Ashcroft speech having difficulties selling tickets,organizer is perplexed

[sabra]

http://www.oregonlive.com/metronorth/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/metro_north_news/114485730787370.xml&coll=7

Plenty of seats left for Ashcroft speech
Vancouver event - An organizer is perplexed by the slack demand for tickets to tonight's event

VANCOUVER -- With only 100 tickets sold in advance, Washington State University Vancouver officials are hoping for a large walk-up audience tonight for a speech by former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft.

Combining advance sales, discount tickets to 100 local high school students and giveaways to WSU students and others in the community, about 500 people are expected in the 1,100-seat auditorium at Skyview High School.


...

"It's really been shocking," Long said. "We've done a full-court press, trying to contact people in the Republican Party and community organizations that would be interested in this event."

All tickets had been claimed before last year's speech by former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean. In the weeks leading to his appearance, Dean's name was in the news because of his selection as Democratic National Committee chairman.

:rofl:

[marmar]

1. And why would the organizer think...

that normal people would have any interest in washed-up right-wing religious psychopaths?

:shrug:

[Sabriel]

2. And today's "DUH!" award goes to...

Who did they think would show up to see him? Time to start rounding up homeless folks and offering them a free meal.

[ThoughtCriminal]

3. Promise he won't sing

Nope, still not interested.

[LilyLibber]

6. I was just going to say, maybe they're afraid he'll sing...

...uh, nope, it's not just that! :rofl:

[vickitulsa]

9. OMG, you made his voice sound in my head:

"And the eeeeeeeagle soars....!"


YIKES! The horror, the horror..... :puke: :banghead:

[TexasLawyer]

4. Ashcroft's $27,000 speaker's fee !!!

"Ashcroft's $27,000 speaker's fee will be paid mostly through student fees, said Robert Cox, student involvement coordinator for WSU Vancouver. "


WSU financial supporters, students and Washington state taxpayers should pitch a fit.

[walkon]

8. 27 cents

would be too much.

[gatorboy]

5. Same reason that conservatives have such pitiful attendance

to their rallies. They're not the majority they'd lead you to believe.

Now if the Democratic Party in office would only realize this...

[Boomer]

7. Ooops! Math mistake

They've been asking people to spend for the tickets when they should have been PAYING the people to attend.

[Initech]

10. As long as he doesnt sing "Let The Eagle Soar"...

:puke:

[TexasLawyer]

11. They should have invited the Young Republicans!

Let the eagle soar!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=886164

[cliss]

12. I'm about 20 miles away from this "event"

now ask me if I'm going to attend.

[Norquist Nemesis]

13. Oh, my! I need a kleenex

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[AnneD]

23. I need...

a Depends :spray: :rofl::rofl::rofl:

That awful catterwalling song will be stuck in my head the entire afternoon. I hope you folks are happy with yourselves.

[xultar]

14. This is the guy who made it OK for BushCo to torture...putting our troops

in danger and they are wondering why they are having trouble selling tickets.

[annabanana]

17. I thought that was Gonzo the fixer who did that. . . .n/t

[annabanana]

15. for all the bad things we can say about this guy...

He recused himself from the Plame investigation, and he refused (from his hospital bed) to go along with another administration outrage ~ I forget now which one - there are so many~.....

He is a far right wing fundamentalist, a prude and a bad singer, but he is not a crook or a hypocrite, as far as I know.

[giant_robot]

21. I believe that was the warrantless spying program...

...I hope somebody in the audience asks him a question about that.

[lpbk2713]

16. Any military bases nearby?

Enlisted people will be "volunteered" to fill up the empty seats just prior to showtime.

And their superiors will be watching them to be sure they show boundless enthusiasm, as ordered.

[karlrschneider]

18. self delete

...

[opihimoimoi]

19. Maybe its because of those Recruiters???

[Richard Steele]

20. Correct my math: "expecting 500 people" required 300 FREE TICKETS!

100 advance sale tickets
+ 100 student discount tickets
+ X 'giveaways'

= "about 500 expected"

Solve for X!


And you KNOW it's not gonna be 500 in the end;
300 'freebie tickets' do NOT produce 300 asses in seats.


Quote:
"It's really been shocking," Long said.
"We've done a full-court press, trying to contact people
in the Republican Party and community organizations
that would be interested in this event."

He's obviously working the WRONG demographic there!
If he gave away free rotten tomatos with every ticket,
he could stand on any street corner
and sell another few hundred easily!

[TrogL]

22. They should have contacted Democratic sources

and offered free rotten fruit.