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The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 28, 2008

Rally Size Didn't Matter

Regarding "The Audacity Of Hype" (Our Opinion, May 21):

Your editorial downplaying the 15,000 people who came to the St. Pete Times Forum was so Republican.

Did anyone ever tell you that it's better to have a place big enough than to have a place too small? The disadvantage of a "place too small" will attract unruly crowds who would not be happy about being shut out, increased police presence and high tensions, etc. Did you ever consider the reason that the "rafters" weren't full is because of high gas prices?

I had a ticket, but after looking at my gas gauge and the fact that I'm a victim of a layoff with less food in my refrigerator and an unemployment check that barely pays my rent, I decided to watch the whole event on our local television station with a front seat in my living room. Thank God I was able to pay my cable bill.

TALANA HARRIS

Brandon

Mean-Spirited Editorial

I'm not often disappointed by a Tribune editorial, but I was very disappointed in your editorial about Barack Obama's visit to Tampa. It seemed out of synch with the rest of the coverage in your paper and also mean-spirited in references to the supposedly paltry crowd of 15,000 who attended.

Mostly I was disappointed that you are taking the low road on the issue of seating Florida's delegates at the Democratic Convention. Have you forgotten that responsible adults expect behavior to have consequences? Florida chose to violate the rules of the Democratic Party in holding its primary early, a decision that has backfired in so many ways. The only people now clamoring to seat our delegates, regardless of the rules, are Clinton supporters trying to help her win the nomination by hook or by crook, if necessary.

MEL RAMOS

Tampa

Couldn't Have Been There

You must have attended a different Obama rally than I did. Every seat on the first and second levels was full, and almost without exception the first couple of rows in the third level were filled.

You were right in that there was no single goose-bump moment, but there was high energy and more young people than I have ever seen at a political gathering.

As noted, Obama didn't talk about the Florida delegate situation, but he did lay out a series of very specific details on how he would handle the bigger issues that will affect us much more dramatically over many more years than whether the Florida delegates are seated.

The Florida delegates will undoubtedly be seated, and undoubtedly Obama will still win.

I am a 69-year-old white geezer who is excited about our country moving to new leadership that is fundamentally different from the one that got America in this situation it is in today.

FRANK SHEA

Odessa

Could Have Filled RayJay

Speaking as one of the many disappointed people who were turned away at two Brandon locations where every ticket had been distributed within an hour of their arrival, I was astounded to read that the Tribune characterized the turnout for Obama as "a good turnout...merely OK."

Several of us waited in vain for a couple of hours in hopes that more tickets would be distributed. During that time there were many people who came for tickets, only to be frustrated. Some had even traveled to the Tampa Democratic office on Dale Mabry and other distribution points to find that there were no tickets. A few vowed to go anyway and take their chances.

From what I saw, Obama might have filled Raymond James Stadium had he had been able to book it.

GILBERT A. EVANS

Brandon

Audacity To Show Up

Sen. Obama has a lot of nerve coming to Florida. He signed a pledge not to campaign here because our primary was moved to January and he has steadfastly opposed seating the Florida delegation in any way, shape, manner or form. For him to come here now, wanting us to support him in the fall election, is the height of hypocrisy. But this is how people get elected. The voters' memories are so very short that they quickly forget how they were treated.

I cannot vote for anyone that is that two-faced and the rest of the Democrats in Florida should feel the same way.

WILLARD BRUSH

Lakeland

Time To Dispel Myth

It was great to see Barack Obama in Tampa. It is time for America to elect its first African-American president and dispel the myth that America will never elect an African-American as president.

Obama has been the target of a smear campaign by the Clinton campaign, Republicans and AM talk radio who want you to believe that he is a Muslim who hates America, which is untrue. Even if he was a Muslim, we are not at war with Islam, as Republicans would like you to believe.

I hope that as our next president, Obama will end our failed trillion-dollar occupation of Iraq, which has resulted in our failed economy. Bill Clinton used to say, "It's the economy, stupid." Perhaps Obama should say, "It's the war economy, stupid."

RON KUHLER

Lutz

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