Smartone's
diary earlier today, titled
CNN "undecided " voter is really Republican Operative, prompts me to share my experience last night.
Local College Republicans misrepresenting themselves as undecided voters to the media after the debate were not the only ones at work. The GOP imported busloads of young College Republicans from around the state to crash the protests and sign-waving efforts that preceeded the event!
How do I know this?
Read all about it after the break (a nod to you, MaryScott!! ;-D)
My 11-year old daughter and I were waving Kerry/Edwards and Betty Castor signs from 4:30pm to 7:00pm as part of "the world's biggest pro-Democratic candidate Honk & Wave" along US 1 from the southern edge of downtown Miami to the suburbs. This six-lane street is bumper-to-bumper for hours every day during peoples' commutes, and goes right in front of the University of Miami campus where the Presidential Debate was held.
We staked out the corner of US 1 and 17th Avenue, and waved, cheered, and chatted with other sign-holders supporting a local candidate for almost two hours. Lots of supportive honks, even in what many consider DoubleBush territory, and I was jazzed. Only one New York taxi driver's salute early on, and this from an old man in a car who had no problems flashing the bird right in my daughter's face (he got my vote for total butthead).
All of a sudden, a group of six young men and women, including a black man, popped up out of nowhere, waving Bush/Cheney04 signs in front of our prime location. I ran up and told them to get outta my way, I was here first. My tone was only halfway joking.
Two of the young women said, "Hey, they lied to us! No one told us we were going be waving signs on the street!" I asked who was they, and one said that the state GOP had recruited them, College Republicans from campuses in Tampa and Orlando, to come to Miami to watch the debate. All expenses paid, including bus fare and meals (not sure about a hotel).
So much for spontaneous protests to defend Bush/Cheney ... and more proof that these GOOpers script everything down to the last detail!!
In a really strange twist, one of the two young women confessed to me (a young-looking 44 - hah! - theoretically, I could be her mother) that even though she is Republican she likes Kerry better than Bush. Her girlfriend agreed, pulled out a homemade Kerry sign, and started waving it despite the other CRs' objections!!!
I was floored.
Before my daughter and I left a few minutes later, I called the NoBush girls over and gave them our 2 Kerry signs. We drove off, and circled back by our corner to check on them - lo and behold, the female College Republicans for Kerry were still waving their new Kerry signs!
Another example of truth stranger than fiction.
And yes, Kerry kicked Shrub's brush-clearing behind last night!