Sunday, November 1, 2009

Dutra's Dispatch from The Road - Days 7 & 8


DAY 7
The bus pulled into Richland, WA at 1:45 last nite. It was slow driving over the Cascade Mountains in sometimes heavy rain. While it is grey skies this Saturday early morning, it promises to be a good day with rallies scheduled in the Tri-Cities at 9 am and in Spokane at 2 pm.

We are now at the South Ridge High School auditorium in Tri-Cities. Virtually every seat is taken in this theatre-style venue with more standing around the perimeter -- over 600. This is in stark contrast to our Portland experience where it was hard to find a venue. And I will continue to make the following observation: This is NOT a mob. It is Americans exercising their rights without burning down or destroying.

By the way some have asked for the web site address of the courageous businessman who lent his parking lot to the Tea Party Rally in Portland. It is www.michaelsitaliansausage.com. Send him a shout-out.

Mark Williams, Tea Party Express II Co-Chair, announced from the auditorium stage that the NY congressional race is now a dead heat between the conservative Tea Party candidate and the Democrat nominee. And that the liberal RINO Republican nominee has withdrawn from the race this morning. (Election is Tuesday.) A cheer went up in the room as Mark reminded everyone it is due to their efforts throughout the nation that leftwing candidates are being turned back ! Remember we are in southeast Washington State -- the conservative cause is rolling once again throughout the country.

Truly this bus tour is gaining momentum. Come see for yourself. Tell a friend on the tour route.

Kenneth Gladney is up on stage right now telling his story. He just learned yesterday that the District Attorney In St. Louis has agreed to prosecute the SEIU thugs who beat him up outside a Town Hall forum, simply for selling the Gadsden "Don't Tread On Me" flag. Kenneth is a real trooper. He has been feeling under the weather the last 36 hours and while I can tell it in his speaking voice right now on stage I don't believe the crowd has any idea.

P.S. Again, my apologies for any mispellings on this thumb typing Blackberry. And last nite the bus ride was very bumpy as I sent the last email. LOL

PS 2x:
Sat next to Lloyd Marcus on the bus while coming into the venue and he mentioned he just penned a column for American Thinker's web site. Actually it is in the hands of his wife Mary back home to check it before sending on today to the American Thinker. Lloyd has some of the same typing problems on the road that I do. LOL

PS a third time:
The best hotel of these first 7 days was last nite. Sure only in the room 5 hours but great check in at 2:00 am, good water pressure, clean room, efficient bresakfast service and very friendly staff. I am rating each hotel ... This Richland Courtyard Marriott gets a 9 !

Day 8
On the Blackberry inside the pavilion of the Helena, MT fair building. Pretty much an empty space and no chairs. Sitting on the concrete floor thumb typing this as Selena Owens is addressing the crowd. Several hundred people standing intently and yelling back in agreement to various speakers.

The weather continues to cooperate. It was raining over the Rockies as we came from Spokane last nite to over nite in Missoula. That's always tough on our drivers Ray and Robert.

Spokane was a beautiful setting yesterday evening (Saturday.)

Whoa there goes another Montana yell from the crowd. Selena was talking bout being a conservative woman.

There were THOUSANDS of good folks at the Spokane convention center. One of the local web sites reported 3,000 but Meg Doherty, one of the Spokane tea party organizers, estimated with me the much higher number. Our troup was out on a platform in the middle of the Spokane River looking back at an ampitheatre setting. It was awesome.

A reporter from the New York Times had been in town the past 4 days, preparing a piece. We shall see what he concludes.

Last nite we got in at the reasonable hour of 8:30 pm. Sal took all 22 of us out to dinner. I sat with Ray our red bus driver as the big table held the other 20. Ray has told me that on other trips he has driven for liberal groups like SEIU and the DCCC (demo cong cmte) who never invited him to their meals. He was always left to his own devices. He also has said their crowds this summer were very small -- largest being perhaps 100. Gee we don't hear much about that.

Whoops there goes another Montana yell here in the pavilion. Diana Nagy is singing "America The Beautiful." Now Lloyd Marcus is singing and has asked for all the kids and those with flags to join him on stage. It is really a heart-throbbing sight.

This morning Mary, our official photog, asked Cheryl at the Missoula Marriott Courtyard if the motel had any extra writing paper and pens. Cheryl kindly supplied and we are so grateful.
The paper and pens are being used at every venue to allow anyone in the crowd to write a note to their congressman. Amy Kremer of Georgia's Tea Party and on our tour handles this and she keeps running out. In fact this effort usually makes us late getting out of each venue -- the outpouring is great. Amy will get all the notes and letters to the congressman at the end of the tour.

And there goes another Montana cheer. And yes lots of cowboys hats in attendance here. These people are tough and are fighting back.

There are many, many homemade signs and posters here at this Helena rally. Every venue sees so many unique and original signs. Politics at its best !

On to Bozeman MT from here. Gotta go as the speakers are concluding. And the crowd is yelling in approval. Don't mess with the cowboys of Montana.

No comments:

Post a Comment