"People go to presidential campaign rallies for a lot of reasons, quite often to see someone they hope will be the next president. That is a significant phenomenon in this country.

Why must THAT motive, or many other reasonable motives, be dismissed out of hand?"

Fantasma, I can't get your logic here at all; it sounds like you're saying, "Maybe they didn't go to the rally because they would vote for him; maybe they just wanted to see him because they hope he will be the next president". Is it just me, or does that come accross as somewhat incoherant?