COngressman Tom Tancredo (Left), U.S. Senate Candidate Howard Kaloogian (R) (Center), and KSFO AM 560 Talk Show Host Melanie Morgan (Right)
Posted on 02/22/2004 11:15:39 AM PST by Impeach98
WOW!
Yesterday's rally against giving drivers' licenses to illegal aliens (as proposed by Democrat Gil Cedillo's SB1160 which Repub. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger says he supports) was a H U G E success.
The rally planning had been going on for several weeks. It was set to take place Saturday, February 21st at the Burlingame Hyatt, where the California Republican Party Convention would be taking place.
Since Governor Schwarzenegger has said he thinks giving drivers' licenses to illegal aliens is a "fantastic" and "excellent idea" (after he made conservatives very happy by repealing an existing law by Gil Cedillo that Gray Davis had signed that did the same), the thinking was that Arnold would get the message when Republicans turned out to say "WE DON'T WANT IT - NEITHER DOES CALIFORNIA."
The location had to be changed a couple times because officials with the California Republican Party establishment were offended that Kaloogian has rallied Republicans to oppose Bush's amnesty/guest-worker plan and Schwarzenegger's "sell out" on the illegal alien drivers' license plan.
With Kaloogian's opponents for U.S. Senate uncomfortable with challenging either the Bush plan or the Schwarzenegger-backed plan (they will speak to vague policy but not these specific proposals for fear of alienating Bush or Schwarzengger and their establishment suppport), the rally united immigration reform advocates and Kaloogian campaign supporters.
A little after 10:00 AM people began gathering outside, right in front of the Hyatt Hotel. Kaloogian for Senate staffers and volunteers were handing out Kaloogian signs, bumper stickers and lapel stickers.
People were simultaneously streaming towards the Kaloogian for Senate table inside of the convention and were being directed to join the now-growing crowd outside.
At the same time, last minute preparations were taking place at a giant tented pavillion located next to the hotel's pool at the back of the hotel complex. A stage with blue-curtain backdrop and "Kaloogian for Senate" wall would serve as the dais. Approximately one-dozen Kaloogian volunteers were assisting in the set-up effort. People seeking out the rally location began arriving at this location too.
By 10:20 AM things were crazy!!! There was now a crowd of a few hundred people outside that was growing fast. More and more people were running up to the Kaloogian table inside the hotel to find out the rally location and at the poolside pavillion (site of the rally) supporters were being directed to join the crowd at the front of the hotel.
Melanie Morgan and Donald LaCombe of the Kaloogian campaign were now firing up the crowd with chants over a megaphone. There were a handful of reporters and cameras covering the mass of people out front who were shouting "Enough is Enough," "No License for Illegals," and "Stop Them at the Border."
Finally at 10:30 AM, with the crowd now a giant sea of people, completely fired up, we opened the front doors to the hotel and Melanie Morgan chanting "Enough is Enough" into a megaphone led the procession of people through the hotel, down one of the main corridors to the back of the hotel where the crowd would exit, walk the pathway towards the poolside pavillion and assemble for the rally.
A number of interesting things took place. First, the procession passed right by the press room and reporters were shocked to see this massive and boisterous gathering of people streaming through the hotel screaming and chanting. Also, liberal Republican Vice Chair of the CRP, Mario Rodriguez, was conducting a seminar teaching Repubs. how to reach out to Latino voters and was horrified to see the protest march... apparently he is unable to distinguish between the difference of "illegal" individuals and legal citizens of the United States.
The throng of people was so wide, two sets of double-doors had to be opened to allow the crowd to flow in. But then the final mass of people who had gathered in the lobby in front of the Kaloogian for Senate booth formed a third 'feeder' stream to the procession. There were so many people now marching towards the rally location in the back that people could not enter the rally tent fast enough... we had a human traffic jam and this 10 foot wide hallway that runs several hundred feet was now completely jam-packed with participants.
People contiued streaming into the giant tent and tried to squeeze in to allow as many people as possible in. But there were so many people that not everyone could fit... there were dozens of people flowing out the side entrance, straining to see over the heads of those inside, and an even larger group of people at the back end of the tent who could not get in because of the overflow crowd.
Melanie Morgan and Brian Sussman of KSFO AM 560 - San Francisco were the emcees and had the crowd fired up... it wasn't hard. The energy in the room was electrifying. They introduced Kaloogian who received a hero's welcome from the crowd.
