30 seconds ago 2009-12-04T09:19:49-08:00
DAYTON, Ohio — This place is packed to the rafters.
Despite reports last night that the McCain campaign was having trouble giving away tickets to his vice presidential announcement at the Ervin Nutter Center, there's no evidence of that here, with an overflow capacity of 12,000 awaiting McCain's appearance with his shocker VP pick, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
A Nutter Center staffer in the press area just told us that the place is oversold, so the crowd could top 12,000.
Outside the arena, about 50 protesters were chanting "No way, John McCain" — most of them holding anti-NAFTA placards.
But inside the arena, which is near the Wright State University campus, a partisan crowd is hearing the warm-up act from various Ohio politicians, including Kevin DeWine, a state legislator.
Other Ohio GOP pols on hand include Reps. John A. Boehner, Jean Schmidt, Mike Turner and former Rep. Rob Portman, who himself was on the VP shortlist.
DeWine and others are getting the crowd riled up by trashing Joe Biden, and making note that without Ohio's vote, we'd be facing a second term of Al Gore or a first term of John F. Kerry.
