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As the Midterms Approach, Liberals Rally to Build Enthusiasm

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WASHINGTON -- Thousands of demonstrators from around the country rallied on the National Mall Saturday in a passionate and determined display to build enthusiasm for liberal causes and candidates one month before the midterm elections.
The crowd stretched from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to the edge of the Washington Monument, stoked by a series of speakers, musicians, and even comedians. Sponsors of the event, called "One Nation Working Together," made the case for liberal causes, such as universal health care and immigration reform, and urged voters to fight back against the Tea Party movement.

"Forty Republicans have decided to say, 'no,' while you suffer, while your jobs go overseas, while they strangle the money," Ed Shultz, host of MSNBC's "The Ed Show," told the crowd, referring to Republicans in the Senate. "They don't want to give it to the small businesses. They want to keep it at the top. They want to see President Obama fail. We cannot let that happen. We cannot give up on November 2."

The four-hour rally, supported by more than 400 liberal groups, attracted people with diverse concerns, some of which were reflected in signs they carried. "It is NOT ok to Bash Muslims," read one popular sign. "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Hate," read another, referring to the ban on openly gay military service members. There were also several attacks on conservatives. One person near the Lincoln Memorial held up a sign that read, "Axis of Ignorance: Tea Party, Republicans, Fox News."

"I want the Republicans to know that we're not afraid," said Ellen Vogel, who traveled to the rally from Alaska. "We're not sitting home, and we don't have voter apathy. We're tired of the lies and the propaganda. It's just ridiculous. We need to stand together, not spread fear."
Several people said they came to the event to address what they perceived as an increasingly divided political environment.
"Over the past eight to 10 years, there have been these forces that have done nothing but divide the nation, pitting one group against another," said Michael Fox of the American Federation of State, Country and Municipal Employees, leading a group down 23rd street in Washington to the Lincoln Memorial.

"We're down here as disparate groups -- civil rights organizations, labor organizations, social justice organizations -- to demonstrate that people of all kinds can get along and work towards a common goal, which is putting people back to work."
The need for jobs was also on Betsy Daly's mind. "People who are out of work are not lazy," said Daly. "They've been characterized as lazy, shiftless, worthless, unemployed people. Well, people want to work. And I think it's poignant that there are many people here of very limited means who took what little money they have to come here today."
James White, who led a group from the Sheet Metal Workers International Association, echoed her remarks. "We're here for one reason -- for jobs," he said. "It's time to put our people back to work. We want to make sure everybody understands that. We know the administration's trying, but the Congress and the Senate need to do something and pass a jobs bill."

The Rev. Al Sharpton delivered a populist speech that touched on the strength of diversity.
"We bailed out the banks. We bailed out the insurance companies. And now it's time to bail out the American people," Sharpton declared from a stage at the Lincoln Memorial. "If we can get blacks connected to whites, Latinos connected to Asians, straights connected to gays...we can make America breathe and make America live."
"We need to organize to make sure that in the election this year, we're able to hold on to the gains we've made for equality and justice for our country," said Dan Hawes, who came to the rally with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. "All of that is at risk right now. So I'm here to take a stand for justice and equality."

The proceedings didn't go by without at least one heated, and slightly physical, argument between a lone, determined Tea Party member and some demonstrators. "We accept opposing views," said Roxanne Vunnell, who was involved in the altercation, "and we understand that not everybody is going to agree on things. But to come and get in our faces and put her hands on us, that's not acceptable."

The One Nation event followed a huge rally Aug. 28 on the same site by conservative talk show host Glenn Beck, which was billed as a non-political salute to the military. One Nation leaders said turnout for their event had been larger than they expected -- and that attendance could rival that of Beck's rally last month.
The National Park Service stopped providing estimates of crowd sizes in 1995, after a controversy over attendance at the "Million Man March."

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dazy415

Hard to argue about the ignorant GOP on their controlled AOL. My Daddy always said, "Never argue with ignorance or try to reason with insanity." If you don't think Limball, Palin, O'donalld,and the tea baggers are ignorant then you may want to think is Beck insane? Are you? Their collective I.Q. is very low. two 50 I.Q.'s do not make a 100! Intelligent people will vote Democratic. Ignorant and wealthy will vote GOP. If you make over $250,000. a year then by all means vote R for Rich Retards

October 03 2010 at 12:15 AM
Andy Kearney

I can't believe the amount of ignorance I read here. People are out of work and they want jobs not handouts. What is wrong with that? This isn't a party thing this is about getting everyone the ability to find employment and they don't care what party you come from. They just want to express their pain. Does it take violent action for people to get the message? God I hope not. There are jobs out there and these people are too lazy and would rather take unemployment right? Man that just shows how ignorant some people are. These people are concerned about getting real employment and being able to get their lives back on track. To have a future. They don't have anything but their ability to work hard to count on. That and the faith in their fellow Americans to step up and say they have had enough. They want to work and support their families and build a life for them.

