Drivers in Raleigh pulled off the road to take pictures!

[smhbbag]

So when the blimp started coming by here in Raleigh, I hopped in the old Ford truck and went outside town to higher ground. Saw it, and was able to jump on the interstate and follow it for roughly 15 miles before I figured I'd used enough gas for the day :)

I saw 5 separate cars pulled off the side of the road just to take pictures. It was flying real low.

My first thought about the blimp was "That is simultaneously the coolest thing I've ever heard of, and also probably not the best use of money."

I neglected how few people have actually seen a blimp in person, and when they do - doesn't matter what it's for - they pay attention.

I pulled off the road, talked to an older woman for about 10 minutes about the Blimp...and with some literature in my truck...she's now a part of the Revolution. She seemed genuinely excited about Ron Paul, even moreso than the coolness of the blimp.

:D

[hillertexas]

nice! :)

[1913_to_2008]

Good job!!

[steph3n]

Perfect!!!! Great news hopefully you didnt make it up :D

[NewEnd]

blimp!!!!

[Ethek]

! blimps in the wild.

[Jimmy]

Thats what we need....low flying and people looking!! :cool: Wheres the media?

[Birdlady]

I have never seen a blimp either, so I would be pretty excited to see it flying low.

Could you see the side with the banner?

[JMann]

Blimp

Damn I missed it. Stuck in the office.

[slantedview]

I pulled off the road, talked to an older woman for about 10 minutes about the Blimp...and with some literature in my truck...she's now a part of the Revolution. She seemed genuinely excited about Ron Paul, even moreso than the coolness of the blimp.

:D
Now THAT is what it's all about !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

[seapilot]

Cool, and people that take pictures will show them to other people and talk about it. Get set for this to be talked about all over South Carolina.

[hawkeyenick]

low flying = under the radar...new guerrilla tactic

[smhbbag]

Yeah, it made what looked like a huge circle around the city before heading on toward Durham. Of course, they did it such that the banner side faced toward the city.

Unfortunately, 2 of the people were taking pictures of the blank side!

Again, I never realized just how much attention any blimp will get.

[hopeforamerica]

Cool! So where are your pictures?

[stevedasbach]

If you strictly consider the people directly reached by the blimp flying by, it's probably not a good use of resources. However, when you factor in the number of articles that have already been written about it, news reports, and the "F the FEC" angle, it makes a lot more sense.

Also, I understand that some media folks will be taking rides in it, which should result in even more stories.

[smhbbag]

Oh, I also let NC State's message board know about it, but only an hour or so beforehand.

After the thread was created, somebody went there and talked about seeing it.

"Came out of Danny's BBQ in RTP about 20 minutes ago and was like WTF!"

hahahaaha

[smhbbag]

Cool! So where are your pictures?

This Ron Paul spammer doesn't own a camera right now :(

[T206]

I have never seen a blimp either, so I would be pretty excited to see it flying low.

Could you see the side with the banner?

I guess Im spoiled by living across the water from NYC and 20 minutes from Giant Stadium. I think I see blimps at least 3 times a month on average.

Glad to see this thing actually got up and going though.

[rrroae]

Man I'm getting excited!!

[hawkeyenick]

Why the hell doesn't the other side have it's banner?

We're losing half of our audience

[Ibgamer]

Can you read the banner pretty well?

[dirka]

wait...


There is only one banner???? what the hell??

[Primbs]

Many in the mainstream media have not been paying attention to Ron Paul. They are covering Huckabee, Romney, Rudy, McCain, Thompson, Clinton and Obamma. They will probably get word this weekend that Ron Paul is making a major push and will focus their attention to Ron Paul on Monday.

The blimp will force the media to focus back to Ron Paul. It is a battle for their attention. Now we have a awesome tool to work with.

[Ethek]

Now we have a awesome weapon to work with.

QFT

[JMann]

Yeah, it made what looked like a huge circle around the city before heading on toward Durham. Of course, they did it such that the banner side faced toward the city.

Unfortunately, 2 of the people were taking pictures of the blank side!

Again, I never realized just how much attention any blimp will get.

Damn..Damn..Damn. My office building overlooks the Raleigh skyline. GRRRRR.

[LibertyEagle]

Where's all the media? I haven't seen one thing on TV.

[Chase]

The second banner had to be driven through a blizzard... they need about 5 hours to apply it, and it needs to be done inside because wind can cause serious complications applying such a huge piece of material. If they had waited to launch before applying the banner, the wind conditions at the launch site could have kept the blimp grounded for days.

