GENERATION NOBAMA: Wildly Overbooked Campaign Event Leaves Barack Pack Out on the Street

Despite being slightly underwhelmed by my last encounter with Barack Obama, upon receiving an Aug 13th email inviting me to "Join Barack Obama in Brooklyn" on August 22, I was more than happy to shell out 25 dollars for a second chance to see and hear the Senator in person. Twenty-five dollars is pocket-change, after all, when it comes to getting in the same room as a presidential candidate — particularly one who has recently graced the cover of GQ and inspired the kind of YouTube coverage that Hillary Clinton (or anyone else, for that matter) can only dream of. So it wasn't all that surprising when I received another email this past Monday reminding me of my rendezvous with the Senator and alerting me to the fact that this event had sold out.

Did it ever.

The event ran from 5:30 - 7 p.m., said the email, and doors would open at five. Assuming from the last time that the Senator wouldn't go on till at least 6:30-ish, I arrived just before six to discover that the line-up to get in stretched back two long blocks. To the naked eye it looked as though upwards of five hundred people were lined up on the sidewalk and I assumed from this that the event had been delayed and the doors were yet to open.

Alas, this was not the case, as I soon discovered when a young volunteer began making her way down the long line to inform the waiting masses that the event had been overbooked. She was Jenny Yeager, the New York Finance Director for Obama'08, and she informed us that the hotel had closed the room because it had reached fire-code capacity.

Certainly if this had been a general admission event one might expect to be shut out, but we had all bought tickets in advance!

When I asked how an event that had pre-sold tickets could be so over-booked I was given a variety of possible reasons: People had brought their aunts and uncles with them unannounced, local politicians may have invited their friends along, event locales sometimes used larger stages than planned, resulting in limited space. Certainly all reasonable excuses, though it was clear that most of the mainly volunteer staff had also been taken aback and didn't actually know. It must be said, however, that considering the crowd waiting outside was at least a quarter of the capacity of the main room, it was fairly clear that the root of the problem went beyond hangers-on and plus-ones.

Later, campaign spokesman Bill Burton did respond to my request for clarification, emailing to say that: "Due to the overwhelming grassroots support for Senator Obama, we simply couldn't accommodate everyone interested in attending," and that the campaign was "going to contact everyone affected and make sure they can make it into an upcoming event at no charge." What he did not speak to, however, was how a pre- ticketed event could so wildly exceed expectations.

At any rate, the campaign was as accommodating as they could be given the situation; clip boards were handed out and people were asked to sign their names and email addresses and informed that they could either choose to receive a refund or be put on the list for the next (yet to be confirmed) New York Barack event. Strangely, despite the large crowd and the long-ish wait, no one seemed terribly upset. I did overhear one woman lament that she could have been doing her laundry, but that was about it.

(Perhaps this patient nature was the result of the unusually cool weather in New York - one wonders if tempers might have been shorter if that same crowd had been required to wait outside in the usual August heat. A small upshot of global warming, perhaps? Who knows. However, as a point of environmental interest, the Obama campaign business cards are printed with soy ink on recycled paper.)

So: Are their any conclusions to be drawn from my second night with Obama? If this were a second date, I'd be hard-pressed to commit to a third (not without a bit of song and dance that is, or at least some good chocolate). However, GQ and Men's Vogue covers aside, Obama is not dating material. He's a presidential candidate, and an admittedly once-in-a-generation one at that. There's no question that many, many people want very badly for him to be the person they hope he is — dangerous position to be in perhaps. Much of the post-debate(s) talk thus far has been how Hillary is performing above her low expectations and high negatives. Obama, on the other hand has of late been chipped away at by many who have their eye trained on him: a slow and steady taking down, most recently by Ryan Lizza in GQ, who strips away some of Obama's dignified veneer, and then again at the beginning of Sunday's Debate when George "Let's Start A Catfight" Stephanopoulos led with the question, "Is Barack Obama ready to be president, experienced enough to be president?" and then let all the other candidates have a go at the junior Senator from Illinois.

What does this have to do with a badly organized fundraiser in New York? Maybe nothing, but my main complaint about the last Obama event I attended in June (that one cost $100 and wasn't near full to capacity) was how widely the Senator missed the mark in terms of his audience (such an easy target, I said at the time, "that a blind man would have had trouble missing it"). Just this week Chuck Todd at MSNBC noted how, during an exchange with Hillary, Obama showed his colors as an inexperienced campaigner at last Sunday's debate.

Getting a candidate (any candidate, mind you, not just relatively inexperienced ones) through a presidential campaign is, as everyone knows, no easy feat -- made immeasurably more difficult by a season(s) that has started as obnoxiously early as this one. Tonight's rather large misstep in terms of crowd expectation and basic organization may just be an example of growing pains in a campaign that is still learning the ropes — or, it may be a sign of stress fractures in structure not fully prepared to go the distance. Enough of those in the foundation can knock a candidate off his pedestal just as thoroughly as more spectacular swipes and missteps.

