Palin sparks excitement in Springs

Free tickets for Republican rally Saturday are gone

By Lynn Bartels, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published September 4, 2008 at 1:12 p.m.
Updated September 4, 2008 at 11:53 p.m.

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Photo by Joe Mahoney

Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska, listens to cheers at the Republican National Convention at the Xcel Center in St. Paul, Minn., on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2008, the third day of the event.

Saturday's John McCain-Sarah Palin rally in Colorado Springs is the hottest ticket in town.

So hot, in fact, that they're all gone.

A spokesman for the McCain campaign in Colorado said Thursday that tickets were no longer available for the Republican candidates' appearance.

Colorado GOP Chairman Dick Wadhams told delegates in Minneapolis that excitement over the McCain-Palin had created a rush to acquire the free tickets.

"The phones are ringing off the hook with people wanting to come to the rally Saturday morning in Colorado Springs," Wadhams said.

The Jet Center, where the event is to be held, holds only about 12,000, and most of the free tickets had been distributed before Palin's speech Wednesday at the Republican National Convention.

Colorado delegates were on their feet for most of Palin's speech Wednesday night, yelling out "All right!" at her digs at Barack Obama and his running mate, Joe Biden, and clapping and cheering.

"John McCain just won the election," said delegate Guy Short, of Erie, when Palin's speech ended.

Other delegates said she has re-energized the Republican Party, which is ready to take on the Democratic ticket of Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

"My 19-year-old daughter text- messaged me during the speech and said, 'Mom, she's awesome,' " said delegate Marti Whitmore, of Evergreen, who once worked in McCain's Washington office.

"My daughter knows Senator McCain, but she was not as enthusiastic as she is now."

Delegate John Carson, of Highlands Ranch, said that Palin's speech was exciting.

"I think this week has done a lot to get people motivated. I think it improves things," he said. "It's been a constant process of building up to a tough election, but I think we're going to be in good shape."

State Sen. John Penry, of Grand Junction, who is not a delegate, decided at the last minute to fly to Minnesota with his dad, Dan, to watch the nomination.

"She was poised, she was elegant, she was defiant in the face of the media bloodbath she experienced," he said after Palin's speech. "The only time I stopped clapping was when I grabbed my BlackBerry to find out when our girl gets to debate (Sen. Joe) Biden."

That would be Oct. 2.

bartels@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5327

McCain and Palin in Colorado Springs

* Doors open at 9 a.m. at the Colorado Jet Center in Colorado Springs.

* No tickets remain.

• September 4, 2008

  2:44 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Marshdale writes:

  Colo. Springs you are so lucky to have Wailin Palin oops I'm sorry Cruella de Vil. I'm sure that chalk board voice of hers will be a treat for your conservative ears.

• September 4, 2008

  2:55 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  davies writes:

  Marshdale: Name calling is SO immature. I liked 'Caribou Barbie' (on another comments thread) better anyway.

• September 4, 2008

  3:17 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  DenverDan writes:

  I am sure all the rich Broadmoor wifes will be happy to see thier Prom Queen and Palin.

• September 4, 2008

  3:20 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Marshdale writes:

  Thanks Davies. I really need your support.

• September 4, 2008

  11:40 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  farmboy writes:

  I'm convinced that Sarah Palin scares the left out of what little remains of their minds.

  They have seen Obama go from the certainty of a landslide win down to being virtually tied in major polls with McCain before the conventions. Now that someone comes along and fires up the GOP base, that certainty is threatened.

  So I guess the left has good reason to be scared. Their dealing with it by innuendo and outright frothing-at-the-mouth hatred against her is pathetic though. Poisonous, but pathetic.

• September 5, 2008

  4:49 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  kevin3 writes:

  It is no surprise that the McCain-Palin ticket would be hot in our nation’s hypocrite capital!

• September 7, 2008

  10:08 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  M_Bishop writes:

  I reserved tickets online for the McCain-Palin rally in Colorado Springs on September 6th. When I went to the office to claim my tickets, I was told that there were no more. A little odd I thought, seeing that the room was full of young moms with toddlers in their arms, and THEY were receiving instructions like "be prepared to be outside and bring sunscreen and water..." I felt discriminated against. And the geek behind the counter just smiled and shrugged and said "They ran out of tickets yesterday." But that was the day I had called and confirmed that my tickets were still there!

• September 7, 2008

  10:09 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  M_Bishop writes:

  What exactly is a "reserved ticket" if it's not really reserved?

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