Posted on 08/22/2002 8:51:06 PM PDT by kristinn
Honor roll for today: BiggRedd and her #1 son; tgslTakoma and daughter of tgsl; FreeTheHostages; BufordP; Ligeia; dixies sass; Exit148; Taxman; Angelwood; Trueblackman; BillF; GunsareOK; and friend of the D.C. Chapter, holdonnow.
Sean Hannity received a boisterous welcome today at a promotional appearance in Washington, D.C. for the release of his first book, Let Freedom Ring (Winning the War of Liberty over Liberalism).
Over one thousand people jammed the second floor of the Borders bookstore, at 5333 Wisconsin Ave, NW, to see Hannity broadcast his radio show live from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and to get copies of his book autographed.
A friend of Sean's in the D.C. Chapter relayed a personal invitation from him for us to join him at the booksigning. We gave Sean a warm FReeper welcome, holding signs welcoming him and celebrating his book.
The signs we held said, "(D.C. Chapter (logo)) Welcomes Sean Hannity to D.C.," "Let Freedom Ring!"; "D.C. Chapter of FreeRepublic.com Welcomes Sean"; "The D.C. Chapter of FreeRepublic.com Says 'Sean Hannity is #1 in our Book!, Welcome to D.C., Sean! Let freedom Ring!'"; and "Sean and WMAL are #1 in D.C."
BillF, Taxman, FreeTheHostages and dixie sass stood off to the side of the table where the radio broadcast/booksigning took place, periodically holding up some of the signs throughout the 3-hour show. They also placed a couple signs in the second floor windows facing Wisconsin Avenue.
Sean opened the broadcast by saying, "We're here in Washington, D.C. at Borders Books. In the audience we have the Free Republic D.C. Chapter...." He introduced his guest and close friend, Mark Levin and announced that Lanny Davis would be joining them later.
About 60 chairs in rows were set up in front of the table for the audience. That was an exceedingly small number of chairs for those who showed up. Folks packed the part of the store where Sean was, trying to see him; while those with books formed a line that snaked its way all around the perimeter of the second floor.
Exit148 lucked into one of the seats up front, while the rest of us stood as a group towards the middle of the line. Except for GunsareOK who arrived much later and was way back in the line and tgslTakoma who was asked by the Borders area marketing manager to stay up front and take plenty of photos with her digital camera. Trueblackman, who is a friend and regular guest on Sean's shows, stayed with Sean at the table for the show.
Angelwood had a bag of D.C. Chapter buttons and found them to be quite popular with Sean's fans. Some of them were lurkers while others had stood with us at "Cheney's house" a year-and-a-half ago. Pretty soon it seemed half the people in line were wearing buttons that said, "Hillary Knew, but she can't recall"; "Never Trust Democrats with National Security"; "Remember 9-11"
tgslTakoma gave Clintonista Lanny Davis a FReeper-style welcome as he approached the broadcast table during a break. She told him, "Lanny I have a button for you--I'm from the D.C. Chapter of FreeRepublic.com.," as she handed him the button. He smiled as he took it and read the message.
He said, "Isn't that nice," and turned to his assistant so she could see the button's message,"Clinton's Legacy: 9-11," as he said to her, "Ohhhh, look what they gave me."
He and his assistant giggled and Lanny tossed the button on the table, saying, "Now I have to wash my hands."
After Lanny's segment was over, he made his way outside and was stopped by a few well-wishers. I was outside having a smoke and taking a break from standing in the line.
When he was done glad-handing, I called out to him as he crossed the street with his assistant, "Hey Lanny!"
I paused for him to stop and look back. When he did I told him, "You really suck, man. You supported a rapist; a liar; a perjuror; and a man who sold out our national security to communist China." He just stood there and listened, wanly smiling. I could hear my words echoing up and down the street off the buildings as I finished by saying, "You should be ashamed of yourself, Lanny Davis," so folks on the sidewalk would know who was being told off.
It was a beautiful thing, LOL! Cheers of concurrence and jeers for Lanny erupted from those within earshot.
Back inside the bookstore, Laura Ingraham stopped by for a few minutes to greet her friend Sean and was warmly received by the crowd. Angelwood introduced herself as Laura was leaving and Laura noted that she had, "spoken at a Free Republic event last week."
