# Anyone in Chicago lucky enough to get a Grant Park ticket? (Obama rally) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 29, 2008, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-in-chicago-lucky-enough-to-get-a-grant-park-ticket-obama-rally/470111 "2008-10-29T16:51:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-in-chicago-lucky-enough-to-get-a-grant-park-ticket-obama-rally/470111/41 "2008-11-03T07:25:50Z")
Anyone have a ticket who is not taking anyone and willing to escort someone (like Equipoise) who really wants to go? ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-in-chicago-lucky-enough-to-get-a-grant-park-ticket-obama-rally/470111/42 "2008-11-03T07:29:10Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > You know, that kind of makes me mad. There are so many people who have been working for the campaign hard for several months who would love and deserve to go to this, but didn’t get tickets. You have the chance, but are causually blowing it off. Why the hell did you sign up for tickets in the first place? They can’t be transferred because a photo ID is required and they’ll be checking names at the gate. > > At the very least, write to the Obama campaign and tell them you can’t go, so give them to someone else on the waiting list. > > I’m not saying this for myself, I haven’t been doing jack shit other than donating money, I’m saying it for people who HAVE been doing jack shit and much much more. Yeah, I’m one of those people. I didn’t sign up for tickets. I’ve got one waiting for me. Like I said, no way in hell I’m going. I’ll be busy taking down the office and sleeping. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-in-chicago-lucky-enough-to-get-a-grant-park-ticket-obama-rally/470111/43 "2008-11-03T12:02:42Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > Yeah, I’m one of those people. I didn’t sign up for tickets. I’ve got one waiting for me. Sorry, I didn’t realize that. Very cool. > [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > Like I said, no way in hell I’m going. I’ll be busy taking down the office and sleeping. Aw, you should go anyway. There’s always Wednesday to do stuff and sleep. You ARE one of the people who deserve to be there. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-in-chicago-lucky-enough-to-get-a-grant-park-ticket-obama-rally/470111/44 "2008-11-03T12:14:05Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Anyone have a ticket who is not taking anyone and willing to escort someone (like Equipoise) who really wants to go? Oh, not me. No way would I go in and leave my husband standing on the other side of the fence! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Convict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Convict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Convict)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-in-chicago-lucky-enough-to-get-a-grant-park-ticket-obama-rally/470111/45 "2008-11-03T13:15:49Z")
> [@Gaudere](#): > > Convict, can you tell us if there’ll be big screens for us outsiders? Or loudspeakers so we can hear what’s going on? We’ve been so busy inside the park that I honestly have not noticed anything that’s been done for the people outside the park. I know Daley at one point wanted to put speakers up but I don’t know if the city is going to do so. The Chicago Police Superintendent is encouraging people to find a place in their neighborhood (friend’s house, bar, etc) to watch from rather than go down to Grant Park. Based on that I don’t think the city will put anything up, but with Daley you never know. Like I said before, TPTB have kept us in the dark on a lot of things so far. I’ll do some looking around today and I’ll try to post after our meeting later today. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-in-chicago-lucky-enough-to-get-a-grant-park-ticket-obama-rally/470111/46 "2008-11-03T13:32:24Z")