October 03 2010 at 12:13 AM
Rory

Excellent article, crowd there was better then the Tea Party. Quite honestly, if you take at those who actually voted for the Tea party candidates, if they were running in an open Primary they wouldn't even make the general election. Like in Kentucky in which Conway and Mongarido had both more votes then Ron Paul, but the News agencies gave Ron Paul the headlines and he came in a distant third in actually primary voting, but instead of reporting that, they reported that he was polled ahead of Jack Conway. This tells you about the bias of the News agencies.

October 03 2010 at 12:13 AM
byronjohns821

Where does the bias lie and why? There have been many rallies on the Mall, why is it that this one gets diminished by only being compared to the one that happened just a few weeks ago? This comparison seems to miss the point that rallying on the Mall is a way that many movements have demonstrated by going to the site of the government - The Capitol. Why is it that the Tea Party and Glenn Beck rally had tens of thousands, and this one is said to have thousands, yet the numbers are comparable, according to your article? This is just more of the same skewed perspective, and it needs to stop.

October 03 2010 at 12:11 AM
maraidia

The tea party candidate for the governer of New York State is named Karl Palidino. This is what he said about the poor and unemployed and I quote "the poor should be put in underused prisons and undergo training programs and training in personal hygiene." He also said that he intends to RULE N.Y.State like a benevolent DICTATOR which is how all Dictators veiw themselves. The Dems and the independents and the middle class are NOT the elites, the Tea Party is, and they are using the poorest and most ignorant among us, against themselves and against all of us, by means of fear.

October 03 2010 at 12:11 AM
jacksonb555

I thought that people in this country had good sense, but if 1 person in this country cast a republican ballot, well I don't know what to say. The reason why we are in the mess we are in is because of the failed policies of the Republicans, now they want us to put them back in office so they can finish us off.

October 03 2010 at 12:10 AM
jevillega

Meg Whitman's illegal made $23.00 an hour. Many Americans with college degrees are not making $23.00 an hour, my daughter is one of them. The illegal crying on Allred's shoulder was absolutely disgusting. What is she crying for, she's not a victim, she is the criminal and is a stereotype of all the illegals. McCain saying that they are taking jobs Americans don't want is a lie. Want to find an illegal? Look in the public schools, look in construction, look in trucking. The rich elite who are supposedly our public servants don't have a clue what is going on in middle America. We need to take our country back.

October 03 2010 at 12:06 AM
Lisa

my dad always told me if it takes you a year to get yourself in this finacial mess, then it will take two years of hard work to pay it off. we have had 8 years of digging our selfs deep in to this mess with bush and his misfits and we expect obama to be able to get us out in less than two years, we hold both houses but with the republican filabuster. they tie the hands of the people we sent to clean up this mess. we need more dems not less so we can clean this mess up for the good of the people who sent them to office to do a job. it is going to take hard work, i am willing to do the hard work. are you?

October 03 2010 at 12:06 AM
Welcome Bruce

Bocabrad, I hope you don't mind my editing your comment just a little; It's always amazing how many people drink the kool-aid on the left. Liberals and democrats have always been and will most likely always be for themselves. The republicans have told us in no uncertain terms that they want to save the middle-class. They want to pay forf Medicare, they want to make people pay for their own health care, and they'd like to see all retirement plans be paid for by the employees who do a day's work for a day's wages. Now, if you have the ability to think.... what will this do to you? Just the health care coverage alone will cost the American taxpayers billions per year. How many of you can afford that? So, for you (the person receiving welfare and other government subsidies) to pay for your retirement... how much spare money do you have? Can you save a few million to cover what the liberals need? There, now that's the way ya should have written it!!! You betcha!

October 03 2010 at 12:05 AM
imvlh208

Their rally is quite different than the conservatives. The liberals tend to be on an "attack" all the time. That's what they do. The conservatives come across as just wanting our freedom as this country was founded...what's wrong with that? I don't think the Liberals are sure why they rally, I think they just like to make noise. Further, whenever there are TV cameras....there is Al Sharpton.

October 03 2010 at 12:05 AM

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