Hillary's Staff Threatens to Abort Booksigning Over D.C. Chapter (4/21/04)

D.C. Chapter ^ | Wednesday, April 21, 2004 | Kristinn

[kristinn]

Honor Roll for tonight: Angelwood, tgslTakoma, Trueblackman, scholastic, 3D-Joy and kristinn. Big thanks to Rummyfan for the tip!

Her Heinous, Hillary Rodham Clinton, held a booksigning for the paperback release of her book, Living History, at the Books-a-Million in Washington, D.C.'s ultra-liberal Dupont Circle tonight.

The booksigning was nearly called off because Hillary Clinton's staff freaked out when Trueblackman went through the line twice to get copies of Hillary's books signed by her.

To set the scene, we had thrown this freep together in one day thanks to the alert eye of Rummyfan who tipped us off on another thread about the booksigning.

Angelwood sent out a permit application this morning as a courtesy to the D.C. police and Secret Service, even though we knew there would just be a handful of us out there so a permit was not required.

Angelwood was first to arrive--around 5:30 p.m. On a lark, she went in the store to see if any tickets were left. To her surprise, not many had been issued even though they were available since 9 a.m. So she bought a book and got ticket number 136. The booksigning was scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.

The rest of us arrived between 6:15 and 7 p.m. We initially set up on the right side of the store facing the table at the far end of the store where Hillary would be signing. The D.C. police told us we'd have to move soon as the line from the store would be spilling out to where we were. So, when the line came near us we switched sides and stood near the other side of the entrance.

Angelwood had to leave, so she left the book with tgslTakoma. Trueblackman volunteered to do the honors of getting the book signed by Her Heinous.

He went through the line while we stood outside holding our signs and bantered with passersby. Because we were so close to those waiting in line, we chose not to speak out to them so as to not get them riled up.

However, folks walking by engaged us in civil conversation for the most part. We only got flipped off once and got a surprising number of positive responses.

A uniformed security guard got in tgslTakoma's face when she stood on the sidewalk at the entrance and took some pictures of Hillary at the back of the store. He told her she couldn't take pictures. She held her ground until a store employee told the security guard to back off and leave her alone.

Trueblackman came out with his signed book. He played it straight and shook hands with Hillary after she signed the book. He called his liberal girlfriend to tell her about it and she asked him to get one signed for her.

Love will make a man do the most dangerous things, so he asked a Books-a-Million employee if he could buy another book and get back in line. They said sure, no problem. Being that the turnout for Hillary was nowhere near what it was when she barnstormed the country last year for the hardback edition of Living History, he was able to get a ticket in the 270s range.

He was on the phone with his girlfriend as he got up to Hillary and held the phone out for Hillary to say hello to her, which she did. It was a pleasant exchange. However, Hillary's snake-eyed staff had noticed Trueblackman talking with his fellow D.C. Chapter members outside before he came back in.

After he had left Hillary the second time, Hillary's staff threw a fit with the Books-a-Million managers, telling them that he was with the protesters outside and if they allowed him in the store again they would shut down the booksigning and Hillary would leave.

The store acquiesed, even though he had done nothing wrong, and sicced the security guards on Trueblackman--outside the store on the sidewalk!

One guard got in his face and told him he was banned from the store. Trueblackman got upset because he knew he had done nothing wrong. A D.C. police officer intervened and calmed things down. However, the banning from the booksigning stood. I guess Hillary's people were afraid he'd buy a third book.

The booksigning was scheduled to end at 9 p.m. Because of the lack of customers, it ended early around 8:30 after about 350 books had been sold, by our estimate.

Pictures to follow.

[jla]

See post # 13 - fourth from the top, Scholastic and 3D-Joy

[theDentist]

I wonder what are you doing with the books themselves? LIning canary cages with it's pages?

[DoctorMichael]

Bttt

[kristinn]

They were security guards hired by the store for this event. They were "just following orders."

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I don't think Hillary got this upset when they censored parts of her book in China.

[mewzilla]

Gee, gives a whole new meaning to the concept of customer service.

[kristinn]

Like good conservatives, we recycle our signs. The Liars Club one was first used at our freep of a 'Rat book party for David Brock on Capitol Hill.

[BibChr]

This is an honest question; don't jump me.

I was envying you-all's opportunity and guts, as I often have. The setup for Kevin actually meeting Hillary was edge-of-the-seat stuff.

But... he boosted her sales by TWO books, met her personally — twice —, and said nothing?

I don't get what the point was. Not that I know what I would have picked to say, but... well, I just don't get it. What was the point?

Dan

[kristinn]

The second was to get one signed for his girlfriend. The first was Angelwood's idea. Sometimes, you don't do what they're expecting just to keep them off balance. Hillary's staff got weird just from one of us being civil to Her Heinous. It drove them batty.

As for adding to her book sale numbers, it's a pittance for our cause.

[3D-JOY]

Good Morning Florida!

It is worth the effort to be part of these events. Even from VA the drive is over 1 hour, parking difficult, and the traffic unbelievable!!

Worth every bit of grief. DC Chapter is glad to have guests.

[Trueblackman]

Well since I tell the turth all the time, I will say that Ms. Clinton was quite charming this evening, but she has a handsshale that would make a cold fish seem warm. Hey you catch as liberals, make em conservatives and man do I have my hands full, but she is not as liberals as she claim LOL.

[Trueblackman]

Who me? I would never cause mischief since I am mischief LOL.

[thulldud]

...he went not just once, but twice. Isn't there some sort of medal for that?

John F'n Kerry got Purple Hearts for less serious injuries than that.

[Trueblackman]

I intend to call book-a-million's coporate headquaters and complain.

[Trueblackman]

She was quite nice, but her handshake was cold and fish like real dawn of the dead type stuff.

[Trueblackman]

I banned all lockboxes 5 years ago.

[Trueblackman]

Man and I thought I had balls, I love the sign and keep speaking your mind.

[Trueblackman]

Yeah I have two medal that I were born with they are called balls.

[3D-JOY]

DC Chapter is always "READY TO DROP EVERYTHING AND FREEP".

Everyone needs to join them sometime.

[Trueblackman]

Nah not yet, I have not been happier in a long time and I am changing here way of thinking little by little. Give me 2 years and she will be a stone conservative