President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama appeared in Pennsylvania on Saturday to rally for Democrats in the state, but they failed to fill out the arena.
Reporters at the event shared photos of empty seats at the Philadelphia stadium.
Despite the Biden/Obama/Fetterman/Shapiro billing in Philly, dozens of empty seats in the rafters pic.twitter.com/NibgE4dAnP
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) November 5, 2022
Videos shared by local reporters and attendees also showed empty seats ahead of the rally.
Raucous crowd awaiting President Biden, Obama and Democratic Candidates Fetterman and Shapiro at Temple’s Liacouris Center to fire up the base in Philadelphia in the closing moments until Election Day. @WGAL #ElectionDay pic.twitter.com/km3hS5He4Q
— BarbaraBarrWGAL (@BarbaraBarrWGAL) November 5, 2022
LIVE from the very empty Philly arena where an Obama/Biden Rally is taking place pic.twitter.com/39Wja6UHJB
— President Beb! (@presidentbeb) November 5, 2022
The event was held at the Liacouras Center at Temple University, which seats over 10,000 people.
The crowd cheered loudly as Biden and Obama took the stage with Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, who is running for the United States Senate, and Attorney General Josh Shapiro, running for Pennsylvania Governor.
“Hello Philadelphia, helo hello hello,” Biden began after taking the mic.
Looking up at the upper level of seats in the arena he joked, “Don’t jump.”
Biden was the first speaker at the event, warming up the crowd for Shapiro and Fetterman before Obama took the stage.
The crowd was confused when Obama was the last to speak, forcing everyone to wait through Shapiro and Fetterman’s speeches.
Joe Biden finished his speech, walked off stage, and immediately the crowd started chanting “O-BAM-A”
Then they brought Shapiro onto the stage. An audible groan erupted from the crowd.
— President Beb! (@presidentbeb) November 5, 2022
Obama tried to whip up the crowd and urged them to vote.
“If you’re anxious and frustrated right now, don’t complain. Don’t mope. Don’t tune out. Get off your couch and do what?” He asked.
“Vote!” The audience shouted.
“Put down your phones and do what?” Obama added.
“Vote!” The audience shouted back.
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