Paul campaigns at Pitt

[Mckarnin]

Frugal?

Black and Gold for the Pittsburgh Steelers?

 

[Mckarnin]

Ron Paul HQ didn't even tell us that they planned to come until a two days beforehand and by then the venue was chosen. If they had sent word to our meetup that they could come and we had gotten in touch with the Pitt Young Republicans who hosted it we would have gotten a bigger venue, publicised it and asked the media. Urgh!

Katharine

Being originally from Pittsburgh (RP and I were neighbors, and his family's dairy delivered milk to us for years), I have many friends there. One of them called me last night and said there were approximately 750 people.

This is a huge disappointment to me. I've said it all along and will continue to say it. There is strength in numbers. Had there been a larger venue with an overflow crowd, there would be something for the press to report.

For a century Pittsburgh was the "Steel City" and the 5th largest corporate headquarters in the US. You'd think that after losing hundreds of thousands of good paying manufacturing jobs to JP Morgan, et al, taking their businesses to China, that there wouldn't be enough room on the Pitt campus for all the people who wanted to cheer on the only candidate who would help them as POTUS.

This is the single biggest failure of grassroots. We should be organizing campaign stops with thousands of cheering people. It costs nothing to take a couple of hours out of your week to attend a rally, and we have the most important public speaker alive today to deliver the goods.

This speech was attended mostly by college students who are there anyway. My friend said there were less than 50 people over the age of 21, in a greater metropolitan area of 2 million. No video. No pictures. No reports. In the city where Ron grew up, there was no virtually reception at all.

I can easily deliver 25 people to a rally. In the Pittsburgh meetup group there were 403 members. If each of them encouraged 10 people to attend, there would have been close to 5,000 people at the Pitt rally.

It ain't like Ron will be back in Pittsburgh any time soon.

Bosso

 

[Bruno]

I was there at Bellefield Hall in the front row on the right hand side. A nice young guy from Pitt was taking all the photos including that one in the article. I think he took one of my kids while I was filming the speech. Here are some pics including one of Ron Paul that my 6-year old took. Click on the thumbnails to see the full sized photo.

I got to meet Ron Paul!!!

Katharine

Great pictures, Katherine. I read your other post about the blimp. Awesome work and glad you finally got to meet Ron in person. Love the shirt in your pictures, too!

 

[Mckarnin]

Great pictures, Katherine. I read your other post about the blimp. Awesome work and glad you finally got to meet Ron in person. Love the shirt in your pictures, too!

Thanks, one of our fellow forum members designed and manufactured the shirts for the blimp crew/my kids. Last night we gave Ron Paul a polo and a hat like what my husband is wearing in the photo.

 

[robert4rp08]

Being originally from Pittsburgh (RP and I were neighbors, and his family's dairy delivered milk to us for years), I have many friends there. One of them called me last night and said there were approximately 750 people.

This is a huge disappointment to me. I've said it all along and will continue to say it. There is strength in numbers. Had there been a larger venue with an overflow crowd, there would be something for the press to report.

For a century Pittsburgh was the "Steel City" and the 5th largest corporate headquarters in the US. You'd think that after losing hundreds of thousands of good paying manufacturing jobs to JP Morgan, et al, taking their businesses to China, that there wouldn't be enough room on the Pitt campus for all the people who wanted to cheer on the only candidate who would help them as POTUS.

This is the single biggest failure of grassroots. We should be organizing campaign stops with thousands of cheering people. It costs nothing to take a couple of hours out of your week to attend a rally, and we have the most important public speaker alive today to deliver the goods.

This speech was attended mostly by college students who are there anyway. My friend said there were less than 50 people over the age of 21, in a greater metropolitan area of 2 million. No video. No pictures. No reports. In the city where Ron grew up, there was no virtually reception at all.

I can easily deliver 25 people to a rally. In the Pittsburgh meetup group there were 403 members. If each of them encouraged 10 people to attend, there would have been close to 5,000 people at the Pitt rally.

It ain't like Ron will be back in Pittsburgh any time soon.

Bosso

Keep in mind there was only about 2 or 3 days notice...

 

[humanic]

Being originally from Pittsburgh (RP and I were neighbors, and his family's dairy delivered milk to us for years), I have many friends there. One of them called me last night and said there were approximately 750 people.

This is a huge disappointment to me. I've said it all along and will continue to say it. There is strength in numbers. Had there been a larger venue with an overflow crowd, there would be something for the press to report.

