People started arriving for this rally, scheduled to start at 12:00 noon, as early as 
11:15.By the time 12:0o arrived the crowd was bulging at the seams and lining both side of I street. In fact I had to provide crowd control by walking up and down I street telling protesters to stay back form the road and keep their sign from blocking the oncoming traffic. To their credit the crowd was very cooperative and pleasant.
By the way, this was my sign.
It is being held by a young native boy who offered to hold it while I took this picture. You will probably see it pop up all over the internet since I had my picture taken with it repeatedly and everybody proclaimed it their favorite sign of the rally.
I cannot take full credit however. Though the inspiration was mine, the great lettering was done by my fellow Alaskan blogger AKMuckraker.
I will offer a much more detailed post about this rally later when I have some idea of the actual numbers and get access to the great pictures AKMuckraker took. (Her camera was much better then mine)
The important thing to know is that it drew a very large crowd and there will definitely be more of these in the future.
Oh and the overall sentiment right now is that after Sarah Palin returns to our state after being soundly defeated by Obama and Biden she is going to be facing a recall or an impeachment.
The most emotional moment of the rally occurred when Walt Monegan's mother took the microphone and spoke of the pain she feels watching her son have his reputation besmirched and his good name dragged through the mud by Sarah Palin and her minions. When she teared up I saw a number of people in the audience dabbing their eyes as well. It really drove home why we needed to keep pushing to have this "Troopergate" report made public and to continue to make sure justice is done in our state.
Off topic but might interest you...
ReplyDeleteAnother McCain gimmick in the offing
McCain camp prays for Palin wedding
The marriage of the vice-presidential candidate’s pregnant teenage daughter could lift a flagging campaign
IN an election campaign notable for its surprises, Sarah Palin, the Republican vice- presidential candidate, may be about to spring a new one — the wedding of her pregnant teenage daughter to her ice-hockey-playing fiancé before the November 4 election.
Inside John McCain’s campaign the expectation is growing that there will be a popularity boosting pre-election wedding in Alaska between Bristol Palin, 17, and Levi Johnston, 18, her schoolmate and father of her baby.
"It would be fantastic," said a McCain insider. "You would have every TV camera there. The entire country would be watching. It would shut down the race for a week."
More in the Times UK here
More photos over at www.mamadance.wordpress.com
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting your thoughts on the rally. I look forward to seeing how many people were actually there. My guess is around 1,000. You?
Yeah mamadance, I saw your photos and they are great!
ReplyDeleteI heard from Celtic Diva that it may have been as many as 1,200.
Gee I would have liked to have met you, maybe next time.
I keep forgetting that Alaska is such a small state it should virtually count as nothingness. It’s a terrible thing when a successful woman from our state manages to move on to greater aspirations…very attractive too…such a slap in the face.
ReplyDeleteBRAVO! on your poster. That made my weekend.
ReplyDeleteYes, perhaps next time.
ReplyDeleteBTW- nice troll.
Great pictures. Even better poster. I appreciate all that you are doing and it makes me homesick for ANC. One pet peeve, however. Is it necessary to identify the young man holding your sign as native? Would we say "a young white boy?" To me it is demeaning to use an ethnic identifier unless it is necessary to advance the story or it illuminates what follows.
ReplyDeleteAs I said, my pet peeve and I hope you are not offended.
Keep up the great work!!
Hey Steve no offense, the young man is very close to me and wanted to make sure that since his face was obscured that I say he is a proud Alaskan native. There were a number of proud Alaskan natives at this rally.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks mamadance, I do attract a very sophisticated type of troll.
The even attend "troll finishing school" before being allowed to make a fool of themselves here.