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Sunday, March 28, 2010 | 2 a.m.
Tea Party: "Showdown in Searchlight"
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The Tea Party Express buses kicked off their latest national road trip Saturday with a rally in Sen. Harry Reid's hometown of Searchlight, Nev., which only has a population of 700. Sarah Palin gave the keynote address to the thousands who showed up for the "Showdown in Searchlight."
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- Sarah Palin rallies thousands in Harry Reid’s hometown (3-27-2010)
- Ann Coulter rails against government intervention in health care (3-27-2010)
- With Tea Party in town, Harry Reid helps open shooting park (3-27-2010)
While fractious, the Tea Party movement is united by the overwhelming sense that government has overstepped its bounds, that President Barack Obama and the Democratic Congress are marching the republic toward socialism.
It could become to the right what the Obama campaign was to the left, a galvanizing force for disaffected Americans who have traditionally avoided the grunt work of modern politics.
If the cars at Saturday’s rally were any indication, they span the socioeconomic spectrum, from the Lamborghini to the Yugo.
Many said their outrage over government spending had been building over the past decade and that the Obama administration’s efforts to prop up the economy and reform health care pushed them into activism. The name of one of the movement’s grass-roots groups in Nevada is telling: Anger is Brewing.
Richard Nixon’s “great silent majority” is speaking up, in a big way.
Below, Tea Partyers in their own words.
•••
Red Slover, a 63-year-old retired computer engineer, said he had never been politically active until he traveled from Riverside, Calif., to attend the rally.
“I figured it was time for this government to be by the people, of the people, for the people, instead of by itself, of itself, for itself. It’s time for the people to take this country back. If that means peaceful, civil unrest, I’m all for that too.”
•••
Kathleen Kendra, 60, a chiropractor from Riverside, said the administration and Congress are “railroading our citizens into socialism.”
Disgusted with both major political parties, Kendra joined with friends to revive the Whig Party in Riverside. The group elected officers in January and is fielding candidates in local races.
•••
Tony Camarco, a 58-year-old sales manager from Henderson, reveled in the atmosphere Saturday. “I missed Woodstock, so I figured I’d come here,” he said.
He said Congress and Sen. Harry Reid in particular had lost touch with the public. “I don’t feel Harry Reid represents me as an average American. I don’t know who Harry Reid thinks he’s representing. You don’t have a common-man Congress anymore. We need to vote these guys out.”
•••
Gloria Gunn, 76, a retired line-dance instructor, is new to politics. She and her husband drove from Utah on Friday. She held a homemade Sarah Palin sign:“She’s Alaska’s Real American Heroine.”
“All the Tea Parties have brought out the fervor I have felt for some time. They are an indication that our country is slipping away from us. We don’t want to be like Europeans. We’re Americans.”
•••
Kevin Benesch is a diesel mechanic from North Las Vegas. He got stuck in traffic, parked his car on U.S. 95 and walked for an hour to reach the rally.
“More and more people are waking up. This is to show we’re here and we’re not going away. If you don’t listen to us, we’re going to get bigger and bigger.”
I was really impressed with the Great TeaBagger Rally ... NOT.
8,000 people? You get bigger crowds at bad boxing matches than 8,000 clowns. You even get more at UNLV football games.
More people show up in Searchlight for the Rock Hound events than the clowns who turned up to hear Sarah say 'Bunk.'
But we should thank them for spending their money in Nevada. We need it.
There are 2 million plus people in Nevada. So 8,000 attendees is not a even 1/2 of 1%. And since at least 20% of the TeaBagger clown bin came from out of state. I wouldn't call the TeaBaggers a force. More like a bowel movement.
But, so they don't like Harry or Obama. Big deal. Lot's of people didn't like GW and his herd of imbeciles and still don't.
It's irrelevant. Anyone can complain. But where are the concrete alternatives? No smoke and mirror drivel, but step by step ideas of how to solve the problems. They have none.
You have to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time to have an idea.
On the other hand, having only 25 DemoDummies show up for free donut holes does not bode well for Harry Reid as the savior.
There are other Democrats for Senator on the ballot and for Governor as well.
Annointing Harry and his kid as our messiahs and the Republican clown bin as viable might just be a bit premature.
