GIANT SACRAMENTO "DUMP DAVIS" FREEP A BIG SUCCESS, with over 100 attending!

Self | 10/19/2002 | David H Dennis

[daviddennis]

Over 100 freepers and friends gathered in Sacramento, showing steely-eyed determination to "Dump Davis".

People filtered into the rally gradually, to the point that one moment it seemed almost empty and then we had a huge crowd to contend with. And all of them - peaking at over 100 people towards the end - showed their determination to "Dump Davis" through their signs, slogans and passion.

The formal portion of the rally started with a continuation of what was already happening, organized chanting of "Dump Davis, Dump Davis now", "Bill Simon Save Us ... From Gray Davis" and many more. Chants were led by both eGray hookers (clearly starting a fashion trend), ChickenMan, and two splendid costumed people: The Coin Operated Governor Guy, dressed as a cash register, with a costume lovingly made, and the truly over the top brilliant three-eyed fish, symbolizing the dumping of dioxin. The Davis bandit girl deserved support as not only having a great costume, but being the creator of the Coin Operated Governor Costume, which looked great.

The leftists mounted an incredibly weak response to the rally, which I suspect few noticed. About four people waved the standard boring "Experience you trust ... values we share" sign we've seen everywhere in the Davis campaign. Unfortunately, by the time I broke away from the speeches to film them, they were already gone. I think they were a little afraid of the obvious passion and drive of the crowd.

Next came the speeches, with any reference to electing Simon or dumping Davis provoking highly enthusiastic responses. Saundra Duffy wowed the crowd with her powerful anti-Davis arguments, and a woman I know only as Barbara made an amazingly powerful fire-breathing speech. This was a day of emotion, not logic, with the crowd eager to hear just about anything that inflamed their passions either for Simon or against Davis.

At the end, RonDog rallied the crowd to really stand up and be counted. He got them all near the steps of the capitol, all roaring with "Dump Davis". We then went over to the dump truck, stationed near the capitol, where there were more chants and cries. It was all very impressive, with well over 100 people in attendance, all chanting their hearts out.

After the rally, we left for the nearby Hyatt hotel to play my film, consisting of the freeper videos I have produced. This was the first time people were able to see what I'd done on the big (or at least not postage stamp sized) screen. Everyone seemed very impressed, including Jim Robinson.

This was a great freep, well worth the fare to Sacramento. I should mention that in honor of my first visit to Sacramento, I decided to obey their proposed laws and rent an electric car. It cost about the same as a Taurus, and barely got me to the Capitol and back before running out of power. (The Capitol is about 9 miles from the airport). I hope that if the legislature eventually requires 10% of all cars sold to be electric, they force themselves to drive only electric cars. That won't last long, trust me.

All in all, then, this was a magnificent freep, and I would like to thank RonDog for organizing it, Saundra and x for her kind hospitality, and the cast of hundreds that made this possible!

[RonDog]

Hi, Lady Paola!

Thank you for posting to this soon-to-be-MUCH-longer thread!

[RonDog]

From earlier in this thrad:

To: RonDog

I love this! Is someone drivin' this beauty around everyday?

40 posted on 10/20/02 7:24 AM Pacific by jla

The answer is, No!

This particular DUMP TRUCK was rented - just for this event.

We had hoped for OTHER (even LARGER) "dump trucks" for this rally, but most of them were in use over the weekend - actually MAKING MONEY for their owners.
(What a concept!)

Thanks again to Saundra Duffy for finding this one.
It was apparently one of the LARGEST dump trucks available ANYWHERE that could be driven by someone like me - WITHOUT a commercial license.

Fortunately, most attending the FReep did NOT see me grinding through the six speeds as I navigated it twenty-three miles from the rental place in Rocklin, and back.

Driving it around town WAS kind of a "guy thing," though - especially raising and lowering the massive dump bed in the back - which was an important therapy for a guy who has been parading around in fishnets and garters - A LOT! - recently!

Seriously, I also LOVE that image of the "DUMP DAVIS!" dump truck - and currently use it as my wallpaper on my laptop at home!

I though that the LITTLE things about this "dump truck" were important, too - like:

- the "SIMON" signs on the doors of the cab - to cover the rental company's logos, so that the union thugs could not go out and hassle them.

- and the "Hazardous Waste" signs - in reference to the soon-to-be-EX-governor's NOXIOUS behavior,

- and little red "DUMP DAVIS" bumper stickers tastefully arranged ALL AROUND the truck - by a non-FReeper volunteer - who carefully attached each one in such a way that I could remove them at the end with VERY LITTLE effort!

