We haven’t heard much about Palin’s Wisconsin Visit — Here’s Why
In the Palinista blogosphere, there was much hullaballoo leading up to Sarah Palin’s day-after-tax-day speech at a American’s For Prosperity (Koch Brothers) rally in Madison, Wisconsin. The April 16th event was billed by her supporters as “history in the making,” “courageous,” “this will be one for the books.”
One commenter talked about needing “overpowering numbers” so that “the union boys just fold their tents and go home.”
Reality? Not so much…
Per the non-partisan PR Watch:
THE BADGERS DROWN OUT THE MAMA GRIZZLIES
The wet snow and tense atmosphere did not deter thousands of people from coming to the capitol for Americans for Prosperity’s Tax Day Rally. The major draw was former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who was announced as a speaker days before the event on Saturday. Crowd estimates vary from hundreds to thousands, but the majority of people were there to protest, not applaud Palin. One local reporter paced-off the area where the majority of AFP protesters clustered and said it totaled 20 by 35 feet.
Barely audible over the anti-Walker counter-protesters, Palin, claiming she herself was a former union member and the wife of a union member, said Gov. Scott Walker isn’t trying to take away rights like the powerful “union thugs” do.
“He’s not trying to hurt unions. Hey folks! He is trying to save your jobs and pensions,” said Palin.
YouTube is full of amateur videos showing the counter-protesters easily drowning out the tea partiers and speakers:
One mainstream media outlet, CBS, did cover the event. They even provided a live feed of the speech. They commented on the crowd disparity:
Hundreds of pro-union labor supporters are surrounding smaller groups of conservative Tea Party members attending a rally featuring former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
AP provided some of the better coverage, explaining (when other outlets didn’t) that the estimate of 6,500 folks included BOTH the protesters and the counter-protesters (of course, that didn’t stop the tea baggers from “making stuff up” with their own numbers):
Capitol Police estimated about 6,500 people converged on the building Saturday, but said it was impossible to tell how many were tea partyers and how many were labor supporters. The Capitol Police is a division of the Wisconsin Department of Administration, a Walker cabinet agency.
The tea partyers appeared clustered in front of the building, waving “Don’t Tread on Me” flags and signs that read “Public workers — the party is over,” “Thank you, Scott,” and “Tax and spend brings the end.”
Counter-protesters surrounded them, banging drums, bellowing into bullhorns and ringing bells. Bitter arguments broke out along the edges of the two groups over everything from the size of government to corporate power. At one point conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart took the stage and told the labor supporters to “go to hell.”
“I’m serious!” he screamed. “Go to hell! You’re trying to divide America!”
Regarding other media coverage, Crooks and Liars did a piece comparing how Fox and CNN completely obfuscated the overwhelming presence of the counter-protestors…demonstrated by the first two videos in their piece. (How they can do it…they either have their microphones on the dias, or they just take the feed directly from the sound system.)
Here’s the last video, shot by another amateur in the crowd, that gives a really good idea how many counter-protesters were there:
Palinistas are desperately trying to “keep hope alive” for their Queen Ester’s rise to presidential power, even when the polls and the recent lack of media attention bodes ill. (Can you say…fallout from gunsights and “blood libel?”) If you look at the speech she gave yesterday, and the hype leading up to it, one wonders if the initial intent was to make the announcement that she’s running for president?
We will fight for America! And it starts here in Madison, Wisconsin!
It starts here! It starts now! What better place than the state that hosts the Super Bowl champs, to call out the liberal left and let them know: Mr. President, game on!
Perhaps she didn’t want to start her campaign in a sea of boos?
Of course, her lemmings try to put a positive spin on what anyone who saw it on TV or was there knows was an abysmal failure. She lived up to her richly deserved reputation as a hateful moron.
Ever since she came on the national scene in 2008, she has consistently made a spectacle of herself with her bull-in-a-china closet approach. This fact-free, know-nothing screechfest in Wisconsin was no exception, and I’m quite sure she never anticipated the negative reception she received. Furthermore, the Teabaggers got a chance to see just what a growing number of Americans think of them. Along with Palin, they are a bunch of self-absorbed, ignorant, and
emotionally stunted losers.
