just spoke to an empty Stadium in Detroit

[Philosophy_of_Politics]

http://www.businessinsider.com/mitt-romney-empty-stadium-rally-2012-2

Mitt Romney "unveiled" his economic plan — again — to about 1,200 members of the Detroit Economic Club this afternoon.
For a speech about taxes, that's a pretty good turnout. So good, in fact that the campaign had to find a bigger venue.
Their solution? Ford Field Stadium, the 65,000-seat football arena.

[Dianne]

LOL at Romney, exactly what Obama does as well.

[Sola_Fide]

The fail just seeps out of this guy. He must be so bitter that he can't be a champion of the people like Ron Paul.

[Jeremy]

Why is this a fail if he had to move to a bigger venue?

[Philosophy_of_Politics]

Why is this a fail if he had to move to a bigger venue?

"Detroit Stadium"

Political tactic in order to boost their campaign's ego, and trick people into thinking it was a big deal.

[Jeremy]

"Detroit Stadium"

Political tactic in order to boost their campaign's ego, and trick people into thinking it was a big deal. What you quoted said he had to go there because his turnout was bigger than expected.

[Philosophy_of_Politics]

What you quoted said he had to go there because his turnout was bigger than expected.

I'm not doubting that. What I'm saying is, the local media will probably say that Romney's crowd was so big they had to move it to Detroit Stadium. People who don't actually investigate/research will take it for truth.

The crowd hardly suggests anything worthy of using Detroit Stadium.

[Tyler_Durden]

http://s3.amazonaws.com/imgly_production/3421333/large.jpg


Source: http://img.ly/em2N

[Bruno]

Epic

[sailingaway]

Did he anticipate filling the seats? Because Ron got more people on 2 day's notice in Boise....

http://gallery.mailchimp.com/9b8827e2d9e8f8bf88bfe6fcb/files/BoiseRally_500x276_.jpg

[D.A.S.]

Since thread titles get tweeted, people may not get the sarcasm without seeing the picture and might take that at face value...

[sailingaway]

What you quoted said he had to go there because his turnout was bigger than expected.

but it was 1200 people.

Ron does that in a Red Lion Inn.

He has 1400 expected in CMU and similar sized groups elsewhere, and a 4000 seat theatre on the same trip. It is possible, although I bet it doesn't happen, that there might be some seats left at the 4000 seat event after holding events for three days in Michigan, however, no one will look at it and think he was silly to choose that venue...

[splanky]

I've tried to get this idea across before. An important way of dealing with the electability issue is with comparable pictures and videos of turnout. It's our cake for the taking. Put them together and send them out everywhere.

Yeah I know, I'm talking to the wall.

[unknown]

http://s3.amazonaws.com/imgly_production/3421333/large.jpg


Source: http://img.ly/em2N

Is this the real pic? If so, WOW...

[Liberty_Mike]

Would be amazing if Ron gets a bigger turnout to his events in Michigan. I really hope he gets close to filling that 4k person venue!

[Cap]

Would be amazing if Ron gets a bigger turnout to his events in Michigan. I really hope he gets close to filling that 4k person venue!It's going to be up to us, the grassroots.

[Perry]

Wonder how much money that cost him?

[azxd]

http://s3.amazonaws.com/imgly_production/3421333/large.jpg


Source: http://img.ly/em2N


Epic
I'm not sure it can be said better, so I'll just LOL at this image.

[RDM]

Wonder how much money that cost him?

Doesn't matter. Goldman Suchs got it covered.

[Tyler_Durden]

Is this the real pic? If so, WOW...

It's Real. Moveon.org justed made a meme out of it. We need to do the same.
http://cdn.front.moveon.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/empty-stadium-MAIN.jpg

[Tyler_Durden]

Can a meme or graphics expert take the mitt stadium pic and merge it with a recent packed Ron Paul event? Wasn't one of the Idaho events in a stadium?

[Tyler_Durden]

Did he anticipate filling the seats? Because Ron got more people on 2 day's notice in Boise....

http://gallery.mailchimp.com/9b8827e2d9e8f8bf88bfe6fcb/files/BoiseRally_500x276_.jpg


Can a meme or graphics expert take the mitt stadium pic and merge it with a recent packed Ron Paul event? Wasn't one of the Idaho events in a stadium?

yes. this one!

