If you were hoping to see talk show host Oprah Winfrey when she stumps for presidential candidate Barack Obama this coming Sunday at the Colonial Center in Columbia, and you don’t already have tickets, then you’re out of luck. The State reports that, “due to overwhelming demand,” the campaign has handed out all of its tickets for the 18,900 seat arena.
So where did all the tickets go? From MSNBC:
In South Carolina, the Obama campaign also has prioritized giving tickets to the team leaders and their biggest volunteers who will get VIP seating at the event. Anyone who met their November vote and supporter goals will also receive special recognition, and campaign supporters were handed large batches of tickets to hand out to co-workers, friends, and family who were undecided or curious about the event. The focus for the South Carolina team is much more about using Oprah to bring new faces unfamiliar with the campaign — or people who don’t pay much attention to politics. Unlike Iowa or New Hampshire, Obama has averaged about one visit a month to the state, which sees little media attention or big name surrogates stumping for the candidates. For at least one day on December 9, that could all change.
Kevin Griffis, Obama’s press secretary in the state, said he’s never seen anything quite like the anticipation to see Oprah. “It’s going to give us an opportunity to connect with a lot of people who at this point have not been connecting with the campaign; increase the number of volunteers; and help us identify a lot of voters,” he said.
To illustrate that point, Griffis told the story of the unexpected surprise staffers received on Saturday morning. When staff arrived at state headquarters around 6:00 am, there was a line of people wrapped around the building with their sleeping bags in tow, waiting for the office to open and get tickets. The campaign handed out 3,000 tickets just this past weekend. As of this afternoon, they have stopped distributing tickets to the event in fear of an overflow. [MSNBC]
There is a waiting list available at sc.barackobama.com/oprah_sc, but good luck with that.
This entry was posted on Monday, December 3rd, 2007 at 7:00 pm and is filed under Democrats, Primary Season. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
let’s talk about mrs. obama’s dress. that thing is a war crime.
Since when do TPS editors think war can be a crime?
I guess when it’s as hellacious as that dress.
Hmm…how many are Republicans who just want to see Oprah?
I just hope Minge and Gary will get a chance to speak.
I agree on that comment about the dress. Maybe Oprah can get her in contact with her people. The girl needs help. This is the big time. Can be seen in Walmart fashions.
IT’S TIME FOR AMERICA TO DENY OPRAH ACCESS TO OUR TELEVISION SETS
Oprah gives advice on relationships, but has a boy friend who is a
door mat … gives advice on marriage, but has never been married …
gives advice on child rearing, but has no children … gives advice on
Obama, but was a member of Jeremiah Wright’s anti-American racist
church for several years. Now, her white women’s audience, which made
Oprah rich, wants to know more about Sarah Palin, but Oprah says NO.
No Oprah, No Wright, no Farrakahn, no Ayers, no Rezko,
no mean Michelle, NOBAMA