McCain's Crowd Disturbingly Small, Ten Times Less Than Planned For

Something was missing from the first of John McCain's seven campaign stops today: the crowd.

Kicking off the last day of the election in Tampa, Florida, John McCain was welcomed by a roughly 1,000 voters. Compare that to the 15,000 people that President Bush drew to a rally in Tampa on the eve of the 2004 election. "What's up with that?" wrote Adam Smith at the St. Petersburg Times.

Even Fox News had a bit of difficulty spinning the whole thing. Carl Cameron, who is following the Senator at every stop on Monday, said the crowd size was likely "a little bit disturbing" for the McCain campaign. He added that organizers had set up the venue predicting ten times the number of attendees.

"Last night in Miami Sen. McCain arrived for a midnight rally and had more than 10,000 people in Miami. Today in Tampa, for a morning event, it's a small crowd, only about 1,000. And I can tell you is it looks like it was set up with the perimeter and all for about 10 times this crowd. In addition, you'll note that there are no actual McCain signs here. This is one of the events that is put on, ostensibly paid for by the Republican Party."

Later in his segment, Cameron tried to explain the empty venue as a byproduct of volunteers being dispatched for get-out-the-vote activities. But he couldn't hide the fact that the Tampa kick-off wasn't the best start for a long day.

"They believe that their 72-hour get-out-the-vote exercise will make the difference," he said. "That is one of the reasons why the size of this crowd is a little bit disturbing for the McCain campaign."

UPDATE: Off the Bus has some other good reporting on the small crowds at McCain events.

PREVIOUSLY: McCain Camp Buses In 4,000 School Kids To Fill Crowd

Comments

[Southrnbelle]

I was at the Obama/Clinton Rally in Kissimmee, Florida last Wednesday night. 35,000 strong at 11:00 at night. People had been waiting since 8:00 that morning with babies and small children. The numbers DO tell it all.

OBAMA/BIDEN 2008!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!

[ladybug7]

Should have scheduled it later. Old people don't get up early.

[dhahhjj]

MN Senate: Final Debate Recap
http://voteforamerica.net/editorials/Comments.aspx?ArticleId=139&ArticleName=Final+MN+Senate+Debate%3a+Live+Analysis

Norm Coleman on the Ropes
http://voteforamerica.net/editorials/Comments.aspx?ArticleId=137&ArticleName=Norm+Coleman+on+the+Ropes

Obama 377, McCain 161
http://voteforamerica.net/electoral.aspx

[Khanate]

This just in. McCain will be making a NC stop at the Home Depot in Raleigh tonight. Tickets are limited to 20
Show starts at 8:00 in the paint mixing section

[ThankGodforAtheists]

lmao

[SCG]

LOL

[Khanate]

Thats about the size of many high schools student enrollment.
Where were the cheerleaders? Hate I missed the pep rally.
I hope these people fall hard tommorow.

[Oonagh]

I am so upset with the negative commercials running non stop here in Florida ... It is just deserts that he only had 1,000 people at his rally...

[GoBarryGo]

Seems right -- everything about this man and his campaign are disturbing.

[ThinkCreeps]

and small. A pale shadow of his forebears.

[CCverve]

Tampa...th­e home of Central Command and General David Petraeus..­.Priceless

[realitycheck7]

"disturbingly small"

sure as hell doesn't disturb me that it's small

[Shiral]

Or me! I'm laughing too hard.

After choosing Palin and the nasty campaign they've run, this is what they deserve. Palin's not only rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic, she's absconding with them for her own campaign in four years. As the VP pick, shouldn't she be the LAST rat off the sinking ship? After tomorrow, or maybe Wedndesday, at least she and McCain won't have to pretend to like each other, anymore.

[ShareTheWealth]

If I was a Palinite, I'd see this as a sign that the Rapture has finally begun. . . What else could explain 9,000 good Christian/real Americans (same thing?) disappearing?

[BWonka]

Maybe they are in line for the free coffee at Starbucks tomorrow.