Kaloogian was on fire and delivered one of the best speeches I've heard him give on the stump so far. And the crowd responded with passion and energy. The tent was rocking folks!!
Just as Kaloogian was finishing his remarks, we got word that Tancredo was arriving in the back entrance (having been picked up by one of our Kaloogian staffers at the SFO airport). So Kaloogian then transitioned into welcoming Congressman Tom Tancredo, a hero to our cause, just as the Congressman entered the facility.
Tancredo bounded up to the stage and grabbed Kaloogian's fist. They raised their hands into the air - pumping up and down. The crowd was hooting, hollering, screaming, chanting. Melanie Morgan and Brian Sussman were up there on stage still and were themselves cheering and beaming from ear to ear. It was a moment of magic and the energy was incredible.
Now during all of this time there was this steady stream of television camera crews arriving. While we had worked the media over pretty heavily to tell them about the rally, and who would be there, they had been dismissive. They weren't interested in covering a bunch of right-wing kooks complaining about immigration policies. So at the start of the rally we only had a handful of print reporters, 4 or 5 television cameras and 2 or 3 radio reporters. But by the end of the rally news organizations, learning of what was happening, had rushed over scores of additional reporters, camera crews, and microphone-carrying radio techs and reporters.
Tancredo gave a great speech. He explained that a series of events had led to him almost not making it. Delayed flights, cancelled flights, being held up on the tarmac, having to change connecting flights and airline carrier. Everything was a mess and a mass frustration (he was supposed to arrive at 9:30 AM so we could get him settled, instead he didn't make it until about 10:55 AM).
Tancredo told this story and explained that he would go through this kind of hassle every single day between now and Election Day if this would help to elect Howard Kaloogian to the U.S. Senate.
Again, the crowd exploded.
Tancredo went on to explain during his speech that he had NOT ONE immigration reform friendly member in the U.S. Senate... and that without an ally in the Senate to join him in leading the charge on the immigration issue that we could not bring about the change in our failed policies that we need.
Tancredo was funny, gracious, passionate and simple but eloquent. At the end of his speech he again urged those in attendance to go to work to get Kaloogian elected to the Senate and announced he'd be doing all he could till Election Day to propel Kaloogian to victory. Tancredo and Kaloogian raised arms again and the crowd cheered and the camera flashbulbs flashed.
Tancredo and Kaloogian webt out back for a press conference/media avail.
Over the course of the next 45 minutes, Mike Spence, Founder of "Save Our License" (the group that collected signatures to repeal the original drivers' license for illegal aliens bill, SB60), Rick Oltman of FAIR, Ron Prince - author of Prop 187 and Proponent of Save 187 all addressed the crowd.
Crowd estimates have varied. I heard one person say 600-800 but I think this was high. Maybe 500-550.
All the press reports have said several hundred people.
Realize that there were only 1400 delegates listed for the CRP convention, so maybe 1200 were actually at the Hyatt. But while Marin and Jones could generate rallies of 50-75 people, Kaloogian had a massive crowd of cheering and raucous supporters who would then linger throughout the convention for the rest of the day - wearing Kaloogian t-shirts, carrying Kaloogian signs and bumper stickers.
It was an awesome day!
And the verdict on that guy from pretty much everyone was pretty clear!
Might come to that. Hope he gets that point.
Note that he owes his office to the likes of us "extremists", including Kaloogian. Didn't notice Arnold at any DumpDavis rallies. Howard was leading them. Real grateful guy, ain't Arnold? He'll undoubtedly endorse Jones and dismiss Kaloogian and the rest of us as "right wing loonies" (again).
Go ahead, Arnie. But we own the radio and people's hearts. We can gut your support so fast it'll feel like a trapdoor.
My feelings exactly!
An excellent statement.
Right on. The 'establishment' seems not to understand how to beat Boxer. She can be beaten, but only by a challenger that goes after her hammer and tong.
And he is. Kaloogian is doing him a favor by helping to show that the people oppose his plan.
Yeah, I noticed his signature wasn't among the 200 we collected to put an end to the Davis nightmare.
He endorsed Jones a few weeks ago. :-(
That is grate he was able to make it to Convention. I wish I could have made it but had too much to do.
There was a letter to the editor in our local weekly paper last Friday responding to another letter from last week which I didn't see.
