McCain/Palin in Michigan

Scenes from the McCain-Palin rally in Michigan on September 5, 2008

Packed, standing-room-only turnout!

Governor Palin addresses the crowd...

The HUGE turnout left supporters standing - everywhere!

Freedom Hill Amphitheater, Sterling Heights, Michigan

Jim Warner , former POW with John McCain. To mock Obama's claim that Americans can't say anything except 'merci beaucoup', he gave a brief endorsement of John McCain in German, French and Spanish. Then he quoted a verse from the Torah - in Hebrew. Detroit News Photo

This has to be a good sign...nuns for McCain!
Detroit News photo

Governor Palin receives a Detroit Red Wings jersey from a supporter.
Detroit News photo

Local press coverage estimated the crowd at "more than 10,000". I guessed 12-15,000. As you can see from the pictures, moving wasn't really an option, nor was getting a really good photo. We were not allowed to bring in any cameras with interchangeable lenses (SLRs), just point-and-shoot types. That explains the quality of the pictures I took myself, but I think they give a feel for the size and, uh, closeness, of the throng.

Here's a VERY cool, moving 360° image, complete with audio clips, from photographer Anne Savage.

A Detroit-area Democrat presents Sen. McCain with a POW braclet she bought in the late 1960's or early 70's...with HIS name on it.

Phyllis Tatro-Fleming, 64, of Sterling Heights fulfilled a wish of giving John McCain a prisoner of war bracelet bearing his name that she bought for $1 in the late 1960s or early '70s.

"He was very touched. He was very appreciative. He heard of them and did not have one," the undecided Democrat said. Tatro-Fleming said she didn't know what POW's name she would receive when she ordered the bracelet, which also bears McCain's date of capture -- Oct. 26, 1967. McCain was held captive in North Vietnam for 5 1/2 years.

She said she wore it for many years before eventually putting it away. She was determined for McCain to have it, and she wanted to give it to him personally.

Tatro-Fleming said he hugged her and told her, "God bless you."

Freedom Hill Amphitheater is located in Macomb County, Michigan....we invented the Reagan Democrat here, and there were a fair number of self-identified Democrats in the crowd. This bodes well for the McCain-Palin ticket.

It was very encouraging to see the number of people who managed to attend this event on a Friday evening. Interest in Governor Palin was, I believe, largely responsible for boosting turnout to record levels. If the number of hats, shirts, buttons and stickers flying off vendor tables after the event is any indication, there's a new 'rock star' in town, and her name is Sarah.