All that said, when I filled out my name and email on the clipboard handed me tonight by a resolutely chipper volunteer, I specified that I was interested in attending the next event in lieu of a refund. It remains to be seen whether my third attempt with Obama will prove to be a trend, or a charm.

Comments

[Boadicea]

Every review I read of Obama's performance in that debate you reference was positive. I was out of the country, and so took pains upon returning to read about it. You found the one criticism. Good for you.

You certainly know how to cherry pick the negative coverage of Obama. That's your privilege, of course, as you're the author, but it doesn't cause me to have much respect for your writing.

[DanYahraes]

I had a different take.
The lines started a little before 4pm. There was about 20 people in line, so I decided to grab a quick bite. 20 minutes later there was over 150. So, I missed my coveted spot underneath some trees that blocked out the drizzle.
I never find most New Yorkers to be a hearty bunch, and this crowd didn't alter that. A couple older women kept budging their way up the line... working their way to some imaginary sweet spot.
I estimated around 400 were in the room... and I don't think the room could accommidate more without violating some Marriot Hotel occupancy rules.
Sure, we waited a couple hours to see the man. Flyer said, "doors open at 5pm - engagement from 5:30pm to 7pm". I didn't imagine he would actually speak for 2 1/2 hours. He never took stage until closer to 7pm. Since he was on The Daily Show later that night, I can only assume he either came from the taping or other engagement.

If there was anything that was disjointed it's New Yorkers. It seemed like alot of people came alone. I didn't see too many groups... more like friend couples. People hugged the front line to the stage in anticipation of an icon rather than grand orator. The place was standing room only (except for a small elderly/handicap section).

Once Barack did arrive the whole room lit up.

His style on this occasion was a bit more direct to the then verbose, receptive crowd. It wasn't a patient talk, but rather, as he put it towards the end, "fire it up!" motivational. If manipulated this could have been perceived as a Howard Dean "Yeh-haw!" (the speakers on either side of the stage weren't exactly calibrated the best... Obama's voice sort of broke up a bit on emphatic points).
I thought the event ran as smoothly as any book or cd signing you'd encounter at Barnes and Noble or major record store. MacNichol's photo and headline suggested something a bit more painstaking...
Evidently, I don't exactly agree.

[wayoutleft]

see, that's where i get off the whole boat, only a gullible, naive new yorker would think that a big line to get into something is a good thing. i am glad for good obama experiences in smaller states. my minnesota anecdotes up on the thread were from 2000.
here's how it really works. new yorkers don't wait in a 2 block line just for obama. they wait in 2 block lines to buy beer for christ sake and to go to old woody allen movies about the corner there standing in line at. they wait in line to do everything but talk.
what a 2 block line really means is everybody's just a shlub who can fend for themselves and hope they don't get run over by somebody trying to park- it doesn't mean john freaking lennon has come to life- or even that prince barack is in town. it's just a big inconvenience that people you want to vote for you might get pissed at. it's not the end of the world- but only a new yorker would look at a 2 block line and see 500 happy voters. remember cosmopolitan mediasexuals... THE OBJECT IS TO GET ALL THE PEOPLE YOU WOULDN'T BE CAUGHT DEAD WITH TO VOTE FOR YOUR COSMOPOLITAN MEDIASEXUAL CANDIDATE.. THIS IS HARD TO DO. gore & kerry found that out big time.

[jneely]

This coverage of the line on Adams Street really captured the experience of being out there. The culture of the campaign matters and is represented by interactions like the Brooklyn event. Now the story marches on...

The campaign's next step was an email to those who weren't admitted -- it went out just after 5 pm. It was sent anonymously (signed "Team Obama") and evaded any responsibility for collecting money and breaking a promise. Mistakes happen, but the follow up seems worse than the original problem. Sound familiar?

I replied to the campaign's email as a concerned supporter. Full text of their message and my reply is up at thinkobama.com, but this is some of what I wrote:

I suspect that Obama supporters, myself included, are willing to accept mistakes and anticipate some disappointments. What we expect in return is candor and some degree of transparency.
[...]
I have not been deterred by past mistakes and shortcomings in my interactions with the campaign. Politics is a rough and dirty business, and I understand the technical, logistical, and ethical challenges of trying to run a different kind of campaign while remaining competitive. That said, I believe that I would do a disservice to this effort by remaining silent about the latest negative experience.

I'm sending this message, and plan to enlarge this conversation, because as much as I want Barack Obama to succeed, I want his espoused values to succeed even more. We are a country in crisis, and people need more than inspiration. They need to be trusted by the people who would lead them.

