The man drew 15-20,000 at a rally in Austin, Texas. A bit less than 2 years before the next election, and he is filling stadiums. In Texas. In the rain.
The Dallas Morning News reports the story:
Thousands of people jammed a lakeside venue used for rock concerts to hear Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama promise Friday to "galvanize a movement for change" in American politics.
The crowd – extraordinarily large for so early in a presidential campaign – cheered Mr. Obama's call to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq and his denunciation of the Bush administration."The American people are tired of being afraid," the senator said. "They are tired of being pitted against each other."
Standing on a stage surrounded by a sea of supporters waving blue "Obama '08" placards, the Illinois Democrat presented himself as "an agent for change in Washington" who would unite an electorate polarized by fractious politics and an unpopular war.
"Regardless of what divides us, regardless of our differences in race and religion and political party, there is more than binds us together than drives us apart," he said[...]
In his 35-minute speech, Mr. Obama took sharp aim at the Bush administration, at one point ridiculing Vice President Dick Cheney for suggesting the decision by British Prime Minister Tony Blair to withdraw 1,600 troops form Iraq was a positive sign. He noted the U.S. is sending another 22,000 troops in.
"Now, keep in mind, this is the same guy that said we'd be greeted as liberators, the same guy that said that we're in the last throes. I'm sure he forecast sun today," he said amid the Austin rain. "When Dick Cheney says it's a good thing, you know that you've probably got some big problems."
A spokeswoman for Mr. Cheney said Friday that he had no comment.
In addition to his call for America to set a timetable for withdrawal of troops from Iraq by March 31 next year, Mr. Obama said he supports universal health care and programs to increase access to education.
And he noted that New Orleans "still looks like a war has been fought" and pledged to spend money to rebuild the city ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.
Want more? A local TV station has the full speech. Dalls Morning News has a photo essay. Be sure to pay particular attention to the way the stage was set up. Was that a political rally or a U2 concert?
Stoller was right. Please, Barack. Please don't screw this up.
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