[VegasPatriot]

I've tried to get this idea across before. An important way of dealing with the electability issue is with comparable pictures and videos of turnout. It's our cake for the taking. Put them together and send them out everywhere.

Yeah I know, I'm talking to the wall.

Here is a valuable lesson I learned during the '08 campaign... Whenever you have a great idea and no one seems to listen... don't complain about it... it's your idea, go out and make it happen. It became a running joke here in Vegas... great idea, go do it.

[emazur]

If Paul had moved his Vancouver event, where a thousand people got turned away, to a large stadium like this and the full crowd of 2000 to 3000 showed were able to be accommodated, no one here would be complaining about an empty stadium

[ronpaulhemp]

I guess Mitt Romney was expecting Paul-sized crowds or something!

[Aratus]

is this a metaphor for mr. mitt romney's run for the presidency?
his horizons are limited and the competition thinks texas sized?

[azxd]

Romnotpopulary

[HOLLYWOOD]

A. So... has the Fascist Corporate Media reported on the empty stadium or did they just report that "Mitt Romney had to give a Rally @ FORD FIELD" His speech was awesome, the crowd loved it.


B. Or was in spun on FOX NEWS, Romney speaks to sparse stadium because ex Govenor Jennifer Granholm and President Obama left the city of Detroit in poverty and shambles"

Now where's those "Obama Bucks" from "His Stash"?

C. Ignored (Bad News Blackout) today.

Let's get the national Fascist Corporate Propaganda machine checklist readied on how they report

1.) CNN:
2.) ABC:
3.) CBS:
4.) NBC/MSNBC:
5.) FOX:

[Schiff_FTW]

The speech wasn't to the general public but instead to members of this one organization, so it's not really a fair comparison.

Not that I'd expect the general public to really show up in force for Romney either. It's also interesting that only about a third of the members of the Detroit Economic Club showed up for this, and apparently the campaign was expecting even less.

[John of Des Moines]

From 'Car Guy' Romney takes pitch to near empty stadium (http://news.yahoo.com/romney-takes-us-tax-cutting-pitch-motor-city-191957330.html)

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/LNrVvWV5mUdJxxV5uRGh2w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD00MjA7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/139771414.jpg

[idiom]

Percentage of reporters/staff vs fans in the centre?

[tommyzDad]

OUCH!!!!

[Sola_Fide]

The enthusiasm is just undeniable.

[ZENemy]

Come on, I heard Mitt had tons of money and he only paid 150-200 people this time?

[kathy88]

I get a better turnout than that at my chili cookoff every year.

[IDefendThePlatform]

That looks like one of Dr Paul's rallies. 2 hours before it starts.

[HOLLYWOOD]

AND Ladies and Gentlement,... here's the rebuttal

Romney Camp Not To Blame For Empty Stadium, Organizers Say http://bit.ly/w8DLsN (http://t.co/fnMD6c6C) 98% empty football stadium was "last minute security change"

Romney Camp Not To Blame For Empty Stadium, Organizers Say
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/assets_c/2012/02/mitt-romney-flag-fingers-cropped-proto-custom_28.jpg
Mitt Romney addresses the Detroit Economic Club at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan

Benjy Sarlin (http://talkingpointsmemo.com/benjy_sarlin.php) & Evan McMorris-Santoro (http://talkingpointsmemo.com/evan_mcmorris-santoro.php)
February 24, 2012, 6:49 PM

Mitt Romney’s speech in front of a 98% empty football stadium was the result of a last minute security change, according to two highly placed officials with the event’s organizer, the Detroit Economic Club.
The stadium was only chosen after a smaller venue sold out. Beth Chappell, president and CEO of the group, told TPM that the new plan was to hold the event in the stadium’s atrium, which wouldn’t have had a panoramic view of the venue’s empty 65,000 seats, but that the security team — which included Secret Service, Detroit police, and Ford Field security — did not approve.
“The security team had concerns when they did walkthrough so we had to move meeting to the field,” she said. “I am just sick that this has become an issue where there is none. We were thrilled with turnout.”

