Barack in Raleigh on Wednesday 10/29!

[supernova]

From the Obama campaign:

Early Vote for Change Rally
with Barack Obama
This Wednesday, October 29th, please join Barack Obama in Raleigh, where he will talk about his vision for creating the kind of change we need.

Halifax Mall
Government Complex
300 North Salisbury Street
Raleigh, NC 27603

Wednesday, October 29th
Doors Open: 10:00 a.m.
Pre-program Begins: 11:15 a.m.

This event is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required; however, an RSVP is strongly encouraged.

Sign up and RSVP here:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/ncboraleigh

[struggle4progress]

1. kick

:kick:

[barbtries]

2. i'm going to take off work and take my son

how early should we get there? anybody know? it'll be my first time.

[struggle4progress]

3. You'll have to make your own guess about how much in advance of the door-opening

you need to arrive: my own thought would be that I wouldn't show up less than one hour before the doors open, and there might be quite a line even by then (?)

I've never been to such an event that actually started on time -- and post 9/11 security may take a while (?)

Maybe if you RSVP the campaign can give you some idea how long the lines have been at prior events -- but campaigns traditionally are not very good at providing such info accurately. You might also ask if you need to bring ID for security purposes

[barbtries]

4. i did rsvp

and got a confirming email that said "this is not a ticket" ... it may be that my boss will not look kindly on me taking the day off; if so, i will forego seeing barack. but i really want to go, and take my son. be next to history for a minute.

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

7. RSVPing for the Obama rallies is not a guarantee...

if you want to get there, get there about 6 hours before the gates open. Trust me. I saw Barack in Greensboro last month and I was in line at 5am, gates openened at 10am. By 7am there were already about 500 to 1000 people in line. That was last month, and his status has growed since then. If you want to get there, get there early as you can. RSVPing will not save spots in the crowd. Get there early! Trust me you will be glad you did.

[supernova]

5. Crap, may not be able to go now

I'm having my water heater replaced and they may be able to work tomorrow. :P

I'll know more by the end of the day today.

[barbtries]

6. we're going for sure

my boss gave me her blessings (obama supporter). now i really wonder how early i should go, really bummed that apparently there are no obama t-shirts left in the triangle, can't wait.

i've never been to a political rally before. no election in my lifetime - 53 years - has seemed as important. i'm taking my 16-year-old and my camera and i am so excited!

[zazen]

8. my teenage daughter and I are going: do you know on which side entrance will be?

There's no natural check in point so they're going to have to blockade off a lot. I just wish I knew if "check in" was on the Peace St side or the Legislative Building side, since we're getting someone to drop us off. It may be on the Blount side (towards Person), since they're blocking off an additional block there.

I have no idea if there will be 100,000 or 6,000. Most of the people I know around Raleigh want to go but can't because it's on such short notice nor can they get their kids out of school either. My daughter's school is within walking distance and most of them aren't going.

[Nanceirish]

9. Over 20000 People There

It was awesome!!!!

[zazen]

10. since 300 people must have complained to me about it,is it usually that impossible to see anything?

I'm not whining. I'm glad I got to take my daughter. But if they had just taken the time to borrow a big screen from Walnut Creek Amphitheatre and raise the stage, all 20K could have seen him instead of 400 people in the front rows. We were 15 people back (like, in front of 75% of the people there) and couldn't see anything. People were really sweet and kept letting short elderly ladies move to the front so they could see something (and they still couldn't), but with the few people in front who held their kids up so no one else could see, it was like standing for four hours straight to hear a speech we've heard on C-SPAN. I was surprised at how frustrated people were with it. I didn't stand next to a single person who didn't complain--and some regularly and loudly. I said, yesterday they stood out in the freezing rain--surely we don't have it so bad--but apart from contributing my warm body to the crowd, I wish I'd have stayed home.

I loved talking to people in line. That was the best part. But I think I could have spent the day more productively helping the campaign by working at the local HQ making calls.

Sorry--but since we're providing opinions, I thought I'd provide mine. I don't think the NC staff served him very well.

[Nanceirish]

11. I understand

We got very lucky, for some reason we were chosen to sit in the bleachers behind him, just at random. I kept wondering why they didn't have a big screen so everyone could see him better. I am sorry your experience could have definitely been better.