Wow. Marc Ambinder reports from Philadelphia:
PHILADELPHIA -- It wasn't so much that Barack Obama had real fight in him tonight, or that more people attended his rally in front of Indendence Hall than any other event since he announced his candidacy. It was the spontaneous demonstration of support that happened when it ended.
5,000 people (at least) had nowhere to go but up Market Street. Obama's charge of the night: "Declare independence!" was with them. They started with the familiar "O-Bam-A." By 7th and Market, they had graduated to "Yes we can!" By 10th and Market, with hundreds streaming in between cars on the road, they were just cheering. At first, a few Philly cops, killjoys, tried to rough the crowd to the sidewalks. It didn't work. The cops retreated to the sidewalks. By the time I ducked into my hotel, a full mile away from Independence Park, the Obama crowd was still marching.
The headlines Obama intended to make were as follows: first, the secondary point, so reporters can write that Obama looked forward to the general election: John McCain is man who deserves respect. "But the change this country needs will not come rom a third George W. Bush term. And what is exactly what his campaign is offering. John McCain is offering four more years of a war with no exit strategy, a war with no end in sight, a war that is sending our troops on their thid, fourth and fifth tours of duty." Four good meaure, Obama repeated the disputable claim that McCain saw "great progress" from seven and a half years of George W. Bush."
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An Obama aide sized the crowd at about 40,000. It was probably was a little bit less, but a senior campaign official said it was the biggest the campaign had ever seen.
As usual, about 3,000 guests directly in front of Obama were sent through magnetometers and enclosed by metal barriers. Another 25,000 crowded Independence Park; some even listened from a good three thousad feet away, well behind Independence Hall.
I counted at least a hundred Philadelphia police officers. There were state troops. TSA personnell magging the crowd. A helicopter hovered over the square. The fire department set up a command post with extra medical supplies.
UPDATE 1: Kossack PsiFighter37 has more photos from the event.
UPDATE 2: More event photos courtesy of Philly.com
UPDATE 3: The AP's on it — "Obama greeted by largest crowd of his campaign"
UPDATE 4: Obama continues to dominate the PA airwaves — local news leads with the rally, interspersed with Obama commercials
UPDATE 5: Still more event photos courtesy of Kossack Scarce.
UPDATE 6: A comprehensive photo diary of the event courtesy of Kossack Jimmy Crackcorn.
UPDATE 7: Early video of the event.
UPDATE 8: The local CBS affiliate has a video of the speech.
UPDATE 9: A great slideshow of event photos.
(((( LATE UPDATE ))))—VIDEO OF THE THOUSANDS THAT MARCHED AFTER THE RALLY