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!
Here's some more pix:
Sean's fans listening intently, even the little kids
She's got one of the better seats in the house!
The crowd was huge!
Another monster crowd shot!
WMAL Promotions Department's Willie Waffle...he worked hard for his paycheck today. What a nice guy, too!
Kristinn, Angelwood, BufordP, and a new friend of the DC Chapter!
Still getting talking points, Lanny?
Levin:"Sean's out Hannitizing America and during the Clinton administration Lanny was Martinizing the Oval Office"
Trueblackman's got that mischievous look in his eyes ;-)
Trueblackman 'connecting' with Lanny Davis
Exit148 connects with Lanny, too.
The crowd of fans is NOT getting any smaller.
More pix in a bit...
The Great One
Lanny took much abuse with good humor today.
Sean's reaction to the 57 year old man on the street who couldn't recite the Pledge of Allegiance
Our welcome signs in Borders' window.
Close-up of window signs.
WMAL's Jane Norris, who sits opposite Bill Press on the morning drive-time show.
Warlord's reaction when he sees the front of the line!
Levin, Norris and Hannity are having a blast here in DC!
It's 5pm and the line is getting longer!!
Almost there.
BufordP finally gets his.
BufordP, Exit148 and Kristinn.
Exit148 got hers, too!
Kristinn gets his!
;-)
That's about all, folks!
Henry Bowman's right hand tightened around the walnut grip of the Solothurn S18-1000. The weapon had been a present from his Father, given to him on his fourteenth birthday in 1967. Cost $189.50 back in the sixties Henry thought irrelevantly. I thought that was a steal. Dad's friends thought it was astronomical. Wonder what they'd think now. --UC
Also thanks for telling Lanny Davis the truth.
If we keep reminding him of the depth of his peversion in his uncritical support of the Clinton's, maybe, just maybe he will begin to understand what he has done.
Best Regards to you and all of the D.C. Chapter
Henry Bowman's right hand tightened around the walnut grip of the Solothurn S18-1000. The weapon had been a present from his Father, given to him on his fourteenth birthday in 1967. Cost $189.50 back in the sixties Henry thought irrelevantly. I thought that was a steal. Dad's friends thought it was astronomical. Wonder what they'd think now. --UC
Thanks D.C. Chapter, for representing FreeRepublic.com, now and always!
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