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<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff><A
href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20091105/pl_politico/29183">http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20091105/pl_politico/29183</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<H1>Tea parties descend on Capitol</H1>
<DIV class=byline><CITE class=vcard>Jonathan Allen, Meredith
Shiner </CITE><ABBR class=timedate
title=2009-11-05T08:14:00-0800>Thu Nov 5, 11:14 am ET</ABBR>
</DIV><!-- end .byline -->
<DIV class="mod ad darla_ad" id=darla-ad__LREC> </DIV>
<DIV class="mod ad darla_ad">Thousands of <A
href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/politico/pl_politico/storytext/29183/33980966/SIG=11lgiuqn4;_ylt=AjroiRagcApezwc50y1sTe3Cw5R4;_ylu=X3oDMTFkZGExbWVtBHBvcwM0BHNlYwN5bl9zdG9yeV9wcmludF9jb250ZW50BHNsawN0ZWFwYXJ0eQ--/*http://topics.politico.com/index.cfm/topic/TeaParty"><SPAN
class=yshortcuts id=lw_1257453584_0><FONT color=#4485be>tea
party</FONT></SPAN></A> activists descended on Washington Thursday to protest
the trillion-dollar health care bill and government spending, holding signs
protesting <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1257453584_1>Barack Obama</SPAN>’s
agenda while aiming chants of “You work for us” at the Capitol building. </DIV>
<P>The gathering was organized by local tea party groups around the country, who
are arriving in Washington this morning by the busload. Conservative leaders in
Congress, led by Rep. <A
href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/politico/pl_politico/storytext/29183/33980966/SIG=11mjpsa90;_ylt=AmHbc594XRaUCKKigDoiB._Cw5R4;_ylu=X3oDMTFoZm9idnRnBHBvcwM1BHNlYwN5bl9zdG9yeV9wcmludF9jb250ZW50BHNsawNtaWNoZWxlYmFjaG0-/*http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1109/29165.html"><SPAN
class=yshortcuts id=lw_1257453584_2><FONT color=#4485be>Michele
Bachmann</FONT></SPAN></A> (R-Minn.), have taken to the airwaves to encourage
the activists to show up on the <SPAN class=yshortcuts
id=lw_1257453584_3>Capitol steps</SPAN> and demand meetings with members of
Congress. The crowd grew to about 10,000 by noon — a significant gathering
for a weekday but far fewer than the 9/12 protests earlier this fall. Bachmann
has promised to lead some protesters to a press conference inside the Capitol to
express their opposition to the <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1257453584_4>health
care bill</SPAN> in person to members of Congress. </P>
<P><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1257453584_5>Rep. Jean Schmidt</SPAN> (R-Ohio)
actually invited the thousands of protesters to go into the House buildings to
try to meet their <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1257453584_6>member of
Congress</SPAN> after the rally. </P>
<P>"I invite you, when the rally's over, to travel in those halls, look at the
walls, find your [member] and walk in," she said. "Let them know how you feel
about this bill." </P>
<P>Given the security of the Capitol complex, that might create a logistical
nightmare, so it’s not clear how many of the protesters may actually enter House
office buildings. </P>
<P>But shortly after the protests broke up, a GOP aide e-mailed <SPAN
class=yshortcuts id=lw_1257453584_7>POLITICO</SPAN>, writing: “Pretty big crowd
waiting in line (currently to Independence Ave and more making their way from
the Capitol) to get into Rayburn. They are orderly and immediately looking at
the posted directories to get room numbers.”</P>
<P><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1257453584_8>House Minority Leader John
Boehner</SPAN> (R-Ohio) was a surprise guest speaker this afternoon, holding up
a <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1257453584_9>copy of the Constitution</SPAN> as
he rallied the protesters. Rep. <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1257453584_10>Pete
Hoekstra</SPAN> (R-Mich.) demanded: “Madame Speaker, throw out this bill,” while
some protesters chanted “burn the bill.” </P>
<P>Conservative leaders like Tony Perkins of the <SPAN class=yshortcuts
id=lw_1257453584_11>Family Research Council</SPAN> showed up, along with
celebrity conservatives Jon Voight and John Ratzenberger. </P>
<P>Voight invoked the <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1257453584_12>Rev. Jeremiah
Wright</SPAN> in his speech, saying, “The lies and deception are blatant ...
