CAMPAIGN 2012

Obama Election-Night Chicago Rally Moved Indoors

Updated: October 18, 2012 | 1:21 p.m.
October 18, 2012 | 6:35 a.m.

Obama's election-night rally will be in the same location as the NATO summit in Chicago (REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer)

The Obama campaign is choosing a new Chicago location for its election-night rally this year, moving from the outdoor Grant Park to the indoor McCormick Place convention center, the Chicago Tribune reports.

After hosting the NATO summit in Chicago earlier this year, the White House decided to go with the smaller venue because of its boosted security measures. Although it won’t be the show it was four years ago, with 240,000 people cheering with the Windy City skyline in the background, the change also prevents any last-minute logistical nightmare caused by weather concerns.

This isn't the first time the Obama campaign has had to move the president’s speech indoors from a larger outdoor venue. At the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte in September, the campaign decided to move Obama’s speech into the smaller Time Warner Cable Arena from the much larger Bank of America Stadium due to weather concerns.

After it didn't rain that evening, Republicans poked fun at the campaign, saying they were unable to get a big turnout for the president. Those same jabs could return after this latest announcement.

Further rally plans have yet to be announced from the campaign.

CORRECTION: In an earlier version, an extraneous word confused the number of people attending President Obama's election night rally. It was 240,000.

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