Speaking on a conference call, President Barack Obama gave his regrets Thursday to supporters who won’t see his address because looming thunderstorms forced convention organizers to move his speech indoors.
“I regret that we’re not all gathering in one place to deliver my acceptance speech tonight,” he during the call, Politico reports. But, he said, “I could not ask you, our volunteers, our law enforcement, first responders to subject themselves to the risks of severe thunderstorms.”
Roughly 65,000 people had tickets — and 19,000 more were wait-listed — to hear him accept the Democratic presidential nomination at Bank of American Stadium, an outdoor venue where the NFL’s Carolina Panthers play.
But organizers said Wednesday a forecast including the chance of thunderstorms prompted them to move the speech inside, to Time Warner Cable Arena where convention events were already held this week.
“We can’t let a little thunder and lightning get us down,” Obama said on his call, according to Politico. “We’re going to have to roll with it.”
Capacity at the indoor arena will be much smaller, Charlotte’s WCNC-TV reports.