Angelwood gave her one of her buttons and a D.C. Chapter pen. Laura graciously signed some autographs for some of her fans with the pen before she made a quick exit.
The D.C. Chapter group finally made it's way to the broadcast table around quarter after five. Mark Levin was still there, so we exchanged greetings waited our turn to meet Sean. The Great One, whom Sean acknowledge's in the book, was nice as ever to us and signed his name in Sean's book for those of us who asked him to.
Sean was very gracious to each of us as he signed his book. He announced to the audience during the next break that many FReepers were in attendance and proceeded to tell them about our "Get out of Cheney's House" protests and how much it meant to him that FReepers had taken to the streets then.
We were honored, and so should all our fellow FReepers who worked so hard during that era, that Sean commended us for our efforts.
When the show was coming to its end, Sean told those in line that he would stay as long as he could--another hour to an hour-and-a-half--to sign the books of everyone still in line before he would leave for his TV show.
Even though folks had to wait hours in line, I didn't hear anyone complaining. We all listened to the show and had alot of fun hissing liberals like Bill Press (who has a morning gig on WMAL, Sean's D.C. affiliate) and cheering Sean when he made comments we loved.
Apparently everyone involved in the planning of Sean's appearance vastly underestimated how popular it would be. The stunned staff had to send out for an extra shipment of books to handle the enormous demand. The manager was coy about how many copies of Sean's book were sold, but when asked if it was around one thousand, he said that was "pretty warm."
It looks like Sean Hannity will be the next conservative author to top the bestseller lists!
The phrase you are looking for is "hijacking a thread".
I look forward to seeing whoever can make it Sunday at Kristinn's.
Question - I didn't get to hear much of the show yesterday, just about a half hour while Laura Ingraham was on, but I did hear mention of Marty and cheers for him - was he there, did they actually bring him down to DC, or were they just practicing greeting him as a group for trashing the lines? I know Sean was disapointed that Marty declined the limo to pick him up for the NYC signing so I thought it might be possible that they actually flew Marty down to DC, but I couldn't tell from the little bit I heard.
I wonder how many at a Clinton book signing could be similarly trusted?
Clinton to Carvile: Hey Jim, what are you doin' with two extra copies of mah book?
Carvile: Dis gah in dah line gave me de books an axed me to bring him da books latah.
Clinton: Jim, let's sell 'em and pay for a 'ho!
Carville: Good idea!
I agree. Who'd wanna be pinged way down there with ol' leadpenny? Oh, the horror of it all. :)
...and they got hours and hours of coverage on C-Span!
After 28 years of waking up to WMAL, I no longer listen in the morning. I cannot start the day with Beeel Press. I sure enjoyed listening to Sean though. Great reports, FReepers.
It was a wonderful experience to be in a place where the conservatives cheerfully gathered to listen to Sean Hannity and his guests and patiently waited to get their copies of Sean's book signed. Courtesy was in abundance. And, while it may have looked at times like people were cutting into line, the reality was that some of those waiting had to go on bathroom breaks, smoke breaks, trips outside to put quarters in the parking meter or just take a short walk to stretch. Three or four hours is a long time to stand in a line (but it was worth it!).
It was a treat to find out that one of the men waiting in line near us had attended the large protest that the DC Chapter organized outside the VP's mansion during the 2000 election fiasco. He recounted his experience and said he kept the sign that he used that day. He was fun to talk to and told some funny jokes to pass the time.
A woman a few feet in front of him heard us talking and asked if we were FReepers. We asked her where she heard about FReepers and she told us she was a big Rush Limbaugh fan and heard him talking about meeting FReepers one day on his radio show -- that was when some of us attended his brother, David's, book party. Coincidentally, she is in real estate and travels Massachusetts Avenue frequently. She told us she saw the protesters outside Cheney's House and drove up and down the street honking her horn and holding her BUSH/CHENEY sign out the window. I remember seeing people do that and they really fired up the crowd.
We invited everyone with whom we talked to check out Free Republic and to join us next month when we freep Hillary's next fundraiser.
That he is, and a very gracious guy, too.
The bonus is that the link actually works.
Ironman's in training for Hawaii, so waking him would have been a not good thing, I think. Anyway I got it figured out, eventually.
:-}
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