Post by Woody Williams on Oct 18, 2008 8:36:54 GMT -5
I guess "another speaker" is more important to them...
Celebrity sightings
No Obama rally is complete without a few celebrity sightings.
Actor Justin Long, co-star of "Live Free or Die Hard" and the popular "I'm a Mac/I'm a PC" commercials was spotted by the middle schoolers and posed for photos. Actor John de Lance, better known as "Q" from "Star Trek: The Next Generation," was also present.
Not present, or at least not singing the National Anthem at the rally was Londonderry senior Zach Bencal.
Surrounded by supporters undeterred by the rain, Sen. Barack Obama speaks at Mack's Apples in Londonderry yesterday. (BOB LAPREE)
Bencal, who sings the anthem for a number of school events and is actively involved in local community theatre, had been contacted by the Obama campaign to sing the anthem. He agreed to do so, then was told later in the evening the anthem had been scratched from the program. Bencal said he was told by the campaign the decision was a simple programming change to make room for another speaker.
"I guess it just wasn't meant to be," Bencal said.
Sandra Abrevaya, communications director for the Obama campaign's Manchester office, confirmed the choice had simply been a last-minute scratch from the rally's program, which included the Pledge of Allegiance.
"We regret the miscommunication with Zach about today's event but we are pleased that several other New Hampshire residents were able to speak at today's event, where thousands of voters in both parties gathered to hear Sen. Obama discuss his plan to bring the change we need to Washington."
Obama was introduced by Governor John Lynch. Also speaking prior to the senator was New Hampshire Congressman Paul Hodes.
The rally came and went without any notable incidents, said Capt. Bill Hart of Londonderry Police, with no protesters or unexpected traffic snarls to speak of.
A half-dozen vehicles improperly parked along Mammoth Road were towed for security reasons, but all things considered, the rally was managed successfully from a logistical standpoint, Hart said.
He said the Londonderry Police Department would attempt to reclaim some of the cost to the department for covering the rally from the Obama campaign.
Matt Goodwin, a teacher at St. Anselm College, was one of the new faces at this year's rally. An Illinois native, Goodwin moved to New Hampshire in June and had voted in his own state's primary. The rally was the first opportunity he had to see his home-state senator speak.
"I thought he was great," he said. "He seemed pretty pumped up from the debate last night."
Celebrity sightings
No Obama rally is complete without a few celebrity sightings.
Actor Justin Long, co-star of "Live Free or Die Hard" and the popular "I'm a Mac/I'm a PC" commercials was spotted by the middle schoolers and posed for photos. Actor John de Lance, better known as "Q" from "Star Trek: The Next Generation," was also present.
Not present, or at least not singing the National Anthem at the rally was Londonderry senior Zach Bencal.
Surrounded by supporters undeterred by the rain, Sen. Barack Obama speaks at Mack's Apples in Londonderry yesterday. (BOB LAPREE)
Bencal, who sings the anthem for a number of school events and is actively involved in local community theatre, had been contacted by the Obama campaign to sing the anthem. He agreed to do so, then was told later in the evening the anthem had been scratched from the program. Bencal said he was told by the campaign the decision was a simple programming change to make room for another speaker.
"I guess it just wasn't meant to be," Bencal said.
Sandra Abrevaya, communications director for the Obama campaign's Manchester office, confirmed the choice had simply been a last-minute scratch from the rally's program, which included the Pledge of Allegiance.
"We regret the miscommunication with Zach about today's event but we are pleased that several other New Hampshire residents were able to speak at today's event, where thousands of voters in both parties gathered to hear Sen. Obama discuss his plan to bring the change we need to Washington."
Obama was introduced by Governor John Lynch. Also speaking prior to the senator was New Hampshire Congressman Paul Hodes.
The rally came and went without any notable incidents, said Capt. Bill Hart of Londonderry Police, with no protesters or unexpected traffic snarls to speak of.
A half-dozen vehicles improperly parked along Mammoth Road were towed for security reasons, but all things considered, the rally was managed successfully from a logistical standpoint, Hart said.
He said the Londonderry Police Department would attempt to reclaim some of the cost to the department for covering the rally from the Obama campaign.
Matt Goodwin, a teacher at St. Anselm College, was one of the new faces at this year's rally. An Illinois native, Goodwin moved to New Hampshire in June and had voted in his own state's primary. The rally was the first opportunity he had to see his home-state senator speak.
"I thought he was great," he said. "He seemed pretty pumped up from the debate last night."