For a century Pittsburgh was the "Steel City" and the 5th largest corporate headquarters in the US. You'd think that after losing hundreds of thousands of good paying manufacturing jobs to JP Morgan, et al, taking their businesses to China, that there wouldn't be enough room on the Pitt campus for all the people who wanted to cheer on the only candidate who would help them as POTUS.

This is the single biggest failure of grassroots. We should be organizing campaign stops with thousands of cheering people. It costs nothing to take a couple of hours out of your week to attend a rally, and we have the most important public speaker alive today to deliver the goods.

This speech was attended mostly by college students who are there anyway. My friend said there were less than 50 people over the age of 21, in a greater metropolitan area of 2 million. No video. No pictures. No reports. In the city where Ron grew up, there was no virtually reception at all.

I can easily deliver 25 people to a rally. In the Pittsburgh meetup group there were 403 members. If each of them encouraged 10 people to attend, there would have been close to 5,000 people at the Pitt rally.

It ain't like Ron will be back in Pittsburgh any time soon.

Bosso

I was at this rally and it was not a failure of the grassroots at all, let alone the "single biggest failure."

Like the IUP event earlier in the day, this event wasn't even posted to the official Ron Paul site until two days beforehand. We immediately printed up fliers and had some of our foot soldiers post them around town Wednesday. Within hours somebody had ripped almost all of them down. Despite this, and the fact that 9pm is pretty late for those who don't live near the city and have kids and/or jobs, the place was packed and the atmosphere was quite electric (watch the video someone posted above). Like IUP, which I also attended, it was standing-room-only with virtually zero advanced notice or help from the media.

Also, I was working the table just inside the door so I talked to almost every person that came in. There were a lot of young people, but I promise you that the notion that there were "less than 50 people over age 21" is an inaccurate estimation. I'd say it was three or four times that, at least.

We sent out press releases to the media; only one or two outlets showed up, and none with video cameras that I know of. Paul was on KDKA Wednesday night and Thursday morning, so there is no question that they knew about this event. Furthermore, while it's not Mellon Arena, this was not a tiny venue. The Pittsburgh media covered IUP and the venue was half the size, if that, so the "too small to cover" excuse just doesn't fly. (Not to mention that they had to drive over an hour away to that one while this one was in their own backyard.)

Between the two rallies, we got our delegate lists into the hands of nearly one thousand of the most dedicated Paul supporters in southwestern PA. We distributed thousands of slimjims, signs, and stickers. The libertarians got hundreds of signatures for ballot access. We got dozens of new people to sign up for our meetup and about twenty new volunteers to sign up for election day. Aside from the television media not showing up at the Pittsburgh rally, which was out of our control, the day was a big success.

Let me give you one more testament to the event's success. Before Dr. Paul announced his visits to PA, one of our delegate candidates felt abandoned and was questioning whether or not he could in good conscience vote for a candidate who did not bother coming to our state. Even after Ron announced that he would be coming, this delegate was still considering voting against Paul if he did not get high poll numbers. Here is the message he sent me last night:

"I wanted to tell you that having been to the rally in Pittsburgh tonight that I am reminded of why I began this journey. It is because Ron Paul cured my apathy. You can safely report that I will cast my vote for Ron Paul at the convention. Please let me know what I can do to help."

 

[SweetMona]

Go Ron Paul!

Great article. I liked seeing him say "and if elected".... doesn't sound like he quit the race to me.

What does "yellow shirt=D" mean?

It is one of the best pictures I have seen of Ron Paul. He looks good in yellow. Very happy, relaxed, and raring to go.

You bet, he looks great in yellow. He worn that same yellow shirt at Rally, University of Texas, Austin (The Longhorns)... I think it was on Feb. 23rd. He attracted 7,000 people.

I know we should have attracted more than 700 people but that hall is only accomodated to 600 people. Wasn't there any live t.v.? any news reporter?

 

[wgadget]

Yeah, that's what I thought...There was a press release or something that said the campaign was asking for RSVPs because there were only 600 seats available. Sounds like 750 might be considered "overflow."

Way to go, PA!

 

[LEK]

I like this: "Even though we have not been showing up at the polls like we can and should and will, we have enthusiasm," Paul said.

Sounds kinda prophetic...

