For the forth time in the last five presidential election cycles, Arnold Schwarzenegger has headlined a last-push GOP rally for the Republican candidate in Columbus, a city which, for reasons explained below, holds him in high regard. On each prior occasion, they filled the venue-- most recently the 20,000 seat Nationwide Arena-- to the rafters. But this time...not so much.
Buried in the Columbus Dispatch article covering the event:
"...the McCain rally drew about half of the 20,000 who filled the arena for Bush four years ago. About a quarter of the arena, which holds 18,100 for Blue Jackets games, was curtained off and large swaths of bleacher seats were empty...".
That's gotta hurt!
Author's note: PLEASE... if you must click through to the text of the Dispatch article, do not-- even by accident-- patronize any of their advertizers. The Dispatch has, of course, endorsed McCain and has been shamelessly partisan in their election coverage. Moreover, they have made it their unholy mission to smear and bring down Jennifer Brunner, our courageous Secretary of State, at every opportunity.
http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/...
Arnold is a somewhat beloved figure in Columbus, owing to his tireless promotion and support of the "Arnold Fitness Expo", an annual, three day fitness exposition in Columbus which started out as a quirky muscle builder's competition in the early 80s and has grown to massive, regional event which now fills the Columbus Convention Center with tens of thousands of fitness enthusiasts during the third weekend in March. Even since his election as Governor of California, Arnold still returns to Columbus every year and personally oversees the event.
From the Dispatch:
Returning to a city he considers his second home in a bid to once again propel a Republican to the presidency, Arnold Schwarzenegger pumped up a Nationwide Arena crowd eager to defy polls giving Democratic nominee Barack Obama a lead nationally and in key swing states, including Ohio...
Even so, it was the biggest event on McCain's two-day, 10-city bus tour across Ohio, which he has conceded he must win.
For Arnold to NOT fill that arena for the Republican nominee on the eve of the election, speaks volumes about the battered state of the Republican brand.
Another possible rationale for the embarrassing turnout; self- professed country music artist Hank Williams, Jr warmed up the crowd with a rendition of his newest inspiration: "McCain Palin Tradition" (I'm not making this up-- he has written a truly heinous McCain campaign song, to the tune of "Family Tradition').
After the rally, Hank, Jr retired to the lobby to sign copies of his newest autobiographical tome, "How I Clawed My Way to the Top of the Country Music Industry on My Own Talent." (Okay, I did make up that last part).