FL DUers, don't let them overrun this one.

[AndrewJacksonFaction]

http://www.meetup.com/S-Pinellas-9-12-Patriots/calendar/11032297/

[AndrewJacksonFaction]

1. I know of 3 TeaBaggers that are personally going, and they say they are

going to raise hell. From the website I linked, it looks as if there is 18 others going. Come on folks.

[monmouth]

2. Ron Kline was not scheduled to appear at their regular monthly

meeting and the disruptors were furious. They called him a coward, a nazi, etc. and just yelling and carrying on like banshees. Anyway, and I'm paraphrasing from memory here, the decision by the Dems in Florida is to hold "telephone conference calls." Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Ron and I believe a few others won't give them the chance to disrupt them. I think it's a great idea and will infuriate these idiots...

www.pbpost.com

[flvegan]

3. They're not being let in.

News reported on it 20 minutes ago. There are roughly 1,000 people trying to get into a room that seats 250. Protesters are NOT being let in. According to the onsite newsguy (Fox) it's "getting ugly"

I'll update as I find out.

[AndrewJacksonFaction]

6. Here is an update from the local sources. It sounds like it got ugly.

TAMPA (Bay News 9) -- A town hall meeting to talk about President Obama's health care reform proposal turned into a near-riot in Tampa.

Hundreds of people packed into the Children's Board offices in Ybor City for the meeting sponsored by state Rep. Betty Reed and the Service Employees International Union.

But when guest speaker U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor tried to talk about health care reforms, protesters started screaming and booing, drowning her out.

"I was afraid they were going to jump on her at one time," said healthcare reform supporter Ann Jenkins. "They were all in her face trying to scream. What they were trying to scream and nobody knows what that was and nothing got accomplished."



Tension at town hall
meeting

Updated: Thursday, 06 Aug 2009, 10:29 PM EDT
Published : Thursday, 06 Aug 2009, 6:29 PM EDT

TAMPA (Fox 13- More than 1,000 people showed up in Ybor City Thursday to attend a town-hall style meeting on health care and insurance reform.

But the meeting took place where there was only room for about 250 people. As a result, and a large crowd gathered outside, and tensions were high among people who couldn't get in.

Some say they were barred because they are against President Barack Obama's agenda to change the current health insurance system.

But even many who support health care reform said they couldn't get into the meeting room.






Protests, passions roiling town hall meeting on health care (TBO.com)
What was intended to be a town hall discussion on President Barack Obama's health care reform proposal dissolved into a shouting match with shoving and scuffles in Ybor City tonight.

The event brought home to Tampa the recent phenomenon of angry opponents of Obama's proposal disrupting town hall meetings by Democratic members of Congress during the August recess.

This meeting was organized by Democratic state Rep. Betty Reed but was to include comments on the proposal by U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, a strong supporter.

Castor tried to speak for nearly 15 minutes but the crowd drowned her out, chanting, "You work for us,'' "Tyranny, tyranny,'' and "Read the bill." She ultimately left the meeting early, further angering some attendees.

The problems began when a crowd of around 500, many of them recruited to attend by interest groups both for and against the proposal, sought to enter the meeting room. The room, in the offices of the Hillsborough County Children's Board on East Palm Avenue, has a capacity of only about 250.

[flvegan]

8. From the video I've seen, it looks like a bunch of them still made it in.

They couldn't bring their signs in, but still acted like total asses. I'm so shocked.

ABC news interviewed one protester, and it turned out that he worked for Big Pharma. That was pretty funny.

[girl gone mad]

9. Do you know if the ABC interview is on line? Was it an affiliate?

I would really appreciate any information! TIA.

[AndrewJacksonFaction]

11. Here is a ground report

http://johnhummel.blogspot.com/2009/08/my-night-at-tampa-health-care-town-hall.html

[Hissyspit]

4. Here are the guidelines:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6217096

[lovelyrita]

5. I wish I could have gone. I'm in Polk County but work in Orlando

so could never make it that far. Would be interesting to see one of those lunatics in person.

[AndrewJacksonFaction]

7. Video from the event

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX4F_cb9AXk

Hat tip to RandySF.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6240103

[AndrewJacksonFaction]

10. They are now claiming that a Dem "slapped" a peacful protestor.

Man, I tell you, these folks are really starting to get under my skin.

http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2009/08/07/getting-in-their-faces/