Over One Million May Attend Obama Rally: Daley

UPDATE

Requiring tickets for the election night rally serves an important purpose beyond crowd control, Lynn Sweet notes:

The Obama campaign [...] is using the event to collect names and contact data to be used for future voter contact, fund-raising and political or issue organizing. That will let Obama, win or lose the White House next week, build on what are already the most valuable political lists in the nation to use to help his causes and candidates.

One of the ways the Obama campaign has built its mailing lists for its relentless voter contact efforts is through requiring tickets for events, with i.d. information needed to get a ticket.
[..]
Requiring tickets--and giving a priority to volunteers and VIP treatment to donors--there is an entire high end VIP donor election night program--is another way for the Obama Machine to squeeze more out of the event.

UPDATE

There are no more tickets available to Obama's Grant Park rally, according to a message on the campaign's ticket request web site.

On Tuesday, the same url allowed visitors to sign up for the event's wait list. Now a message reads:

Thanks for your interest

Story continues below

advertisement

There are no remaining tickets for this event.

The Tribune's John McCormick notes that the "campaign has declined to answer repeated questions on how many tickets it distributed or how many people it plans to accommodate at the site it is building at the south end of Grant Park."

"Mayor Daley predicted today that more than a million people would descend on Grant Park for
Barack Obama's election night "celebration" -- but that was before the Obama campaign disclosed that only those with tickets would be allowed to attend," the Sun-Times reports.

The decision to require tickets is designed to bolster security, but it's almost certain to reduce attendance.

Earlier today, Daley predicted that more than a million would attend the $2 million Obama extravaganza.

Daley also said the city would not be screening people coming into Grant Park. A Secret Service spokeswoman would not detail any planned security measures, telling the Sun-Times:

Any event that is covered by the Secret Service for a [presidential] nominee is typically secured and swept prior to the arrival of the protectee. That's standard procedure.

The Associated Press has more on the ticket plan:

You'll need a ticket if you want to attend Barack Obama's outdoor Election Night event in Chicago.

The campaign sent an e-mail Tuesday inviting only supporters from Obama's home state of Illinois. To get tickets, people need to sign up at a Web link for a printable ticket that'll be e-mailed before the Nov. 4 event in Grant Park. Only one request per person is allowed. Each ticket admits two people.

As of late Tuesday afternoon, it appeared there already was a wait list for tickets.

Gates open at 8:30 p.m. Nov. 4 for the event, which will take place in a field at the south end of the lakefront park.

It's unclear how many people are invited, but city officials have said the area can hold between 60,000 and 70,000 people.

Chicago officials say the event could cost at least $2 million and the Obama campaign has assured them they'll pay for it.

Click here for tickets to the event.

Click here for more coverage of the rally

Comments

[chigirl24]

I think the e-mails for the tickets only went out to IL residents who donated/offered support? I'm in Chicago and donated to the campaign really really early. I just have to figure out who to take as my +1 now....

[gerimd]

Did you folks who got tickets or on the wait list find out your status right away? I signed up as soon as I got the invite but all I got was transferred to a page asking for a(nother) donation.

[Illinoissuburbanvoter]

I was one of those lucky Illinois supporters that got an email yesterday. My tickets will be emailed by next tuesday, my husband and I will be there and I can't wait!!!

GO VOTE!!!

[MyNameIsJames]

Even though only 60,000 plus will get into the "event" How are they going to stop hundreds of thousands of people from just descending to get close to the event. THAT is where the real crowd is going to be in the streets of downtown Chicago. I can tell you it is going to be one big party in the streets all AROUND Grant Park.

[johnnygoodwud]

i did get tickets. two per person. you had to r.s.v.p. and they will e-mail the tickets sometime between now and nov. 4th. i have no idea how they determined who got the tickets other than i'm from the chicago area, and i was around the first 3500 people to have donated to his campaign nearly 2 yrs. ago. way back than his website would have the exact number of donors and you could watch that number go up. if they have 50-60K i'll go, but 1 million, no thanks i'll pass and let someone else go. i met him 18 months ago in milw., got to shake his hand, and even spoke briefly with him. great guy, the real deal.

[cnobody]

i signed up the moment i got the email invite, but was put on a waiting list. i don't care. I'm taking my transistor radio and heading to Grant Park anyway. I imagine there'll be quite a few of us ticketless souls congregating someplace. maybe Buckingham fountain can be "Plan B" for us poor souls.

[ins0mn1ac]

Buckingham fountain is closed for repairs. I'd suggest hanging out by the Lincoln statue. Its a great area and you may still be able to see Obama from there

[nowalnuts]

I'm on the wait list. I never really expected to get that close on election night anyway given how huge some of the crowds have been as of late. Living in Chicago I've heard him speak in person before so my main concern is just making sure he is elected. As long as Obama is elected I will have no complaints!!!

[PerryWhite]

I have heard rumors that Presidents Clinton ,Gore and Kerry will all be there.

[Banji81]

Dear Lord, please let him win!!!!! I don't think my heart'd be able to handle otherwise...

[TallGrrl]

I'm sure they'll be using the same types of crowd screening they use when they have other events there. I'm sure there will be announcements on TV and radio telling people to not bring bags, metal objects, etc. It'll be just like going to the airports.
If they don't have metal detectors right now, they'll have 'em by event day.
It'll be like Denver...only stepped up.
And it'll be a ball.
Would that I could be there...but I'll be watching on TV from the West Coast.

[hortonhearsawho]

can I sit next to john?

[Ningnang]

Hopefully on quarter of that number will be secret service

[joewalters]

Chicago is a city where "3 out of 2 people are democrats" lol.

But in all seriousness, the Secret Service and Private Security Agents will take of things.

[TheAlchemist]

Anybody know how to get tickets?

Is making a donation at the Obama web site with an Illinois address enough to get the e-mail invite?

[childofdalight]

its free i think

[VOTER]

Contact Obama Headquarters.

I was sent an email invitation which allows me access
downloading tickets for the event.

My husband and I attended the Obama/Biden Springfield, IL event and
loved every second there. However 90,000 + was a large enough
crowd for us.

We will be watching the fun from home.

[VOTER]

The tickets are free. No Charge.

[readyfornewleadership]

Read the article. The tickets are gone. I was invited but am on a wait list.

[adnmoh1]

im ging there nov 4 ticket or not, ill watch from across the street if i have to, i just wanna check it out now. this is like awesome, alot of energy in this city, for what could be....big.

[quanxavier]

adnmoh1,

I'm there with you. My wife and I had already purchased our plane tickets to Chicago thinking that we would squat it out in Grant Park. We will not be detered...we're still going! We'll be the couple with the peach fruit hats -- hopefully the great state of Georgia will go for Obama.

[Xenussister]

Add me as someone who's going anyway, even though I don't have a ticket. I'll stand on the other side of the fence. I just want to be there to soak in the glorious energy and joy!

People should definitely take public transportation. There's not going to be a parking space within a mile of Grant Park.

"Waking Up to Obama"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jat17gUY8D8

[nowarpleez]

I'm with you adnmoh1. I have reservations at a hotel across the street from the venue. I'll be hanging out on Michigan Avenue with everyone else who didn't get tickets. The city will be electrified and all of the restaurants in the area will be in celebration mode.

[TheAlchemist]

God keep these men and their families safe.

[VOTER]

AGREE..................

[blaqntelligence]

Agreed.