Crime King Clinton Returns...After Action Report of Tucson FReep 11/02/2006

Night was falling as I headed towards Reid Park in Tucson, Arizona on November 2nd, 2006. Little did I know that the dark night of socialism was also about to fall across America in the form of Democrats gaining a majority in the House and Senate. But that sad event had not occurred yet. This day Ex-President Bill Clinton was back in town and, as during his last two Tucson visits, I was going to be there with an "I Believe Juanita" sign. Some friends had already planned to protest the event. The scandalized Clinton was here to support Jim Pederson and assorted candidates in various Arizona elections; leaders hoped to appeal to Democrats at the big rally and get out the vote.

We walked down the sidewalk past ordinary American houses, one flying a gigantic American flag. Accompanying me were Michael and Tina, "General" Pat, and Nina, who carried a stained blue dress on a pole and a stage "cigar." The rest of us had various signs. I carried about 100 copies of the NBC Dateline Juanita Broaddrick Interview transcripts to go with my sign. The other side of the sign said "500 WMD found" and I carried articles to hand out for that subject, too. It was a long walk from parking but we finally reached the Country Club Road entrance of Reid Park and began to protest as gloomy Democrats streamed in.

"Cigar, anyone? Stained blue dress? Courtesy of Bill Clinton!" declared Nina to the passersby. Some women and even some men seemed interested in the dress, vice versa the cigar. "General" Pat called out slogans to support the troops and denounced Senator Kerry's latest insult to the military and Michael responded to barbs from the crowd while I handed out interview transcripts. A long time military veteran showed Michael his retired military ID card. "You have to respect that!" he demanded. But Michael (an Airborne Ranger veteran who lost a son in Iraq and has another son and daughter serving in the military) still maintained it was cowardly to surrender in Iraq. Frustrated, the man stomped off.

Two gentleman walked by pointing at the stars with extended middle fingers. "Thanks for the intellectual argument, Professors," I rejoined. "But your scholarly debate techniques have not convinced me to switch to the Democratic Party!" Cursing didn't work either. A man entering called us "hillbilly Christians." "You're a hillbilly Christian?" Michael inquired. "What church do you go to?" The heckler didn't seem to realize Michael was kidding. Another gave a derisive laugh remarkably like a hyena. I wanted to try it myself. Apparently so did everyone else and a chorus of laughing hyena sounds filled the cool night air. Maybe the guy thought we were making fun of him but I think we all just wanted to try that funny laugh.

Suddenly a "platoon" of young men and women trooped in behind us. It was Blake Rebling and the College Republicans from the University of Arizona! They stood with us for a while, giving chants like "Six More Years! Six More Years!" while holding "Jon Kyl for Senate" signs. (Kyle was running against Pederson.) Then with cheery smiles the happy group vanished into the park. Many Democrats wanted to know how much we were being paid. "What, with these homemade signs?" I joked as our side laughed. Eventually it was time for President Clinton to drive in with his motorcade of SUV's and high-priced sedans. But suddenly we were informed all protesters had to be about 100 yards from the entrance!

The police said it was the Secret Service asking but we all knew that President Bush and lots of other Secret Service protected people drove past protesters all the time. Sure, the request would come from Secret Service but was it passed on from "The Big Creep?" It seemed like a scam to us. We moved down the street 100 yards where I amused myself by telling stragglers "Help us! We're being oppressed by Bill Clinton!" They got a laugh out of that but didn't like that they had to wait, too. We all experienced "Clinton time" as he arrived at least a half hour late.

One young lady with a group of other young people listened patiently while I explained that Mark Foley was immediately rejected by Republicans because of a news story about inappropriate instant messages while Clinton was still applauded by Democrats even after the Juanita Broaddrick interview. Finally Clinton's many vehicles zoomed in and we were free to go back to the park entrance. Folding her copy of the NBC Dateline Juanita Broaddrick Interview transcript and putting it away, the young lady said "Well, we're going to go applaud Bill Clinton now" and entered the rally. As if on queue, it wasn't long before wild cheering broke out.

