COngressman Tom Tancredo (Left), U.S. Senate Candidate Howard Kaloogian (R) (Center), and KSFO AM 560 Talk Show Host Melanie Morgan (Right)
Posted on 02/22/2004 11:15:39 AM PST by Impeach98
WOW!
Yesterday's rally against giving drivers' licenses to illegal aliens (as proposed by Democrat Gil Cedillo's SB1160 which Repub. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger says he supports) was a H U G E success.
The rally planning had been going on for several weeks. It was set to take place Saturday, February 21st at the Burlingame Hyatt, where the California Republican Party Convention would be taking place.
Since Governor Schwarzenegger has said he thinks giving drivers' licenses to illegal aliens is a "fantastic" and "excellent idea" (after he made conservatives very happy by repealing an existing law by Gil Cedillo that Gray Davis had signed that did the same), the thinking was that Arnold would get the message when Republicans turned out to say "WE DON'T WANT IT - NEITHER DOES CALIFORNIA."
The location had to be changed a couple times because officials with the California Republican Party establishment were offended that Kaloogian has rallied Republicans to oppose Bush's amnesty/guest-worker plan and Schwarzenegger's "sell out" on the illegal alien drivers' license plan.
With Kaloogian's opponents for U.S. Senate uncomfortable with challenging either the Bush plan or the Schwarzenegger-backed plan (they will speak to vague policy but not these specific proposals for fear of alienating Bush or Schwarzengger and their establishment suppport), the rally united immigration reform advocates and Kaloogian campaign supporters.
A little after 10:00 AM people began gathering outside, right in front of the Hyatt Hotel. Kaloogian for Senate staffers and volunteers were handing out Kaloogian signs, bumper stickers and lapel stickers.
People were simultaneously streaming towards the Kaloogian for Senate table inside of the convention and were being directed to join the now-growing crowd outside.
At the same time, last minute preparations were taking place at a giant tented pavillion located next to the hotel's pool at the back of the hotel complex. A stage with blue-curtain backdrop and "Kaloogian for Senate" wall would serve as the dais. Approximately one-dozen Kaloogian volunteers were assisting in the set-up effort. People seeking out the rally location began arriving at this location too.
By 10:20 AM things were crazy!!! There was now a crowd of a few hundred people outside that was growing fast. More and more people were running up to the Kaloogian table inside the hotel to find out the rally location and at the poolside pavillion (site of the rally) supporters were being directed to join the crowd at the front of the hotel.
Melanie Morgan and Donald LaCombe of the Kaloogian campaign were now firing up the crowd with chants over a megaphone. There were a handful of reporters and cameras covering the mass of people out front who were shouting "Enough is Enough," "No License for Illegals," and "Stop Them at the Border."
Finally at 10:30 AM, with the crowd now a giant sea of people, completely fired up, we opened the front doors to the hotel and Melanie Morgan chanting "Enough is Enough" into a megaphone led the procession of people through the hotel, down one of the main corridors to the back of the hotel where the crowd would exit, walk the pathway towards the poolside pavillion and assemble for the rally.
A number of interesting things took place. First, the procession passed right by the press room and reporters were shocked to see this massive and boisterous gathering of people streaming through the hotel screaming and chanting. Also, liberal Republican Vice Chair of the CRP, Mario Rodriguez, was conducting a seminar teaching Repubs. how to reach out to Latino voters and was horrified to see the protest march... apparently he is unable to distinguish between the difference of "illegal" individuals and legal citizens of the United States.
The throng of people was so wide, two sets of double-doors had to be opened to allow the crowd to flow in. But then the final mass of people who had gathered in the lobby in front of the Kaloogian for Senate booth formed a third 'feeder' stream to the procession. There were so many people now marching towards the rally location in the back that people could not enter the rally tent fast enough... we had a human traffic jam and this 10 foot wide hallway that runs several hundred feet was now completely jam-packed with participants.
People contiued streaming into the giant tent and tried to squeeze in to allow as many people as possible in. But there were so many people that not everyone could fit... there were dozens of people flowing out the side entrance, straining to see over the heads of those inside, and an even larger group of people at the back end of the tent who could not get in because of the overflow crowd.
Melanie Morgan and Brian Sussman of KSFO AM 560 - San Francisco were the emcees and had the crowd fired up... it wasn't hard. The energy in the room was electrifying. They introduced Kaloogian who received a hero's welcome from the crowd.
Kaloogian was on fire and delivered one of the best speeches I've heard him give on the stump so far. And the crowd responded with passion and energy. The tent was rocking folks!!
Just as Kaloogian was finishing his remarks, we got word that Tancredo was arriving in the back entrance (having been picked up by one of our Kaloogian staffers at the SFO airport). So Kaloogian then transitioned into welcoming Congressman Tom Tancredo, a hero to our cause, just as the Congressman entered the facility.
Tancredo bounded up to the stage and grabbed Kaloogian's fist. They raised their hands into the air - pumping up and down. The crowd was hooting, hollering, screaming, chanting. Melanie Morgan and Brian Sussman were up there on stage still and were themselves cheering and beaming from ear to ear. It was a moment of magic and the energy was incredible.
Now during all of this time there was this steady stream of television camera crews arriving. While we had worked the media over pretty heavily to tell them about the rally, and who would be there, they had been dismissive. They weren't interested in covering a bunch of right-wing kooks complaining about immigration policies. So at the start of the rally we only had a handful of print reporters, 4 or 5 television cameras and 2 or 3 radio reporters. But by the end of the rally news organizations, learning of what was happening, had rushed over scores of additional reporters, camera crews, and microphone-carrying radio techs and reporters.