Sarah Palin: “…call out the liberal left and let them know: Mr. President, game on!”
Um…is this message for the liberal left, or the President?
Damn fool can’t even get her closing line right.
This is such a great thing to see that America has NOT lost their spirit, that these union members, public employees, and just good American people have finally found their voice again!
One has to wonder if Scott Walker is going to be selling off the Packers next?
By the way Linda, this is an excellent article. I believe you may just be right about the aborted presidential announcement!
Patrick
The title should be “Kroch throws party but Palin pulled out early”
Does that mean she quit?
Contraception, Palin-style? Some in my family term it, “pull-and-pray”; the rest of us call it “parenthood”.
NBC’s announcment of the Baily-Devon book
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/42642801/ns/today-books/?GT1=43001
Just for more cheerful reading, here are some numbers we can smile about!
“Of Thee I Sing” Amazon rating #563 (all books)
Palin book 2010: #7114
Palin book 2009: #3184
I refrained from “book” because the numbers make me smile. Why gild the lily?
🙂
I especially enjoyed the “Hey, folks, he’s trying to save your jobs and pensions,” – nothing like talking down to your audience, eh? “If you clueless peasants would just lissen up…”
I was a bit amazed that she even went to Wisconsin. Did she really think she was going to get a rosey reception? Is she that clueless? Well we all know the answer to that question.
Totally beside the point the ingenious slogans, but anyone
in the Western world has to know that WI is not the “HOST”
of the Packers. Football fan or not, you know it is a lifelong
love affair, obsession…..not a host/guest dynamic.
Minor, but another example of her insensitivity.
I am proposing a new term for the big screens put up at these rallies by the Tea Party and GOP, Inc. —
Dumbotron
Holee cowee – Riley’s animated GIF at Wonkette today is killer .
http://wonkette.com/443307/sarah-palin-receives-massive-disrespect-from-wisconsin-bolshies#more-443307
When she screeched that Walker is “trying to help you! He’s trying to save your jobs!” my spine tingled. She sounded just like Piper Laurie in “Carrie” just before she stabs Sissy Spacek.
Thank heavens I didn’t see the whole speech, but I did hear that part. Can we say, “condescending?” Or, in other words, “you dumb middle class saps really need to believe in the largess of us smart rich people, sit down, shut up, and wait for the money to trickle down into your little checking accounts.”
I’m still waiting for trickle down to my checking account from Ronnie Raygun.
I would love to see a video of the RWNJ Presidential wannabes cast as Pac men and women heads eating each other up. No need for joysticks in that game. A fight to the finish and the winner gets blasted.
I just read the ‘transcript’ written for her screech in Madison– what *really* strikes me is that it sure as heck sounds an awful lot like a ‘my hat’s in the ring’ speech…
The whole screech was just building, Building, BUILDING towards a seriously ginormous Biggie of: “Sarah’s running for POTUS in 2012”! I’m with some of the other commentors: sounds to me like she cut a line or two from the ending; I’d be willing to bet a couple dozen (or more!) SpudNuts that the original had her “big” announcement in it. beth.
[The ‘transcript’ is on her Fb — you can read it yourself, if you’d like (and can stomach it!), via the link from her Twitter page: http://twitter.com/sarahpalinusa ]
Do you need any kind of vaccinations before you venture over to her FB page? I’m sure there’s a lot of nasty contagious stuff going around there!
I agree, the speach ended really funny… I bet she was intending to announce at the rally… ooopss, the Kroch borthers paid all that money, bussed in all those ‘fans’ and she didn’t pull the trigger…. too funny!
Impressive! People are finally getting smart!
Could not happen to a “better” person!! Yes!!
The Shaming of the Shrew
….brought to you in living color by Madison. Hahaha. Love it. Encore!
SnowDriftSnookie HAA HAAAA.
lets see , snookie – a vapid , self absorbed , immature , out of touch bimbo who wrote a book.
how dare you drag snookie DOWN to the level of the moron quitter queen.
Palin is a BimBag…see there are 3 levels….Bimbett, Bimbo and then BimBag…age does bring perks LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
That is really funny and universally true.
ok, I finally got to watch the video and am heading off to bed but!
