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Obama To Speak Before More than 80,000 at "The Diaphragm"
July 07, 2008 1:10 PM
Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, will on Thursday night, August 28, 2008, accept the presidential nomination of his party at Denver's INVESCO Field at Mile High stadium.
The 77,160 football fans who witnessed the Denver Broncos' loss to the Green Bay Packers last October constituted the arena's largest ever attendance. But with thousands of chairs added to the field, the crowd for Obama's speech will likely top 80,000. That would be the largest group to whom Obama has spoken, topping when the Decembrists opened for him in May at Waterfront Park in Portland, Oregon.
"By bringing the last night of the Convention out to the people, we will be able to showcase Barack Obama's positive, people-centered vision for our country in a big way," said former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
Calling the pageant an "Open Convention," Obama campaign manager David Plouffe announced today that the campaign is holding a raffle for donors: "If you make a donation of $5 or more between now and midnight on July 31st, you could be one of 10 supporters chosen to fly to Denver and spend two days and nights at the convention, meet Barack backstage, and watch his acceptance speech in person. Each of the ten supporters who are selected will be able to bring one guest to join them."
As with every event held at the field, there was of course today some booing as well.
"I really can't believe that Sen. Obama wants to heap yet more expense on the city of Denver by moving his nomination speech from the Pepsi center to Invesco Field," Colorado Republican Party chairman Dick Wadhams told Denver ABC affiliate KMGH-TV. "The Democrats are already $11 million short of their goal and now Senator Obama is having the discourtesy of piling more debt on the Democratic party here in Colorado for the convention. I think it's unfortunate. My heart goes out to the Democratic party in Colorado for this unbelievable show of discourtesy by Senator Obama."
The stadium has a rather bizarre nickname. In 2001, the chief executive of Invesco Funds Group threatened to sue the Denver Post after columnist Woody Paige reported that one "key executive" said the stadium was internally at the company called "the Diaphragm," because of the belief at Invesco Funds that the park resembles a birth control device. Invesco exec Mark Williamson eventually took back the threat after he discovered the nickname was true.
Perhaps befitting a candidate who seems to regard himself as the political offspring of two 1960s icons, Obama's speech will coincide with the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's famous "I have a dream" speech and will be the first time a presidential candidate has accepted a major party's nomination in such a large open arena since then-Sen. John F. Kennedy, D-Mass., did so on July 15, 1960 at Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles.
(Interestingly, that latter speech included Kennedy's imploring that anti-Catholic bias not impact voters' choices: "I hope that no American, considering the really critical issues facing this country, will waste his franchise by voting either for me or against me solely on account of my religious affiliation. It is not relevant.")
The rest of the Democratic convention -- Monday, August 25 through Wednesday, August 27 -- will be held at the Pepsi Center in Denver, a 21,000-seat venue that is home to the NBA Denver Nuggets and NHL Colorado Avalanche.
- jpt
July 7, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (111)
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To Kat: Bill Clinton got help from those who control the purse strings, and that's Congress. He inherited policies from previous Republican administrations that kept government spending down and taxes down. Clinton left the White House in moral shambles, tainted and dark with his lack of moral self-control; he left us with terroist threats to our national security because he never wanted to pursue the perpetrators when they bombed our embassies in Africa while he committed adultery with Monica Lowinsky; his lust left him deaf and dumb when Israeli Premier Netanyehou warned him that he better go after Al-Qaeda in 1994 or else in ten years or less America would not be able to stop them; he could not look Mother Teresa in the eye when she told him, in her speech at the White House, that he was the leader of the most violent and wicked nation on earth because he and his wife and the Democratic Party did not have the moral backbone to stop the killing of innocent, defenseless unborn babies in mother's wombs. His 50% popularity rating when he left is bogus because that poll did not take into account those Americans who have strong moral standards, and saw him for who he really was --- an unrepentant adulterer. So, don't come parading Bill Clinton as a role model or a great President. He was neither.
Posted by: Ed | Jul 21, 2008 4:27:18 PM
If barack is really the democrats choice he should allow a vote in Denver and stop trying to unseat hillary's delegates like he is trying to do here in Wisconsin. I am trying to find a good reason to vote for him besides the fact that he isnt john mccain. He better get with it. This will probably be the first election where the two nominees don't debate.
Posted by: rachel | Jul 12, 2008 3:59:42 PM
Where the heck did this loser Obama come from?
The Democrats do not have a prayer to win this election.
So many great men to be president.
I am so disappointed.
He's embarrassing.
Posted by: Rick from Pa | Jul 8, 2008 7:16:49 PM
Obama thinks he's Kennedy.
There is nothing about him that's like Kennedy.
Please.
Posted by: Al from NJ | Jul 8, 2008 7:13:22 PM
Wonder if Obama will hide in the basement and pray with Rev Wright like he did when he first announced his run for president.
Posted by: riley | Jul 8, 2008 11:58:00 AM
Americans should know republican policies didn't work under Reagan, Bush 1 or the shrub Bush 2. Average americans are always exploited to give more to the rich, powerful people and corporations.
