CHARLOTTE — Predicted thunderstorms in Charlotte have let down many Duke students who planned to attend President Barack Obama’s nomination acceptance speech Thursday.
Duke Democrats planned on busing over 100 students to Charlotte’s Democratic National Convention Thursday to see Obama accept the Democratic presidential nomination. Due to forecasts of inclement weather, convention organizers announced Wednesday that the location of the speech has changed from the 73,778-person capacity Bank of America Stadium to the Time Warner Cable Arena, which holds only 20,200—forcing Duke Dems to cancel their plans, much to the disappointment of the of the organization and students who planned on attending, said Duke Dems co-presidents David Winegar and Adrienne Harreveld, both sophomores.
“We are disappointed to report that…all community credentials are no longer valid and we will not be travelling to see the speeches tomorrow,” Winegar said in an email Wednesday afternoon.
About 65,000 people who obtained community credentials to Thursday’s event will no longer be able to attend, DNC committee CEO Steve Kerrigan wrote in an email Wednesday morning.
In lieu of the trip to Charlotte, Duke Dems will be holding a dinner and watch party in the Sanford building at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Winegar added.
There will be a conference call with the president Thursday afternoon exclusively for those who had community credentials. Winegar said he encourages Duke’s ticket holders to tune in to that call.
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