Alex Lloyd Gross Photo-Delaware Valley News.com Oprah Winfrey escorts Kamala Harris to the speakers podium last night.
by Alex Lloyd Gross
Vice President Kamala Harris and her staff had a brilliant idea to have a massive event on election eve. Think Dick Clark’s New Years Eve, and have a host and performers locally, while celebrations take place in other cities, people can watch them. The idea was brilliant but it did not translate well in person.
Alex Lloyd Gross Photo-Delaware Valley News.com The Roots get things going on the parkway.
For one, there were what the Harris campaign says were 80,000 people on the Ben Franklin Parkway. Some lined up for hours, waiting to go through the security screening, Lines snaked all oround the parkway in anticipation. When folks finally were cleared and got in, most found themselves only able to watch the event on one of many giant TV screens. Spots up close were reserved for VIP’s and creators.
So now there were tens of thousands of people jammed together, held captive by a fear of losing their spot Those that did or chose just to wander were able to partake in long food truck lines and higher than normal prices for food. There were plenty of porta-johns which was excellent logistics planning. Very few lines.
Also a plus were the countless pallets of free spring water placed around the crowd. All someone had to do was grab what they needed .
It was then time for DJ Cassidy, who is a word was annoying. He kept talking over the records only to punctuate the crowd with a comment. “Uh Huh”, “Alright Now”, “It’s time, almost” then the record would play. It was non stop and many in the crowd were beyond frustrated at his relentless interruptions of the music..
Alex Lloyd Gross Photo-Delaware Valley News.com Ricky Martin stole the show.
Rapper Freeway was a live performer, then The Roots. There was a larger stage divided into three segments. On the left and right were for bands and the center was for talking. Keep in mind, the democrats wanted to bring the message home to vote. Whether the speaker was Mayor Parker or Senator Casey, they all said the same thing.
When they were not talking the crowd was bored to tears watching speeches on the TV screens from other cities. We saw Tim Walz, the VP candidate twice and twice he gave an almost identical speech. There was nowhere for the crowd to go and nothing to do if they did not want to miss Kamala Harris who would not arrive until after 11:00PM.
Ricky Martin was fantastic. He stole the night. A real band, playing upbeat songs with lots of energy. Few people in the crowd were not watching this. Fat Joe came out and spoke for a bit, bringing the crowd together , denouncing racist jokes made by people associated with the Trump campaign. He spoke in Spanish as well. His remarks resonated well with the crowd.
More speeches on TV. More performers on the TV. People in Philly do not want to see a gospel group or unknown politicians in a local area making a speech. They wanted live entertainment, and they did not get it.
When Lady Gaga arrived she sat at a piano for a slow song. Oprah Winfrey showed up for a few remarks and introduced Harris. It was now after 11:00 and Harris spoke until just before midnight. Thousands in the crowd left the rally early. The time table for the event was running behind.
They caught a glimpse of her, heard a few remarks and figured it was time to go. Figure a quarter of the attendees left before the remarks were finished. Most in attendance will vote for her. All of the speakers, including Harris said the same thing, Vote in person, bring a friend to the polls, if you have a mail in ballot, do not mail it. Drop it in a box at an official collection point.
When people left the rally, they had to pass through a gauntlet of hawkers, vendors and hawksers that were selling Harris stickers, shirts and anything with her name on it. some of the prices were insane, $5.00 for a button other were reasonable, $10.00 for a t shirt. Harris is getting none of the money and neither is her campaign.
Alex Lloyd Gross Photo-Delaware Valley News.com Lady Gaga sits behind a piano.
Earlier in the day, Julia Louis Dreyfus paid a visit to the National Cinstitution Center to denounce former President Donald Trump. She was there with Mayor Parker and other former Trump staffers who talked of horror stories about working for Trump.
During the two question “press conference”, media were not permitted to ask questions of Julia Louis-Dreyfus but were told to direct their questions to Mayor Parker or Congresswoman Madeline Dean.
Alex Lloyd Gross Photo-Delaware Valley News.com Julia Louis-Dreyfus is shown around Singner’s Hall by Mayor Parker.
In Newtown, at the Newtown Athletic Club, VP candidate JD Vance held a rally attended by about 3000 people. There were no musical guest or celebrity appearances there.