> [@Convict](#): > > The Chicago Police Superintendent is encouraging people to find a place in their neighborhood (friend’s house, bar, etc) to watch from rather than go down to Grant Park. This disappoints me. There should be a celebration for the entire city, anyone who wants to come. I have no problems with there being a closed-off area for volunteers and people with tickets. Those people should be closer to Obama. But we want to be part of it too, even if we’re on the other side of the fence. I don’t want to be somewhere with just a few other people. Celebrating something so historical in a tiny group isn’t the same as celebrating something so historical with a crowd who are all just as ecstatic as you are. And besides, we don’t have a local bar or any friend’s house to go to. We don’t go to bars and we don’t have friends living here. We could pick somewhere else to go, but we don’t want to. We want to feel like we’re part of Chicago with a large group of Chicagoans, not go somewhere where don’t know anybody and just be part of a small group of strangers. It won’t mean as much being with a small group of strangers. It’ll mean everything to be with a mass of fellow Chicagoans. I don’t know if that makes sense, but anyway. I’m going down there. To hell with the Chicago Police Superintendent. If there are no speakers or video screens, I’ll have my portable TV with me. Come on Daley, you had the right idea with your million prediction. Let Obama throw the party for his people in his enclosure. You go ahead and throw the party for the rest of us. (that means video screens!) ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-in-chicago-lucky-enough-to-get-a-grant-park-ticket-obama-rally/470111/47 "2008-11-03T13:50:56Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Anyone have a ticket who is not taking anyone and willing to escort someone (like Equipoise) who really wants to go? Sorry, my guest pass is already spoken for ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-in-chicago-lucky-enough-to-get-a-grant-park-ticket-obama-rally/470111/48 "2008-11-03T20:52:23Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > This disappoints me. There should be a celebration for the entire city, anyone who wants to come. I have no problems with there being a closed-off area for volunteers and people with tickets. Those people should be closer to Obama. But we want to be part of it too, even if we’re on the other side of the fence. I don’t want to be somewhere with just a few other people. Celebrating something so historical in a tiny group isn’t the same as celebrating something so historical with a crowd who are all just as ecstatic as you are. > > And besides, we don’t have a local bar or any friend’s house to go to. We don’t go to bars and we don’t have friends living here. We could pick somewhere else to go, but we don’t want to. We want to feel like we’re part of Chicago with a large group of Chicagoans, not go somewhere where don’t know anybody and just be part of a small group of strangers. It won’t mean as much being with a small group of strangers. It’ll mean everything to be with a mass of fellow Chicagoans. I don’t know if that makes sense, but anyway. I’m going down there. To hell with the Chicago Police Superintendent. If there are no speakers or video screens, I’ll have my portable TV with me. > > Come on Daley, you had the right idea with your million prediction. Let Obama throw the party for his people in his enclosure. You go ahead and throw the party for the rest of us. (that means video screens!) I mean, really, with all the folks that are going to show up that don’t have tickets, the tickets are just to get into roped-off sections. Go and show up if you want. I’m sure you’ll have a blast. By the way, one of my volunteers pulled me aside and asked if I had a ticket. I told him I had never even seen one. He kept prying more and more. He already had one. Yes, he felt the need to show it to me, too. People around here are excited, I tell you. ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-in-chicago-lucky-enough-to-get-a-grant-park-ticket-obama-rally/470111/49 "2008-11-03T21:22:24Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Anyone have a ticket who is not taking anyone and willing to escort someone (like Equipoise) who really wants to go? I’d like to throw in a “me too,” if anyone with a ticket doesn’t already have a guest. Inside or outside the fence, I’ll probably go, but I don’t have anything like a portable TV or radio, so outside the fence, with no jumbotrons or loudspeakers, I’d be pretty bored. 😛 Some handy info I’ve found: [http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/obama/chi-obama-rally-qanov02,0,5894064.story](http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/obama/chi-obama-rally-qanov02,0,5894064.story) [http://yourcta.com/news/ctaandpress.wu?action=displayarticledetail&articleid=105458](http://yourcta.com/news/ctaandpress.wu?action=displayarticledetail&articleid=105458) Can’t find anything on whether there will be jumbotrons, though. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-in-chicago-lucky-enough-to-get-a-grant-park-ticket-obama-rally/470111/50 "2008-11-03T21:40:07Z")
