the blog of DC Drinking Liberally
The Virginia election will be upon us before you know it. Saturday our friends at DC for Democracy are giving you an opportunity to help the Democrats in Virginia by volunteering for Dave Marsden, a candidate for the House of Delegates.
Here’s the latest message from DC4D:
It’s only five weeks until the Virginia election, and there are plenty of opportunities to help the Democrats win. One way to get involved is to get on Tanya Tarr’s e-mail list and volunteer at the events she’s organizing. I met Tanya at the Running for Change kickoff in July, and she’s enthusiastic about making Virginia bluer. She quit her job to work full-time for Democratic victories in Virginia this year, and if you’re interested in helping she’s got something for you to do! Below is her latest e-mail about upcoming events. Write Tanya at tanya.tarr@vavictory2005.org to get on the list.
After marching Saturday, yesterday I went down to the Mall again to check out the prowar rally, which was organized by the same folks who brought you the “You Don’t Speak for Me, Cindy” caravan last month, including Move America Forward and Free Republic.
Not surprisingly the rally was somewhat whiter and maler than Saturday’s antiwar march. Also, it was a lot smaller. The smallest estimate in the media for the number participating in the antiwar march was 100,000. The largest estimate for the prowar rally was 400, and I think that’s about right — as long as you’re counting all the observers, curious tourists, and antiwar protesters who were gathered around too.
The speeches I heard included a mention of a letter of support for the rally from Senator Lieberman, a reference to participants in the antiwar march as “100,000 radicals” whose views don’t represent those of real Americans (that was from Senator Sessions, who was one of the speakers), and a call for the marchers to be shipped to Iran. I didn’t stay very long, and from StealthBadger’s report I apparently missed some excitement, though he’s pretty vague about it.
Photos follow.
AltHippo and I missed each other at today’s rally and march against the Iraq war, but I did get together with a bunch of people from DC for Democracy and other Democracy for America groups from across the country.
I took a few photos. The first is Cindy Sheehan being interviewed at Freedom Plaza before the rally. Click for larger versions.
Our friends at DC for Democracy are having a happy hour tonight in preparation for tomorrow’s march and rally. Some of us from DCDL will be there too. Join us!
As many of you know, this weekend there will be a large anti-war rally here in D.C., which many members of DCfD — and Democracy for America — plan to attend. To help everyone connect at what will likely be a very large event, we have organized a happy hour for Friday night and a meeting point for Saturday morning. Details are below.
‘Social and Serious Drinking’ Happy Hour
Friday, September 23, 2005
7:00 p.m.
Marty’s
527 Eighth Street, SE (two blocks south of the Eastern Market Metro stop on the Blue and Orange lines)Join DC for Democracy and Democracy for America members for an evening of “Social and Serious Drinking” prior to the anti-war rally at Marty’s on Barracks Row.
Meeting Place for DCFD & DFA Members Attending Anti-War Rally
Saturday, September 24, 2005
meet at 11:00 a.m., walk to rally 11:30 a.m.
Freedom Plaza (opposite the Marriott on Pennsylvania Avenue between 13th and 14th Streets, NW)We hope to see you at these events!
And don’t forget about our efforts to elect progressives in Virginia for 2005. The single best way to get Congress to change its views on our issues is to let them know their jobs are at risk in 2006. A strong showing in 2005 will show them — and the media — that this is possible. Help set the narrative for 2006 by bringing in change in 2005.
DCDL regular Lee was among those there today to protest Grover Norquist’s regular Wednesday meeting downtown. Working Assets and the League of Independent Voters (also known as the League of Pissed Off Voters) provided a mobile billboard with a photo of a flooded New Orleans overlaid with Norquist’s statement about getting the government “down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub”.
Fiat Lux has a full report on Daily Kos.
Six-PAC, a political action committee whose strategy is to support progressive candidates in the closest state and local races, is holding a fundraiser tomorrow, September 10, at 9pm at Childe Harold, 1610 20th Street NW (near Dupont Circle). This year Six-PAC is supporting four Virginia candidates: Creigh Deeds, David Bulova, David Marsden, and Hilda Barg. For more details on the fundraiser, see the Six-PAC event listing.
(Via e-mail from NEXT.)
If you’ve been wanting to give Wes Clark a piece of your mind — and at least $100 of your money — now’s your chance. John Oldfield, who I met at DCDL last week, tells me Clark is holding a fundraiser in town Thursday, August 11, for WesPAC, and according to the invitation, “The General will be discussing his travel plans for the 2006 election cycle and seeking your ideas.”
WesPAC has two objectives:
- To elect Democrats to the White House and Congress in order to implement new policies that will restore our nation’s security and prosperity, comprehensively address the threats facing America and our allies while respecting civil liberties, and replace the current unwise policies established by this Republican Administration and Congress.
- To provide leadership on U.S. national security issues and develop new, innovative solutions to the challenges facing America at home and abroad.
For more information on the PAC, see securingamerica.com. If you’re interested in the attending the cocktail reception (5:30–7) or the dinner following (which I think requires a higher donation) contact John at 917-667-4323 or joldfield{at}catalystacquisition.com.
For those of you who haven’t yet noticed, there’s an election this year in Virginia, and we’d like the governor to remain a Democrat. Tim Kaine is the Democratic candidate, and there’s an affordable fundraiser (starting level $35) for him tomorrow with a special guest: new Senate superstar Barack Obama! I’m afraid you will have to venture outside the District, but it’s on the Orange Line:
Clarendon Ballroom
3185 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington (Clarendon Metro)
Wednesday, July 20, 2005, 7:30–9:30pm
More info
(via Kathy at My Own Backyard)
SALSA (The Social Action & Leadership School for Activists of the Institute for Policy Studies) is holding a free “interactive discussion” on media bias Monday night. Sounds like it could be interesting:
Myths & Monsters of News Media
Mon, July 18, 2005 — 6:45-8:45pmIndependent, aggressive and critical media are essential to an informed democracy. But mainstream media are increasingly cozy with the economic and political powers they should be watch dogging. Come learn how increasing corporate concentration and the effects of a thirty-year war on journalism, waged by the far right elements in society, have taken a toll on independent reporting. We will talk about how the charge that news media are liberal — a right wing strategy with no foundation in evidence — has distorted the news. SALSA presents Steve Rendall, Senior Analyst at FAIR (Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting) in an interactive discussion examining media bias and the threat to independent journalism. Learn what can be done about this and what alternative media already exists.
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