Posted on 07/12/2004 9:12:07 AM PDT by BillF
In the report that follows, CLICK ON ANY PHOTO AND A FULL SIZE VERSION OF THE PHOTO SHOULD APPEAR . (Thumbnail photos hyperlinked to full versions.)
Politics and Prose (P & P) bookstore before the arrival of Clinton. The guy at right is an employee of the Barnes and Noble (B & N) bookstore hosting the X42 book signing the next day. Apparently at P & P for recon, he was seen the next day at the B & N event wearing an "axis of evil" button with images of Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld. |
Bill Clinton had two book signings in Washington, DC this past week. Naturally, FReepers from the DC Chapter peacefully demonstrated at both events. This report is on the first of the two events. The report for the second FReep will be posted later on this thread or on a separate thread. I made sound recordings of both events, but will add links to some sound bites at a later time. On Tuesday, July 6, the impeached former President signed books, starting just after noon, at Politics and Prose bookstore. Located in a ultra-liberal enclave within the liberal enclave that is Washington, DC, the left-wing Politics and Prose was aptly-named Propaganda and Prose by Jimmy Valentine's brother. The honor roll for the FReep: Angelwood, tgslTakoma, Jimmy Valentine's brother, BufordP, and BillF. We were pleased to have BufordP's brother with us as he was visiting from out-of-town. Additionally, about 16 college students and a leader or two from the Campus Leadership Program (CLP), a training program for conservative students. Standing with us also was a free-lancer, a conservative activist who come out to demonstrate against Slick Willy on his own. BufordP, his brother and I arrived together in my SUV. Parking on the same side of a side street where the Clinton Kool-Aid drinkers were lined up, we were careful to take our signs out without the leftists reading them. I didn't want my vehicle keyed by mean-spirited liberals. The Clinton fans were lined up so thick on the adjacent sidewalk that it was impassible. |
We were moved far from the front door and the line of liberals. |
When an officer stationed at our front told us to make sure that we did not block the sidewalk, we assured him that we would not block the sidewalk. I also mentioned to him that the Clinton fans' line was blocking the sidewalk on the side street a block away, but he said that was someone else's problem. Jimmy Valentine's brother and tgslTakoma arrived as did the 18 or so people from CLS and the free-lance conservative activist. We then had a total of over 20 people. The press conducted several interviews with Angelwood and other of our fellow protestors. One women passerby, who was interviewed by a reporter, surprisingly was not a fan of Clinton despite the liberal neighborhood that she lived in. She explained that she was still angry with Clinton for forcing her to explain oral sex to her then 7 year old daughter. Liberals passing by occasionally shouted snide remarks. Some argued with us briefly and, ironically, asked why we were so far from their line. We explained that the police had moved us to that location. An officer had justified his order for us to move so far away, by the need to avoid conflict. However, a ten or twelve foot separation would have probably been sufficient. The liberals in line were unlikely to charge towards us as a group. They would have lost their place in line. |
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A more interesting passerby was a self-described liberal Democrat who explained why he wasn't a fan of Clinton. He said that Clinton had cost his party the House, the Senate, and numerous governorships. He also volunteered that the police should not have moved us so far away from the store entrance. (The guy was there when we were relocated.) Throughout most of the FReep, the FReepers were lined up facing the door of the bookstore, whereas most of the other anti-Slick Willy demonstrators faced the other way and played to the adjacent traffic and pedestrians. The CLS group were full of energy and gave all of us great hope for the future. They chanted Legacy of Lies FReepers used the cops cheer: BILL CLINTON . . . WE HAVE YOU SURROUNDED . . . PUT DOWN THE CIGAR . . . STEP AWAY FROM THE INTERN . . . AND COME OUT . . . WITH YOUR PANTS UP!
