Friday, August 5, 2016

Clinton's Husker Do

So I overlooked this story on Monday: Hillary Clinton went to see Warren Buffet in his (and my) home state (I was born there) of Nebraska (Go Huskers!) on Monday but honestly when's the last time you can recall a Democratic presidential candidate making a campaign stop in Nebraska?

Barbara Carlson waited in the sun for more than two hours to attend Hillary Clinton’s rally in Omaha on Monday, but she never made it inside the gym.

Carlson was one of hundreds of people steered into overflow rooms at Clinton’s rally, after authorities shut down the gymnasium at Omaha North High School where the Democratic presidential candidate spoke.

The crowd that came to see Clinton exceeded the capacity of the gym where she spoke. A story in Tuesday’s Omaha World-Herald incorrectly reported that the turnout was not an “overflow” crowd, based on the fact that the gym still had room for more people.

But that was because authorities had diverted some people into overflow rooms. In addition, others who had come to the rally may not have been able to get through security and enter the building at all before the event began.

Officials with Clinton’s campaign said there were 3,300 people in the gym alone. There was no estimate given on how many people were in the overflow rooms or were not allowed into the school.

Anne Henderson, 71, of Omaha was one of those diverted into an overflow room. “I guess there were maybe 200 or more people in there. Most of them were sitting on the floor,” said Henderson. “The video was good but the audio went in and out.”

Neither Henderson nor Carlson was complaining. Both were happy they attended, even though they didn’t get into the gym for the rally.

But Carlson, 65, of Omaha, did get to see Clinton after the candidate stopped briefly outside the door of her overflow room to thank everyone for coming.

And Carlson said she will never forget arriving at the school before the rally and seeing thousands of people in line, waiting in the sun.

“When I saw all of those people — men, women and children of all ages and walks of life — it made my heart burst with pride,” said Carlson.

Yes, I know the trip was all about Buffett, but it could have been a video endorsement, or Buffett could have come to the convention and spoken.  There wasn't really a ironclad need for Clinton to make a campaign stop in a state that at best will give her a single electoral vote thanks to the state's laws that split electoral votes among congressional districts.

But she went anyway and 3,300 people showed up.

In Nebraska.  Not even her husband bothered to campaign there as far as I can find.  Obama never made any stops either as a candidate.

Clinton did.  I respect the effort.

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