Sorry, the other slot on my ticket is accounted for several times over again. They _must_ be doing something for the folks outside the fence. I mean come on, they already have speakers, etc. for the Petrillo Bandshell and Millenium Park - I don’t know whether they normally take them down at the end of the summer, but it’s not like they’d have to acquire new equipment or something. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-in-chicago-lucky-enough-to-get-a-grant-park-ticket-obama-rally/470111/51 "2008-11-03T22:00:46Z")
A friend of mine has tickets. Thing is she is decidedly and admittedly apolitical. So I jumped when she mentioned it asking for them. She said she was going. While certainly her prerogative I was still like, “But, but but…you don’t even give a shit!” Didn’t sway her. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-in-chicago-lucky-enough-to-get-a-grant-park-ticket-obama-rally/470111/52 "2008-11-04T00:52:35Z")
Tickets were supposed to go out between 6-7pm… Anyone get theirs yet? ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-in-chicago-lucky-enough-to-get-a-grant-park-ticket-obama-rally/470111/53 "2008-11-04T01:00:44Z")
Ticket received! :):)🙂 ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-in-chicago-lucky-enough-to-get-a-grant-park-ticket-obama-rally/470111/54 "2008-11-04T01:01:08Z")
To answer my last question… I GOT MY TICKET!!! I was worried since I didn’t get yesterday’s e-mail, but I got my ticket today. I’m so excited!!! ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-in-chicago-lucky-enough-to-get-a-grant-park-ticket-obama-rally/470111/55 "2008-11-04T01:02:58Z")
Just got mine @ 6:58. It’s very pretty, and it’s a graphic, so there’s not much to report. It looks kind of old timey, like an engraved ticket to the World’s Fair or something. It does indeed have my name on it, and a barcode which I assume will be scanned at entry to avoid duplicate tickets. A note reads: > [@](#): > > Please Note: > > ``` > * Tickets are non-transferable. Any attempt to copy the original ticket will make it void. > * Photo ID matching the ticket holder's name is required to enter the event. > * The use of public transportation is strongly encouraged. > * For security reasons, do not bring bags. Please limit personal items. No signs, banners, chairs, lawn chairs, blankets, or strollers allowed. > > ``` Yay! ETA: I feel kinda like Charlie Buckett! ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-in-chicago-lucky-enough-to-get-a-grant-park-ticket-obama-rally/470111/56 "2008-11-04T01:11:01Z")
I was getting pretty worried for a couple of minutes because as of 6:58, I hadn’t received a ticket. I rechecked at exactly 7:00 to find the ticket waiting. Why, yes, I am a little neurotic, why do you ask? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-in-chicago-lucky-enough-to-get-a-grant-park-ticket-obama-rally/470111/57 "2008-11-04T01:22:46Z")
Got my ticket! I kind of chuckled at the warning not to reproduce it since it has to be printed. I know what they meant but it still made me laugh. I was listening to the Roe Conn show on the radio coming home today and he had Amy Jacobson on there. Ms. Jacobson said that they were setting up Jumbotrons for the people outside the “main event” on the campaign’s dime. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-in-chicago-lucky-enough-to-get-a-grant-park-ticket-obama-rally/470111/58 "2008-11-04T01:43:22Z")
Got mine, too! Funky - it’s bar-coded. I wonder whether they will have bar code scanners to know whether people attempt to use duplicates? Seems likely. ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-in-chicago-lucky-enough-to-get-a-grant-park-ticket-obama-rally/470111/59 "2008-11-04T02:26:11Z")
Oh you folks have no idea what you’re in for party wise. I drive right past the area on my way home every night, there’s so much going up and on that it will blow you away. It should be something to see. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-in-chicago-lucky-enough-to-get-a-grant-park-ticket-obama-rally/470111/60 "2008-11-04T03:18:01Z")
I’m so @#$%#&\*ing jealous of you ticketholders, I could just punch the screen. If I could get there early OR if I had Weds off, I’d go to hang out in the loser lot. Since they made it so difficult to get there, I guess I’m looking for a bar or something. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-in-chicago-lucky-enough-to-get-a-grant-park-ticket-obama-rally/470111.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-in-chicago-lucky-enough-to-get-a-grant-park-ticket-obama-rally/470111.md?page=4)