Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site bbncca.ARPA
Path: utzoo!linus!bbncca!rrizzo
From: rrizzo@bbncca.ARPA (Ron Rizzo)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Crowd-getters in the Final Days: Massachusetts
Message-ID: <1095@bbncca.ARPA>
Date: Fri, 2-Nov-84 16:53:58 EST
Article-I.D.: bbncca.1095
Posted: Fri Nov  2 16:53:58 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 3-Nov-84 06:15:17 EST
Organization: Bolt, Beranek and Newman, Cambridge, Ma.
Lines: 22

Yesterday 6000 turned out to cheer Ronald Reagan & senatorial candidate
Ray Shamie; the rally was held outdoors at the vast City Hall Plaza,
but attendance was "by invitation only" and the area was cordoned off
by a fence, almost unheard-of for gatherings on the Plaza.  The large
number of hecklers & protesters that turned out were forced to watch
at a distance beyond the fence.  At one point, a smiling but angered
Reagan turned to the hecklers & said, "You ain't seen nothin' yet!"

It turns out the "crowd" of 6000 was predominantly made up of people
brought in to Boston on some 150 buses from more conservative New
Hampshire, Rhode Island, & Cape Cod, organized apparently by the
GOP.  Not only must Reagan keep the "people" he represents literally
at a distance, but phoney crowds of supporters must be painstakingly
assembled to fill the few public places (whose access must be restrict-
ed) in which Ronnie is willing to appear.

By contrast, Walter Mondale appeared today at a huge rally on the
Boston Common at which 80,000-100,000 people turned out; no hecklers
or protesters were anywhere in evidence.

					Cheers,
					Ron Rizzo