Maybe it was the 20 years of subconscious programming by Rev. Wright to damn
America." </P>
<P>The protesters arrived as early as 8:30 a.m., by bus, car and plane — from
Bluffton, S.C., Des Moines and Dorris, Calif. — to rally with conservative
lawmakers and possibly roam the halls of Congress. Dozens of Republican
lawmakers gathered shortly after noon to offer a prayer, say the Pledge of
Allegiance and rally the crowd. </P>
<P>"Can you hear us now!" the protesters chanted from the foot of the Capitol as
they awaited the arrival of their heroine — <A
href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/politico/pl_politico/storytext/29183/33980966/SIG=11s1vpne2;_ylt=AtJXoV5R.t8SdsPWOWgDpuzCw5R4;_ylu=X3oDMTFkanF1aDU3BHBvcwM2BHNlYwN5bl9zdG9yeV9wcmludF9jb250ZW50BHNsawNiYWNobWFubg--/*http://topics.politico.com/index.cfm/topic/MicheleBachmann"><SPAN
class=yshortcuts id=lw_1257453584_13><FONT
color=#4485be>Bachmann</FONT></SPAN></A>. The crowd also chanted, “We want
Michele!” </P>
<P>"She's very brave," said Nancy Holmberg of Dorris. </P>
<P>"Palin/Bachmann 2012," came a shout from the crowd. The crowd is also
chanting Speaker <A
href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/politico/pl_politico/storytext/29183/33980966/SIG=11o3h243h;_ylt=AlGfsakVw5nm8VsqE.K05ivCw5R4;_ylu=X3oDMTFncGdkN3A3BHBvcwM3BHNlYwN5bl9zdG9yeV9wcmludF9jb250ZW50BHNsawNuYW5jeXBlbG9zaQ--/*http://topics.politico.com/index.cfm/topic/NancyPelosi"><SPAN
class=yshortcuts id=lw_1257453584_14><FONT color=#4485be>Nancy
Pelosi</FONT></SPAN></A>'s name and demanding that she come address them on the
steps of the Capitol.</P>
<P>Another hero of the movement, <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1257453584_15>Rep.
Virginia Foxx</SPAN> (R-N.C.), has been autographing tea bags for the crowd and
is wearing a jacket covered in pins and stickers reading “Yes!
Freedom!” </P>
<P>Pelosi obviously wasn’t going to address the crowd, and her spokesman said
Democrats were busy trying to pass a bill while Republicans played the role of
obstructionists. </P>
<P>“While the Party of No holds a rally to once again say 'no,' our health
insurance reform bill was endorsed by the AARP and the AMA, and on the House
floor, we are debating bipartisan legislation to create jobs by <SPAN
class=yshortcuts id=lw_1257453584_16>extending unemployment benefits</SPAN> and
extending the first-time-homebuyer tax credit,” Pelosi spokesman <SPAN
class=yshortcuts id=lw_1257453584_17>Brendan Daly</SPAN> said. “We are
continuing with our job or passing legislation that will help the American
people.” </P>
<P>Speaking on conservative talker <SPAN class=yshortcuts
id=lw_1257453584_18>Laura Ingraham</SPAN>’s radio show this morning, Bachmann
encouraged people listening to show up on the West Front steps, but she said
they should show up with “cameras” instead of “pitchforks.” </P>
<P>In an unrelated incident, nine activists were arrested in the Hart building,
and they are being processed at <SPAN class=yshortcuts
id=lw_1257453584_19>police headquarters</SPAN>. Roll Call is reporting that
these were protesters from the opposite end of the <SPAN class=yshortcuts
id=lw_1257453584_20>political spectrum</SPAN> — Code Pink. All the buildings in
the Capitol complex remain open for now. (The original version of this story
incorrectly reported which protesters were arrested).
<P>The protesters, who are occupying the patch of grass only a few yards from
where <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1257453584_21>Barack Obama</SPAN> took the
oath of office on Jan. 20, have also chanted “You work for us!” Many are holding
signs that echo their distrust of Obama and their belief that he is pursuing
socialist policies.
<P>One sign read: "Obama takes his orders from the Rothschilds," a reference to
theories of Jewish world dominance centered around the prominent Jewish family
of Rothschilds.
<P>Last night, Bachmann reasserted a claim that Pelosi was considering
tightening security in preparation for the activists, which she warned "would be
a huge mistake." There has been an increased police presence around the Capitol
Thursday morning, and a <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1257453584_22>Capitol
Police officer</SPAN> told <SPAN class=yshortcuts
id=lw_1257453584_23>POLITICO</SPAN> that protesters are allowed to march on the
West Front lawn of the Capitol but are not allowed onto the steps of the
building.
<P>Mary Beth Bishop of Monument, Colo., spent $500 on a plane ticket to lodge
her complaints about the growth of government.
<P>"We need to show up and uphold the Constitution," she said. "It wasn't
written on toilet paper."
<P>Police patrolled the gates and stone walls, keeping the crowd in, but there
was little sign of trouble.
<P><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1257453584_24>Rep. Steve King</SPAN> (R-Iowa)
shook hands at a wall line like a presidential contender.
<P>"This is too great," he said.
<P>Daniel Libit and Martin Kady II contributed to this story.
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