My favorite sign is the one that says “We drink beer, not tea!”
These days,not only is Sarah’s hair looking as if she just had wild group sex, but has anyone noticed how much she has aged since she first came to our attention in 2008? All the men who were drooling over her when she became McCain’s running mate must now be emptying their stomachs with disgust when they see greedy, dunce, ignorant ass on TV.
Ok, whoever said “Snowdrift Snookie” just had me laughing so hard I got hiccups. Thanks.
Btw..yesterday was beyond awesome. We ran the counter rally on the other side of the capitol. Story coming soon.
Patrick
Yay!!!
Never heard of Snowdrift Snookie before? That one’s been around a while and I think it’s quite appropriate, particularly in this context. She has become nothing more than a reality star to be gawked at and mocked. She also has about the same world experience, educational level and soaring intellect as the real Snookie.
I’m not a fan of reality shows so I’ve never seen the NJ version except in pictures but, if I’m not mistaken, they both have the same taste in Bumpits too! 😉
Palin’s idea of political dialogue is to throw out the budget fiasco in DC. Not that anybody heard it, but only shows her complete rampant onslaught of brain farts crashing around in her skull. It would be a gift to progressives if she ran, her trying to gloss over the boss Tweed atmosphere reinforces her lock step with the ludites marching back to the 19th century.
OK. I know the weather was yucky. I know you guys are going to throw tomatoes at me because I just can’t let this point go, but I’m going to perseverate, anyway. I have been warned!
WHEN is she going to learn to wash and comb her hair!!!!!!!!!!!!
I mean, who wants the leader of the free world answering that 3 AM red phone call looking like THAT!
🙂
Bed head on steroids!
I’m convinced that she uses extensions and that’s why all the fuss over hair dresser at every event. I don’t think she’s bald (all though that would be funny), but I bet that bumpit pile is a camaflouge for the extensions.
Good one:
Why Sarah Palin Doesn’t Get What She Deserves
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-daum-palin-20110417,0,7272287.column
And that’s not the only reason why we can’t bring ourselves to take the gloves off with Palin. It’s impossible not to feel like we’re punching shamefully below our weight, which everyone knows is against the rules. Palin lacks the intellectual, analytical and rhetorical skills to have a competent discussion about policy or much else. She is handicapped not only by a lack of education, experience and curiosity about the world (wearing a Star of David in Israel doesn’t count), but by a speaking style that often collapses under the weight of disjointed, undiagrammable sentences. She is, in terms of the political arena, easily outclassed.
By casting herself as the less privileged, less polished outsider in the fancy school, she fashions the rest of us into playground bullies (ironic, given her predilection for bullying language) who taunt her with big vocabularies and book learning and obsession with nuance. By playing the victim (ironic, given how closely she associates victimhood with liberal whining), Palin forces her critics to choose between the roles of merciless oppressor and guilt-ridden enabler. And since the merciless oppressor part is already played ably by various screamers on blogs, cable TV and Internet comment boards, writers like me have taken the other route, leaning over so far backward to avoid saying the obvious that we sometimes can’t get enough air in our lungs to say much at all.
That’s why I truly hope Palin continues to fight her temptation to run for president. If there was ever a candidate who brought out the worst in people, who encouraged hollow rejoinders but made honest analysis almost impossible, it is she. Besides, if she did run, I’d have to write about her. And all the yoga in the world wouldn’t keep my spine from eventually breaking from those bac
Whenever I get completely overwhelmed and sick of everything about her, I remind myself that I felt nearly the same way about media coverage of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.
Eventually, they faded from the spotlight just like Snowdrift Snookie will. She has lost all credibility as a political figure and has descended into celebrity joke status. Sooner or later, all but her most rabid followers will lose interest and she will disappear from our television screens and our newspapers.
Can’t happen soon enough for me.
she lost the hat that went with the tin foil coat .
🙂
😀
Now that’s funny.
Any word on why sarah was wrapped in aluminum foil like a baked potato?
Did she think she was in Idaho?
So we could stick a fork in her?
Thanks Linda, for the nice write-up about my home state.
