setadeadline.com at the march in DC - UPDATED
Some of the johnkerry.com bloggers went to the peace march in DC today and handed out flyers about setadeadline.com. The New York Times reported that “grandmothers in wheelchairs, housewives pushing strollers, seasoned dissenters in tie-dye and veterans in uniform turned out to take their discontent to the streets.”
JK’s famous 1971 question which he asked again on Wednesday showed up as well at the peace march.
Crowd estmates ranged from 600,000 per a dailykos diary to at least 400,000 per a UFPJ march organizer to ‘at least 100,000’ per Fox News to the timid, conservative report of ‘tens of thousands’ from the New York Times and NPR.
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Making another setadeadline.com sign
The “deciders” sent a clear message in November 2006.
No caption required
Resting up and checking out pictures after the march.
UPDATE: Just realized after reading windgoddess’s comment, that I forgot to properly credit the bloggers/photographers: GV and Karendc. Thanks very much for the photos!
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It was wonderful meeting you, marjorie and karen.
I’m pretty tired at the moment (not nineteen anymore!) so all I’ll add about the march right now is:
Tens of thousands, my a--.
oops! I was also glad to meet fedup.
Sorry for forgetting you! Brain dead after the march…
What great pictures. I’m so happy to see so many Kerrycrats at the march. Alas, my Mom duties precluded me from coming, but I was there with you all in spirit.
Violet, I run into you at the best places. I’m proud of you!
“Kerrycrats”
Now at the top of my vocabulary.
Any place where you run into Violet, Ladytechie, is, by definition, one of the best places.
:0)
if you claim to support our troops then bring them home *now*,
Otter
hey ladytechie—long time no chat
It’s great to see you hangin’ round these parts.
Meet you in IRC sometime.
We really had a great time passing out flyers for setadeadline.com at the rally in DC today.
The crowd was huge and amazing, and although neither of us can guess the crowd size with any degree of certainty, we do agree that Fox was way off. There were people of all ages, from babies in strollers (with protest signs!) to elderly folks and every age group in between. Lots of college kids, who seemed to have a special and very urgent reason for attending the march. I think seeing their friends sent to Iraq has caused a lot of young people to see how important it is to end this war soon.
We really didn’t have to estimate the crowd size of the counter-protesters. We saw about 12, but heard there was another group of 25 or so.
We met a young artist who gave us a CD of his song “Keep the Peace”. It’s pretty cool. Check it out at http://www.myspace.com/mcworm. Of course, we gave him a setadeadline.com flyer in return for the CD.
We saved the last flyer for our hotel desk clerk, who promised to get his friends and family to sign up when he finished his shift.
It was a day of perfect weather and lots of wonderful people joined in a common cause.
A great day to help end a war.
The Setadeadline poster looks great! It really looks and sounds like it was a great rally. Nice to see the Kerrycrats there.
Awesome to see the new site already making public appearances, so to speak. I wish I could have been there. Thanks for posting the pics!
Noisy et al,
Wish you could have been there too to see the mighty JK women spreading the word among the huge crowds! We all felt a little more hopeful at the end of the day.
But please get on the phones on Monday to Congress and tell THEM about setadeadline.com and all the other efforts to end this war.
Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey has introduced legislation (HR 508) in the House and others are also piling on. But it is (always) going to be the PEOPLE who speak most clearly to those who represent us.
John Kerry is a great leader in the Senate but he needs our help--skulls are mighty thick.
[From 1/17/2007, but apparently this is still news in many quarters...]
WOOLSEY TAKES UP PRESIDENT BUSH’S CHALLENGE ON IRAQ
Introduces H. R. 508—comprehensive alternative to escalation: plan would bring all US troops home within 6-months
Joined by Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), and Maxine Waters (D-CA), Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey (D-Petaluma) today introduced the Bring Our Troops Home and Sovereignity of Iraq Restoration Act of 2007, sweeping legislation which would establish a 6-month time frame for withdrawal for all US military forces from Iraq, provide a framework for bringing stability back to Iraq, and fully fund the VA health care system.
The proposal is a direct response to President Bush’s challenge over the weekend for those who oppose his planned escalation to put forth a plan of their own. Woolsey introduced the bill during a press conference held this afternoon in the Capitol. Below are her remarks, as prepared for delivery:
“Today Congresswomen Waters and Lee and I are introducing a bill that would bring our troops home from Iraq within a six month time frame.
“The Bring Our Troops Home and Sovereignty of Iraq Restoration Act is the first comprehensive legislative proposal to end the occupation and provide a framework to help bring stability back to Iraq.
