FL Dem at Tampa disrupted rally says they should get a bigger room next time.

[madfloridian]

I was watching the local news. It was terrible. The crowds were nuts. One man was rolling on the ground mocking everyone. I thought I would scream. Apparently Kathy Castor did not speak out strongly on the fact that this was planned and bused in disruption.

The Democrat who was with her there, a state legislator, I think named Betty Reed.....said the solution to the problem was to get a bigger room next time.

Castor herself said she left before the meeting was done because her part was done. They showed her trying to talk over the crowd.

The only one who mentioned that the crowd was bused in was a woman being interviewed, and the crowd nearly overwhelmed her when she did.

It is time to speak up and not just talk about getting a bigger room. Castor needs to speak out on this.

Redstate blog is blaming the SEIU who were there supporting Castor. They blame the Democrats, and the Democrats take it.

Think Progress speaks out about this.

Inspired By Glenn Beck, Protesters Overwhelm Town Hall Meeting With ‘Cat Calls’ And ‘Banging On Windows’

An angry mob of protesters disrupted a health care forum today in Tampa, FL, which was attended by state Rep. Betty Reed (D) and U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D). More than 1,000 people showed up for the event, which was being held in a venue meant for just 250 people. As a result, “a large crowd gathered outside, and tensions were high among people who couldn’t get in.” From a report by the Tampa CBS affiliate:

As the building filled to capacity, angry protesters stuck outside began to scream, yell, and chant. At one point, those trying to get inside began banging on windows as Tampa Police officers quickly spread out guarding all entrances.

10 Connects photojournalist Kevin Carlson, currently inside the meeting reports at least one fist fight breaking out inside.

Castor reportedly “left the meeting early, saying she couldn’t be heard above all the shouting inside the meeting.” When police “on bullhorns” tried to send the crowd home, many refused to leave. Additionally, some protesters’ signs “bore an image of Obama with his face painted as the Joker, an image that drew protests of racism locally when it appeared on a Web site thought to be associated with the Pinellas Republican party.”

There is a video there from Fox 13, and they try to make it sound like the Democrats are keeping the crowd out. Castor speaks and sort of implies that pharma and insurance will do anything to stop health care reform.

But that is not enough. The Democrats need to speak out more loudly on this issue, and they need to get organized.

Fox did great harm with their presentation, no research, no knowledge of the protestors being bused in.

I don't have the WFLA NBC affiliate video yet, but it did mention buses casually.

Dear Florida Democrats...a bigger room is not going to solve anything at all.

[madfloridian]

1. Still looking for the WFLA video. The Fox video was lousy.

[Mind_your_head]

2. Where to begin..... First, "Fox did great harm". That's FoxNew's MO

This is what fox news ALWAYS DOES:

"Fox did great harm with their presentation, no research, no knowledge of the protestors being bused in."

[madfloridian]

23. Very true.

:)

[Tangerine LaBamba]

3. They need to take a hint

from Fuckface's playbook, and start putting some controls on who is admitted and who isn't.

The GOPigs know very well how to do this - and until the Democrats get smart (and, no, a bigger room is NOT the solution - what an idiotic thing ot say!) and learn to take and keep control, the game belongs to the loudmouths..........................................

[RandySF]

4. Yes

Because what she needed was more wingnuts to shout her down. I thought Democrats stopped being doormats.

[rhett o rick]

5. What made you think that Democrats stopped being doormats? nm

[dgibby]

14. Here's the problem:

Democrats are masochist's.
Republicans are sadists.
It's just one big dysfunctional family cluster fuck.

[flvegan]

6. Tampa's ABC news had a protester admitting to working for Big Pharma.

Wouldn't say who specifically he worked for, but that he did work for a firm.

[madfloridian]

7. Good. Thanks. Just watched WFLA.

Glad to hear someone spoke out. FL Democrats will not defend themselves. They drive me nuts.

An effing bigger room? That is just stupid.

[HughMoran]

8. If healthcare doesn't pass, I hope these pharma & insurance people know they are hated

We'll get 'em.

[Common Sense Party]

9. Why doesn't SOMEBODY video these people getting on or off the bus?

Follow them out to the bus, video them, follow them back to their point of origin--some insurance company's parking lot, no doubt. I can't believe no one has done this.

[madfloridian]

12. I don't think MSM is allowed to mention the bus.

That's the only reason I can give.

[dgibby]

15. Rachel not only mentioned it, she showed a picture of it. n/t

[madfloridian]

20. She and Keith were the only ones as of last night that I could find.

Local media acts naive on the issue. Probably on purpose.