Thank you, FRiend - WHOEVER you are!

[RonDog]

Driving [the DUMP TRUCK] around town WAS kind of a "guy thing," though - especially raising and lowering the massive dump bed in the back - which was an important therapy for a guy who has been parading around in fishnets and garters - A LOT! - recently!

I was not wearing my "eGray Hooker" outfit at the FReep in Coachella earlier today, but I DID bring the mask...

From:

FReepers and FRiends "welcome" Gray Davis to a UFW rally at Coachella (near Palm Springs)
Freep Davis near Palm Springs on SUNDAY! ^ | October 20, 2002 | RonDog, Tony in Hawaii, the "Chicken Man" - and Howie!
Posted on 10/20/2002 9:44 PM Pacific by RonDog

Once again, we have proven that eGray Davis can RUN, but the cannot HIDE from FReepers, and their FRiends and...

...the "Chicken Man!"

Over a DOZEN FReepers and our (soon-to-be-FReeper) FRiends joined with the ever-present "DEBATE Chicken" to FReep the elusive soon-to-be-EX-Governor of California as he tried to sneak into a United Farm Workers (UFW) rally at the Coachella Valley High School this afternoon...

more

-- snip --

FReeper Tony in Hawaii (center - NOT in a suit - in the Hawaiian shirt, with hat) and the "DEBATE Chicken"
are joined by MANY other as-yet-non-FReepers acting as if they really WERE FReepers!


RonDog joins the "Chicken Man" with an "eGray Hooker" MASK, but no fishnets and garters THIS time!

[RonDog]

Once again, we have proven that eGray Davis can RUN, but the cannot HIDE from FReepers, and their FRiends and...

...the "Chicken Man!"

Special thanks to L.A. FReeper Tony in Hawaii who personally hand-carried the trademark costume from the Northern California "Chicken Man" to the Southern California "Chicken Man."

Faster than FedEx, when it "absolutely, positively NEEDS to get there overnight," you can COUNT on "TonyExpress!"

I overheard someone at the rally in Coachella watching in amazement as the Southern California "Chicken Man" was getting into this costume, and asked:

"How did THAT get here?
I thought that it was in Sacramento last night!"

It was.
And WE were.

But we BOTH made it to this FReep on time! :o)

"Hardcore" FReepers.
Rasing the bar for everyone else.
Leading by example.

Perhaps OTHERS cannot (or will not) do what we have done, but they will certainly re-examine their commitment, and re-DEDICATE their future efforts - after they see OUR intensity.

(At least, that's the THEORY!)

Seriously, I was there because I thought that the "Chicken Man" and Tony in Hawaii would be facing THESE union thugs alone.

From www.UFW.org:

Fortunately, I was wrong.

The union goons stayed INSIDE the event this time, and a LOT of non-FReepers arrived as reinforcements, so my presence as an enforcer was unnecessary.

My presence as a PHOTOGRAPHER/historian, however, as indispensible, as without my efforts, there would have been NO VISUAL RECORD of this WONDERFUL desert FReep!

[RonDog]

Driving [the DUMP TRUCK] around town WAS kind of a "guy thing," though - especially raising and lowering the massive dump bed in the back - which was an important therapy for a guy who has been parading around in fishnets and garters - A LOT! - recently!

CONGRATULATIONS to the OTHER "guy who has been parading around in fishnets and garters" - the NEW Northern California "eGray Hooker," CounterCounterCulture!!!

If the Simon team can have two "Chicken Men," WE can have two "eGray Hookers," right?

Over the next few weeks unitl Election Day, Gray Davsi will NEED to appear in public, and now we can FReep him EVERYWHERE!

Please make sure that you bring a photographer with you to these FReeps, however.

To paraphrase the classic paradox:

"If a hooker FReeps in the city, and nobody posts any pictures on a post-FReep thread, did it really happen???"

[Saundra Duffy]

Monday morning, early, checking in. Lager was on Eric Hogue, KTKZ AM 1380 Sacramento, this morning. Eric is really upset that our rally RECEIVED NO MEDIA COVERAGE EXCEPT THAT ONE STUPID STORY FROM CHICO. Meanwhile, the Sac Bee covered the anti-war demonstration to the hilt. Lager told Eric all about our rally, about the great visuals, the crowd, the speeches, etc. You know, it is quite sad that the only coverage we got was not about the rally but about some cooked-up controversy by a "reporter" with an agenda. Oh, well, all who attended had a great freepin' time! And we know in our hearts that it was a HUGE SUCCESS!