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Slick Willy signs CLS handout about his scandals for poor husband
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Saddam and Slick Willy shake hands as BufordP and
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Jimmy Valentine's brother holds the famous and controversial sign. |
With the CLS Slick Willy, Monica, and Saddam lined up on our side facing the door with us, we were somewhat crowded at the front. This was mainly because a female officer ordered us to stay within less than 40 percent of the width of the relatively uncrowded sidewalk. She finally said to the CLS costumed persons and us, "if you go past this line, you're outta here." When I saw that Saddam had partially drifted over the line, I quietly told him that he should get back on our side of the line. In character and with his foreign Saddam accent, he said: YOU DON'T TELL SADDAM ABOUT LINES. YOU STEP OUT OF LINE, SADDAM WILL KILL YOU! I laughed as I turned to see that female Officer Unfriendly had apparently gone to another location, away from us. This was after I overheard the female officer telling the special ops officer (who was apparently in charge) that: "I told these people not to block the sidewalk. They said that people in line are blocking the side street. I told them that the side street is not my concern." Special ops guy's response was inaudible. Officer Unfriendly returned, but only after Saddam had left and was no longer over the line. Maybe special ops asked her to clear a path on the sidewalk on the side street or maybe she just went to use facilities? |
After several hours in the sun and heat, we ended the FReep by thanking the officers, most of whom had been courteous. Even Officer Unfriendly, seemed pleased to have us thank her (how often do protestors thank the police?). If we are ever back on her beat, maybe she'll remember the thanks and treat us with less attitude.
The next day (as will be covered in a further report) we faced the opposite problem to the rather strict control of the police on this day. The police did maintain order and protect us from law-breaking liberals. Maybe strict is better?
One officer was kind enough to give us some verbal, local restaurant reviews as we packed supplies. We ended up going to a restaurant suggested by him and it was fine.
Another FReep of the Creep, as Monica was fond of calling him, was history.
Next, it is your turn to FReep the Creep. Peacefully protest when he comes to your town. Contact area FReepers and try to drum up interest. You'll be glad that you did.
Sorry I could not make it. I have last minute planning for an event right now.
DC Chapter ping!
Do I have your permission to print that and put it on my office wall (just to piss off my liberal co-workers..)?
Same here. Gov't servers went haywire that day. I wound up working until 2:00am. :-(
I have no ownership interest in the design.
Abner designed and made the sign from what Doctor Raoul told me, IIRC.
There is a famous photo of Doctor Raoul holding the sign that has been emailed all around the world.
BufordP received an email from a friend or relative with the photo and saying something like: "I know that you will love this." BufordP responded with a photo of him holding the same sign and assuring that the photo was real, not edited.
Thanks for the report Bill. Good job Freepers!
We missed you both, but I know that you would have attended if you could have.
Both of the Clinton booksignings were at bad times. This first one was around noon on a weekday in upper Northwest DC, not very close to any Metro stations. On the following day, the booksigning started at 4 pm in a quite crowded area of downtown. Again, it was hard for most to get to on a week day.
Catch you next time!
Wonderful report! Does anyone have any suggestions on a method to make those terrific LARGE signs?
Thank you for posting this! Thank you DC Chapter!
"Does anyone have any suggestions on a method to make those terrific LARGE signs?"
This is what I use:
http://www.postersw.com/
Thanks for the kind words.
BufordP made the three large signs. Maybe, he will be so kind as to describe the method that he used?
Abner made the great, professional-looking "If Osama was . . ." sign sometime ago. Staytrue and Flora McDonald are among some of the other FReepers who've made unbelievably great signs on other occasions. Maybe one or all of the three would kindly share some of their sign-making methods?
Excellent! And thanks for the ping.
Neither rain, nor snow, nor unbearable heat of DC will stay these messengers of Freepdom.
ANNOUNCEMENT: D.C. Chapter Vs. Bill Clinton Home and Away Series--July 5, 6, 7
Knopf Clinton Book Tour Page ^ | Tuesday, June 29, 2004 | Kristinn
Posted on 06/29/2004 9:05:52 PM PDT by kristinn
The D.C. Chapter of Free Republic invites all FReepers and lurkers in good standing to join us as we play a three game home and away series against Bill Clinton, the disgraced former president of the United States.
Barnstorming Bill brings his traveling legacy revival tour to the City of Brotherly Love (and Teamsters) on Monday, July 5. The legacy tour hits D.C. the next two days.
The D.C. Chapter's Clinton Truth Squad will be taking a road trip up I-95 on Monday to remind the first elected president to be impeached (and his adoring fans) that "We have not forgotten, Bill Clinton's rotten."
Tuesday we'll be on our home turf outside D.C.'s uptown liberal literary mecca, Politics and Prose for Bill's first book signing in Washington. Wednesday, we'll be downtown at the Barnes and Noble a few blocks from Bill's lawyers' offices (Williams & Connolly).
Southern activist ping!
NY & NJ activist ping!
Many thanks and congrats!
Are these your photos? What beautiful work. A very exciting thread.
Good report Bill on another successful FReep. The pictures are great.
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