[Common Sense Party]

22. Showing a picture of a bus proves nothing.

Videotape the people getting ON the bus after the meeting. Videotape them going back to their point of origin. Videotape them in front of the insurance company that paid for the bus. Videotape an interview with the bus driver, asking him who chartered the bus.

[madfloridian]

10. A big shout out to RFK Lives at Daily Kos.

He/she shares my anger. The rage I felt when I saw that video was almost as bad as 2000.

The difference is that our Democrats need to stop trying to be buddy buddy with these idiots and speak out strongly.

Good for RFK Lives diary.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/8/6/762912/-After-Tampa,-F***-BipartisanshipUpdated-2X

That link looks awful but it works. That's 3 times today I could not rename links??

[madfloridian]

11. WFLA video...just one person mentions busing in. No real meat to it.

A woman in the crowd mentioned the group was bused in to yell.

The comment about a bigger room is about 3 minutes in.

http://www2.tbo.com/video/2009/aug/06/town-hall-meeting-excitement--53809/video-news/

I guess news anchors have been warned not to say they were bused in.

[dgibby]

13. They don't need bigger rooms. The Dem Party needs bigger balls

and stiffer spines. It is ridiculous to think a bigger room will solve the problem. More security, proof of residency, video cameras, that's what's needed. That and declaring the Republican a Hate Group and putting them on a watch list. Efuckinuff, already.

[Dr.Phool]

19. Not balls.

Ball bats.

[Rex]

16. So the police didn't tear gas anyone or shoot them with rubber bullets?

Guess that is treatment only for liberal protesters. Could it be that they knew it was all staged? Repukes - can't get what they want using real life, so they fake it all and act like what they say is true. Pathetic worms. :eyes:

[Mithreal]

17. K&R nt

[bertman]

18. At this point, the busing-in charge may be moot. This has gotten so much coverage that

every wingnut within fifty miles will be lining up to scream and shout for "freedom".

What bothers me most about this is the apparent lack of rules for a public hearing that should have been established by the organizers. Anywhere else and on any other issue, anyone who started disrupting the meeting would be escorted out and, if resisting, would be charged with disorderly conduct.

We will never get the corporate media to admit that this is anti-democratic any more than we got them to cover the fascist police actions in Denver and Minneapolis. They are in cahoots with Big Pharma and Big Insurance. Period.

I'm waiting for someone in the Democratic leadership to stand up and call this what it is: anti-democratic mob rule.

Rex is right. If this crowd had been Democrats at a Republican congressman's meeting, the cops would have been busting heads and cuffing anyone who even raised his voice.

[madfloridian]

21. You are right. I was just doing some searches on news coverage.

There is no truth being told about this. The Democrats must stand up and shout out loudly.

The right wing is blaming the unions openly and loudly.

Democrats must get their own media response out.

Rachel and Keith are great, but they are not enough.

[John K]

25. You are right that Rachel and Keith are not enough

We need to coordinate and get our members out there in support. If we show that we are in support of actually moving this country forward, that will give us some counter coverage.

[mnhtnbb]

24. The protesters are acting like a bunch of tantrum-throwing toddlers. The adults need to take charge

and the Dems better do it, soon.

Democracy requires discipline. The Dems better get with it, now.

[rvablue]

26. If representatives are faced with space issues, they should have someone at the door

who asks the person their address -- they don't need to write it down or show ID -- to confirm that they in fact live within the district.

[cyclezealot]

27. Bullies will intimidate until someone pushes back.

I've read John Sweeney plans are rallying constituents from within selected districts to fight back. If I were a staffer, I'd announce the rules in advance.. Separate the room into zones for those who have stated positions. For reform, against , and neutral.. Give each segment an allotted time to speak or ask questions. Come up with a version of Roberts Orders. If one segment runs out of time, they must shut up . Or else they are told to leave. Or the orderly members walk out to another location separate of the "rent a mob," group..
Can not disorderly conduct bring in security to shut them up,once the rules are broken.. ?
There better get some order to these sessions. As a constituent this thing will likely get out of hand. Anyone who disallows me to attend an orderly meeting will see me screaming back, up front and in their face.
.. Second point.. When speakers are presented before the meeting. Demand to know from where they came. Within the district or outside.

[lib2DaBone]

28. Need to copy Repuke play book..only give tickets to supporters...

.. then only let news media inside AFTER you have given them a pre-release news packet with the talking points you want to spin on the news. This is how Repugs controleed everything in the run up to Bush's war in Iraq. Everyone else relagated to a 'free speech zone'.

Dems have learned NOTHING about media control in the 8 dark years of the Bush Cabal.