The Villages Headcount: Ryan's Attendance "Much" Weaker Than Palin's

[ProSense]

The Villages Headcount: Ryan's Attendance "Much" Weaker Than Palin's

by joelgp

When we get a new political kid on the block, the media just stumbles all over themselves--grasping at every word like he or she is the second coming. It's Ryan's turn now so I watched his lies and spin at The Villages.

I couldn't help but notice that his crowd seemd significantly smaller than Palin's just four years ago. So I engaged in a couple moments of citizen-journalism because we know it will take at least two more weeks before TV newsers can criticize him.

I've read several accounts and he didn't come nowhere close to the crowd Sarah created. Here's a taste:

"A plane flew overhead with a sign: "Paul Ryan keep your hands off our Medicare."

The Villages is a massive retirement community about 50 miles northwest of Orlando, and one of the biggest Republican strongholds in Florida. A fire marshal estimated 10,000 people attended the event, though the crowd appeared smaller than that. Four years ago, newly minted vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin came to The Villages after the Republican national convention, drawing a crowd estimated at 25,000 to 60,000."

So even with the most generous speculation, Sarah Palin drew up to 6-times more people in the same community. That should cause serious alarm because even in the heart of republican country, seniors are not feeling Ryan's destruction of Medicare.

Checkout the pictures below to see the difference:

Attendance picture from Palin four years ago from: http://www.postonpolitics.com/2011/10/republican-presidential-hopefuls-romney-cain-plan-central-florida-stops/



Attendance today of Ryan from: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/18/on-the-trail-saturday-august-18/



http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/18/1121620/-The-Villages-Headcount-Ryan-s-Attendance-Much-Weaker-Than-Palin-s

Less than half the crowd, and it's safe to divide Palin's range in half.

Gallup: Reaction to Ryan as VP Pick Among Least Positive Historically
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021127192

This is why Mitt is in a panic
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021139434

Paul Ryan's five-point bump ... for Obama
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021150790

The Obama campaign goes digital on Mitt's regressive whiteboard lies. (updated)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021149847

[rgbecker]

1. So it looks like they set up the stage on opposite sides of the mall.

Lotta white people.

[Tom Ripley]

5. The Whiteness of the Wail

[southernyankeebelle]

2. Do you know how well the speech went? Did the seniors believe him

[ProSense]

4. He was in

GOP land, saying exactly what they love hearing: Obama is gonna kill grandma.

D Wasserman Schultz✔
@DWStweets

.@PaulRyanVP playing in safe GOP mecca, TheVillages. Visit Century Village, see if seniors think your plan protects, strengthens #Medicare.

Ryan Scares, Reassures Seniors At Florida Senior Center Visit
http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/08/ryan-scares-reassures-seniors-at-florida-senior-center-visit.php?ref=fpa

[underpants]

3. Management of "The Villages" alreadyknow that they are "losing customers"

Unlike cemetaris they can sell the same space several times...but right now there aren't enough people waiting to die....or willing to live there

Wow! a bad real estate idea in Florida. Whooda thunk it?

[Frustratedlady]

6. I wonder if the Kochs still feel good about their investment?

Rumor has it they promised Romney $100M for his campaign if he picked Ryan...as in, "You WILL choose Ryan!"

Just imagine if they win, Romney won't know if/when that knife will be twisted a little more. How can winning the POTUS be that important? Ego?

[ProSense]

7. Yeah, $100 million

for someone less appealing and convincing than an idiot.

It's clear they're purchasing a puppet.

[sofa king]

8. Obviously, half of them are now dead.

After eighteen months of Rick Scott, the rest should count themselves lucky.

[Arkana]

9. To be fair, this isn't surprising.

The Ryan pick made the media all starry-eyed, but it didn't send the Freeper crowd into a swoon. Ryan isn't charismatic and he has dead-shark eyes.

[dmr]

10. I truly have a hard time believing their estimated crowd numbers of

10,000 for Ryan; or 25,000 to 60,000 for Palin. I lived in Lady Lake for a year & logistically, I can't imagine that huge number of people anywhere in the Villages. Maybe a 1,000? Even then, I'm not so sure. Of course, they might have met in a big cow pasture.

Who knows?

[Zoeisright]

11. Old. White. Stupid. Check.

True repukes.

[RebelOne]

12. Not stupid.

My cousin and his wife lived there a few years ago. They have since moved. But stupid, my cousin was not. He was the chief engineer for the Predator program. He was also a retired Air Force Lieutenant-Colonel. Yes, he is a Republican. but not stupid.

[msongs]

13. those photos are NOT valid for comparison.... do not support the OP

one is a wide and distance shot and the other is a tight shot focused on the stage. not appropriate to compare crowd size using those pics. got any better ones?

[ProSense]

14. Do you

"do not support the OP"

...support the text in the OP that indicates the vast difference in crowd sizes?

I mean, are you implying that the photo is a distortion because you believe Ryan's crowd could have been larger?

"not appropriate to compare crowd size using those pics. got any better ones?"

Seriously?

[Ikonoklast]

15. And there Good Readers, are the "Fuck everyone else, I got MY Medicare already!" crowd.

But there aren't enough of them anymore...and every day, there are a few less.