So glad to see Ms. Thang was severely booed.
I love the fact that the Teabaggers have Sarah from Alaska and Breitbart from California flown in to “rally” Wisconsinites.
Hilarious.
Meanwhile, She’s invoking the Green Bay Packers? Uh, sorry, Sarah, big FAIL.
Green Bay Packers? Players in the midst of negotiations with the NFL? EPIC FAIL, Sarah!
I’m of the opinion that keeping up with Sarah is still a necessary evil – she functions in the role of Republican Attack Dog.. looking for items to fire up the base, finding out what resonates with people and what doesn’t…and the other Repubs clue in on what she and Bachmann are able to stir up, and feed off those items to garner support for themselves. note that 2nd amendment lines have been dropped from Republican speakers after the AZ shootings, and her “blood libel” speech.. Family Values are still the buzz word, but as more and more Repubs are caught in “less than pure adherence”, then that loses its luster – blantant hypocrisy can be overlooked for just so long.. ( Newt’s escapades will do him in, ) and there are rumor stories of both Palins.. until Sarah goes the way of Monica Lewinsky, it’s better to keep an eye ( and camera!) on her.
I totally agree, ben. When she finally sits down and shuts up, I’ll be happy 🙂
Sarah is now a toothless pitbull with lipstick!
Despite all the evil, despicable things SP says and stands for, I like the idea that she and the other knuckleheads who are spewing their ignorance do it for all to see. It shines a bright light on their idiocy and serves the progressive cause well when we can show the “Real America” to her “rill ‘merica”.
Wisconsonites Rock!!!
Until the leadership of the Republican Party comes out and tells Sarah Palin publicly to shut up and go away, the Republican Party owns her. Just as it owns the teabaggers and the extreme racists among its membership. By dancing with the loonies, the Republicans took the House of Representatives in 2010. They are one and the same in my book.
ben, I completely agree with you. We do need to keep watching Sarah, even though she has lost of lot of her appeal to all but the most extreme right wingers or whatever party she’s appealing to. I’m not so sure, however, that she will ever stop talking and go home and stay there. She seems to be one of those clueless people who hears encouragement in the boos from the crowd, rather than what the rest of us hear.
beaglemom, I think you are right in pointing out that the republican party owns all the crazies they have taken under their umbrella in their desperate attempt to gain power. It worked partly last fall but the group they took in isn’t really ready to play by republican rules.
Sarah’s so used to her confined echo chamber, I’m sure it wrecked her game when holding for applause with her lame sports references, platitudes about the location and people – that she “wasn’t in Kansas anymore.”
If she had the nerve to announce, she was looking for epic cheers and dramatic press. She chickened out. Once again, she has no idea what she gets herself in for. And drags her family in for the ride.
I’ve been a Sarah Palin critic ever since the Alaskan Democrats embraced her for her AGIA and ACES debacles… But I think I can finally say with confidence, Sarah Palin has become irrelevant… Critiquing her has become synonymous with kicking a dead horse… That’s not to say I won’t still buy a well written book chronicling the abomination… But as a real threat to return to power, I think it’s safe to say you can now safely stick a fork in her…
Oh, I dunno, I think the entertainment value of a Trump/Palin 2012 ticket would be priceless. Not to mention it signalling the death throes of the GOP.
Friends don’t let friends vote Republican.
Slogan for the Trump / Palin 2012 ticket: You’re fired! I quit!
(I don’t know who’s the original author of this witty wisdom.)
😉
Tribble/Bumpit 2012
Ahhh… that brightened my day!
loved the “witty wisdom” tres cool.
Trump knows Sarah is a loser… why else do you think he thinks he stands a chance??? He KNOWS the field is weak… Not that Obama is anything to write home about… after all, Obama’s really nothing more than Mister Let’s get us into another freckin war…..
Or bring out the butter and jam – she’s toast.
So glad to hear that $carah’s star is continuing to fall. Maybe she really WILL be able to show us what a great mother she is once she starts having some free time to spend at home. Whatever happened to that pledge that she would only travel out of state to speak at events that benefit special needs children?
THE KOCH BROTHERS ARE SARAH’S PIMPS!
