Mike Goldfarb notes the Obamafest in Oregon, where something like 75000 people showed up, reportedly to see Obama himself.
Wrong. Mike Goldfarb:
Hugh points to this report from the local paper:
Obama was the biggest star at Sunday’s gathering — though a popular Portland band, The Decemberists, provided the warmup act. With blue skies and temperatures in the 80s, many in the crowd said Waterfront Park was simply the place to be.
I don’t listen to that kind of noise pollution, but I know that on a gorgeous, unseasonably mild day in Portland, a free performance by a hugely successful local band is likely to draw a huge crowd, and it seems that’s precisely what happened. Nobody denies that Obama is a phenomenon, drawing enormous crowds wherever he goes, but this was reported like all of Oregon showed up to see Obama. New information has come to light.
Hugh also notes that The Decemberists typically open their shows with what I’m sure is a stirring rendition of the Soviet national anthem. No word on whether they opened the Obama rally with such a performance, but I’m certain our trusted media would have reported it if they did.
Goldfarb can be quite acerbic when he wants to be, can’t he? And of course, quite correct. Funny; Back in my day, they used to get Harry Chapin as a draw for such events. ANd of course we saw reports that night on the local news which reported that the political rally was attended by x people, when in fact politics was not on their minds at all, and they were annoyed when Chapin tried to talk politics from the stage.
This was of course 30 years ago. And Obama, we’re told, represents political change.
Tags: decemberists, enormous crowds, free performance, Harry Chapin, local band, Mike Goldfarb, Obamafest, Oregon, political rally, Portland, portland band, soviet national anthem, warmup act, Waterfront Park