[LiberalBeliever]

It amazes me that there are Democrats who actually want a rookie like Barack Obama as our next Commander in Chief. After numerous debates, he finally performed "okay" in the last one. He cannot tolerate criticism. His foreign policy gaffes are frightening. He has two years of senatorial experience. And he will not and will never be aggressive against the GOP.

Unbelievable.

[Yellowbird]

I can't help wondering if overbooking an event is a campaign tool. The Clintons used it a lot in 1991/2

[larry278]

Yet another reason to ignore e-mail from Obama & put Obama's site & supporters on "blocked senders list" & delete any of Obama's email that gets through.

[DANIELLECLARKE]

Please be kind to Edwards supporters. Barack understands that he is much closer to Edwards campaign actions (not accepting lobby money)with the Edwards camp and its our job to bring about a positive communication with his supporters and not division.

As for the Brooklyn Rally i am sure the campaign will make good for all those who missed out on meeting and hearing Barack.

I know i too didn't get to see Barack at the Take back America conference but it wasn't anyone's fault. It was my job to help set up for the throng of crowds coming out afterwards.

So i have never seen Barack and i don't need to see Barack because we all are Barack Obama.

Barack Obama supporters are a giving group of people who do not think of Barack as a star but as a person with whom we have plans for a take over of the whitehouse by the people, for the people.

I am Barack Obama, you are Barack Obama, we are Barack Obama. Barack Obama is a movement and not just a man. Barack the man has helped to empower us all to work for change in the way Division politics has ruled and wreaked havoc on this country since the bush clinton regime took over many yrs ago.

Let us all build bridges to those who seek change.

Respectively yours
Danielle Clarke Phila pa

[hawkjt]

hey, I understand your frustration with the way this event worked out. I would say to hang in and keep trying to check him out..it is a big decision and should not be done without careful consideration.

I think obama did fine on Daily Show.. he got some ideas out there without getting too serious. His discussion on the wink and nod insider culture in DC was almost brutally honest. The whole admission that'' c'mon, everybody knows it is phony talk '' is pretty rare for any pol to say. It makes it a little easier to trust him.. Give him multiple chances and really listen to him over a range of issues, he gets it.

[brixtony]

Hey, I got there at 5:30 with a ticket, waited for a long time and got in. Not great sightlines, but enough to appreciate that Mr. O has got a lot going for him. It was a young and affluent crowd with all colors, genders and clothing styles represented. However the election goes, this man has a fine future ahead of him - to the benefit of all Americans, I believe.
It's more plausible to thnk of him perhaps as a vice -presidential candidate,but I'd have no trouble pulling the lever (if we still have them) for him come 11-08.

[hankandted]

Glynnis,

My reaction is based on involvement in many, grassroots election campaigns. Basically, if an event is announced to the public, there really is no method to predict just how many people will show up. The method of "reserving" online is really just another method of announcing the event. I am sure that only a small fraction of the people who show up to any of these events actually reserve. I know that I never reserve, whether it be Moveon, Code Pink, Obama for president, or whatever. I just get the email about a vigil or demonstration or meet up and go.


These online reservation methods will probably be improved, but, for now, at least, there are plenty of older people like me who just show up and don't think about the RSVP.

[magen]

You must be new to NYC.

[mommadona]

HA!

[SiskoKid]

I'm so sorry I referred to the blog poster as a he in my last comment. I wasn't paying attention to who wrote the piece. She deserves her recognition. So, I'm sorry, Ms. Macnicol.

[pigsatthetrough]

When the Hillary/Obama curtain is fully open, the Dems electorate will clearly see that Edwards is the way out of the amoral nonsense.

[Rantidote]

I had a similar experience in Los Angeles when I tried to attend an Obama event. There was no cost involved, but Obama's campaign people invited me via e-mail, asked me to specify the number of people I would be bringing, and then reminded me of the event and confirmed the number in my party. When we arrived two hours early at the South Los Angeles school where the event was being held -- a neighborhood known for its high crime rate -- all of the parking was cordoned off for VIP's, and the rest of us were expected to find parking somewhere in the neighborhood. Police were directing traffic around the school and then back to the freeway. There were no Obama volunteers in sight and no signs to help direct us. We were never able to get out of the car. Soon after that, I read that Obama was consulting Colin Powell regarding foreign policy, and I gave my Obama book away.

[jeffmorgan]

Don't think Colin Powell's advice is worthy?
Just like Obama, Powell was against the war before it started. Is that somehow bad?

[mommadona]

Unlike Obama, Powell COULD have done something about it.

[godlessclif]

Powell believed there were WMDs. I was really disillusioned. Even Jon Stewart knew there were no WMDs and he is just a dancing monkey.

[jeffmorgan]

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/pentagon/view/