[JeffersonThomas]

so does anybody know when the 2nd banner will be installed? I mean I'm glad they got it in the air, but I seriously think it's imperitive that the 2nd banner gets on ASAP.

[Mark]

wait...


There is only one banner???? what the hell??

I posted the answer twice myself. Here's the third.

http://ondecember16th.com/

Time to think positive thoughts… (http://ondecember16th.com/archives/26)

December 13th, 2007 by Katharine Memole To get the second banner (r[evol]ution) to the hangar in Elizabeth City, NC by 2AM in Friday, December 12th. That is the latest we can receive it and still get the banner on the blimp and get the blimp out of the hangar early enough to avoid winds that could strand it.


Originally the owner of www.personalblimp.com (http://www.personalblimp.com) (whose company made the banners) was going to fly a commercial flight to Elizabeth City, NC with the banner earlier tonight. The weather in Massachusetts was so bad he couldn’t fly so he embarked on a journey through almost blizzard like conditions in a Toyota minivan with some companions. They are currently en route.
11:40 PM EST


Update:
The bannermobile is currently in New Jersey and about 6 hours from Elizabeth City, NC. Sounds like they have made it out of the bad weather safely but probably will not arrive in NC until 7am.
1:00AM EST

[kylejack]

Could some of these people have just been Paul supporters excited about the blimp? Or were they all new people? I like new people.

[hellah10]

this is already paying off folks... im loving it

[RonPaulFTFW]

aww i missed it!

[Mark]

Where's all the media? I haven't seen one thing on TV.

I live near the center of Raleigh, I didn't see it. No news either, might of missed a report though.

Poor Pre-planning in terms of news coverage.

I called a ton of newspapers and TV stations, only a couple had any idea of it, a lot of news people knew who Ron Paul is though.

Someone needs to teach the paid staff how to call media outlets. That's what they're getting paid to do.

It's not hard. I called a bunch in a few minutes.

[Talldude1412]

Could some of these people have just been Paul supporters excited about the blimp? Or were they all new people? I like new people.

Impossible to say, but where one person is on the side of the road, new people will undoubtedly do so also, its kind of like the best version of Gawker Traffic. :)

[blakjak]

so does anybody know when the 2nd banner will be installed? I mean I'm glad they got it in the air, but I seriously think it's imperitive that the 2nd banner gets on ASAP.

Monday.

[JMann]

Could some of these people have just been Paul supporters excited about the blimp? Or were they all new people? I like new people.

In Raleigh there are Ron Paul signs at every exit on the 'beltline' that runs through the city so I'm sure there are a lot of people saying WTF to themselves.

[Verad]

I saw it from Chapel Hill! The problem was, by the time I was able to get to the tallest building on campus, it was already sinking far into the distance, but it was still there. :)

[ValidusCustodiae]

Cool! So where are your pictures?

ronpaul.meetup.com/471

[GeorgiaRPFan]

Blump.

[Jobarra]

I live near the center of Raleigh, I didn't see it. No news either, might of missed a report though.

Poor Pre-planning in terms of news coverage.

I called a ton of newspapers and TV stations, only a couple had any idea of it, a lot of news people knew who Ron Paul is though.

Someone needs to teach the paid staff how to call media outlets. That's what they're getting paid to do.

It's not hard. I called a bunch in a few minutes.
Just a note, this is not the campaign's responsibility. In fact, if paid staffers called about the blimp, it might be construed as a violation of FEC laws since the blimp is not an official campaign thing.

[Falseflagop]

Its a UFO? No its a Air Blimp ONE (ROn Paul Air Force!!)

[parke]

gooooooooose bumps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RevolutionSD]

Blimp.

We need more blimps!

Launch blimps, not missles!

[Mark]

Just a note, this is not the campaign's responsibility. In fact, if paid staffers called about the blimp, it might be construed as a violation of FEC laws since the blimp is not an official campaign thing.

I was talking about the blimp paid staff, the 10 who want $1000 a week plus expenses to do their job.

[daikonv]

its 500 per week btw

[Man from La Mancha]

Where is the paid for publicist that comes with the blimp? Every news media on the blimps route should have been notified by that person.

.

[Jobarra]

I was talking about the blimp paid staff, the 10 who want $1000 a week plus expenses to do their job.
Thanks for the clarification. Didn't know there was a paid staff.