Posted on 01/26/2004 9:02:31 PM PST by tgslTakoma
The week leading up to the DC Chapter's first year as a paying exhibitor at CPAC was hectic, with everyone working long into the night at their homes, printing up flyers, burning DVDs, compiling PowerPoint presentations, printing photos and business cards, and in Doctor Raoul's case, organizing his bags of tricks and getting t-shirts printed. There were times that some of us wondered if we could pull it all together for CPAC and still keep our families and jobs; but it all fell into place on Wednesday evening as we gathered to set up.
Angelwood brought a wide assortment of her famous buttons, as well as bumperstickers, mousepads, pens and magnets.
Staytrue delivered a supply of DVDs on which he had masterfully compiled several news reports of past DC Chapter events (rallies, protests, the Garofalo awards...), which were given to some conservative notables as well as being played on the TV at our booth throughout the weekend.
BillF delivered his laptop computer to our booth, on which he had set up a very impressive PowerPoint introduction to DC Chapter style activism.
L_VonMises brought many copies of the DC Chapter information pamphlet, which he has kept up-to-date over the past couple of years; and he also brought more great photos for our photo display boards.
LisaFab and Ed helped us by folding the pamphlets, and I brought a gazillion more business cards which my lovely daughter, daughteroftgsl, helped me make.
After we had our table set up, we retired to the Sports Bar where we met up with Basil and a friend from out of town, and chatted a bit over sodas and snacks before heading home to our other responsibilities.
I had a family committment on Thursday morning, so I was very late arriving at CPAC (with daughteroftgsl). Angelwood told me that our friend Notra Trulock came by and visited with her and the rest of the crew at the booth. Angelwood, Exit 148, L_VonMises and BillF will have to report on the rest of the morning's goings-on. ...
On Thursday evening as folks left for the banquet, we headed down to the Sports Bar for supper and sodas; but they wouldn't let my teenaged daughter in! So we were banished to the lobby outside the bar, where we were promised that we would be served dinner and beverages.
LisaFab and I spotted a TV on the lobby bar, so we set it up to watch the Democrat Dwarves debate on FoxNews. Almost as soon as we turned the debates on, the lobby filled up with CPAC folks who wanted to watch the trainwreck with us. LisaFab took notes, so I'm sure she's working on a column about it.
A waitress took our drink order and disappeared after we were given one menu to share amongst 20+ people. After an hour wait, I wrote our dinner order on a piece of paper and Kristinn tried to place our order in the Bar, but he was shooed back outside and told that they had to take the orders themselves. After another 20 minutes, I went inside the Sports Bar and reminded the wait staff that we were still waiting to order dinner; and eventually we did get to eat. Love that Sports Bar service! During all this time we were watching the debate and offering sometimes colorful commentary on the various "facts" perpetrated on the viewing audience.
A couple of very tall and young Marines in dress blues wandered over to our area and we thanked them for their service and offered to buy them a drink; but the bar wouldn't serve them either, because they didn't have ID with them. Sheesh!
We talked with the Marines and learned that they were from the Marine Barracks in DC and had been the Color Guard at the banquet. When we found out where they were stationed, we all talked about our counterprotest of the cANSWER commies when they marched on the Marine Barracks last January. I left the group in the lobby and ran up to the exhibit hall to get a few things for the Marines. The door was locked, but a hotel security guy (who was also an old Marine) opened the doors for me when I told him what I wanted to do. I grabbed a few of the MOAB mousepads, pens and business cards (which had the FR and DC Chapter web addresses on them), and gave the security guy a pack of stuff, too.
As I was going downstairs, the Marines were headed upstairs and they told me they had to leave because their driver was here. I thought, "Hey, I have an SUV, and I know where the barracks is - what the heck!" So I offered to drive them home. After a bit of discussion, they decided I wasn't a nutcase, and that my truck would hold their flags. (That bit was funny... They said, "We have our flags, and they're on 8-1/2' poles," to which I countered, "I have flags on 8-1/2' poles for our rallies, and they fit. No problem!") So, it was settled. Their driver went on his way after I gave him his DC Chapter goodies, and the Marines went to their room where they had assembled and said they would be back downstairs in a little while. So I went back down to the lobby bar area and told Kristinn what was going on. He looked at me like I had lost all my marbles, and just shook his head. He's learned over the past three years that I do spur-of-the-moment things like this, and that there's not much anyone can do about it.
By this time the banquet let out and Basil, PistolPack'nMama, her fiance and another SASter whose name now escapes me, and our friend from out of town joined us; and we continued our congenial gathering.
The next thing I see is four Marines walking into the lobby... and I do some really quick math in my head. My truck holds seven passengers... I have me, Kristinn and daughteroftgsl... that's three... plus four very tall Marines... that's seven... plus their very tall flags. Yikes! It was going to be a snug fit; but their driver had already left. I may have to make two trips, I thought...
The Marines were the center of attention, with the SASters and the other young ladies attending CPAC, and the guys enjoyed being outnumbered, I'm sure. Anyway, when time came to leave, the ranking Marine (am I saying that right?) told me that I would only be taking one man and all the gear back to the barracks. The other guys would take a cab later. Well, that saved the day!
