The DC Chapter knows how it feels to "build it" and have nobody show up but our friends.
Condolences to Dave Bossie.
Posted on 06/11/2005 9:37:23 PM PDT by tgslTakoma
The DC Chapter knows how it feels to "build it" and have nobody show up but our friends.
Condolences to Dave Bossie.
We met and spoke with Thomas Hamill, the civilian contractor from Mississippi who was kidnapped and wounded when his convoy was ambushed in Iraq in 2004. We bought three copies of his book, Escape in Iraq, which he kindly autographed for us.
Mr. Hamill is hoping to return to Iraq and complete his original contract, but the company's rules are preventing him from doing so. He enjoyed the work that he did helping our soldiers and the people of Iraq.
More photos from the rally to be linked below...
Photo report. More links on the way.
Citizens United is a great group...what was the turnout??
About 100. Two years ago they drew about 15,000.
Thanks for being there. The crowd size may have been disheartening--but maybe one person changed his mind and will begin to think more clearly. (Maybe it will be the guy in the droopy drawers!)
They had a big enough sound system that the speeches carried several blocks along the Mall. Hopefuly more people paid attention down wind.
"About 100. Two years ago they drew about 15,000."
Let's hope the next one will be much bigger.
That doesn't diminish from the quality.
Maybe they can revisit what they did two years ago in terms of getting the word out to draw such a huge crowd.
The fact that they actually put the event together is an accomplishment and I hope this won't discourage them for putting up the next one.
Before the rally, attendees found shady spots to sit and watch the show.
D.C. Fire Department Emerald Society Pipes and Drums await their cue.
Only a couple of years old (playing together), they did a fine job
It was a hot day, but they were cool.
A view from our first shady vantage point. As the shade moved, so did we.
As the US Marine Corps Color Guard from 8th and I (The President's Own) came onto the field
Mr. Ashraf Haidari, the Afghanistan Embassy's Government & Media Relations Officer.
Talk Radio host Mike Gallagher was the emcee.
Video crew and spotlights on media riser.
Folks can get close to the speakers (and performers).Amateur photogs who braved the heat and sun got some good shots, I'm sure.
VIP seating and VIP tent, beyond the fencing.
Thomas Hamill spoke about his religious faith carrying him through his ordeal as a hostage in Iraq.
Kimberly Caldwell (American Idol 2) did a great job singing the Star Spangled Banner at the beginning of the rally, and she came out again later to lead the audience in singing God Bless America.
"Smitty" from Rolling Thunder spoke about the POW/MIA issue, and he introduced the young soldier who lost both legs in Iraq.
Passing folks stopped to listen to the young soldier.
The crowd listens as the young man talks of his recovery.
His words were positive but I felt his disappointment in the size of the crowd. He asked the audience to please remember the soldiers; when you meet a soldier to stop and thank them for what they are doing, let them know you support them.
Speaker from Iran, talked of the desire of the Iranian people for freedom.
View from mid-block, with stage and Capitol in back.
Byrd, belting out "The Watermelon Crawl"
Young fan, doing her version of The Watermelon Crawl - in the shade of unused vendor tables.
The Roaming Gnome meets Thomas Hamill.
Tracy Byrd drew in passing tourists and locals who were jogging by.
I just realized, looking there, that they were the ones who bought the great billboards in Hollywood.
Their rally may not have been very well attended, but they surely are a great group making a difference.
Citizens United and their other sponsors put out a lot of money on this event. I don't know if they will want to invest that kind of money again in a crapshoot.
"Citizens United and their other sponsors put out a lot of money on this event. "
I am sorry to hear that. I thought perhaps it wasn't advertised and publicized enough, because they had such a huge turnout the last time.
I hope they will still examine what they did the previous time vs. now.
There is a huge difference between 15,000 vs. 100.
And if they got 15,000 once, they should be able to get at least several thousand again.
Maybe they can get help from Hannity for the next one. I don't think they should just give up.
Emotions were very high back then.
We've since had two years of leftist "anti-war" marches and rallies, and 'Rat politicians getting plenty of media time to chip away at that support.
I never heard a radio ad for this rally, though Kristinn said that he heard two on the local radio station that carries Hannity and Rush.
Cool, thanks!
Bookmarking for later....
Two years ago, CU asked for co-sponsors at $1,000 apiece. Several groups signed on and showed up. The way Bossie repaid their support was to walk up to the podium and tell the audience that he'd like to thank the co-sponsors but that he lost his list. I'm not kidding you, that is exactly what happened.
Plus as far as I can tell, the co-sponsors were treated like crap at the rally. Though they help fund the event, they were kept beyond the "velvet rope". Bossie held a rally that was more like Studio 54, with him playing Steve Rubell.
angelwood once called him about that rally with a suggestion and Bossie made it clear that she should contact his assistant in the future. If he treated her that way, I'm sure the others groups didn't fare any better.
It's my opinion that success two years ago was largely due to those groups enthusiastically promoting it amonsgt their own people. We were not contacted this time ans I suspect that the others weren't either. Was oversight or ego the reason?
Personally, I'm sorry that this didn't go off much better because it is my wish that the troops could see a large event in thier honor, a National Thank You.
I would not rule out working with Bossie in the future because the cause is greater than anyone's ego, but I'd have to see an apology to angelwood first. That way I'd know he's got his mind right and can be counted on as a member of the team.
thanks for the update- as you know from experience, people's ego's have a way of getting in the way with these things...
The only true measure of success in this left versus right PR on the war is to see the lefty's numbers dwindle. It's not in the Conservative/Liberatrian genetic make-up to get in peoples' faces. Don't want to bother anybody. Just want to be left alone. We "demonstrate" by living our lives. Saturday was a beautiful day for a picnic, BBQ, or day at the beach.
Having said that, when the time comes...
the leftist anti-American rants must NOT go unanswered.
I am unimpressed by Citizen's United.
Was there a thread on FR about it? I never heard anything about it - still couldn't have gone, due to home commitments, but with no publicity, there's not going to be much of a turnout.
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