Anti-Bush Rally in Salt Lake City w/pics

I attended the anti-Bush rally here in Salt Lake the last time Mr 28% came to town in August 2005 when he spoke before the American Legion at their convention. That rally drew a crowd of 3,000-4,000 people. Now he's back again with Mitt Romney for a pair of private fundraisers for McCain. McCain himself is afraid to show his face with Bush, even here in Utah, the reddest state in the Union, which Bush won in 2004 with 72% of the vote, highest in the nation. One of the fundraisers had to be moved from the Grand America Hotel to a private residence because of low ticket sales. Read all about here.Salt Lake Tribune Well Utah ain't so red as she used to be, more of a purple now. Our mayor at the time, Rocky Anderson, was replaced by an even more progressive mayor, John Becker, when Rocky decided not to run for another term. Also in 2006 two Republicans on the city council were thrown out and replaced by two even more progressive Democrats. A lot of the Republicans in the State Legislature are nervous about the coming elections in November.And they should be. It is not a good year to be a Republican. Even in Utah.

Tickets for the Bush fundraiser cost $500 for the cheap seats at the afternoon fundraiser, or $10,000 for a private audience with King George. For only $30,800 you could have had a private dinner at Mitt's home in the mountain resort town of Park City. Bring a date for only $70,100.(why does it cost more to go as a couple rather than go seperately?) Or come to Rocky's Rally for free.
The Salt Lake Tribune estimated the crowd at "little more that 500". Well,I guess that depends on what your defininition of little is. I walked around the crowd and I guaratee that there were considerably more than 500 people. I estimate 1,500-2,000.
Puppies for Peace
Rocky Anderson
Daniel Ellsburg
Daniel Ellsburg spoke about the chance he took when he leaked the Pentagon Papers during the Vietnam War and how he expected to be charged with treason and sent to prison for life. He then asked us what we were prepared to do to end the war. But of all the speakers the one that affected me the most was the Utah mother whose son had been killed in Iraq in 2006. Her son was an Army captain that was kidnapped in Bagdad then driven around the city for 2 hours before he was executed by being shot in the back of the head. A West Point grad who was against the war but went because it was his duty. He leaves behind a wife, a 4 year old daughter and a 2 year old son. She said that George Bush doesn't know what it's like to hear a 2 year old grandson ask his mother "what's a daddy"?