Following Friday’s speech Chappell sent the Romney campaign a letter clarifying the process after the setting was widely panned (http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/02/media-fixates-on-empty-stadium-rather-than-romneys-speech.php?ref=fpa) by commentators across the political spectrum, a development she wrote was “very disappointing after such a terrific meeting.” She added, “I so apologize for the confusion.”
Another board member, who asked not to be named, confirmed Chappell’s account and noted that the attendance was impressive for a club-organized event.

“I’m just being really honest with you, 1200 is a good crowd. Twelve hundred is one of the largest crowds they’ve had,” the board member said. “It wasn’t sparse — it was the way that they set it up.”

The member confirmed the Club president’s story that the event was moved to Ford Field because there wasn’t enough time to find a smaller venue for the (relatively) large crowd. They also confirmed the Secret Service’s role in moving the event from the atrium to the field itself, where cameras caught the mass of empty space that ended up overshadowing Romney’s speech.
Even though the truth might help Romney, whom the board member opposes, the member said it was important “to be fair.”
“I was there. And it was not sparsely attended,” the board member said. “That was one of the largest economic crowds I have ever seen.”

A spokesman for the Secret Service said that as a rule, they never discuss deliberations with staff publicly, but that in general it’s “very common” for the Secret Service to coordinate with campaigns about selecting the location of events.
Romney may not have had control over the visual optics of the event, but not all the negative headlines came from the empty space at Ford Field. While the speech was mostly unmemorable, Romney waxed poetic at one point about the Cadillacs his wife owns, (http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entries/romneys-car-talk-leads-to-trouble) a gaffe that entered the pantheon of Romney missteps, right up there with “I’m unemployed” (http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/06/mitt-romney----net-worth-over-200-million----tells-unemployed-people-im-also-unemployed.php) and “I’m not concerned about the very poor.” (http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/02/mitt-romney-im-not-concerned-about-the-very-poor.php)
Chappell’s full letter to the Romney campaign explaining the stadium seating is below:


To: Katie Packer-Gage, Romney Campaign

Dear Katie:

Thanks so much again for a great day. It was a privilege to host Governor Romney and we were delighted to have such a terrific turnout of 1200 members and guests. Folks at the strolling luncheon afterwards were happily abuzz.

Sadly, I just heard that there is some confusion in the media regarding the selection of today’s venue. That is very disappointing after such a terrific meeting.

As I said in my remarks today, we sold out the previous venue in 90 minutes and were delighted that Ford Field was available and could accommodate the DEC. Further, we thought it a wonderful Detroit landmark to host this nationally broadcast meeting.

The original plan was to host the Romney meeting in the atrium, which is where we host DEC meetings when at Ford Field. During our walk through with the security team there were further issues raised due to the size of the crowd so we moved the event to the field.

Had we followed our normal plan in the atrium, the football field would not have been visible - and the room would have been packed.

I so apologize for this confusion. Thank you again.

Best,

Beth

[sailingaway]

that^^ is plausible, but also no fun at all......

[IDefendThePlatform]

Seriously why don't we have Ron Paul speak in that exact same space next week? Hed get probably double the crowd It would be a great chance to say hey look at the enthusiasm gap. We need to play to our strengths and huge enthusiastic crowds at rallies is one of our biggest.

[kathy88]

As I said in my remarks today, we sold out the previous venue in 90 minutes and were delighted that Ford Field was available and could accommodate the DEC. Further, we thought it a wonderful Detroit landmark to host this nationally broadcast meeting.

Nationally broadcast meeting?

[devil21]

Great pic but I believe their story. That pic is great meme though! Id estimate 400 people but how many were media?

[kathy88]

I've tried to get this idea across before. An important way of dealing with the electability issue is with comparable pictures and videos of turnout. It's our cake for the taking. Put them together and send them out everywhere.

Yeah I know, I'm talking to the wall.

Actually, for once Splanky, you're not :) J/K. Truce. I wish I knew how to do this stuff. Great ideas get lost in the shuffle.

[walt]

It gets better, watch the video...

http://thehill.com/video/campaign/212525-romney-gives-democrats-ammunition-in-detroit-speech-says-wife-drives-a-couple-of-cadillacs-