[milo h minderbinder]

So you are voting for McCain?

[zuffaloo]

"the fact is either candidate will do a good job as president"

Emm... McCain has been back & forth on every issue that exists over the last few months. How on earth can you say what he would do as president? If you're one of the 2% richest people in America, I could see how you would root for the guy who's going to give you even MORE tax breaks than you've already gotten under Bush, but how do you know the "maverick" McCain wouldn't come back in January & raise taxes for you instead? Afterall, we ALL know he used to be against Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy. Same can be said for any issue. Only thing that can be said for sure about McCain is that you don't know what he will do at any given moment.

On the other hand, we KNOW we don't want Sarah Palin as president - the average 1st grader knows more about politics than her. And w/ McCain's age & melanoma background, there's a good chance he will die in the next 4 years. The experience to lead, indeed!

[zuffaloo]

"I look forward to people working together instead of pointing fingers. I hope pulls it off as president."

Then you're voting for the wrong guy. Obama is and has always been the uniter. That's why the far-left (the REAL far-left) don't like him that much. He's too centrist - he's always been known for finding sides to issues that both sides can agree on, in order to advance legislation that will benefit us all. McCain, and the GOP, obviously DEPEND on dividing the country for their own gain. Scare tactics, Xenophobia, racism, jingoism, etc. are all you hear from these people. Unite? Under the GOP??? Like we did under Bush? What rock have you been living under for the past 8 years?

BTW us "far-lefties" are actually centrists. The GOP has been pretending the radical far-right are the majority for so long they actually have a few people believing it, apparently. As I said earlier, the far-left don't even like Obama.

[DebbieinPhx]

K dog, If McCain wins, Al Qaeada which has just thrown their blessing behind his candidacy will celebrate that night too. Maybe you'd care to joing them? They know (according to an intercepted message) that McCain's miliatry aspirations will END this country. That's why they are all HOPING and PRAYING for a victory and have even gone so far as to suggest that a pre-election terror attack might assist them in getting the outcome they MOST hope for above all others!!!!!!

Additionally, Sara Palin, who has never READ and still to this day clearyl does not understand the US Constitution would be one heartbeat away from the Oval Office.

My question is this, do you take pills to make you that stupid or were you just born that way?

[DebbieinPhx]

sorry for the typos...I was ticked off... I don't type as well when I get that miffed

[jymfrancais]

M. Jordan is going back to Grant Park

[cnobody]

it'll be better than when the Sox won the series. ticket or no, I'm definitely going to be there.

[SheriChardonnay]

toooooooooo small! they will have to close michigan avenue...he should have done soldiers field and broadcast in grant park.....

[billofgoods]

NO SUCH THING AS "SOLDIERS FIELD"... Ask Lynn Sweet what she thinks about the proposed charges and fees....And Grant Park can hold over 500,000....need some luxury suites for the elite guests

[milo h minderbinder]

It's Soldier Field.

[debrouillard]

The man is always in control and ahead on everything. He always plans ahead. Inpusle is not the way to act in modern days.

[nickfd]

Does anyone know how many people Grant Park can hold? The last big event I've found was Lalapalooza this past summer, which sold out, and had 75,000ppl. With Obama pulling 125-150k in St Louis, is that enough?

[T-Chicago]

OK... Why are we allowing this as taxpayers? We are essentially giving him the use of a public venue and police and park services without receiving a dime. When the bill for this will run to $100k, don't come to me asking for higher taxes.

Obama's campaign can spring for a large venue - United Center, UIC's Pavilion, McCormick - and afford to readily pay the bill. I may vote for him, but I'm not going to pick up his exorbitant tab.

With as big a budget deficit we have here in Chicago, this only makes it worse. Judging this as a start to Obama's tenure, I'm guessing we'll start it off by being screwed.

[SheriChardonnay]

shut up!

[K-Dog76]

Oh, come on now Sheri,

Apparently you don't ride the CTA or pay taxes in the city of Chicago. $$$ is a legitimate issue.

[milo h minderbinder]

How do you know that the campaign isn't paying anything for use of this public space?

[T-Chicago]

I don't know if the campaign is paying or the city's footing the bill. To clarify, as a citizen of Chicago, we better not be. Whether it's Obama, McCain, or any other politician, the use of public land for a party (it is in essence a party), whether political or not, should not be permitted without fair usage fees.
As a city that already is planning on cutting services to make up for a budget deficit, it makes no sense to allow this w/o Obama's campaign picking up the bill.

Sheri? I'm not sure I understand your argument. Can you clarify with something intelligible?

[T-Chicago]

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2008/10/obama-rally-in-grant-park-who-pays.html

At least the question is being raised...

[milo h minderbinder]

That will be very tempting for those of us in Chicago. I wonder what time it will start? Numbers should start coming in fairly early, once a few key states are called, we may know the winner way earlier than in previous years.