Late notice and a change in venue didn’t keep Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., from filling a room.
Despite the presidential hopeful’s stop in Fort Wayne only being announced Wednesday evening – and the venue Thursday morning – no tickets for the free event remained by Thursday afternoon.
Obama is scheduled to speak at 11 a.m. today at Wayne High School. Tickets were available online at in.barackobama.com/page , but by 5 p.m. Thursday the site said, “Unfortunately, we cannot issue any more online tickets for this event. ALL TICKETING IS CLOSED. Tickets are required for this event. Admission will not be granted without a ticket.”
The gymnasium has a listed capacity of 2,600, but it is likely more people will be admitted, and an overflow room will be set up in the school’s auditorium.
Minerva Dejianne of Huntertown said she scored a ticket and will be taking a vacation day to attend Obama’s speech. She said after reading one of his books, she began to follow the senator, and she is now excited to be able to see him in person.
“I just get very excited,” she said. “He is the type of person who brings people together.”
According to his campaign, Obama plans to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. during today’s town-hall meeting. He plans to call on Americans to complete the work King began and help struggling American families. Today marks the 40th anniversary of King’s assassination.
The senator’s appearance marks his first trip to the Summit City in the now hotly contested race for Indiana’s 72 delegates. The state historically hasn’t had a say in presidential primaries because of its late election date, but this year’s Democratic battle has made every delegate crucial. Hoosier voters go to the polls May 6.
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., appeared at a local diner last week, and her husband, former President Clinton, spoke at a rally in mid-March. Clinton’s campaign chairman this week said she will return “several times” to Fort Wayne.
Sofia Rodriguez Mirwaldt, local Obama campaign coordinator, said the campaign office has been “pandemonium” since Obama announced he would be speaking in Fort Wayne this week.
“Everyone wants to be in the same room with him,” she said.
For people with tickets, the doors open at 9 a.m. For security reasons, people are asked not to bring bags and to limit their personal belongings. Security will be checking identification of people with tickets. No signs or banners will be permitted at the event.
Mirwaldt said despite the ban, many supporters planned to show up at headquarters Thursday evening to make signs to welcome Obama to Fort Wayne. She said people will most likely be able to leave their signs outside the event and collect them after Obama speaks.
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