http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/10/obama_election_night_rally_pre.htmlby Frank James, revised with an Obama campaign clarification.
Preparations are underway in Chicago's Grant Park and the surrounding area for Sen. Barack Obama's big Election Night event, which looks like it will be a celebration if he wins or the world's largest consolation session if he doesn't.
Chicago Tribune reporter Dan Mihalopoulos has a posting up on the Tribune's Clout Street blog with details.
Mayor Richard Daley put the tab at $2 million today for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's Grant Park rally on election night.
Obama's campaign is footing the bill.
Noting the city's budget shortfall and planned layoffs of city workers, Daley said, "In this financial crisis, the city of Chicago could not afford $2 million on this."
Daley said he would have preferred that the event were held indoors at the United Center, but he yielded to the Obama campaign's wishes.
"Could you see me saying no to Sen. Obama?" Daley told reporters today. "Give me a break. I'm not that dumb."
Daley said he plans to attend the event.
City emergency officials will outline details at a news conference today.
"Yeah, it's costly but they raised quite a bit of money in the campaign," Daley said.
Based on that last comment from the mayor, the Obama campaign might want to triple check that final bill from the city.
For the record, the Obama campaign says it considered the United Center for its Election Night gathering but that it was booked by Celine Dion "so it was not an option" according to a spokesman.
There's a little irony in it being Dion who thwarted the Obama campaign from using the United Center. The Canadian superstar's "You and I" was the official Clinton campaign song. http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2008/10/daley-puts-obam.htmlHe wins. $2 million beats 150,000 for clothes... :o)
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"When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser." - Socrates
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"De omnibus dubitandum"
