Iraq war protesters rally in Washington

[helderheid]

Story Highlights
• Actors Jane Fonda, Danny Glover among expected speakers at anti-war rally
• Demonstrators plan to lobby congressmen Monday to bring troops home
• Active-duty troops plan to attend Saturday rally; one expected to speak
• Group sponsoring protest says its Web site has received 5 million hits this month

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Thousands of anti-war protesters, energized by fresh congressional skepticism about the war in Iraq, were demanding a withdrawal of U.S. troops in a demonstration Saturday featuring a handful of celebrities such as Susan Sarandon and Jane Fonda.

"We see many things that we feel helpless about. But this is like a united force. This is something I can do," said 59-year-old Barbara Struna of Brewster, Massachusetts.

Struna, a mother of five who runs an art gallery, said she made a two-day bus trip with her 17-year-old daughter, Anna, to the nation's capital to represent what she said was middle America's opposition to President Bush's war policy.

"My generation is the one that is going to have to pay for this," added the high school senior who said she knows as many as 20 friends who have been to Iraq.

She held a sign that said, "Heck of a job, Bushie," mocking Bush's words of encouragement to his disaster relief chief, Michael Brown, amid criticism of the government's immediate response to Hurricane Katrina in the summer of 2005.

Other demonstrators on a clear, sunny day carried signs to the National Mall that said "Make hip-hop not War," "The surge is a lie," and "Clean water speaks louder than bombs."

United for Peace and Justice, a coalition group sponsoring the protest, said there has been intense interest in the rally since Bush announced he was sending 21,500 additional troops to Iraq. He termed the increase a "surge" in troops.

The group said its Internet site received more than 5 million hits this month, including 650,000 on Wednesday -- the day leaders held a media briefing about the protest.

MORE >>>

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/27/iraq.protest.ap/index.html

YES, CNN!

[stellanoir]

1. Corporate media's predicted coverage. . .

" and now from the nation's capital a couple pigeons landed on the steps of the Capital building today"

/cynicism

Sorry 'bout that but I couldn't resist since they've consistantly minimized the number of protesters. So frustrating. Though I deeply honor and respect all of the protesters creativity and degree of commitment. Of course.

OBSW

[helderheid]

2. Oh I know. We have to document our own numbers given how they lie!

[bdamomma]

6. Really we are the only ones who will learn the true number

on MSNBC what condescending bitches they have on, arrogant and snotty reporters were talking to Lynn Woolsey very arrogantly about this Demonstration and what the meaning of it is. Like a question about Iraq from whatever doll baby reporter they have on, what will happen to Iraq, and Woolsey said this is an occupation and not a war, we are in the middle of civil war and we need to get out.

[tblue37]

3. What I would like to see are the overhead shots that

show a zillion protesters packed elbow to elbow.

During past large protests, the news only showed closeup shots of a small number of protesters. We only got to see the shots of the vast numbers when they were posted online.

I want to see a sea of protesters!

[lyonn]

4. United for Peace and Justice got over 5,000,000 hits

this month, great.

[lyonn]

5. How I wish some of our Dem Congresspeople had appeared

Rep. Woolsey, Maxine Watters and forgot name, sorry, Were There. Maxine was great. But none of the presidential hopefuls were even around. No guts.

The crowd was youngish and enthusiastic! It was a class act in my opinion. Let's hope CNN redeems itself by properly representing the happenings.

[bdamomma]

7. no matter how these candidates project themselves to us

they are out for themselves, cynical response yes, but why weren't any of them there. Thank god, for John Conyers what a great man really connects to the American people.

[hippywife]

8. Not true!

[Warren Stupidity]

9. Dennis Kucinich spoke

And he spoke well and he is a serious candidate no matter what the msm says.

[lyonn]

10. Oops, got in late on the speeches

Missed Conyers and Kucinich. Just proves how hard it is to find any news reporting on the march.