Clinton closes book tour with Vineyard stop (Freepers protest mentioned)

Cape Cod Times ^ | 8-17-03 | JACK COLEMAN

[JulieRNR21]

VINEYARD HAVEN - The first two in line, sisters-in-law Kim and Marcia Quitadamo of Worcester, showed up outside the Bunch of Grapes bookstore at 5:30 - that's 5:30 a.m.

Within two hours, enough others had shown up for a 4 p.m. appearance by U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton that Tisbury police asked bookstore manager Robby Bick to open his doors at 7:30 a.m., 90 minutes early.

"We have about 1,500 books in the store," Bick said early yesterday afternoon. "Or we had 1,500 books in the store," he said alluding to brisk sales.

The final stop on Clinton's book tour for her memoirs, "Living History," came yesterday on the Vineyard, a favorite vacation haunt of Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

The pair arrived by plane early yesterday afternoon, without their daughter, Chelsea. They are staying for a week at the Chilmark home of actors Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen.

The former president did not attend the book signing.

By 3 p.m., the line from Bunch of Grapes stretched 50 feet north to Centre Street, then down the road at least 150 yards.

Several people were asked why "Living History," a book that drew lukewarm reviews but sells 50,000 copies a week, is so popular.

"She has been able to weather the storm," said Debra Bullock, a Democratic activist from Baltimore and one of a group of seven. "I just think she has strength as a woman that is incredible."

"I just give that woman a lot of credit," said Bernardine Urquhart of Mashpee, a retired nurse. "I don't know if I could have held up."

Urquhart's husband, Bruce, who had bought a book about the 1919 molasses flood in Boston, said he was not surprised by the success of "Living History."

"I think she is a very interesting woman and a lot of people want to learn more about her," he said.

But not everyone who turned out was so enamored of the junior senator from New York.

Across the street stood a half-dozen demonstrators wearing masks, holding anti-Clinton signs and blaring the Rolling Stones song "Sympathy for the Devil" and Hank Williams' "Your Cheatin' Heart."

One of the protesters, Roger Bannon of Palm Key, Fla., wore a Satan mask and held a sign reading, "Bill Clinton married my sister."

But the Clinton foes were outnumbered, as evidenced by the huge cheer that went up when Mrs. Clinton arrived a few minutes late in a green Suburban.

Given the expected crowd, a few conditions were in place. A limit of 1,000 books would be signed, with no inscriptions and only two per customer. The store had been checked out several times since Wednesday by Secret Service agents, a protection accorded Clinton as a former first lady.

One thousand tickets had been printed to guarantee patrons a place in line.

At the head of the line was Oak Bluffs resident Bonnie Meras, Class of '53 at Wellesley College, Clinton's alma mater.

"I was a poli-sci major, just as Hillary Clinton was," Meras said.

"Yay, Wellesley," Clinton said after Meras introduced herself. "Have you been back?"

Yes, for her 50th reunion, Meras said.

Clinton recognized another woman from previous visits to the island and the two hugged. "How has your summer been? You look fabulous."

Bookstore clerk Avia Moore said she noticed several women wipe away tears after Clinton greeted them and signed their books.

One woman told Moore she bought two books for her granddaughters, "because I want them to have books signed by the first female president," Moore recounted.

Clinton was still signing shortly after 6 p.m. when the Secret Service intervened and called it a day, according to Jon Nelson, who manages the bookstore with his mother, Ann Nelson, the owner. By then, about 950 of 1,000 tickets were gone.

After the last book was signed, Clinton posed for photos with bookstore employees who had just worked what they described as the busiest day they've had.

[muir_redwoods]

Yeah, you're right there. Fortunatly, I just get to visit the Muir Woods. I live in the mainland lunatic asylum of Connecticut which actually has, in its capitol city of Hartford, an Asylum Street, an Asylum Avenue and an Asylum Place. I actually work on the corner of Asylum Place and Asylum Avenue. We have our share of leftist lunies here including that Elmer Fudd sound-alike, Joe Lieberman

[tractorman]

Hillary is getting so fat that now when she hauls ass it takes two trips.

[tgslTakoma]

Thanks for the report, doc. It sounds like you guys had a lot of fun.

Thanks to all of you for being there at Hillary!'s final stop on her LYING HISTORY tour.

JVb, buford, guns, kristinn and the rest of you guys... I didn't want you to miss out on Doctor Raoul's report.

:-)

[sweetliberty]

"Suddenly there is activity across the street. Not loud, not that obvious, but directions are being given and people are being moved. Hillary emerges and we boo her again. We would have been down the alley and unaware of her departure if she had waited 60 seconds."

That is very satisfying isn't it, especially since it is always a surprise when she has to actually see us.

Great job and report as always doctor!

[Libertina]

GOOD FREEPIN' BUMP! Thanks for the ping and great FReep! Atleast you got some decent coverage from the media... well, perhaps not "decent" but at least a mention. ;) However, I just don't understand how anyone can not see through her... of course people have followed lots of black-hearted "leaders" throughout history, strange to see it in action.

[FreeTheHostages]

LOL, the good doctor is *everywhere.* I think there are clones . . . .

[daughterofTGSL]

"Living History" already has made history by becoming the fastest-selling work of nonfiction ever.


Nonfiction??????

[FreedomPoster]

<*golf clap*>

Nice, very nice.

Next time, we'll have music. That would have been perfect.

[Doctor Raoul]

She came up through the floorboards in a cloud of brimstone.

LOL....by the way, what is brimstone?

[Doctor Raoul]

We have our share of leftist lunies here including that Elmer Fudd sound-alike, Joe Lieberman.

Thanks for confirming that. I felt I was the only one who thought he sounded like Fudd.

[TheSpottedOwl]

I'd say that brimstone is a kissing cousin to sulphur...you know, fire and brimstone???

Heehee :)

[Doctor Raoul]

OK, thanks. A lot of idioms (sp?) we use we never know the origin or meaning of them.

There's a good book called, "Why Do We Say That?".

[Travelgirl]

The Clintons havent paid for a vacation in over 35 years, Ill bet. They are freeloaders. They are scum. They are traitorious, ugly, hateful, slimy, mean, nasty, lying, murderous, conniving, deceitful, conceited, arrogant, unpatriotic, socialist, unfaithful, untrustworthy, fake, condescending, libelous, slanderous, criminal, unsavory, unsatisfactory, defective.......

You got that right; it is worth repeating!!!

[TheSpottedOwl]

Oh yeah, I've caught myself saying something that I heard growing up, like if you do that again, I'll lay you out in lavender!!! That's a polite way of saying I'll kill you without disturbing nosy neighbors :)

Lavender was a favorite apparel color for the deceased...

[muir_redwoods]

Check out a great book called "Brewers Phrase and Fable" It's full of explanations for odd expressions. My favorite is the story behing "Hell-bent for Leather" meaning to ride too fast. It's a blend of two unrelated expressions, "Hell for Leather" meaning to mistreat a saddle by riding too fast and "Hell-Bent" which is a statement on mankind supposed natural proclivity to end up in hell.