SARAH IS THEIR PROSTITUTE!
SHE WILL SAY ANYTHING AND GO ANYWHERE!
AS LONG AS THE KOCH BROTHERS DIRTY MONEY FLOWS INTO
HER BANK ACCOUNT!
THE ‘RED NECK – HILLBILLY’ GAL FROM WASILLA, ALASKA!
Seems like the Koch Brothers have something new to worry about. “Anonymous”, the group of computer hackers who went after the enemies if Wikileaks, have now decided to attack the Koch Brothers and Americans for Prosperity. As I put it on Facebook, this is “hacking we can believe in!”
http://ezkool.com/2011/02/koch-brothers-and-american-for-prosperity-attacked-by-anonymous/
I was lucky enough to be there. Attagirl unfortunately had to work since somebody has to pay the bills. It was made very clear that Sarah and her gang were not welcome.
Weather was rather uncooperative. Cold (low 30s) and rain and snow with a fairly stiff wind. That in no way deterred the enthusiasm of the regular protesters. My estimate puts the TP numbers at 600 to 800 possibly, with the REAL Americans numbering around 7000 to 8000. The Capitol Police estimate was on the 12:30 crowd and the crowd didn’t peak til about 1:30.
The TP people had a stage. sound system and jumbo-tron at one corner of the grounds where there is an area that has a large walkway up to a terrace that circles the building. The walk had large temporary barriers at each edge (About 8 to 10 ft high). Don’t know if it was to block the view of the protestors or what. The REAL Americans had a stage and sound system at the opposite corner of the grounds couldn’t afford a jumbo-tron.
The REAL Americans have this down to a science by now and tend to march around the square counterclockwise on the sidewalk. Then the firefighters show up with their big flag and bagpipers and an impromptu parade moved to the streets around the square. The energy is just very exciting.
When the TP program started more Real Americans began to cluster around the the TP area and the crowd became one. The TP speakers were mostly pretty well drowned out by the background noise but when Breitbart and Sarah took the stage it really got loud.
If they did not realize they were unwelcome here they would have to be deaf, dumb, and blind. (We already knew about the dumb part and I’m not referring to being mute.) The signs carried by the REAL Americans are marvelously clever and entertaining. The one pictured above is a prime example. There was a 6 ft x 2 ft banner “Sarah Go Home”, and hundreds of “Palin show Walker how to quit”. By the entry to the TP area was a fairly large sign “Corporate Propaganda Program” with an arrow.
I can guarantee you that Americans for Prosperity (aka – The Koch Brothers) did not get their money’s worth here. They pretty much got laughed right out of Madison. Yea for the REAL Americans.
I do not want to usurp Patrick’s regular spot here but I just come away from Madison with a need to share the experience. Wish you all could be there too.
Me too- wish I could have been there to yell Boo with you!
And to stand in solidarity with you all.
Thanks for sharing your experience at the event!
Glad you were there to represent the Flats! Quyana, thank you!
quyana puk puk puk (like dad used to say! another happy eskimo.
Thanks PaPa! GREAT boots on the ground reporting, and everyone captures different impressions & memories. Wish we all could have been there too!
Loved hearing it. The videos do not lie. On Wisconsin.
Breitbart has a way of making videos lie don’t forget. I expect to see one showing Union backers attacking Palin’s crowd.
Wow! Thanks for a first hand report. I’m so glad she was given a “REAL American” reception. I wish I could have been there too. Love hearing this from someone who was there. Thank you for being there and standing up for REAL Americans all over the country.
This one’s for you, whatzername!
You and your poor tea wasters…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czz8gogf5rI
Buddy asked that I share with people
GO WI- let’s take it back.
Thanks! I love your “REAL Americans” meme.
“Sarah show Walker how to quit” — how great!
thank you for being there and representing! Wisconsin rocks.
I didn’t want to usurp Patrick here either…but I wanted to at least get a post out there to counter the crap coming from Fox News. I hope Patrick has one planned to give us his Wisconsin bird’s-eye-view of the festivities 🙂
Thanks, PaPa! So good to have a mudpuppy there!
