VIRGINIA BEACH
All that was missing outside the John McCain/Sarah Palin rally Monday was the cotton candy and peanuts.
There were clowns, horses (carrying police) and, of course, elephants. There was music – a local barbershop quartet, N’Tune, that entertained the mile-long line of attendees as they waited to enter the Virginia Beach Convention Center. There were thousands of supporters dressed in red: T-shirts, buttons, hats, or all of the above.
And there was fire, too – in the hearts of a few dozen protesters and many of their targets.
Indeed, one of the most entertaining aspects of the day was watching adults with opposing viewpoints reduce themselves to children.
“Whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you double! Whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you double!,” Randall Terry of the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue yelled through a bullhorn at Obama supporters. “Obama supports the killing of babies!”
A line of about a dozen mostly black members of the United Steelworkers union stood out. They held signs and sung chants ranging from the uninspired (“Vote Obama!”) to the creative (“I don’t know what you’ve been told/We are going to the polls!” and “No more lies and no more greed/A president is what we need!”)
The steelworkers were either vocal or antagonizing, depending, of course, on who you asked.
As one black man walked past them to enter the rally – you could count the people of color going in on one hand – one of the protesters said to him, “It’s OK!” He shrugged sheepishly.
Most people ignored the dissenters, but others yelled back. A few made it clear that they were unwelcome. One woman spat at them, said Marliyn Brown, the voice behind the steelworkers’ bullhorn, and someone else said, “No half breeds.”
Nearby, another protester with a bullhorn calmly read a treatise about the supposed evils of Sarah Palin’s church. Add to all that the people passing out stickers and buttons and the harmonies of the barbershop quartet (Were they singing “Barbara Ann” or “Bomb Iran”?) and you had a whole lot to take in.
Some Palin supporters exulted in the chance to finally see the popular vice presidential candidate live and in person.
Ruth Reiter of the Eastern Shore wore a blue pant suit, a red scarf with white stars and a T-shirt that echoed the Alaska governor’s famous quotation: “The difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick.”
“She’s a fresh face in Washington,” said Phil Wignall, of Newport News, whose wife, daughter and nephew joined him in wearing red. “She has a lot of conservative values. She hunts. She fishes. She does it all.”
Others just watched. A safe distance from the drama, Matt Yeargin of York County and Carol Summerlin of Portsmouth sat on a bench, taking in the scene. They were wearing Obama T-shirts. A woman on a bench across from them in a camouflage McCain-Palin hat, who did not want to give her name, struck up a conversation.
“You’re Obama supporters? You know he’s a Communist,” she said.
“No, he’s not,” Summerlin said. “You’ve been given some misleading information.”
“Yes, he is,” said the lady.
“No, that’s not true,” said Summerlin.
“Yes it is.”
Yeargin deftly changed the subject. The woman had a foot-powered scooter next to her. “Did you ride that all the way over here?” he asked, probably resisting an urge to segue into discussion about the energy crisis.
The most eye-catching partisan was “Miss America” (née Lisa Hussein Petry of Virginia Beach).
Like everyone else, she’d arrived hours early to rattle off facts, figures and her view of the truth. More interesting than her politics was her get-up: a black gown, an ivory faux-fur jacket, a glittery pink sash across her chest, and a foam crown labeled “PEACE.” Her pink posterboard declared, “Diplomacy is not surrender.”
Why was she dressed like this?
“Because I’m Miss America,” she said.
Not missing a beat, she turned back to her job. “The president lied about Iraq! Where are our outraged Americans?!”
A man walked by her and asked her why she didn’t shut the you-know-what up. Miss America said exactly the same thing back to him.
As she reminded someone else, she still has the freedom of speech.
Malcolm Venable, (757) 446-2662, malcolm.venable@pilotonline.com
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Where are you getting the information that W. snorted coke well into adulthood? Cheers, MGM
THE CONSTITUTION
I read this Sen. McCain's speech word for word like I watched/read any other. I also watched Sen McCain on the Senate floor for years. My problem is not the words of Democrats, but McCain's lack of judgment on selecting his VP, his advisors and campaign staff. Instead of straight talk, they have done more than disrespect a fellow Senator who has reached out to him just like he did to many other Republicans, from ethics reform to veteran affairs, national security to transparency on federal spending. 'Kill him' is an attack on Democracy, another freeby for our nation's enemies.
Our military does not serve the Red States or the Blue States. It serves to protect the Constitution of the United States of America. I respect the judgment of the numerous Republican Senators/Veterans who are still nowhere to be found because it’s not party but country first.
George W. Bush
was Gov. of Texas & is the President of the USA. He regularly snorted cocaine, well into adulthood. Many people have security clearances, despite use of illegal drugs, & associations with "undesirables", in their youth. As for guilt by association, the couple that started the education board on which Obama & Ayers served, have been longtime Republicans. The husband, now deceased, was a close friend of Reagan & a diplomat, in the Nixon Ad. The wife, just recently endorsed McCain. By the reasoning of some, the Annenbergs are terrorists & being friends of Reagan, supporters of McCain & serving with Nixon that makes Reagan & Nixon dead terrorists & McCain a living 1.
