Posted on 08/05/2008 6:26:36 PM PDT by kristinn
A protest planned by MoveOn.org against the ongoing House GOP floor protest became a surreal scene Tuesday when right-wing activists showed up outside the Capitol to protest the protest protest.
The conservative activists, numbering about 20 and affiliated with Free Republic, stood behind the MoveOn speakers waving signs along the lines of “Pump Rage? Thank MoveOn” and “It’s the Supply, Stupid.” The MoveOn crowd countered with their own pithy “Drill and Spill, or Surf and Swim?” and “Just Say No to False Solutions.”
The FReepers chanted “Drill! Drill! Drill!” as MoveOn’s Ilyse Hogue tried to speak into a bull horn. A chant-off ensued, with the liberals trying a variety of chants -- “2,4,6,8, separate, oil and state” and “What do we want? Renewable energy” -- and the conservatives sticking mostly to “Drill!” The two crowds mingled together and shouted in each other’s faces.
Today’s protest, which drew perhaps 50 MoveOn folks out, was a bigger hit than yesterday’s, scoring a CNN camera crew and a handful of reporters.
On Monday, according to MoveOn’s Nita Chaudhary, around 20 people responded to a call from MoveOn sent out that day to come to the Capitol -- roughly the number of Republicans occupying the House floor. The rally started around 3:30; by the time The Crypt made it up there at around 4:45, half a dozen activists were passing out bumper stickers reading “Grand Oil Party” and holding signs to a similar effect.
Thomas Cannady, 53, a graduate student who lives in Hyattsville, Md., said he was on a MoveOn training call at around noon when someone broke in to say that the trainees were, to borrow a phrase from Bill O’Reilly, going to do it live. He spent the next few hours calling about 50 other MoveOn activists and then made his way to the Capitol.
He said that the European tourists, here enjoying the cheap dollar, were especially receptive to his call. “A lot of the Europeans are very much for it. ‘You should see how expensive it is in our country,’” he said they told him. The Old Worlders, he said, insisted that drilling alone was no solution to the high prices and that conservation and renewable energy investments were crucial.
Andrea Walker, holding a sign that read “For Sale: Sold to Big Oil Companies,” is a 64 year old grandmother of four. She said she also spent her day on the phone before heading down and called the House GOP protest “a gimmick.”
Walker, a retired auditor, said the response had been “fairly positive…Obviously, we need gas for our cars right now, but we need a plan for conservation and alternative energy,” she said. “If we can get on the moon, we can have renewable energy.”
Back out again on Tuesday, Walker shook her head at the “Drill!” chant. “They really mean, ‘Lease, lease, lease,’” she said.
Hogue, following her attempt to overcome the chanting, said she wasn’t sure if the group would schedule a third day of protesting. “We’ll see what happens today,” she said.
Note by Kristinn: There were several groups that showed up to counter MoveOn. Here's a Freeper updateby rongkirby:
Freepers were chrislincoln and myself. But we had about 20-25 counter demonstaters there, a good turn out of young people. Young Republicans, Freedom Works (Nan, Campaign Coord), American Prosperity, National Taxpayers Union and others. Mostly young and vocal. They brought a lot of signs and bumper stickers ( Its the supply stupid/ www.gaspriceprotest.com John at www.thisainthell.us was there to report on it with pictures ect. The signs the Opps carried GOP (Grand Oil Party) I thought was pretty weak. The Opps(like Code Pink)were made up of many of the same ones we have been facing that want to Bring our Troops Home/End the war in Iraq. I kept checking the Freepers site to see who was going to be there. It was a surprise to see all the young ones there. I brought the flag and borrowed one of their signs (End the Dilling Ban). There was press there and I think our spokesman got our sides info out. Thanks Aaron for getting the info out. That’s what it takes. No one org can do it all.
53 posted on Tuesday, August 05, 2008 8:48:43 PM by rongkirby
The upside to a weaker dollar. Doesn't get reported enough.
OMG...that is priceless...
“Thomas Cannady, 53, a graduate student who lives in Hyattsville, Md.”
Not to make fun of people “going back” to finish their eductaion, but I’m assuming this 53 year old is a professional student...being of the moveon ilk
The Left always blather on about how Europeans have to pay such high prices for gas and because of that then we should, too. Well, it seems natural that the more we drill the lower the price will be for Europeans. The Left is such a selfish toad.
Funny quote -“If we can get on the moon, we can have renewable energy.”
We wouldn't have got off the ground without oil!
Good job guys!
What????
“drill and spill” is pithy?
And these same dopes said that SDI was technologically impossible!
What a bunch of confused dolts.
A “graduate student,” a “grandmother of four” and a “retired auditor” versus a bunch of “rightwing activists.” No bias here. Nope!
YOU GUYS ROCK!!
Thank you for showing up to support the thousands of Freepers and another million Americans who are on the RIGHT SIDE of this debate!
BTT,
Great job Kristinn
Nice work, Kristinn and all. God bless you!
Wonderful job. From what I understand this FReep was put together rather quickly. Congrats to all involved.
Too bad there hasn’t been a drilling spilli in around 30 years. Lies is all they have.
Pray for W and Our Troops
Nice work, kristinn. Thanks.
Democrats! They may be clueless idiots, but they’re consistent!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.