“Last Wednesday night, President Bush demonstrated to the world that he continues to remain blind to the realities on the ground in Iraq. Instead of putting forth a plan that would withdraw our troops, the President is increasing our military presence, by escalating the number of troops by over twenty thousand. What President Bush fails to grasp is that our military presence is only fueling the insurgency, plunging Iraq further into chaos and civil war.
“The November elections showed just how fed up the American public is with the President’s failed Iraq policy. It is time to honor that mandate. It is now up to the Congress to catch up with the will of the American public.
“During his weekly radio address on Saturday, President Bush challenged those of us who disagree with him to offer a plan of our own. Today, we stand before you, and the American public, to take up his challenge.
“The Congress has already appropriated funding that will support our troops and keep this occupation going for at least another six months. That funding instead should be used to finance an aggressive withdrawal plan that brings our troops home to their families. Our bill would do exactly that.
“Our plan will also…
1. Withdraw all U.S. troops and military contractors from Iraq within six months from date of enactment.
2. Prohibit any further funding to deploy, or continue to deploy U.S. troops in Iraq. The bill does, however, allow for funding to be used, as needed, to ensure a safe withdrawal of all US military personnel and contractors, diplomatic consultations. Funding may also be used for the increased training and equipping of Iraqi and international security forces.
3. Accelerate, during the six month transition, training of a permanent Iraqi security force.
4. Authorize, if requested by the Iraqi government, U.S. support for an international stabilization force. Such a force would be funded for no longer than two years, and be combined with economic and humanitarian assistance.
5. Guarantee full health care funding, including mental health, for U.S. veterans of military operations in Iraq and other conflicts.
6. Rescind the Congressional Authorization for the War in Iraq.
7. Prohibit the construction of permanent US military bases in the country.
8. Finally, we believe that Iraqi oil belongs to the Iraqis. Once the oil is in the international market, the U.S. will certainly have access to our share. That’s why our bill ensures that the U.S. has no long-term control over Iraqi oil.
“Our plan, with the exception of Veterans’ benefits, will cost the American people pennies on the dollar as compared to continuing the occupation for two more years. It will save lives, bodies, and minds, and it will give Iraq back to the Iraqis. It is an important step in regaining our credibility in the region and throughout the world, and provides the President, and this Congress, with a comprehensive way to respond to the majority of Americans who want our troops to come home.”
This bill is co-sponsored by: Barbara Lee (D-CA), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Diane Watson (D-CA), James McGovern (D-MA), Barney Frank (D-MA), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Chaka Fattah (D-PA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), John Conyers Jr. (D-MI), Wm. Lacy Clay (D-MO), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Bob Filner (D-CA), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Donald Payne (D-NJ) and Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX).
Wow, great signs! I’m so proud of all you Kerrycrats!
Great pictures. Sounds like you all did a great job getting the word out.
karendc, you are SO right about the thickness of skulls.
You rock, fellow Kerrycrats! I hope to be at the next one.
A bit off topic, but does anyone know of a source that I can find a bumper sticker, that says “How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake” with John Kerry’s name on it? I like the sign you have on the first page of the blog.
I’m looking for something to replace my Kerry Edwards sticker. I think I’d look pretty silly with a Kerry for Senate sticker here in Missouri.
Meg
Thanks for featuring a photo of my sign on your page (We the People Are the Deciders). That sign has two sides and is covered with the names of people who could not attend the rally but wanted to be represented. So that picture represents the views of over 300 people.
Thanks again.
Wonderful meeting up with our Kerry marchers, an unexpected treat.
We could have had a few more flyer reams, at least, to pass out of setadeadline.com. Presented a good opportunity to talk about Kerry’s commitment, and nead to mobilize more than march.
Noticed that not all the Out of Iraq coalition is listed, namely, Nydia Velasquez, my congresswoman from NY. She is being mentioned as a Senate replacement for Hillary, should she become president, and may be inheriting her caution, as well.
We have many hawkish groups with money that help account for the careful positions.
Nydia is also Chair of the House’s Small Business, like Kerry in the Senate, something that we can promote, here, when proposals and bills need advancing. Important arena.
The “campaign for our country” has started and there is much work to do.
It was great being in DC yesterday and amongst a great group of Kerrycrats. I wish I could tell you everything that was said by the speakers, but I can’t, I went to get out a message and that was what I was mainly focused on.
I think that GV, Prosense, IslandBlue and myself are all in agreement that this country our fellow citizens have got to “think” and all get on the same track as far as our message goes. We heard many voices, but were they all on the same track, no.
