Sarah Palin Encourages Thousands in Pensacola

At 6 AM the usually clear, bright sunny skies over Pensacola, Florida were over cast and rainy. Lightning and thunder awoke most of the residents to a new day of much needed rain. At 7:30 cars started to arrive in the parking lot of the Pensacola Civic Center. At 8 Am a short line starts to form at the door. These eager beavers would stand for the next three hours in a pouring rain just to get into the Pensacola Civic Center to see the lady that just might be a future president of the United States.

At 10:45 a few special needs ticket holders were allowed to start working through the security maze to enter the auditorium. The regular line now meandered from the front doors across the parking lot to the street. All of these individuals had been standing in a pouring rain for at least two hours.

At 11 AM regular ticket holders started processing through the security check in personnel. By this time the line on the East sided of building extended the entire length of the uncovered walk way all the way to the end of the parking lot. All of these individuals had been standing in a pouring rain for at least an hour and some for several hours. Each individual attempting to enter the Pensacola Civic Center had to stand out in the elements for at least an hour plus, yet not one single individual was heard to complain about the discomfort being worth it.

*Click on picture to see larger view*
Admiral Bob Kelley explains his point of view to Malcolm Thomas	Congressman Jeff Miller relaxes for a few minutes with a special group from from his district.

At 12 noon individuals inside were settling into their seats to wait for the main speaker. Wet raincoats and foul weather gear was being stowed under their seats and all were glad to be inside out of the torrential rain outside. Candidates and politicians were making the rounds talking with constituents and thanking them for future votes in November. At 12:45 the Civic Center starts to fill up but the line continues to grow outside. At 1 PM the Civic Center approaches capacity and the line to get in continues to grow and stand quietly in the rain outside.

At 1:40 the thankful crowd inside, started to chant "Sarah, Sarah, Sarah." These chants drowned out all other conversations that were being attempted. At approximately 1:45 the Pensacola City Fire Marshal tells the Civic Center personnel that the crowd has exceeded the limit for the auditorium and that no one else can be allowed in. There were and estimated 4,000 standing in the rain outside at this time.

At 2 PM Pastor Joe Rogers was asked to give the opening prayer. The entire audiences stopped all of their chatter and give him their undivided attention. Just seconds before there was a din of noise and then you could have heard a pin drop. Following the invocation a young man starts to sing the National Anthem. Everyone stood and faced the two giant American flags and placed their hands over their hearts.

First up on the stage was State Representative Clay Ford to address the audience and stall for a little time because the main speaker's plane was just landing at the airport about 10 miles away. Representative Ford told the crowd exactly what Obama believed in. This litany of items took almost a split second to recite.

Congressman Jeff Miller took the stage next and really stoked the fire, for change, in the audience. He told the audience that the rain was still falling and they were very lucky to be inside. Jeff told the spectators that unlike other politicians that today's speaker would leave no doubt what she meant when she spoke.

Congressman Miller then introduced Colonel Bud Day, the nation's most highly decorated Viet Nam Veteran and holder of the Congressional Medal of Honor. Col. Day introduced a group of Viet Nam Prisoners of War that had stay with him and John McCain in the Hanoi Hilton. The audience all give these very honorable gentlemen a standing ovation for their service to the nation and the screams and cheers almost brought the roof down.

Colonel Day then asked if there was anyone proud to be an American for the first time today. At this question there was a gigantic laugh.

Following Col. Day was the Governor of Florida, Charlie Crist. Governor Crist said that he had just left another gathering; but that the crowd in Pensacola was the most enthusiastic he had seen in a very long time. With this the crowd really let out a yell and the lights went down. Next a hush of excitement moved over the crowd and the main lady came out. When Sarah Palin stepped out onto the walkway every individual that could stand was up and screaming at the top of their lungs. It took over 5 minutes for the crowd to allow her to say thank you for the welcome.

The first thing Mrs. Palin said was that she and John McCain were going to Washington to shake thing up and at this one statement the audience knew she meant it. She said looking out the windows in Florida was like looking out the windows in Alaska. Everything was white and clean, but there seemed to be something different with white beach sand and snow.

Governor Palin waves to the overflow crowd at the Pensacola Civic Center.
Hometown boys and girls love this lady

Sarah said that she was one of two mavericks that want to make real change in the way Washington does business. She indicated that she knows that the American people can make better choices for their own families than some politician inside the beltway. She next mentioned Obama's association with Bill Ayers. She, like all in the audience, wonders about the true beliefs of Obama.

She closed by saying that America is NOT the problem, America is the Solution. Sarah Palin wants the United States to return to the leadership of the world. The virtues of Florida are worth fighting for.

Watch a series of views of the rally from Stuart Schaefer

Watch a Video from the Northwest Florida Daily News

How do you feel? Write a letter to the editor

Comments:

Larry Reid of Molino said:
My wife, friends and I stood in the rain for over an hour and a half. It was worth it to see this outstanding lady. We would do it again.

Sally Dryden of Niceville said:
Standing in the rain, visiting with other good Americans, feeling the desire of all of them to hear Sarah Palin talk about the changes Senator John McCain and she will bring to our government... was a PRIVILEGE! What a woman!.. and as our beloved Col. Bud Day thinks of McCain, "What a man!"

Republicans have a ticket we can look up to, be proud of, and work hard to elect.

Rep. Jeff Miller did an outstanding job of expressing his (and our) exhilaration over our candidates. The music was great... the crowd was excited, but polite and focused... the rain was over when we came out... and we found our umbrella! It was a day to remember.

Tani Godfrey of Milton said:
This was the first political rally that I've ever attended. I was amazed at the length of the line, regardless of the weather. These were determined people!

The atmosphere inside was just incredible. The last time I was involved with a group of people that were this patriotic (and not embarrassed to show it) was right after 9/11.

Every minute was worth it and I appreciated the other speakers saying a lot in a short period of time. There were really no speeches, but just great conversation between proud Americans.

Mary Holton of Milton said:
Thank you for putting this out. I for one could not get tickets until what I thought was the last minute, 10 am, as I thought Gov. Palin would be speaking at 11 am, so figured by the time I got from East Milton, with my 27 month old great granddaughter and husband, would probably be too late. Now I see I missed a great opportunity to have been blessed to have seen this lady in person. I knew NW Florida would do her proud. So sorry I missed this, but so glad so many showed up, never dreaming it would fill to capacity. Praise God.

Being a wife of a retired Navy Chief, I am thankful our veterans were recognized, especially the ones that were in Vietnam. I hold a special place in my heart for them.

I pray each day for people to open their eyes, and see that if McCain/Palin don't get elected, we are in for some troublesome times. I could sit here and name off lots, but I think those of us that are paying close attention to this election know that an Obama/Biden presidency would be disastrous and take us into something we would never recover from.

All I ask is for everyone to pray before the cast their vote. Being a Christian, to me there is only one way to vote, because being against abortion, homosexuality and worried about the troops being taken out of Iraq to soon, the Republican ticket is the only way to go. God bless Jeff Miller also, for he is a man of his word.

Thank you and God bless you for putting this write up for us to be able to know what went on at the Civic Center. I thank God for the USA, for our troops that are putting their lives on the line, so that we may have the freedom of speech, and freedom from terrorist. God bless all who serve in our elected offices, and give them the right path when they vote on these matters that are of great concern for our country.