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September 20, 2008
Sarah Palin To Speak At The Villages......
People lined up Friday to get their tickets to see the vice-presidential candidate.
The line wrapped around the square about three times, with people waiting as early as 7 a.m. Friday for tickets to see Sarah Palin at The Villages this Sunday.
At The Villages 16,000 tickets were handed out, but that only accounts for half of the crowd that's expected for the vice-presidential candidate's Sunday appearance. Thousands of tickets were also handed out in other parts of Florida.
Annie Marie Delgado, president of the Greater Ocala Republican Club, said the last estimated turn out she got was over 30,000.
As preparations began, so did the excitement in the crowd of people waiting for Palin tickets.
“She can see what needs to be done, what changes need to be done and she's not afraid to do it,” Villages resident Beverly List said.
The gates open at 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Event organizers are urging people to show up early because there will be standing room only. They said things like chairs and umbrellas should be left at home. Organizers believe that this event will bring more people to The Villages than even an appearance by President Bush.
Also this article ................
Palin’s first stop in Florida — The Villages
When GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin makes her first trip to Florida as John McCain’s running mate, it will be to The Villages.
The McCain-Palin campaign officially confirmed the Sunday-afternoon appearance here by the Alaska governor on Thursday afternoon.
“There is a lot of excitement about Gov. Palin’s historic visit to Florida and to The Villages. She has energized the base, as well as former Hillary supporters,” McCain/Palin 2008 Southeast Regional Communications Director Mario Diaz said.
“Ever since John McCain showed the world that he was truly ready to bring change, the McCain Web site and the phones at the (campaign) offices have been flooded nonstop with e-mail and phone calls as to when Floridians would get the chance to see Gov. Palin,” Diaz said.
As of Thursday press time, The Villages was the only stop in Florida for Palin that the campaign would confirm.
Palin’s campaign rally is slated for 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Market Square in Lake Sumter Landing.
Here in The Villages, the news of Palin’s Sunday-afternoon visit has generated plenty of excitement.
Alice Briggs, a native of Boston who now makes her home in the Village of Country Club Hills, heard about Palin’s visit and knew that she wanted to volunteer and help out.
“I like the fact that she is a woman. I like the fact that she is independent. John McCain made a brilliant choice by choosing her. She’s fearless,” Briggs said.
“I have two sons retired form the military. I have a granddaughter in the Navy and a grandson in the Navy who just got back from Iraq. Another grandson recently retired from the military intelligence. I say they aren’t warriors — they are peace makers,” Briggs said.
Briggs is also serving as the coordinator for the phone banks for the Lake County Republican Women for John McCain.
Ellen Hoffman, Sumter County Republican Executive Committee, said the outpouring of volunteers to help with the Palin visit has been overwhelming.
“There is lots of enthusiasm. People are extremely excited about her visit,” Hoffman said.
She said that it’s clear that Palin has excited the party from the national level down to the grassroots level.
“Of course, women and especially mothers identify with her because she has had to balance work and family. She has also shown herself as a highly impressive speaker with a great level of intelligence,” Hoffman said.
The McCain-Palin campaign already has developed a familiarity with The Villages.
McCain held a town-hall style rally at Savannah Center in The Villages on Jan. 27. It was attended by several thousand people. Two days later he went on to win the Florida Primary.
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Wild Thing's comment............
When we were at the Republian headquarters this last Tuesday I asked if there was going to be a rally with Sarah or McCain and Sarah Palin and they said only McCain would be speaking in Tampa on Wednesday. That there was nothing planned with Sarah at that time.
This was such a wonderful surprise even though announced late on Thursday and I just found out about it at 3:10 this morning. haha
I am gonig to call and see if they have any tickest left....I know dream on..... or if I can be one of the volunteers. So I am keeping my fingers crossed.
Being new to Florida I have never heard of The Villages, so I asked Nicholas and he said it is about 80 miles from us. He said it is a retirement place.
This is so exciting, and I guess even though the event said it can only handle 16,000 they are expecting 30,000 or more. A man on TV last night a dem of course said interest in Palin is sinking fast. Nicholas and I sat there and just laughed, they are trying so hard to lie and lie and use their propaganda for the people that might believe them.
Tony Snow’s parents live in The Villages. I wonder if they will be there.
Posted by Wild Thing at September 20, 2008 05:40 AM
