First, I have to say that I didn’t stay for the whole thing. I was going to, but I got an emergency call from my youngest daughter just after 6 — she was on the side of the road on I-26 between the I-20 and St. Andrew’s exits with an overheated engine — so Daddy had to run.
And the “rally” proper had just begun. A 19-year-old kid named Zach (I’d have gotten his full name if I’d stayed) was giving a speech about why Mark Sanford should no longer be governor, and not doing a bad job for his age. He was getting a smattering of applause and cheers from the handful of watchers there (and jeers from one of the two counter-protesters I saw). And I see that Phil Noble spoke later. But I had already spoken with Phil — he came up and tapped me on the shoulder just seconds after I finished shooting the above video. He had expressed his disgust that more people had not shown up, which he attributed to apathy. Citing a poll showing 60 percent of South Carolinians wanted Sanford gone, he indignantly wondered where they all were.
But the fact that I was able to shoot the video at 5:55 of a “rally” that was supposed to have started at 5:30 testifies to there being more wrong with this rally than public apathy. It’s rather telling that in the mercifully brief account in The State today, SC Democratic Party Chair Carol Fowler made a point of saying that she didn’t organize this.
Folks, I’ve been to a lot of demonstrations at the State House over the years — from the stunning first “King Day at the Dome” in 2000 with its 60,000 marchers to more modest, yet still-respectable, affairs, such as the recent one in favor of the stimulus (which featured FAR more people demanding Sanford be impeached than showed up for this one) to the “Tea Party” shortly thereafter), and this was the saddest one I’ve actually witnessed.
One of the actual organizers, my Facebook friend Catherine Fleming Bruce (who posted this picture of me from the event; you’ll note that I don’t exactly have a crowd around me), tried hard to get things rolling when she started the rally proper, introducing Zach at about 6. She rattled off an impressive list of folks who had suggested the governor resign, Democrats and Republicans both (prompting the heckler to say “all liberals!” which was almost as pathetic as the rally itself — Glenn McConnell a liberal? please…). But that merely raised the painful question — so where were all those prominent people? Catherine and Phil were the only two on the steps I recognized.
So, try as Catherine and Phil (and Zach) might, this was a bust. By the way, here are my Tweets on the subject yesterday in real time, up to the moment I got the urgent call from my daughter:
As I arrive, late, for the anti-Sanford “rally,” it looks like a pathetic bust…
The neo-nazis had a better-attended (and better-organized) State House rally than this sad little anti-Sanford affair…
There are a couple of stolid Sanford-supporting counter-protester, who must be thinking “Why bother?”…
Catherine Fleming-Bruce is up there trying, but it’s time to face the fact: this rally ain’t happening…
Catherine cites list of leaders of both parties who have called for resignation — but they’re not here…
A 19-year-old kid is addressing the crowd, and making a brave effort. Smattering of applause…
Did I say “crowd?” Sorry… I meant the, um, assemblage…
If you were there after I left, and would like to contradict me — hey, that’s what the comments function is for. Good luck…
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By the way, if you follow the link to The State‘s story, you’ll see Andy Haworth’s considerably more sophisticated and complete video coverage. He was there for the whole thing, and has clips of Zach and Phil and Catherine and others — including a counter-demonstrator — speaking. It doesn’t look like it got much better…
Over on Facebook, Catherine just asked:
… which is a fair question that I didn’t address above. So here’s my answer:
People don’t care and there wasn’t a coordinated PR effort by the Legislature to come up with phony scare tactics like they did for the stimulus rally.
Or just maybe there are way too many skeletons in too many closets for our “leaders” to dare stand out in public railing against immoral behavior when they are just one email away from being in the same boat.
I don’t know if there’s really anything constructive to say about all that. I guess that the un-organizers over stated their un-case and how much un-support they had among all of the un-leaders.
Did any of the “rally participants” actually say anything about what they thought a post-Sanford governorship would (should?) look like and why it would be better than the status quo? Or were they all just the usual suspects; full of complaints but not offering up any real solutions?
It looks like it was pretty much an un-event.
Moving right along, though… Brad, what’s going on with those flip-up sunglasses clipped to your spectacles? I know you thought the rally was “sad and pathetic,” but please…. If you keep wearing those things, “Mary Rosh” is gonna take your lunch money for sure.
Compare this with the millions of Americans who demonstrated for hours on July 4 against the socialism and wasteful spending of Obama and the Democrats.
Hey, those are my outfielder shades. I decided those were cool when I was a kid and saw ball-players wearing them. You know, they’d flip them down when a pop fly went up into the sun…
Of course, I outgrew that and went through a longer period in which I didn’t think they were cool at all.
