Crowd Energized, Traffic Delayed at Palin Rally
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Originally published at 6:52 a.m., October 27, 2008
Updated at 11:26 a.m., October 27, 2008
An excited crowd amassed at J.R.'s Festival Lakes in Leesburg early this morning, even as traffic delays on River Creek Parkway kept motorists in traffic for up to 40 minutes, for a rally with Republican vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin.
Palin is "a role model for women and best represents my hopes for the future of my country," said Andrea Dombrowski, 39, a Loudoun realtor.
The crowd also broke into a chant of "Use your brain, vote McCain!"
"I want to hold on to what's great about our health care system and not turn it over to the federal government," said Sarah Mclellan, 54, an anesthesiologist in Frederick County. "We need to get health care in the hands of individuals."
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By 9 a.m. traffic on River Creek Parkway remain very slow, after more than a half hour of being at standstill. People reporting delays of at least 40 minutes to get into the rally.
Some motorists found parking on Potomac Station Drive and walked the last half-mile or so.
Shortly before 7 a.m. Living in LoCo's Erica Garman reported that roads were clear, but that officers were stationed at lights in preparation. By 7:30 a.m. traffic on Dulles Greenway westbound was starting to experience delays of 10 to 20 minutes.
By the time the rally began at 9 a.m. "all arteries are clogged getting in," said Tag Greason of Ashburn.
Also, many attendees were reporting that there was adequate parking, despite earlier warnings that the limited parking at the site would cause problems for the 15,000 people expected to come to hear Palin.
Town of Leesburg officials said that traffic delays should be expected until early afternoon.
Staff writers Michael Birnbaum and Kafia Hosh contributed to this report.
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For the 6PM Obama rally last week people started streaming in as early as 11AM.
Not the case here since traffic was sparce at 7AM - hmmmm.
Posted by RhumbLine (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 7:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Today's rally is free and open to the public and is expected to draw 15,000 attendees."
How 'bout that Rhumbie ... and you thought it was invitation-only. (chuckle) Isn't 15k about 50% more than "The One" drew?
It's still not too late for you to get yourself out of your Life Partner's futon and make it there!
Posted by OhTheHumanity (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 8:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
So the Queen of the Aryan nation is coming to Leesburg. Wonder what kind of turnout she'll get?
Posted by nicekid (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 8:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I may go just to salute her... "Heil mein mooseline"
Posted by Sapiando (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 8:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I work at Loudoun Hospital near today's rally site; I arrived at work at 7:30 a.m. this morning, and didn't run into any traffic problems at all! The roads were clear, and the traffic was quite a bit lighter than most Mondays.
BTW, Senator Obama had about 40,000 people at his rally in Ida Lee Park in Leesburg last week, and there were lots of traffic delays. A lot of people who work here were late to work that day, and his rally didn't even begin until mid to late afternoon.
Senator Obama will be one of our greatest Presidents!
Posted by beth8 (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 8:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by RhumbLine (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 8:25 a.m.
OhTheHumanity - Obama drew 35,000 at his rally in Leesburg. (Local sheriffs and Leesburg Police departments estimates and they should know they site the numbers at Ida Lee for all it's events). So 15k would be less then 50% less then "The One" drew, your words, not mine.
Posted by kparc (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 8:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Last thing I want to do is go out in the woods with a bunch of angry Rednecks. Ever see the movie Deliverance?
Posted by RhumbLine (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 8:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
http://virginiadem.wordpress.com/2008/10...
This event is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required; however, an RSVP is strongly encouraged
Rhumbie, When I reply to "losers", I need to stoop pretty low. You sound a bit feisty; No I've never seen Deliverance but I'm sure you have multiple times.
Keep be living the polls; hey why even vote if he's gonna win in landslide fashion ...
Posted by OhTheHumanity (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 8:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I have yet to see a credible link showing anything more than 10,000+ ... I have no doubt it could have been more, but need some proof; not just puffery from anxious believers.
Posted by OhTheHumanity (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 8:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
11-4-08 - assuming there is no cheating this time - will show the true numbers.
Typical - unless the facts measure up to republican expectations they are discounted. Leesburg Police, Loudoun Sherrif, and the Secret Service all say the same thing 35,000 people attended.
Choose to believe what you want - like the earth is flat and trickle down economics works and republicans are ethical and moral - all proven to be FALSE!
Posted by RhumbLine (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 8:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It should be noted this is to see the VP candidate, not the Presidential candidate. You are comparing apples to oranges. They have to send Biden to diners where they are offering free food so he will even have people show up!! And by the way, not a chance it was over 15k to see Obama. If they had even near 30k Leesburg would have been completely shut down and gridlocked with traffic, and it was not. There have been no official numbers released by any agencies, so Rhumbline and the rest are lying just like Obama.
Posted by truthseekerva (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 8:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'll be seeing Palin this afternoon in F'burg with my oldest daughter (age 12). You know one of the people whose gender represents over 50% of the U.S. citizens, but has only the GOP to try and represent her in the presidential election!
Posted by familynet (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 9 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hah! Go to Amazon.com and type "terrorist costume" you'll find obama's mask!
Posted by familynet (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 9:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
RhumbleMinnow, thanks for the link ... All of those credible sources didn't post that li'l nugget? Was it Talibama's SS? LOL
Posted by OhTheHumanity (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 9:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Vote for change - specifically to change Rhumb's Valium dose to a higher potency.
Posted by Hoqenishy (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well I did finally hear Palin say something truthful in a recent appearance. She did mention that as soon as the election was over, all of her clothes would be donated and she would be back shopping at her favorite consignment shop in Alaska.
You betcha will be honey, because you're not getting anywhere near DC this time around.
That's about the best thing I've heard spew from her HACKEY MAM mouth this entire election. Happy shopping, though.
Posted by MiniHaHa (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 10:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I heard Obamarx was donating his pajamas to replace the Shroud of Turin, after the election.
Posted by OhTheHumanity (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 10:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Funny how a few months ago, Obama was simply inexperienced. Then he was a secret Muslim. Then he was a Muslim terrorist. When people got bored with that, he became a domestic terrorist. When that didn't work, he became an anti-American leftist, then a socialist, and today he is a communist.
Gee, anyone ever see an inexperienced Muslim terrorist commie before? Tomorrow it will be discovered that Obama is part of the Mexican drug cartels. You betcha!
Posted by GenuineRisk (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 11:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The biass media, washington post has decleared Ayers the winner. No need to vote now.
Posted by Funnyguyva (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 11:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Drove by at 9:15 and I must say 15 Bypass, Rt. 7, Battlefield Pkwy, all looked like a ghosttown. Where were all the expected crowds?
Posted by ddell (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 11:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You are in la-la land, Ohthehumanity! Hahahahaha. LOL. Whatever gets you through the day..... LOLOLOLOL
Posted by ddell (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 11:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Vote Obama, he'll get Osama
Posted by dfhaines (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 1:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Did anyone invite Rev Wright? I heard he was there directing traffic.
Posted by Funnyguyva (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 4:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The reason traffic was so sparse at 7:00 AM is that many of us arrived before 6:30 AM.
Posted by obviously (anonymous) on October 27, 2008 at 8:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
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