I was not able to attend the debate last night as I was hosting some friends at my home. We watched the debate, had a few cocktails, and watched a little football. My questions for the people there are as follows.
How was the scene in terms of enthusiasm, anticipation, etc.?
Were all of the campaigns well represented with supporters?
Please share widely!
Lisa Wangsness provided a good snapshot of what was the most exciting moment for us Gabrieli supporters.
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The Gabrieli meeting point was at Tommy Doyle’s, which for those who haven’t been to Harvard Square in a while is the former House of Blues. It’s close to the JFK School but hidden around the corner on that little side street, the perfect base camp for a surprise offensive in the battle of the stand-outs. The bar and street were filled with volunteers from unions and everywhere else — about 300 in all I’d say. It was great to see the diversity of Chris’s support all in one place: ironworkers, carmen, teachers, state reps, MIT profs, health care execs, nurses etc. etc. Chris arrived and gave a rousing speech, then led our small army outside, around the corner, and straight toward the Patrick and Reilly contingents beside the JFK School. We pictured them congratulating themselves on their superior grassroots support before we arrived en masse. Some mouths were agape as we bore down on them behind Chris and his banner, chanting in full throat, then spread out along the sidewalks with our signs. It was a blast.
You should have seen the Gabrieli people. Up until about 6:15 there was no one there from the Gabrieli camp. Reilly and Deval had people all along Elliot Street on the side of the JFK School.
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Then, out of nowhere, 500 or so chanting Gabrieli supporters came marching down the street. The police actually shut down the entire street and when the crowd reached JFK street they got pushed onto the sidewalk. Most of them stood on the opposite side of the street from the school, though there was about 75 of them that stood opposite the main crowd.
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The main group of Gabrieli people streched from the corner of JFK street all the way up and around the corner. There were WAY more GabFans there than there were for Reilly and Deval combined. I was shocked than in Cambridge Deval couldnt get a better crowd. I only wish the TV cameras caught the parade as it came down the street. It was a great visual. I didn’t see it anywhere.
They looked pretty robotic (or maybe holographic) to me.
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‘Course, I was pretty wasted on Kool Aid by then. đŸ˜‰
Gabs was just handing out Jacksons to the skate rats in the Pit.
Which didn’t go over too big ESPECIALLY with the Deval Patrick supporters. Several of them were “claiming that Gab’s people were getting paid.”
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I guess the fact that Gabrieli fielded the largest rally by far was to much to be accepted with their own eyes. The debate party was great after the visibilty.
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All in all it was a great night for Gabrieli. A massive demostration of his supporters and all Boston newspapers claiming he either tied or won the debate!
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I wonder what the next poll is going to look like?
…a VERY prominent Republican, in fact a Bush Ranger, was there in the audience – looking so thoughtful the TV camera lighted on him more than once for a reaction shot! I could NOT make out what sticker he had on his lapel – or for that matter, what he was doing there!
I was part of the large Gabrieli contingent mentioned above, and as we got close to the school, I saw Tim Murray standing on the sidewalk watching, with two of his aides. My first reaction was, “Doesn’t he have an event to go to in Somerville? Oh, that’s later.”
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Once we (the Gabrieli team) set up alongside the Reilly and Patrick folks on the sidewalk, Murray walked up and down the line shaking hands for about 20 minutes.
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The sign crowd broke up about 6:45 and by 7:00 as we were retrieving the last of the Gabrieli signs from the streets there was no indication that anything had been going on beforehand.
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Of course, we were all Democrats, so there wasn’t any tension in the crowd. I was outside the last O’Brien-Romney debate (sign-holding on a ballot question) and that was really nasty.
I appreciate the updates! Glad to see and hear about such a great turnout for our guy Gabrieli!!
Ironworkers Local 7 has posted pictures from the Gabrieli rally at its site.
The Deval (We have the hold on grass roots) Crowd must have gone banannas by the Gabrieli crowd. That is so excellant for the Gabrieli Camp. Keep up the good work and sit back and watch the SHOCK & AWE on election day when everyone realizes that Gab’s has a rather substantial feild orginization that no one expected!!!!!