Ticket chase for Obama speech burns up phone lines

60,000 Coloradans submit requests for Obama's speech

By David Montero, Rocky Mountain News (Contact), Carrie Porter, Rocky Mountain News

Published August 7, 2008 at 10:37 p.m.

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Photo by Darin McGregor © The Rocky

Bridget Broomfield tries to peek in the window of the Barack Obama campaign office on Santa Fe Boulevard, while Jo Sanders, left, and more than a dozen other people wait outside.

Photo by Darin McGregor © The Rocky

Jim Ponder of Pensacola, Fla., fields calls Thursday at the Community Credential Call Center from people seeking tickets to Barack Obama's speech Aug. 28 at Invesco Field at Mile High. The action was intense, with thousands bombarding about 20 volunteers with a steady stream of calls.

The hottest ticket in town was literally burning the ears of the phone operators Thursday.

That would be the ticket for Barack Obama's Aug. 28 nomination acceptance speech at Invesco Field at Mile High - an event expected to draw 75,000 people on the final night of the Democratic National Convention.

In about a 24-hour period, 60,000 Coloradans had submitted requests for tickets - forcing the Obama campaign to start a waiting list.

The campaign and the Democratic National Convention Committee said more than half of the available seating would go to Colorado residents.

"We're pleased that so many people want to be part of this historic event," Obama spokesman Matt Chandler said. "We've said from the start this is going to be America's convention, and I think we've seen today that it's truly going to be Colorado's convention, too."

Using the Obama Web site and a toll-free number, the campaign launched the ticket giveaway Wednesday afternoon.

From 3 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, about 20 volunteers sat in a windowless room at the Pipefitters Local Union 208 in Denver taking calls.

Then, at 9 a.m. Thursday, volunteers again began taking ticket requests. Internet requests could be filled out overnight.

Each phone call took about five minutes.

Volunteers followed a strict script, asking questions to confirm transportation plans, accommodations for disabled visitors, and explaining the two types of tickets offered.

In exchange for six hours of campaign volunteer work, callers were told they could receive "preferred" tickets that would give them better seats.

Volunteers had identical blue cell phones charged at each of the 20 work stations.

When a cell phone became too hot to use, volunteers would switch to one that was cooler on the ear.

Sherry Bebitch Jeffee, a senior scholar and political analyst at the University of Southern California, said she expected that the historic nature of the convention and the enthusiasm of Obama supporters would generate a huge demand for tickets.

She also said there would be little downside from those who felt shut out of a chance to get a ticket. "People at this point in time are used to being locked out of concerts and sporting events," she said. "It happens. I really don't see people rising up in anger over not getting a ticket to the speech."

The response for tickets - or community credentials as the DNCC calls them - didn't come without hiccups, however.

Early Thursday, a dozen people showed up at the Obama campaign office on Santa Fe Boulevard in an attempt to get tickets.

Frankie Briggs-Hopson, of Denver, said she stopped by the campaign office because she was interested in volunteer opportunities. The 56-year-old said she sent in a application two weeks ago and hadn't received a response. Instead of calling or going online, she simply signed an application for tickets while talking with Obama staffers.

"I work in the area, and I thought I would just come down here on my lunch break," she said.

There were also multiple reports of people trying, without success, to get through on the toll-free phone line - including Javier Johnson.

The 27-year-old journalism student at Metro State said he started calling shortly after 4 p.m. Wednesday. He said he dialed "at least 50 times," first getting a busy signal, then endless ringing.

If he has to, the Denver resident said, he'll buy scalped tickets despite warnings from the DNCC and Obama campaign that those tickets may be deactivated and access denied.

Despite the troubles some had getting through on phones, Chandler said the campaign tested the phone system and that it was working properly. He urged people to be patient and persistent.

Campaign officials said they didn't know when they would cut off the waiting list, though DNCC officials said they would keep the list open until Tuesday.

"We are telling folks who sign up now that chances are very low that we can accommodate them, but we are keeping them on the list," DNCC's Natalie Wyeth said.

By Thursday evening, it was unclear if the ticket allotment for the rest of the country had been reached. Those who filled out forms or got through on the phone will be notified Aug. 15 if they were successful.

Officials didn't release any details about how soon people would need to get to Invesco Field and what kinds of items, such as coolers and drinks, would be banned or allowed into the stadium.

Staff writers Sara Burnett and Tracee Herbaugh contributed to this report

Requesting tickets

Coloradans can request tickets to Barack Obama's Aug. 28 acceptance speech in one of two ways:

* Online: co.barackobama.com/ invesco

* By phone: (888) 468-7404

* The deadline for applying is 9 p.m. Tuesday, although officials are likely to stop taking requests sooner because the requests are expected to far exceed the number of tickets available.

Tell us about your experience

* Have a story to tell about trying to get tickets to the speech? E-mail us at Metro@RockyMountainNews.com

• August 8, 2008

  4:53 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  my3pugs writes:

  Learn to write you moron, learn what "literally" means.
  "The hottest ticket in town was literally burning the ears of the phone operators Thursday."
  If that were true, the operators would be in the burn unit in a great deal of pain. You meant perhaps "figuratively", not "literally".

• August 8, 2008

  8:05 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  AC writes:

  There is no Santa Fe "Boulevard," as in your photo caption. It's always been Santa Fe "Drive." Have you lost all your old timers there who know the streets?

• August 8, 2008

  8:51 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  John_Galt writes:

  So many Kool-Aid drinking lemmings. So few tickets to watch their leader.

• August 8, 2008

  9:31 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Anymeansnecessary writes:

  Huffdiver
  You are nothing but a vile racist. Why don't you go crawl back under your rock. These 2 women are there trying to get tickets to a historic event. One that will be happening in your own state. Kinda burns at your gut doesn't it to know that the first African American president will be nominated right under your racist nose?

• August 8, 2008

  9:42 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  enginerd writes:

  Why do they use cell phones in a call center? Land lines don't get hot.
  Who is John Galt?

• August 8, 2008

  11:55 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  HippyLippy writes:

  Thank gosh I don't get up for pep rallies.

• August 8, 2008

  12:06 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Elwood writes:

  I wonder how many will come down with brain tumors after so much exposure to cell phones?

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