And thanks for freeping the creep yesterday. Gov. Davis feels our heat! Keep it up! For victory & freedom!!!

[Saundra Duffy]

Okay, so we didn't get print or TV coverage but let's look on the bright side. RonDog was on Drudge; Hugh Hewitt touted the rally on his radio show; I was on with Eric Hogue (KTKZ radio AM 1380) TWICE; Mark Williams KFBK dropped in on the rally and gave a speech while he was recording; and Lager talked to Eric Hogue again this morning on the air. So our rally DID GET MEDIA COVERAGE - on conservative radio talk shows. So there! For victory & freedom!!!

[Saundra Duffy]

Okay, so we didn't get print or TV coverage but let's look on the bright side. RonDog was on Drudge; Hugh Hewitt touted the rally on his radio show; I was on with Eric Hogue (KTKZ radio AM 1380) TWICE; Mark Williams KFBK dropped in on the rally and gave a speech while he was recording; and Lager talked to Eric Hogue again this morning on the air. So our rally DID GET MEDIA COVERAGE - on conservative radio talk shows. So there! For victory & freedom!!!

[ladyinred]

" ALL ISSUES ARE WOMEN'S ISSUES!!!!"

Way to go Saundra!!! Thanks from this woman! You are right, that is a sexist attitude if ever I heard one! Rats do think that all women only care about their precious "woman's right to choose!"

Wonderful speech! Glad to see Mark Williams was there! You all made us proud!

[RonDog]

"Monday morning, early, checking in. Lager was on Eric Hogue, KTKZ AM 1380 Sacramento, this morning. Eric is really upset that our rally RECEIVED NO MEDIA COVERAGE EXCEPT THAT ONE STUPID STORY FROM CHICO.
Meanwhile, the Sac Bee covered the anti-war demonstration to the hilt.
Lager told Eric all about our rally, about the great visuals, the crowd, the speeches, etc.
You know, it is quite sad that the only coverage we got was not about the rally but about some cooked-up controversy by a "reporter" with an agenda.

Oh, well, all who attended had a great freepin' time!

And we know in our hearts that it was a HUGE SUCCESS!" - Saundra Duffy

THANK YOU, Saundra for helping to organize this WONDERFUL "Dump DAVIS!" FReep!!!

Thank God for Free Republic!

This FReep was EXTRAORDINARILY successful!

eGray Central KNOWS that we FReeped them GOOD - and WE know that THEY know what REALLY happened!

And just WAIT until you see the daviddennis post-FReep VIDEO!!!

[Mudboy Slim]

"...all who attended had a great freepin' time!"

WOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Way to go, California FReepers!! Simon over Davis would have national implications and start California back on the Road to Political Redemption!!

Folks all accross America are hoping--and praying--for yer success on 5 November 2002!!

FReegards...MUD

[Saundra Duffy]

Driving it around town WAS kind of a "guy thing," though - especially raising and lowering the massive dump bed in the back - which was an important therapy for a guy who has been parading around in fishnets and garters - A LOT! - recently!

LOL! At least you weren't driving it while dressed in your hooker garb. LOL!

[RonDog]

LOL! At least you weren't driving it while dressed in your hooker garb. LOL!

Take a closer look into the driver's window of that DUMP TRUCK photo...

In OTHER news, from www.NationalReview.com:

	Send to a Friend Print Version

October 21, 2002, 9:00 a.m.
Simon Can Still Win
Seriously.

By Bill Whalen

orget what you've read. Forget what you've heard.

The governor's race in California isn't over.

That's not the trendy thing to say here on the West Coast. For weeks now, reporters and pundits have built a funeral pyre for Bill Simon Jr., declaring his candidacy dead in the water, and waiting only for Election Night results before a final, fiery sendoff for the Republican challenger.

And apparently there's not much love for Mr. Simon on the East Coast. Witness last week's comment by Rep. Tom Davis, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee: "I don't think there's a worse-run race in the country than the governor's race in California for the Republicans. I mean, this was a belt-high, medium fastball and we just seem to have booted it."

Mixed metaphors aside (you "whiff" on a missed pitch, congressman, you "boot" a ball hit at you), there are perfectly valid reasons for Republicans to be less-than-jazzed about California.

