by Jason George
MANCHESTER, N.H. – Early crowds waiting to enter the Verizon Wireless Arena and see Sen. Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey got a good dose of political theater tonight – even before they went inside.
There were sign-waving supporters of presidential candidates Sen. Chris Dodd, Rep. Dennis Kucinich and Rep. Ron Paul, all hoping to steal some of the light off the big tent. Other folks chanted in favor of world peace, and against global warming, including a suited polar bear, Frosty and Santa. (Perhaps the only three warm creatures outside.)
Elana Weintraub, 5, squealed and waved in the direction of Frosty, while she and mom Shana Potvin performed jumping jacks to keep warm in a line that wormed its way around the building. Potvin said the night, for her, was all about Sen. Obama.
"It's about his message of hope and change," she said.
Vincent Vassallo and Dan O'Brien said they could care less about that message – Vassallo is for Sen. Mike Gravel and O'Brien for Gov. Mike Huckabee – but both said the Oprama Road Show was the best ticket in town tonight.
Plus, it's a local tradition to check out all the candidates.
"It's the New Hampshire way," O'Brien chuckled.
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Comments
This is proof positive that over half the people that attend... just want to see Oprah.
I'd rather hear Oprah say,'You go girl!'...Than Obama say, 'You taxes going up!'
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | December 9, 2007 8:23 PM
Paulo,
You forgot your non-grammaticlly correct quotated "Hussein."
If you're going to be a rascist at least try to be consistent.
Posted by: Doug Zook | December 9, 2007 10:05 PM
Late friday, the Obama campaign was able to finagle a waver from the NH AFL-CIO so that Obama and Oprah will not be officially crossing a formal picket line. They needed this waver since all events held at the Verizon Center are now being picketed by the stagehand workers union because the venue is a 100% non union house.
The NH AFL CIO gave the waver because Obama promises to speak about the plight of the Stagehands union. Im sure he will talk heroically about how unfair it is that they are being locked out by the Verizon Center in NH and how much he supports labor and the union movement. But will Obama even mention that this same union, the IATSE, is being treated in exactly the same shabby way by Oprah's Harpo studios back in Chicago?
The truth is, back in Chicago, Oprah herself also runs a 100% non-union shop. Both her show and her magazine are 100% union free.
The national writers strike has shut down all the networks and TV talk shows like Leno, Letterman, the Daily Show and Colbert...but guess what?
It hasn't shut down Oprah. The reason her show is not closed down like all the others is because she employs only non-union writers. So no one is striking at the Oprah show. No unions - so no pickets. No shutdown.What say you Obama?
Will you ask Oprah to unionize her Harpo empire. Will you walk the walk with trade unionists or do you just talk the talk?
Part of his deal with the NH AFL CIO to get the waver to speak at today's usually picketed hall was that Obama talk about the local being locked out of working at the Verizon Center. So we know that today, Obama will be talking the talk.
Today sounds like a fine time for a teaching moment. But Will Obama - Walk the Walk?
Posted by: seymour glass | December 10, 2007 12:50 AM
I'd rather hear Oprah say,'You go girl!'...Than Obama say, 'You taxes going up!'
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | December 9, 2007 8:23 PM
Paula, you go girl works perfect for you.
You go girl!
Posted by: paulo or paula | December 10, 2007 8:28 AM
Paulo you forgot to take your meds again. Stop by the mental ward for a refill if you need one.
Remember what we talked about in group. No ripping on Obama. Very unhealthy.
Next week we'll address your bed wetting issues.
Posted by: Dr Strangelove | December 10, 2007 12:28 PM