Tancredo gave a great speech. He explained that a series of events had led to him almost not making it. Delayed flights, cancelled flights, being held up on the tarmac, having to change connecting flights and airline carrier. Everything was a mess and a mass frustration (he was supposed to arrive at 9:30 AM so we could get him settled, instead he didn't make it until about 10:55 AM).
Tancredo told this story and explained that he would go through this kind of hassle every single day between now and Election Day if this would help to elect Howard Kaloogian to the U.S. Senate.
Again, the crowd exploded.
Tancredo went on to explain during his speech that he had NOT ONE immigration reform friendly member in the U.S. Senate... and that without an ally in the Senate to join him in leading the charge on the immigration issue that we could not bring about the change in our failed policies that we need.
Tancredo was funny, gracious, passionate and simple but eloquent. At the end of his speech he again urged those in attendance to go to work to get Kaloogian elected to the Senate and announced he'd be doing all he could till Election Day to propel Kaloogian to victory. Tancredo and Kaloogian raised arms again and the crowd cheered and the camera flashbulbs flashed.
Tancredo and Kaloogian webt out back for a press conference/media avail.
Over the course of the next 45 minutes, Mike Spence, Founder of "Save Our License" (the group that collected signatures to repeal the original drivers' license for illegal aliens bill, SB60), Rick Oltman of FAIR, Ron Prince - author of Prop 187 and Proponent of Save 187 all addressed the crowd.
Crowd estimates have varied. I heard one person say 600-800 but I think this was high. Maybe 500-550.
All the press reports have said several hundred people.
Realize that there were only 1400 delegates listed for the CRP convention, so maybe 1200 were actually at the Hyatt. But while Marin and Jones could generate rallies of 50-75 people, Kaloogian had a massive crowd of cheering and raucous supporters who would then linger throughout the convention for the rest of the day - wearing Kaloogian t-shirts, carrying Kaloogian signs and bumper stickers.
It was an awesome day!
No, you are dead wrong.
The whole point to a Kaloogian candidacy is so that we are not simply left with the choice between three candidates who at the end of the day might sell you out on the issues, because it makes a better political chess game for themselves and their political ambition.
Those people were the heart and soul of the conservative issue.
THEY DID NOT BETRAY THE PRESIDENT - THEY WERE THE ONES WHO WERE BETRAYED
How can you in good conscience attack the motives of these people who actually came out and fought for their beliefs after the knife was jabbed in their backs? They are heroes and should not be silenced. Not by Kaloogian. Not by Bush and not by you or Fair Opinion.
You were "betrayed" by the President?
Spare us the hyperbole, pal. Itjust makes you look like a spoiled brat.
Your "fine print" whisperings explaining "oh, I thought you all wanted drivers' licenses for illegal aliens who break the laws and sneak into your country and try to work for less than you so they can then send that money back to their families in foreign lands" was what Arnold really meant.
To be fair to newjunkie, he has repeatedly posted that this was Arnold's position all along. And when you go back and look, you will find that Arnold deliberately tried to IMPLY he opposed the principle of giving drivers' licenses to illegals, but whenever he went on at length he did give that 'because of technical reasons' answer.
The whole situation is a shame. That's very politician-disengenous-like for a man whose greatest attribute is that he isn't a politician.
Yeah, I've never understood this either. Trust me, they could have ONE convention every 2 years and there would still be plenty of 'yawn' time.
But, the delegates like seeing each other and discussing the latest gossip about the hit fliers that were distributed about RNC Committeewoman Doe or how Congressman X is going to have the best booze in his suite tonight, etc....
LOL!
Well, while I loved your rant to Poohbah, I do have to say that I am a Proud Member of the "I Disagre With the Amnesty Plan But I DO Bathe" Club :)
If I didn't know anybody there I'd be bored to tears. Luckily over the years since I first discovered FR I've met so many wonderful people and saw lots of familiar faces at this convention. And it's always fun mocking the squish RINOs.
And we had our own reception suite so I had a place to crash during the boring parts.
Driver's licenses and amnesty for illegal aliens are not traditional planks of the Republican Party platform. You'd know that, if you bothered to pay attention.
The reference to the inner-office tension was a reflection on the number of competing coalitions that made up the general election campaign.
The end result was total and complete inaction for months. And I hold my bosses accountable as much as I do the other competing factions.
Like I said, it was an ugly ugly period of time and a campaign that still causes me nightmares.
Ah FO, there's nothing like one of your usual half truths to start us off in the morning, treating your object as if s/he were ignorant (there's nothing quite like a condescending attitude to turn off those you would browbeat, er, "persuade"... keep it up, please).
Arnold, AFTER running on the promise that he would rescind SB-60, IOW after gaining the support from the electorate on the belief that he stood against drivers licenses for illegals (a misconception he did NOTHING to dissuade), turned right around and endorsed a the legislature working on a bill giving drivers' licences to illegals.
Your dishonesty apparently takes after his.
You may have a single issue in Hispanic migration that moves you. Many of us are sticking with pro-life as our prime issue.
Also, I don't suppose that it bothers folks that Oberweis is also linked to the discredited crooks and "moderates" who have run the state party for decades until likely future jailbird Lyin' George Ryan (no relation to Jack) finally caused the GOP to lose the governorship and both houses of the state legislature. Maybe, this time, we will worry about matters more important to Illinois.
Until the last lawyer retired rich.
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