Chicagoist: Obamapalooza, From the Ticketed Cheap Seats

sarahmazing

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:50:52 -0600

I didn't go through metal detectors either. We were told by some cops or something that the metal detector area was full, so they just stopped using them. But then I also heard that you could go back around and through the detectors if you wanted to be closer, so I don't know. I barely even had my bag looked in. There were more checkpoints, but I got patted down less than at Pitchfork last year.

grandma

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:36:36 -0600

There were metal detectors? I flashed my working cell phone, ID, and ticket (although the ticket and ID didn't really have to match based on how quickly the security checked them). I think the random horse poop piles had a better chance of deterring trouble than the security. The combination of a historic acceptance speech and clouds of second hand smoke left me a little teary-eyed. Side note: bad time to mess up the national anthem lady!

Tankboy

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:13:55 -0600

Chris, for the record, I try not to smoke around kids or pregnant women, so now I get your original comment. And thank God you said 12-pack instead of 6-pack!

Marcus Gilmer

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:06:50 -0600

Chris - +1 for Mad Men reference.

Chris_60614

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:03:00 -0600

Tank, The smoking ban has made me soft. I go to bars in other cities and scream like a school girl. I even enjoy the occasional smoke after a 12 pack. However, you tend to view things differently when you wife is with child, but hey... Whats good enough for Betty Draper has to be alright, no? The evening was a flask away from pure greatness.

Slaphappy

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:44:11 -0600

I can honestly say that I was there! An amazing night all around.

mich

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:38:32 -0600

I was also a little scared about it being a dangerous situation, especially since my cop friends were telling me "if you see a lot of cops running, run with them bc that means the gas trucks are coming," and "if theres no way out, climb a tree because the gas falls." This is not the kind of thing you want to hear when youre going to a celebration rally! Also, we never went through any metal detectors, which I thought was weird. And, I think it was hard for anyone to get a good view of the stage, since it was facing EAST!

Tankboy

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:29:24 -0600

Chris_60614 i don't know ... I was too bust smoking to notice anyone else with cigarettes! Seriously, I was in your camp, and deeply worried about the security situation. This was a feeling of unease NOT appeased after talking to a couple friends of the CPD force. I am glad all of our concerns and fears ended up being totally unfounded.

Chris_60614

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:25:13 -0600

I was in the same general area (left side of the screen, between first light tower and handicap viewing area). The only incident I saw was a few kids climbing in the small trees behind us that drew the ire of the CPD. I am one of those that thought this would be a dangerous situation, and still believe that if that crowd had actually reached 1 million--who knows what would have happened. But give the CPD and Secret Service credit, they did a great job on this one....complete with glass plates that could stop a Barrett .50 cal round without a problem. Did it seem like every third person was smoking last night?

salaboutme

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:16:40 -0600

saw josh and roomie after too. wait, again for the second time this week.... too freakin tired to do anything after cept find a cab at 11th & Wabash. What a night. i have a hangover without even drinking. Alot.

Tankboy

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:10:03 -0600

We had much the same experience ad. The only turbulence we hit at all was when we were leaving ... we dicided to start making our way toward the back near the end of Obama's speech and got snarled at by a few folks as we made our way up the hill. It was the first time I've ever been bitched at for getting out of someone's way! Other than that the night was perfect. Attendance was WELL below 1 million, but I still think the city -- and the event organizers -- did a good job.

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:06:20 -0600

From a ticketed person's perspective, I'd have to say things ran much more smoothly than I expected. We showed up at around 7 and the only real line we hit was a wait for the metal detectors. My wife and I ended up in the same general area as tankboy, appearently. It was hard to get a good view of the stage (unless you had arrived fairly early), but the sound and jumbotron worked out great. Everyone seemed intent on leaving the park in as orderly a fashion as can be expected for 250,000. Felt exactly like lollapalooza, but with less random drunkeness. People in Chicago who predicted riots win or lose should have a bit more faith in their neighbors. Glad I went down in the end.

Tankboy

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:42:26 -0600

That was RIGHT before she started shooting lasers at us!

mike_thoms

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:40:25 -0600

that girl in the first photo sort of has the crazy eyes