My compatriots had to get going but I wanted to stay since I had lots of interview transcripts left to hand out. I still had my "Operation Iraqi Freedom" flag, which I tied to the light pole to leave my hands free. After a while Democrats came streaming out carrying Jim Pederson lawn signs. Mostly I just stood there with my sign and handed out interview transcripts to people who wondered who "Juanita" was. I could tell by their unusual expressions when they read my sign that some already knew. Soon I had given out every copy.

Then it was time for the Ex-President to depart so the police told everyone to move back again. However, this time I had a sudden idea and slipped my sign into the cord around the entranceway light pole holding up the flag before I left. It was highly visible to the entire motorcade leaving the area! When I got back, a laughing policeman told me Clinton did see my sign. The newspaper later reported the crowd as 8-10,000. Since at the last Clinton visit there were 2,000 and they reported 5,000, I figure there were probably about 3-4,000 people there this time. Jim Pederson ended up losing the election to Jon Kyl although Republicans barely lost both the House and Senate in this midterm election. But Pro-Americans will not falter. America survived the Clinton administration and will carry on through this time period, too. Let's continue to stand up for what's right against the party that cheers Clinton, and stand up for America!

(Above) Republican military veteran tells a Democrat military veteran that surrendering to terrorists in Iraq is wrong, to his chagrin.		(Above) The courageous Tucson Police Department Bicycle Squad is alert for trouble!

(Above) Two signs compare Jim Pederson with Bill Clinton, also Nina with blue dress on a pole and stage cigar.		(Above) The two signs that compared Jim Pederson with Bill Clinton used a reverse race card theme.

(Above) Help us! We're being oppressed!		(Above) Tina and Michael with signs and flags.

(Above) Let's take a closer look at that great sign!		(Above) Handing out copies of the NBC Dateline Juanita Broaddrick Interview transcript, condensed to two doublesided pages by removing spaces between lines.

(Above) This is how the motorcade would have seen the sign.		(Above) This is the Operation Iraq Freedom flag.

(Above) The other side of the sign.		(Above) For nostalgia's sake I wore my old button.

Freeper extras:

1. Blake Rebling got some good quotes in the Arizona Daily Star and Arizona Wildcat. The College Republicans also drove around Reid Park many times in a big WWII Army truck whooping and hollering with signs supporting troops and candidates! It was great! (Note for future FReeps here!)

2. A Brazilian lady said she was surprised at how intelligent I seemed for a conservative. Her husband was surprised I wasn't very overweight and well dressed. (He gets his ideas on capitalism from Monopoly, I suppose.) In response to a question, the Brazilian said Hugo Chavez was good for South America, but got upset when I said Marxist regimes killed 148 million people in the 20 Century. Her husband interjected "Socialism is not Communism," but was non-plussed when I asked him why the Soviet Union called themselves the "Union of Soviet Socialist Republics". At that point the Brazilian said I was stupid and they turned to go."Thanks for saying I was intelligent earlier, though," I called out. "You only look intelligent!" she pouted. All I really did was relate some facts, however.

3. A large group of people wanted to take some interview copies but a woman with an incredibly vast knowledge of profanity convinced them not to. Ordered them, more like. She definately knew who Juanita Broaddrick was, but didn't want them to know!

4. Quite a few people saw the other side of the sign and accepted articles on the 500 WMD found in Iraq.

5. The first time Clinton came to town in Febuary 1999 I was ready to meet some FReepers who were gathering downtown but couldn't get off work till 3:00 pm! I never did get to meet Dittomom and the rest from Phoenix though I have often read their reports.

However, I did make it to a place some blocks from D-M Air Force gate where I held up an "I Believe Juanita" sign to the departing motorcade while my lovely wife Judy held two thumbs down. I couldn't see into the limo's tinted windows but the rest of the motorcade stared with dropped jaws and consternation at the accusing sign. When Clinton got to his next fundraiser the streets were covered with bright yellow flyers warning of a sexual predator in the area!

Can you guess who this FReeper from the 1999 Tucson Clinton FReep is?

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