Why hasn't anybody asked mccain why he still support giving big oil companies billions of taxpayers dollars even though they are making billions in record profits?
Posted by: brigitte | Jul 8, 2008 1:09:15 AM
BUSH/McCAIN OIL TIES
Another 4 years of the Republican Right means and another 4 years of bleeding to feed the vultures of the OIL RICH, AND HALIBUTON CORP. EXEC.
YES 'WE' CAN
SIMPLE MATH, OIL COMPANY = RECORD PROFIT
PRICE OF GAS = COST OF RECORD PRICES
Posted by: American10 | Jul 7, 2008 11:52:31 PM
How pretentious of Obama, and yet, how fitting. I'm sure the prompters will be up and running for one of his long boring speeches. Wish he could just debate and work "off the cuff" like McCain. He will run like a chicken, just like he did with Hillary. I wonder how his stop the smear website is working out for him? So many rumors, so little time. Too bad some of them are true. Glad McCain doen't have to concern himself with that.
AVOID THE PAIN...VOTE McCAIN.
I, like millions, will not be watching the "arrogant one" at the convention. I can go to Will Smith's new movie and see similar acting.
Posted by: Debra | Jul 7, 2008 10:33:09 PM
Will it be big enough for his ego?
Posted by: FL voter | Jul 7, 2008 9:40:20 PM
Perhaps the "The Diaphragm" can be symbolic, like Unity, and a platform where Obama can clarify his positions on sex education and birth control.
Posted by: kat | Jul 7, 2008 6:34:11 PM
It's Funny. The last candidate to be ridiculed for being an empty suit, being unpatriotic for not serving in the armed forces, chided for actually HAVING the ability to make a great speech, being denigrated for his inexperience in foreign policy, and had admitted Drug Use when he was younger ended up in the White House, Balanced The Budget, Left office with the country on track for tremendous prosperity and had the highest approval rating in 50 years.
If Bill can do it so can Barack!!!
Yes We CAN
Obama 08
Posted by: marquis | Jul 7, 2008 6:09:07 PM
Mary says: To want a stadium for his speech shows just how arrogant the man is.
---------
Or maybe how popular he is. The Rolling Stones would probably enjoy a gig at a small club, but their popularity prohibits it.
Seriously, every political candidate has to have a certain amount of arrogance or they would never run for office. I don't see a lot of humility in Washington, though it would probably come in handy!
Posted by: looville | Jul 7, 2008 5:09:27 PM
SPEECH SPEECH SPEECH SPEECH SPEECH SPEECH
That's all what Obama does these days. We want him in a debate, we want him to answer questions, we want him to be challenged and to see how he fairs?
Has he done more speeches than another president running for office? is anyone keeping the count?
Posted by: Frieda | Jul 7, 2008 5:07:06 PM
So how's the GOP convention coming along? Last I heard, they were having a hard time getting people to volunteer whereas the DNC wrapped up their volunteer recruitment months ago.
In fact, there's a surplus of over 10,000 people who want to volunteer for the Democratic convention and have been placed on a "reserve list".
Posted by: cincyr | Jul 7, 2008 4:50:24 PM
Brenda, Obama will not have to deal with Congress to get his way - just as they won't have to contend with the threat of his veto pen. Bush and his Republican majority Congress were bad for America - just as Obama and a Democratic majority Congress will be. That's why McCain is the only valid choice for POTUS this time around.
Posted by: HoosierSue | Jul 7, 2008 4:43:38 PM
Hooray, geevil's awake now. Geevil, I don't think Obama has any problem raising money. He can help the DNC with the cost, I bet.Who are you voting for?
Posted by: obamamama | Jul 7, 2008 4:42:50 PM
He is costing the people even more money now before he has a chance to win
McCain 08!!!
Posted by: spock | Jul 7, 2008 4:23:33 PM
Wait, I thought the DNC was having problems raising money for the convention? Obama wants to do his cult leader thing instead of facing the elected delegates especially the Clinton supporters. What a coward.
Posted by: geevill | Jul 7, 2008 4:19:22 PM
@Brenda:
I'm still in that mindset: I always conserve, turn off lights, don't leave the water running, am shocked by excessive holiday lights at Christmastime, use up paper on all sides before recycling it, compost, etc.etc. (I'm so anal I'm still participating in the Cesar Chavez grape boycott). Nevertheless, I do not care to huddle in a Jimmy Carter cardigan in my dark but "green" Obama cave. Meanwhile the Chinese are enjoying government subsidized gas from oil they pump out of Sudan while Darfurians continue to pay for it with their lives.
Posted by: Karen | Jul 7, 2008 4:08:14 PM
Senator Obama's campaign can hire people to tell him what to say and how to say it. But they can not put these bogus promises in play once he is elected. He is just another corrupt politican who wants the power without any real idea on how to govern. He is not trustworthy and has no intergity or good judgment.
To want a stadium for his speech shows just how arrogant the man is.
Posted by: Mary | Jul 7, 2008 3:53:36 PM
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