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| Barack Obama expresses regret to volunteers over dampened convention | Barack Obama expresses regret to volunteers over dampened convention |
| (7 days later) | |
| Barack Obama expressed regret in a conference call with campaign volunteers disgruntled over being locked out from tonight's nomination speech. | Barack Obama expressed regret in a conference call with campaign volunteers disgruntled over being locked out from tonight's nomination speech. |
| He told them: "I just want to begin by saying how much I regret that we're not all gathering together in one place to deliver my acceptance speech tonight." | He told them: "I just want to begin by saying how much I regret that we're not all gathering together in one place to deliver my acceptance speech tonight." |
| Tens of thousands of volunteers have travelled to Charlotte, North Carolina, to hear Obama formally accept the party nomination for the White House race. Some had travelled long distances, a costly exercise involving air fares and hotels. | Tens of thousands of volunteers have travelled to Charlotte, North Carolina, to hear Obama formally accept the party nomination for the White House race. Some had travelled long distances, a costly exercise involving air fares and hotels. |
| But the speech was moved from the 73,000-seater Bank of America football stadium to the neighbouring convention centre, which holds only 23,000. Only those who had been attending the convention for the last two days are to be permitted access, leaving a potential crowd of 50,000 who had been allocated tickets outside. | But the speech was moved from the 73,000-seater Bank of America football stadium to the neighbouring convention centre, which holds only 23,000. Only those who had been attending the convention for the last two days are to be permitted access, leaving a potential crowd of 50,000 who had been allocated tickets outside. |
| Some of the volunteers had qualified for tickets by doing nine or more hours of work for the campaign. | Some of the volunteers had qualified for tickets by doing nine or more hours of work for the campaign. |
| Such a conference call with the president is unusual and may reflect the sense of grievance being conveyed upwards to the White House from field officers. | Such a conference call with the president is unusual and may reflect the sense of grievance being conveyed upwards to the White House from field officers. |
| In the call, Obama predicted it would be a "really close election" and that he would need their help. | In the call, Obama predicted it would be a "really close election" and that he would need their help. |
| The reason for the switch from the stadium was safety concerns, he said. "I could not ask you – our volunteers, our law enforcement, first responders – to subject themselves to the risk of severe thunderstorms," he said. Getting so many people into the stadium, with all the security concerns involved, was hard enough but getting them out would have been even tougher, Obama said. | The reason for the switch from the stadium was safety concerns, he said. "I could not ask you – our volunteers, our law enforcement, first responders – to subject themselves to the risk of severe thunderstorms," he said. Getting so many people into the stadium, with all the security concerns involved, was hard enough but getting them out would have been even tougher, Obama said. |
| "If we had started seeing severe thunderstorms and lightning, in particular, it would have been a problem. And we would have had a situation where we were putting you guys at risk." | "If we had started seeing severe thunderstorms and lightning, in particular, it would have been a problem. And we would have had a situation where we were putting you guys at risk." |
| Party officials were trying to direct those without tickets to various venues round the city where they could watch the speech along with other fellow Democrats. | Party officials were trying to direct those without tickets to various venues round the city where they could watch the speech along with other fellow Democrats. |
| The president said the switch meant there would be less fanfare than at the stadium. | The president said the switch meant there would be less fanfare than at the stadium. |
| Responding to Republican claims that the switch had been because of fears he could not fill the stadium, reflecting a sense of disenchantment among the party grassroots, Obama said: "The issue in this election is not going to be enthusiasm, because I think about you all on buses and in carpools and airplanes traveling here to Charlotte." | Responding to Republican claims that the switch had been because of fears he could not fill the stadium, reflecting a sense of disenchantment among the party grassroots, Obama said: "The issue in this election is not going to be enthusiasm, because I think about you all on buses and in carpools and airplanes traveling here to Charlotte." |
| He added: "So my main message is we can't let a little thunder and lightning get us down. We're going to have to roll with it." | He added: "So my main message is we can't let a little thunder and lightning get us down. We're going to have to roll with it." |
| He described the convention so far as unbelievable. "Michelle – what can I say? I'm a little biased, but she was unbelievable. And yesterday president Clinton, who I think broke down the issues as effectively as anybody could," Obama said. | He described the convention so far as unbelievable. "Michelle – what can I say? I'm a little biased, but she was unbelievable. And yesterday president Clinton, who I think broke down the issues as effectively as anybody could," Obama said. |
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