We have got to start a smart conversation, not just a yelling campaign. We have got to get the citizens of this country to think out of the box, with reason and common sense. John Kerry’s plan is just that, and it needs to be spread all across this land.
Yesterday was just a beginning of what a few voices, some fliers and a poster CAN DO, we actually got many to really THINK.
Dadgummit--I wanted to be back up in DC sooo badly this weekend...I was there in ‘69 protesting for the 1st time ever after the Kent State killings--we drove all nite from Tallahassee. I was living on Capitol Hill the 2nd time, during Roe vs Wade in ‘89--over half a million people--it was incredible!! It would’ve been wonderful to meet all you fellow Kerrycrat bloggers!!!! If I hadn’t had this flu…
Isn’t there another protest scheduled for March 17th or thereabouts? I sincerely hope there’s not the need for one, but if there is, I’ll be there --PROMISE!!!!
GREAT pix, Violet!! Looks like there was a LOT of positive energy!!!
I was there is spirit, but physically.......that’s a different story. I especially agree with fedup’s comment about message clarity. Bushco has confounded the message to end the war with straw men arguments that we are calling for an immediate pull out and that the opposition has not presented a plan. However, I think most Americans are seeing through the Bushco lies. When more Americans are angry enough and committed enough to push back against the liars, we will see Bushco start to crumble. Hopefully with that we will see Americans returning home from Iraq.
BTW, I have a magnetic sticker on my car that reads: Support the troops...Bring them Home! I get many thumbs up when people drive by. I have had that sticker for over two years, and rarely did I get a response except for the middle finger from some people with oval Ws on the back window of their SUV’s.
Since you are not running for President, please consider impeachment proceedings against President Bush. There is no other way to stop this man.
Sincerely,
Diane S.
This was truly an incredible event. I’m so glad that I was able to be a part of it.
At the beginning of the week, I wasn’t sure if I was going to go or not, but after Senator Kerry made his announcement on Wednesday, I knew that I had to go. It was wonderful seeing so many fellow Kerrycrats, and an honor to help distribute setadeadline.com fliers. Anything for the Senator!
Like GV, I also took a lot of photos. Here’s a link to where some of mine are stored in case anyone who hasn’t seen them yet wants to take a look.
http://islandblue.smugmug.com/gallery/2405256#126084402
Now all I have left to do is catch up on some sleep!
Hi Diane,
I don’t want to be a wet blanket here, but even IF the House (the Senate doesn’t vote on Articles of Impeachment; the Senate is the setting for any trial of president - the Senate votes on conviction and removal or acquittal) votes to impeach tomorrow, there aren’t enough Democrats, or Republicans (who can be trusted) to convict Bush. Think about it. Right now the Dems hold the Senate with a 51-49 edge. The Dems hold that edge with two independents who caucus with them (yeah, yeah I know - one of those independants is suspect).
It’s not a knock on you personally (because, really, I don’t know who you are ), but I do get rather worn when I hear people wanting to impeach Bush. Hell, I want him out too. But I think Bush would have to get caught having killed somebody with his own bare hands. (True, metaphorically speaking, he’s killed a lot of people - but I think you know what I mean.)
In the big scheme of things I know where you’re coming from.
Peace.
Island Blue,
What great pix of the protest!!! Those are the kind you’d never get to see in the Mainstream Media!!
Thanx to all the Kerrycrats who were there!! Thank you so much for your patriotism and activism!!! (Just like our Fearless Leader!!)
Windgoddess
John Kerry
I campaigned for you for President and now you have to do your job for us. It did during Vietnam and you need to do it now to bring our troops home now, NO more killing our young men and women. I hope that is why you decided not to run for president, that your job is greater than tham. To get our boys home from Iraq now. Stop this mad man bush from killing any more people. He had hi time to prove his point. Now it is the American people who need you to speak for our soldiers again
Peace Joni
Bush is not a madman, he’s just simply a stubborn ***** for sticking with the same stupid thing although he knows that virtually the whole nation rejects his Iraq plan.
Bush in his State of the Union Speech referred to the Dems as the “Democrat Party” instead of “Democratic.” In response to this error, he said:
“I’m not that good at pronouncing words anyway.”
- Yeah, and you’re not that good at waging wars either.
Sam,
With all due respect, IMHO, Joni Phillips is correct--Bush IS a madman. Just look at his eyes--there’s that vacuous, strange look...Take a look at the photos of him rubbing Merkel’s shoulders at last year’s G-8 summit--if you can stand it, take a long, hard look at his face. IMHO, he’s TRULY “not there"…