[littlewing157]

ShareTheWealth; If there ever was a Rapture, I'd like to see the looks on the faces of the McCain/Palin followers as they watch their liberal neighbors being taken up instead :P

I'd pay to see that...

[BunnyMama]

Sooo disappointing - it would have been great for her to see him win. I guess she held out long enough to see things were looking favorable. Tomorrow will be a bittersweet day.

[saintsfan2008]

Maybe it's because it is Monday morning and McCain's supporters are at work. Obama supporters don't have a lot to do except wait on that check.

[pinkyboo]

saintsfan2008

Keep using that hateful tone - see how much good it's done for your candiadte.

Sleaze and slime no longer fly - so sorry.

[realitycheck7]

so according to you

half of the electorate does not work

hmmm.. that's a like a 50% unemployment rate among voters. Sharp analysis

ohhhh funfact time-- saintsfan2008 do you know that if the blue states were a country and red states were a coutnry, the GDP of the blue states would still be the largest on earth, but the red states would be no more than a moderately sized european country?

[sab721]

This is a good comment, only problem is the person who you are wrote this for is probably too dumb to know what GDP is anyway.

[boing007]

ohhhh funfact time-- saintsfan2008 do you know that if the blue states were a country and red states were a coutnry, the GDP of the blue states would still be the largest on earth, but the red states would be no more than a moderately sized european country?

If it wasn't for the Blue States the Red States would be Dead States. How's that for redistrubution of the wealth?

[Mikey5099]

Wow. Could your comment be any uglier in its inherent insinuations? Or consider this:

Maybe the low turnout is an indicator of just how much enthusiasm and excitement the McCain-Palin ticket has FAILED to generate, and not just in Florida either...

Maybe John should have spent the last eight months explaining to the American people just how he plans to reverse eight years of the worst U.S. presidency in modern history and restore our nation to greatness, instead of smearing Obama, spreading falsehoods, and fear-mongering. This McCain is decidedly NOT the maverick of 2000. This McCain sold his soul and has become a caricature of himself...

[Petey131]

It sure seems you are waiting for a check since you are not out their working for the old man McCain.

[saintsfan2008]

Back off people-you are the ones insinuating something about the check thing. Remember it is your man talking about spreading the wealth. I assumed it would come in check form. Don't need to work for the "old man" in my state-he's got this one covered and I do have a real job and pay taxes. Got a great e-mail today. Says something about John McCain not being able to use a computer, Obama can't land a fighter jet on an aircraft carrier so does this make them even?

[IndomitableLion]

Nice try.......­...FU

[respectingothers]

only supporters mccain has left are the angry, fe*ar mongering, name calling types with whom normal people don't want to hang out with

[AProudRepublican]

You've done a bit of name calling yourself. Both parties would get so much further if more attention was given to being respectful.

[BETTERDAYSARECOMMIN]

Hey everyone just got word Obama's Grandmother just died, please say a prayer for him and his family.

Please Get Out The Vote! We need Obama more then anything and lets make his Grandmother proud of us as a Country and get him elected.

[BWonka]

R.I.P. "Toot". We W I L L elect your Grandson as our next President tomorrow to honor the way your raised him!

[HamletsMill]

Amen.

Dear Woman, You raised him up right. You have helped an entire nation. May your soul wing it's flight to the highest light upon light in glory.

[truthseeker7]

Go Obama/Biden, but not enough will change unless we take away the abiity of the pivately owned Federal Reserve to control our money supply and continue to add to our debt. Do people realize that we (the federal government) are borrowing money from the Federal Reserve (a bunch of private bankers) to bail out a bunch of private bankers so that they can continue to loan us back our own money on which we will pay interest back to the profits of private bankers? They are making money out of thin air - literally. Why don't we do it ourselves and pay ourselves interest, just like Abraham Lincoln did!

[RTIII]

I AGREE.

END THE PRIVATE FEDERAL RESERVE!

...And something else that would help us get there: MEDIA DIVESTITURE NOW!
.