For one, consider the money involved. Between them, Simon and Democratic Gov. Gray Davis will have raised and spent about $90 million by Election Day. If little more than five million Californians head to the polls on Nov. 5, as is presently estimated, that means the two parties will have spent about $18 a vote to produce a record-poor turnout. Seems like a waste, doesn't it? $18 can buy you a lot of fun, unless you happen to be taking a date to see Madonna in Swept Away. Of course, that train wreck lasts a little over an hour and a half; Simon and Davis have been going at it for 30 weeks and counting.

And there's the tone of the campaign, which has vacillated from negative, to personally insulting, back to negative. Team Davis has inferred that Simon is a corrupt businessman and a policy know-nothing. Team Simon contends that Davis is a policy do-nothing — that is, when the governor's not selling out policy decisions to the highest donor.

Unfortunately, both candidates have succeeded . . . at convincing Californians that neither is a likable option. As the Sacramento Bee assessed in Sunday's edition: "You don't like the choices. We don't like the choices. If only there were an even vaguely plausible third-party candidate — but there isn't. . . What a choice: A Republican challenger without a clue and a Democratic incumbent without a conscience."

Pretty it's not. In the year of the all-California World Series, California's governor's race ain't exactly the World Series of politics, the pinnacle of 2002 campaigns. Rather, the Davis-Simon match-up is more like a showdown between a couple of last-place teams, with little buzz in the stands and 50,000 fans disguised as empty seats.

Except that there could be a surprise as the game goes into its final inning. Simon could still defy the odds and the experts and pull this thing out. Here's how:

First, since this is California, never underestimate the power of television to sway a race.

During the first two games of the World Series, Team Simon ran a 30-second ad (title: "The Whole Thing Stinks") linking a $55,000 donation to Davis's campaign to a decision by the state to allow a California oil company to dump dioxin into San Francisco Bay. It's repeating a story that ran at great length earlier this year in the San Jose Mercury News. But with one important difference: A TV image of a pipeline spewing chemical sludge is far more compelling to voters than print allegations of a governor for sale.

For months, Simon has hammered away at the image of Davis as a "pay to play" governor — you give him $100,000 and doors open. California newspapers have chronicled example after example of benefits for big donors. But in terms of making voters angry enough to turn on Davis, it probably requires more than in-depth newspaper stories. Maybe the dioxin ad, as well as other Simon ads with a clever tag line ("Had Enough? Fire Gray Davis"), have a bigger impact on the electorate than is estimated.

The second unknown that could work to Simon's benefit: voter turnout — or a lack thereof.

In 2002, the California electorate is internally conflicted. According to a survey by the Progressive Policy Institute of California, eight out of ten likely voters say they're paying close attention to the governor's race, but more than 55 percent don't like the Simon-Davis match-up. Here's the big news for Simon: Three out of ten voters say they'll skip the race altogether, or vote for a third-party candidate.

Think of Simon-Davis as a seesaw: The lower the turnout, in a state with more Democratic voters, the better Simon's chances for an upset climb (well, that, and a big rainstorm in San Francisco and Los Angeles on Election Day wouldn't hurt either).

Finally, a third variable: the great unknown — namely, what we still don't know about Gray Davis.

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court cleared way for the release of two letters, sealed by a federal judge, claiming that Davis was involved in a bribery scandal back when he was California's state controller. The allegations, by a Beverly Hills executive (at the time on his way to federal prison), are that Davis participated in a scheme to exchange campaign donations for political favors.

Perhaps that allegation turns out to be a bombshell. Or maybe it's dud (having worked on the Bush-Quayle '92 campaign, when we kept waiting for that picture of a naked Bill Clinton at a '60s protest, I can assure you these things seldom work out). But at the very least, its emergence in the news cycle could force Davis to spend the campaign's remaining days on the defensive over his fundraising. And that's problematic for Davis, as his intent is to ride out the last two weeks sticking to the California Democratic mantra of abortion, the environment, and guns. The last thing any unpopular politician like Davis can afford is an unpalatable story right as voters are getting ready to pull the lever.

So there you have it: three reasons why Bill Simon just might end up surprising us all — (1) he has good ads in a state where TV is crucial; (2) voter turnout may work to his advantage; and (3) his opponent could be more ethically-challenged than imagined.

With the Giants and Angels going at it, it's been the year of the wild card in California. In that vein, maybe Simon turns out to be the unlikeliest of winners.

And to think: He may not need a "rally monkey" to pull it off.

—Bill Whalen is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution.

[daviddennis]

[This is going to a lot of people as a preview of my next film!]

Rondog, out of the goodness of his heart, paid a lot of money out of his own pocket to rent the dump truck. Sadly, it had to be returned right after the freep.