When Kristinn, daughteroftgsl, the flags and the Marine were all safely in the vehicle, I started to leave the hotel, but I saw Niger Innis trying to hail a cab. So I pulled over, he recognized Kristinn who asked him where he was headed and invited him in for a ride.
We safely delivered the Marine and his gear to the Barracks, and again thanked him for his service and told him that we were proud of our military men and women. And we safely delivered Niger to his destination as well. What a night!
Friday I overslept. Daughter and I had been kept awake late into the night with odd sounds emanating from within our walls and floors. We wondered if it was pipes freezing or furry creatures looking to keep warm. It must have been the latter, because we didn't wake up to a flood in the house.
By the time I arrived at our booth, exit148 Angelwood and L-VonMises had taken their lunch breaks and were again busy with the booth. BillF and BufordP also did a tour of duty at the booth. Bob Barr was doing a radio show at the end of the aisle we were on, so Doctor Raoul stopped over to visit with him after his show ended. Doc had a gag gift for him. Mr Barr visited our booth and chatted with Angelwood about some of our future plans, and he joined us for a group photo.
James Parmelee, a DC Chapter friend from NorthernVaGOP, used our booth as home base for his mobile "No Tax Hike" lobbying efforts. As you all can see, we had a cardboard cutout figure of President Bush which we had a lot of fun accessorizing with conservative props throughout the weekend.
Friday night I had another family emergency that kept me from dinner, so the rest of the tribe will report on that and the Saturday morning shift...
Saddam Hussein (D) Iraq, was spotted darting about the exhibit hall; clearly on the run from someone or something. It wasn't until I walked by the ACLU booth that I found out what had Saddam so skittish. By then though, Fighter Pilot Bush had caught the !*$*#%!. And of course the ACLU has taken Saddam as a client.
As folks were taking their exhibits down Saturday afternoon, our Canadian friends at Free Dominion were still wondering if they would have gas money to get back home. Now that takes guts, traveling all this way on a shoestring budget! I loved meeting you guys!
At 2pm, FReepers gathered in front of the Free Republic booths for the annual FR Family Foto. Every year the FR crowd in attendance at CPAC gets bigger. I think next year we will need a panoramic camera to fit everyone in. And that's a good thing!
Kristinn was hanging out with Registered and Dan from Michigan in the lobby lounge (while the FReeper Family Foto was being taken) when he spotted Ann Coulter walking by with a group of people after being honored at the Claire Booth Luce luncheon.
Ann was on her way out of the hotel but she stopped when Kristinn playfully waved his arms up and down as he called out, "We're not worthy! We're not worthy!"
She broke into laughter and came over to shake his hand, saying she'd "love to share second-hand smoke" with the FReepers but she had to go. She asked that Kristinn say hello to Doctor Raoul for her, which he did.
As we took our booth down, our exhaustion set in, but we had to pack up our cars and settle on a place to have dinner. The Sports Bar was out for us, because they wouldn't allow my daughter in, so we went to King Street Blues for some excellent eats; and who did we run into also having dinner there but Patrick Knowlton. We chatted awhile and he gave us all copies of an investigative CD he had made and then headed off to visit Reed Irvine who has been recovering from a stroke. Reed and his family are in our prayers.
Basil was tired from a long weekend of SAS work, so we ordered her a take-out meal and then descended on her hotel room and visited while she had dinner. The weekend always flies by, and we never seem to have enough time to just sit and visit with one another. Someday though...
One last thing... I met two very charming young ladies on Friday (or was it Saturday?) who told me that they were from a family of avid FReepers. The girls were Anoreth and TaxDeduction1, and we were so charmed by them that we gave them a bunch of DC Chapter goodies. Whoever claims these young girls as theirs should be very proud of what delightful ladies they are raising.
Thanks for starting FR, Jim. Look at how it's grown over the years, and imagine how much more it still can grow. I'm impressed!
DC Chapter members who worked at the booth during the weekend: Angelwood, exit148, bufordP, L_VonMises, Mrs. L_VonMises, BillF, Staytrue, Doctor Raoul, kristinn, xthe17th, LisaFab, Ed, Daryl, daughteroftgsl and tgslTakoma. Others chapter members also stopped by to visit with us in free moments during the weekend - AlwaysFree, scholastic, trueblackman, James Parmelee, taxman and sauropod. Call out if I've forgotten someone.
And finally, here are a few more photo links. (Now it's time for me to get to bed.)
It was great to meet the many FReepers who I had not met before this weekend, and it was equally wonderful to see all the FRiends I have met in years past. Until next year then!
NYC GOP chick and Sauropod stop by to visit, and pose with GWB
Saddam, Fighter pilot Bush and Warrior Nurse
I can't get everyone to look at the camera at once. Sheesh!
Doctor Raoul unmasks to pose with Warrior Nurse
It was really nice to see you again, BTW! :-)
You guys are magic to the max. I love you.
Now that I finally have webspace to host pics (after how many years?), your report is an object lesson on how to correctly do one.
Thanks.
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