Great report! I so appreciate hearing from everyone who was there. And I loved your description of the crowd activities, the way the REAL Americans ♥ are so organized peacefully, but with a strong voice.
marvelous! thanks for boots on the ground coverage. there is nothing like it.
Your account of the events has given me a warm glow of pride for all the clever protesters. I am annoyed as hell that you were not well covered by the media. I will come to this site more often for my information and to see that there are MANY who will not permit the death of the working middle class and the forced poverty of our elderly.
While not terribly important I was not impressed with the Julia O.of ADN piece on the birth story of Trig ..Palin..she said how foolish this story is..well it might be..there are plenty of completely true and proven without doubt on Palin..phony situation without this one one way or the other. but I do think it is very important for the crediable Alaska press to never pander to a Palin or Miller type…Palin definitely trys to brand herself as the true spirit of Alaksa..heaven forbid…while many people as the polls show now everywhere have a not favorable opinion of Palin..it would seem important that Alaskcans let it be known she does not represent Alaska or real Alaskans . Julia did have a last sentence in this piece that said something about Palin questioning Obama birth place but it was not to me..said solid enough to make a really definite good point of the complete as always hypocrisy of the Palin types.
As always who can tell what Palin intentions as to trying to run for president or to be sure she gets a very prized position if a tea party ultra right wing would very unforanately be elected . Who is the most phony..Palin..Trump..Bachmann ? they all are and as is it Chris Matthews who has called the complete line of tea party presidential canidates the clow sideshow…a apt description. Alaska Dispatch has a piece on the many tea party cruise situtions that will becoming to Alaska this summer..I will look forward to the Mudflats pieces on this as you seem to always hit the important true situations and well.
The best true coverage of this event..as always from Mudflats.
She’d better get used to the boos. I have a hunch that when she announces, there will be boos from the right. On every stop of “her America” tour, she will be booed and outnumbered by those of us smart enough to know when we are being screwed. She hasn’t a clue…she’s happy to say whatever she’s told, take the money, and run back to her private jet. When Rove and Newt and most of the other ‘thinkers’ on the right are against you, you don’t really need any other enemies. Plus, when babygate finally breaks, we’ll see how tough she is. The crumbling of the iceberg will be something to see.
She’ll never run for Pres….not enough money in it for her.
Besides, she will want a cement pond for the back yard LOL.
They had bus in mouth breathers from out of state just so SnowDriftSnookie could have a couple of hundred folks in front of her.
Meanwhile they were outnumbered ~~10 to 1~~AND surrounded by these Labor protestors from Wisconsin, without incident!
Oh how the mighty have fallen…..lol
If The GrizzledMamma, can’t even draw 200 on her own, on the big anniversary of the American Teabagging Revolution…lol.makes me laugh every time…..then she can expect her $120,000 screeching fees to plummet likewise.
I read that she praised the TPers for standing up to the “hatred and violence” of the union supporters during the recent protests.
I don’t know what protests she was watching, but there were well more than 10 times the number of people at those rallies than were at yesterday’s event, but there were no major incidents of violence. At least there weren’t among the protesters. Some of the security got a little nasty but the protesters were remarkably well-behaved and civilized. But, of course, that goes completely against the right wing narrative of ‘union thugs’. Can’t really call polite people thugs, now can we? Then again, what’s one more lie when your whole career is nothing BUT lies!
I watched the Sarah Palin speech live and I honestly thought after her “election starts here and now” that her next utterance would be a declaration that she’s running.
Today I think that was her original intent but that she felt the sea of boos would cast a bad light on her declaration because she could feel the hostility in the crowd.
She will make her declaration within the next 14 days, though. Just my belief…
Hope she has laryngitis…(permanently) from yelling over that great crowd. Wish that peeps in FL woulda done that when ever she showed up here.
Good on the libs in Wisconsin!
He shouts “class warfare” and I guess he should know what that means since the Repugs wrote the book on how to get it done!!
And telling us to go to HELL….another cold S.O.B. if you ask me.
They have been waging a war on us po’ folks and middle class for decades…now since there are more of us then them, they will see what a “real rally” looks like!!
Palin has never been one of us and never will be.
Woo HOO!! I’d have LOVED to be there!