I didn't go but . . .
I respect the judgment of my friends who did go.
What is described here by detractors, who presumably weren't there, is nothing at all like what my friends saw. And the detractors really have no place to be calling my friends and fellow Republicans names like these. We are ordinary Americans, we do vote, we try to express our opinions in civil ways, and we don't insult Democrats or others who disagree with us. I am very glad that Mr. Obama, should he win, does not seem to have the mean streak towards R's that many of you exhibit. You seem to believe that we don't even have the right to vote or to have our speech protected. Thanks for listening, MGM
ONLY REQUIREMENT?
Both Senators have top security clearance. As far as I know, the rules were changed in October 2001. The Defense Secretary briefs the House and Senate Armed Services Committees on classified information, while the Powell as Secretary of State started filling in the foreign relations panels. The only one that doesn't have clearance is Governor Palin. As Lugar said, she didn't get even a passport for the first time until last year.
It still doesn't explain why Lugar took Obama instead of McCain to the unprotected WMD in the former Soviet Union and passed legislation with Obama to prevent WMD from falling in the hands of terrorists. I trust Lugar's judgement. Protecting our nation requires both parties to work together. Why is it that Senator McCain cannot get along with highly qualified and experienced Republicans?
well then,
Maybe I should run for the Senate or better yet as President. I could run on a platform of "Grannies Against Guns". Sounds like a winner to me!
Wrong
"Do you know how many background checks you got to go through to be a Senator?"
The only requirement is not to be a felon. Obama would in fact be hard pressed to gain security clearance working for most goverment contractors. The items that would disqualify him are his own writings, past associations, and admitted drug use.
Do you guys ever know what you are talking about?
Fresh Face in Washington?
Monica Lewinsky was a fresh face in Washington too, and she got the President impeached. Over a thong and cigar.
This fresh face just showed she can abuse her office's powers with the best of them. We've already had 8 years of power abuse, going to war in Iraq - a country that it is proven had nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks.
I prefer brains over blather, right supremacy vs. white supremacy.
Obama and Biden will win the November '08 election!
Virginia will help them do it!
"no half breeds"
A republican uttering a racist statement? Shocking.
The sad part is much of what America has de-evolved into was present today at our convention center - a bunch of anti-intellectual, close-minded racists intent of spreading their gospel of hate and fear mongering to any low-brow who will listen.
Fortunately Obama is leading in the polls by 10% and 320 total electoral votes. We cannot afford any more republican boobery.
This isn't news...It is commentary
And should be reflected as such
palin should apply for a job at the circus
With 20 some days to go, Palin/McCain decide to show up in Virginia. Instead of coming with solutions their bringing a bunch of clowns. I have yet to hear anything from Gov. Palin but ignorance and prepared statements. Senator McCain should explain why he wants to continue to insult me given that I voted for real Republican leaders like Reagan and Bush Senior. Senator McCain, I am angry! I take the Presidency a bit more serious then a circus, do I have stupid written on my forehead?
Virginia Beach
I don't know what kind of water people drink in Virgina Beach but Virginia Beach is not Beverly Hills. If you think your taxes are high now wait until those clowns McCain and Palin get into office. Not!
Obama is a terrorist? Yeah picture that...Do you know how many background checks you got to go through to be a Senator? Please people do your research and stop playing dumb! Republican's use the scare tactic every elections last time it was the war in iraq and this year if your black you are a terrorist. So what does that make Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols of the Oklahoma City Bombing? They where white... lol
well gosh darn phil
"said Phil Wignall, of Newport News, “She has a lot of conservative values. She hunts. She fishes. She does it all.” "
I do hope you are reading this, becasue you know what Phil, this shows the intelligence of the Republican voter. Have mercy!
Looks like Sarah isn't the only one 5 beers short of Joe's (Biden's) six pack! YeeHaw ya'll don't forget I can still see Russia! That makes me an economic genius.
WHAT?!?!?!
Someone is actually endorsing M&P because she hunts and fishes?!?!?!? OMG, is that all it takes to get a vote? If so, I'm throwing my hat in the ring in 2012.
M&P have no agenda, other than to lie their way into the White House. I haven't heard one plan of action they want to implement, just a bunch of blurry, one liners they repeat over and over again.
Every day Obama has announced his plans to get this country back on track, All McCain can do is talk about the past...and then blast O&B for trying to pull the country up out of the mess caused by failed policies of the past. What a spiteful, old man who talks about nothing but fighting someone, anyone it seems.
Obama 08!!!
Not to mention the Palin
Not to mention the Palin couples ties to the Alaska Independance Party and its associated militias. Exactly who's energy policy is she an expert on?
Ms. Palins Ties In Wassila
Palin has close ties to the some pretty interesting people in Wasilla.
Google: Steve Stoll and Palin.
Extreme? Anti-American? You must judge for yourself.
DO WE REALLY KNOW SARAH?
PLEASE do your own research.
Do your homework.
This Woman Could Become President.