 

[libertyVI]

Dr. Paul was scheduled to come to the Virgin Islands this weekend, arriving yesterday, but canceled late because of Joint Economic Committee hearings. That's probably why he didn't announce the Pittsburgh rally until very late, because he couldn't have planned it before this week.

Here's a video explaining the situation and addressing the VI prior to our caucuses tomorrow.

 

[sam1952]

My guest and I both over 50 attended this rally, stage left, third row. Though the venue was small, holding 650 with the added chairs and standing room there had to be 750 there. I can only add what a pleasure it was to hear Dr. Paul in person.

I considered it a success but have always been disappointed with lack of support from his home town media.

 

[Bossobass]

Ron Paul HQ didn't even tell us that they planned to come until a two days beforehand and by then the venue was chosen. If they had sent word to our meetup that they could come and we had gotten in touch with the Pitt Young Republicans who hosted it we would have gotten a bigger venue, publicised it and asked the media. Urgh!

Katharine

Hi Katherine,

I knew you'd be there. I'm so glad to hear (and see) you got to meet RP. I appreciate everything you've done. You helped to make the debate in Myrtle Beach another great event, from Pixburgh, no less.

Unfortunately, so many events like the Pitt rally have been last minute, and 2 days notice is definitely cutting it frustratingly close.

I'm just a bit frustrated that more of my family and friends up there in my old home town didn't show up, despite my alerting them as soon as I heard about it. A few of them did attend, but I was hoping for many more.

I'll be pounding the pavement here in Charlotte and we have our district convention coming up next week, but I'll have my eye on Pittsburgh and the rest of Pa as your primary is a month ahead of ours.

Keep up the great work.

Bosso

 

[NEPA_Revolution]

I am psyched to see him at PSU, making a 3 hour trip to hear him speak then another one back!

 

[Bossobass]

To everyone who attended the rally:

I apologize for the negative post, but it's been over a year since my family and I hit the campaign trail for RP and I'm feeling it a bit these days.

I'm glad you all attended and for everything you do. I just wish the crowds were larger and the media weren't such a bunch of bought and paid for drivel peddlers, especially in RP's home town.

We traveled thousands of miles through 5 airports including sitting in Detroit for hours with mechanical problems to get to Iowa to stand in the pouring rain and lightning, yelling with the crowd of RP supporters until we lost our voices and ABC posted a picture of a single RP supporter holding his sign and umbrella as though we weren't even there. Then, to hear friends and family in Pittsburgh tell me they couldn't make it to Pitt because, blah, blah.

Just a bit frustrated. Sorry to rain on your rally, and so glad you all attended and made it as successful as it could be.

Bosso

 

[JaylieWoW]

I agree with you, but there are 27,000 students enrolled at Pitt's main campus.

Bosso

This would be reality hitting you on the head with a hammer... roll up your sleeves, as has been stated many times, the revolution has only begun. May I see some end to it (on the side of liberty) in my lifetime (I'm only 38) or at least more than the spark I see now.

Though I might not live to see the "end" of such times, I have a daughter. A wonderfully, BRILLIANT daughter, whom I would very much like to know will see much better days. If I can only think of what I will gain, it will be for her. Whether that be selfish and self-centered, I want her to have a chance at a life. One of her own choosing. I would give my life freely to see that she has it.

 

[Mckarnin]

Thanks, it was a pleasure to make your debate a bit more exciting with the blimp! Too bad the fog rolled in or my WWII searchlight would have gotten to do its thing shining on the blimp instead of at the restaurant (I just love that piece of equipment). I get frustrated at some of the too little too late type feelings I get about some of the Ron Paul campaign's activities but when I think of it as the beginning of a national movement rather than the beginning of the end I cheer up.

Hi Katherine,

I knew you'd be there. I'm so glad to hear (and see) you got to meet RP. I appreciate everything you've done. You helped to make the debate in Myrtle Beach another great event, from Pixburgh, no less.

Unfortunately, so many events like the Pitt rally have been last minute, and 2 days notice is definitely cutting it frustratingly close.

I'm just a bit frustrated that more of my family and friends up there in my old home town didn't show up, despite my alerting them as soon as I heard about it. A few of them did attend, but I was hoping for many more.

I'll be pounding the pavement here in Charlotte and we have our district convention coming up next week, but I'll have my eye on Pittsburgh and the rest of Pa as your primary is a month ahead of ours.

Keep up the great work.

Bosso