Then, finally, I outgrew caring whether they were cool. They’re just convenient. I realize they’re sort of distracting on video — I noticed them myself when I saw footage of myself at the infamous Mark Sanford crying-in-Argentina press conference. I hadn’t expected to be on camera then.
This time, I just wasn’t noticing…
By the way, I should point out — the UNrally is not to be confused with the UnParty, which, if I ever use it as my springboard to office, will be much better organized. Or at least a little better organized…
I guess there are just too many wise South Carolinians not willing to throw the first stone (publicly anyway)?
Brad, I can respect a man who is above worrying about whether his flip-up shades are cool or not. Guess “Mary” doesn’t stand a chance, after all.
And, you know…. I didn’t want to make the connection between the UNrally and the UnParty. It was just too easy.
Goodness, how did you add a link before I had even posted?
http://www.honoluluagonizer.com/
SGMret,
I had the same thought about the Unparty when I saw Brad’s photo. I hear there is an empty phonebooth available for the convention.
Two words to explain the paltry crowd:
Andre Bauer.
That plus the thinking that having Sanford around, hung like an albatross around the GOP’s neck for the rest of his term, will weigh that party down and long-term bolster a Democrat’s chances of winning the governor’s race. That will be true regardless of how much distance SCGOPers try to put between themselves and the Governor.
Oh, Democrats are loving this. The longer he hangs on, the better for them. This is why you had the extremely unusual sight of the GOP state executive committee censuring a governor of their own party. Republicans just don’t do things like that — Reagan’s 11th commandment and all that. But the GOP knows what a fix it’s in, and what an advantage Sanford’s continuing presence gives to the other side.
And Doug — phone booth? Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t you once say you’d be willing to attend the convention, whenever we have one…?
I’ll be there.
What are you waiting on?
Did you decide not to run for office?
Anyone willing to bet cash money on whether there will be a Democratic governor in 2010?
Won’t happen.
The way Obamanomics is going, there may not be a Democrat in office after 2010.
Has anyone checked into how much Xanex is being consumed by Sanford’s PR people?
Gov. Warthen? C’mon, Brad! Here’s a campaign slogan. BETTER THAN THE LAST GOVERNOR, SHEESH, WHAT A BONEHEAD THAT GUY WAS
Shouldn’t you be trying to find Barack Obama’s birth certificate, which is supposedly in Hawaii, but no state official has seen?
“Shouldn’t you be trying to find Barack Obama’s birth certificate, which is supposedly in Hawaii, but no state official has seen?”
This is a fact, and you know this, how?
Also, I don’t take orders from crazy people, as much as they like to give them.
Why can’t you tell me where I can see an authentic copy of Obama’s certificate of live birth? Because you have no clue.
Why are Obama’s college records and his court documents for his adoption and name change also sealed? Could it be because they state that is place of birth is Keny?
Real journalists would want to know.
Burl and I went to Radford. Obama went to Punahou. Near as I can recall, the only school you had to have birth certificates for was Kamehameha…
Again, I don’t take orders from crazy people.
I am not giving you orders. But you know that.
I am issuing you a professional challenge that you are afraid to touch.
I don’t take professional challenges from crazy people.
Calling me crazy is a coward’s dodge.
Just tell me why a journalist, who is supposed to be skeptical, and demand sources, is afraid to drive a few blocks in Hawaii to see if Barack Obama is really the person he claims to be.
Actually, I’ve done that, and Obama really is the person he claims to be. If Obama really had not been a citizen, all the local media were happy to jump on it. But there was no story there, because no matter what, the man is legally considered to be a citizen of the United States. There was also enough of a paper trail to satisfy the U.S. Supreme Court — but there will never be enough proof for the crazy world of Lee Muller.
To quote (slightly altered) an old courtroom saying: When the facts are against you, argue the law. When the law is against you, argue the facts. When the law and the facts are both against you, demand to see the opposing counsel’s birth certificate.
Until Obama produces proof of citizenship, there are no facts, except that he is fighting in court to keep it secret.
I am more concerned about the tens of millions of dollars donated illegally to the Obama campaign from Arab countries. The FEC is acknowledges and documents these illegal donations, and is prosecuting some people here in the US, but is not going after the Obama campaign staffers who ran the operation.
Yet they fine other candidates millions of dollars for reporting something a day late.
I see the newspaper reported there were 200 people at this rally.
Another example of why people don’t trust news from newspapers.
The speakers railed about how many big shots want Governor Sanford to resign, but none of them showed up to speak. …. Hmmmmm.
Burl, you claim to have “done it” regarding seeing Barack Obama’s genuinen birth certificate (not newspaper account, or some person saying they saw it, or a JPEG image). I will send you $25.00 so you can send me that genuine birth certificate from Hawaii.