But to condense it was countering the accusations of the Conservative Club at Rancho Cotati being a "racial hate group" and comparing them to Hitler Youth and Nazi Germany.
The Liberals in this area have no defense against the truth. The Conservative Students are the ONLY ones that didn't have a voice so when they got one they were threatened and not protected by the School.
As is evidenced by these posts:
See post # 25 for more links.
I still have some pictures to post from the Eagle Forum Annual Convention last Feb 7th...I'll get around to it sometime...lol
From: Gun Owners of America
Subject: Replace Sen. Barbara Boxer With a Pro-gun Champion!
Gun Owners of America Political Victory Fund
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102
Springfield, VA 22151
(703)321-8585
January 30, 2004
Dear friend of the Second Amendment,
Are you tired of seeing a handful of U.S. Senators dictate gun control policy for the entire United States?
One senator slips a new gun ban into an omnibus spending bill in the middle of the night. Another senator filibusters the President’s judicial nominations. All told, a minority of U.S. Senators are able to prevent good policies from advancing.
Well, that could start to change this year. One of the most important senate races will occur in the state of California, where the all-important primary will be held in early March.
Former state Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian is running for the Republican Party nomination. If selected, he will take on the ultra anti-gun Senator Barbara Boxer, who currently holds the seat.
You might not recognize the name. But I have no doubt that you have heard of his work.
KALOOGIAN HAS A RECORD OF DEFEATING ANTI-GUN POLITICIANS
You see, Howard Kaloogian is the one who spearheaded the successful recall effort in California which resulted in the voters’ expulsion of the gun-grabbing Governor Gray Davis.
He also organized the nationwide protest against the shameless CBS smear of former President Ronald Reagan. Again, Kaloogian’s efforts were successful, as the network ultimately bowed to the pressure.
Clearly, Assemblyman Kaloogian is not new to politics. And now that he’s helped retire the chief gun grabber in the state of California -- former Gov. Gray Davis -- he is determined to defeat one of the leading gun control activists in the U.S. Senate: Senator Barbara Boxer.
BOXER’S GUN CONTROL RECORD
I’m sure you are all too familiar with Boxer’s gun control record. Consider just some of the gun control votes Sen. Boxer has cast over the past several years.
* SUPPORTED the Brady Law’s five day waiting period (1993);* SUPPORTED the Clinton-Feinstein ban on many semi-automatic firearms and magazines (1994);
* SUPPPORTED an effort (which failed) to force America’s gun owners to lock up their firearms, thus rendering them useless for self-defense (1998);
* OPPOSED an amendment preventing the FBI from taxing and registering gun owners (1998);
* SUPPORTED the banning of private sales of firearms at gun shows (1999); and
* SUPPORTED a resolution praising the Gun Control Mommies after they marched on Washington, DC (2000).
As you might imagine, the above is only the tip of the iceberg. Senator Boxer rightly deserves her F- rating from Gun Owners of America.
But Kaloogian would be a complete, 180 degree change.
Assemblyman Kaloogian has demonstrated his commitment to the Second Amendment while a legislator in the state capitol, Sacramento.
KALOOGIAN IS THE BEST PRO-GUN CANDIDATE
As a state assemblyman, Kaloogian earned a solid “A” rating from Gun Owners of California. He has fought for the gun rights of Californians for years, and I have no doubt he will continue to fight for your rights after he is elected to the U.S. Senate.
Even if you don’t live in California, his election to the U.S. Senate will mean more freedom for all those who cherish the Second Amendment.
Kaloogian is, by far, the best pro-gun candidate in this primary. Millions of dollars will be spent to elect the next senator from California. Kaloogian needs your help to get his name in front of every pro-gun voter in the state.
I hope you will contribute generously to the Kaloogian campaign.
Your contribute of $25, $50, $100, or even $2,000 (the legal maximum) will go directly toward helping to elect this pro-gun champion.
The election is barely a month away, so please, donate online or write a check today.
Online contributions:
http://www.howardforsenate.comPersonal checks mailing address:
Howard Kaloogian for U.S. Senate
P.O Box 1445
Sacramento, CA 95812Thank you in advance for helping to send this pro-gun stalwart to Washington, D.C.
Sincerely,
Larry Pratt
Executive Director
************************
Not paid for by any candidate or candidate's committee.
Paid for and authorized by Gun Owners of America Political Victory Fund.
GOA-PVF is a project of Gun Owners of America.
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