Apparently dump truck rental is pricey, both by the day and through additional mileage charges. Driving it is also a royal pain; this thing is apparently no SL600. If you've ever had your car towed and ridden in the towtruck cab, you'll get the idea.

But it made a great prop, and I got some awesome crowd shots. The crowd was tremendous and really pumped up!

I visited the Oxnard Gray Davis event, and there was a tepid group of supporters in front. When Gray Davis left, the supporters went in a campaign van right behind him, so it looks like I have photo proof that they were paid Davis stooges. More about my first personal freep later; I have to get the video done. Preliminary working title:

Gray & Me
(Same plot as Roger & Me - This was my first attempt to meet Gray Davis. You'll have to watch it to see how it came out!).

Let me just say here that the Davis supporters who showed up were pretty tepid. Even his hired stooges couldn't make much of a showing - they showed up, signs in hand and just stood there. No chanting, no nothing.

Intriguingly enough, the signs his stooges were holding did not refer to Gray Davis, but simply expressed the hope that things would get better. I was a little confused by this; I thought the point of the event was to pump Gray. But the Spanish language signs didn't mention him at all.

And the event's audience was doing about the same thing - just waiting all too patiently for the Great Man. Sadly, I couldn't get in the event because I had my Simon shirt on. Oops.

D

[Tony in Hawaii]

Just to put a number on it, I saw a grand total of four (4) Davis signs, held by three (3) people. I didn't count our people, but the figure of 100+ sounds very reasonable.

I spoke to at least one person who just happened to be passing by and joined our rally, and I'm sure she wasn't the only one.

Sacramento is a beautiful city, but a quite frustrating one for a first-timer to navigate. I was lucky, I only had to circle the Capitol three times before I found a parking structure that wasn't too far away.

I had a great time, and the drive up there was actually quite easy. My 15 year old car performed stunningly, and the I-5 is very smooth, if not very scenic or fragrant. :)

I'd like to thank the 99% of drivers on I-5 who maintained proper lane discipline and kept to the right, which allowed me to maintain a steady 80MPH for most of the way. I left Tarzana at about 5 AM and arrived at the Capitol around 11:45, after stopping for breakfast along the way.

Best wishes go out to the couple who was married on the steps of the Capitol just before our rally. Good luck, kids!

[daviddennis]

I have to agree with you about Sacramento - I figured you couldn't miss the Capitol, but it turns out it's in the middle of this huge park, surrounded by trees.

Picture me, in my electric car, with the charge burning down before my very eyes, not being able to find the Capitol! Visions of a towtruck ignomoniously towing my car back to the rental company were dancing in my head!

It was an adventure I will always remember but don't care to repeat :-).

D

[daviddennis]

[This is going to a lot of people as a preview of my next film!]

Rondog, out of the goodness of his heart, paid a lot of money out of his own pocket to rent the dump truck. Sadly, it had to be returned right after the freep.

Apparently dump truck rental is pricey, both by the day and through additional mileage charges. Driving it is also a royal pain; this thing is apparently no SL600. If you've ever had your car towed and ridden in the towtruck cab, you'll get the idea.

But it made a great prop, and I got some awesome crowd shots. The crowd was tremendous and really pumped up!

I visited the Oxnard Gray Davis event, and there was a tepid group of supporters in front. When Gray Davis left, the supporters went in a campaign van right behind him, so it looks like I have photo proof that they were paid Davis stooges. More about my first personal freep later; I have to get the video done. Preliminary working title:

Gray & Me
(Same plot as Roger & Me - This was my first attempt to meet Gray Davis. You'll have to watch it to see how it came out!).

Let me just say here that the Davis supporters who showed up were pretty tepid. Even his hired stooges couldn't make much of a showing - they showed up, signs in hand and just stood there. No chanting, no nothing.

Intriguingly enough, the signs his stooges were holding did not refer to Gray Davis, but simply expressed the hope that things would get better. I was a little confused by this; I thought the point of the event was to pump Gray. But the Spanish language signs didn't mention him at all.

And the event's audience was doing about the same thing - just waiting all too patiently for the Great Man. Sadly, I couldn't get in the event because I had my Simon shirt on. Oops.

D

[MeekOneGOP]

[webber]

Whoa guy/gal, you need to stop sniffing, inhaling, injecting, sublingualing whatever you're taking, because guy, you didn't get it. Did you? Try going back and re-reading the article. Duh! What-did-he-say, what-did-he-say, what-did-he-say.

[newslady]

Great job, California FReepers! We are pulling for you to dump Greyout Davis. Keep up the good work!