Obama Breaks a Record in Virginia

The Hook reports:

Whether Barack Obama (D) ultimately becomes President of the United States, the senator from Illinois has already made history in Charlottesville. At his Monday night rally at the Charlottesville Pavilion, he pushed attendance at that two-year-old venue to beyond its capacity. “We estimate it was a total of just over 5,000 people,” says Pavilion manager Kirby Hutto. “That’s way beyond anything we’ve ever done. I’m surprised we could fit everyone in here.”

Before presidential hopeful ever spoke a word, former state senator Tom Michie said that in all his years in Charlottesville politics, he can only recall one instance of political fervor equal to this one. “The last time I can remember something like this was in 1960, Lyndon Johnson made a whistle stop at the train station and we had a mob this big,” he says.

For all the anticipation buzzing through the attendees, and the more than $300,000 they had plunked down to see the Chicagoan, Obama did not disappoint. After a $2,300-per-person pre-rally event at downtown sushi restaurant Ten, and an introduction from Gov. Tim Kaine, he took the stage to U2’s “City of Blinding Lights.” For 50 minutes, the audience listened in rapt attention, staying pindrop quiet until exploding in tempestuous applause on cue.

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