But then the Press in Nevada is probably no smarter than the average TeaBagger. So go figure.
Fred Conquest
Democratic Candidate for Governor.
you are running for governor?? you sound uneducated, all you did was criticize, "bowel movement"?? what a puke, just another disgruntled democrat that has nothing intelligent to offer, only name calling criticisms and negative input.If you have donations, you should give them back, you don't stand a chance.
LOL lipton, that coming from the party of "hell no"? Guess you all want the whole negative thing to yourselves. Go ahead, have it. If that is what Fred wants to run on, he might as well join your Tea Baggers. Mad as hell, right? Mad as hell at LIES. Keep watching Fox News and listening to the 24/7 hate radio and you all might as well secede, you're not winning any elections on that platform. and while you all are at it i hope you're burning your scocial security checks and not using your medicare benifits. otherwise you're just big hypocrits.
hey vegas, you forgot to complet the "hell no" portion, which is typical of your party, pick and choose" hell no we don't want socialized medicine from a bill that no one read or that not every american wanted and not ALL will be covered, and more of my freedoms were taken away,and not one of the 147 republican suggestions were even considered,with all the backdoor secret democrat meetings and sweetheart deals. Hell no, we don't want that, if your going to criticize,at least get it right. And gullible you, I suppose thinks Obama,Reid or Pelosi never once lied to the american people to pass this debacle bill??? and just so you know, I have been required by law to contribute a portion of my paycheck into SS and Medicare since I was 16 years old, If I were to calc that contribution, dam straights I want MY money out of it. If I were not required by law to contribute, I would decline any govt handout because unlike the democrat mentality, There are those of us that believe in working for what we get and taking pride in not expecting someone else to bail us out. Duh.
I work and pay for my own insurance, why should I also work to pay for someone elses. everyone required to have it, those 20's and maybe even 30's healthy young people, would rather pay a yearly penalty than spend on ins,they would rather buy toys, they don't even think about retirement contributions until then, so, with one emergency, or accident, back in the same boat as before, paying for the uninsured, the ones benifiting most will be, medicaid recipients, and illegals.so now we are not only paying more for their ins. we will still pay for the uninsured, because according to the big B-Ho there will still be 10% uninsured after 938 billion,11% more insured but 10% left uninsured, yep, makes perfect financial sense, only after stupid.
Most of the Tea Party-goers were not Nevada residents, so the event certainly has no effect of this election. In fact, the organizers did not allow either Lowden or Tarkanian to speak before Palin and the site emptied rapidly after she left the stage. I spoke with several people trudging along the road toward the site. None could name any of Reid's challengers. One woman thought he would be on the ballot in Arizona.
I saw people holding the usual dumb signs depicting Obama as a Communist/Socialist/Nazi/Joker, but the birther thing seems to have subsided.
Meanwhile, Reid dedicated the new gun park with Wayne LaPierre, an NRA official and supporter, by his side.
Most of the Tea Party-goers were not Nevada residents, so the event certainly has no effect on this election. In fact, neither Lowden nor Tarkanian spoke before Palin and the site emptied rapidly after she left the stage. I spoke with several people trudging along the road toward the site. None could name any of Reid's challengers. One woman thought he would be on the ballot in Arizona.
I saw people holding the usual dumb signs depicting Obama as a Communist/Socialist/Nazi/Joker, but the birther thing seems to have subsided.
Meanwhile, Reid dedicated the new gun park with Wayne LaPierre, an NRA official and supporter, by his side.
isn't it funny how the democrats downplay the whole thing!!!! not that big of a deal, hum hum, only 8,000 people, Sarah goober Palin, hohum, borrrring. But could you imagine the success of this thing had it been a democrat rally??? they got all excited about 20 people selling tea and doughnut holes!!!! I can't wait for a democrat rally,I'm going to have a stand with a variety of treats. lemonade, can't forget doughnuts,fried mushrooms, and the big seller will be chap stick.
I have dibs on the white cane concession for all of Obama's blind followers.
you got it!!!! great idea!!
Obama is the highest radical demogogue in America. Scares the heck out of taxpayers and others who fend for themselves and fend for the unemployed democrat-Marxists.