Amidst the global mayhem we had a terrific reaction to Hillary '08 and Hillarynow.com
Randy Howington got it started and wrote the synopsis of his experience which is below. Laura Walls, who is also coordinating for us in Asheville also had a positive reaction, when she went to the Bele Chere Festival wearing her Hillary'08-Hillarynow.com tee-shirt.
I too collected $300 in bumper-stickers and buttons there, plus 100 names with 75 of them locally. And this was just in walking around or standing on a corner with a yellow pad and the stickers in my hand.
Absolutely no one defended Bush among the many thousands who went by me. Had about 20 with not nice things to say about Hillary, and the worst came from a nice looking, well dressed man, who asked me if I could "get him a bullet for Hillary", which is over-the-top of all the disagreements I've been exposed to.
But most all of it was very positive.
When we first met on Thursday, 3 protesters were out in front against Hillary. One had a sign for "Gore" and I asked him why he'd support someone who went with his tail between his legs after the 'stolen election' that led us to this mess, and he couldn't respond. One other said Hillary was 'pro-war', and I welcomed them both, while thinking to myself, how about she is anti-terrorism, unlike the peace at any price gang, in bed with the very folks who'd kill them as well as the rest of us.
I would see this guy also at the Festival to give me a 'peace cabinet' flyer.
At the City Square, were two guys with large crosses, and doing their 'preaching' in the middle of this 'event.'
Rolling Stone Mag. previously called Asheville, "the freakiest city in America", and then there is the 'Cherokee Curse',that once you get there, you can't leave, and in this city of 78,000, can you imagine 6 gay bars, no less? Who knew?
Anyway, this woman was standing next to the preacher with a sign that said "Bigot", and I asked her if it would be okay to put a "No More Bushit" sticker on it, which she loved,and then another woman got a sticker and both held them on either side of the preacher, who had his Bible covering his crotch, being poked at from others in the crowd. Felini would be proud.
If we actually had a table at the event, we'd have gotten thousands of names.
On Sat., after an initial rain shower, I did an interview with 880 AM, 'The Revolution' station, with Swami Virato,broadcast 'live' at the Bele Chere and immediately afterwards got a call to my Miami Beach number from Thomas about alternative fuels regarding vegetable oil, etc. being put together in Asheville, as part of Hillary's considerations on being energy independent.
This is the kind of energy in Asheville, with so many nice folks living there who really liked what we had to offer and so many from Fla. and NY and D.C., etc. living there with second homes. I met at least 6 folks from Miami no less.
The experience was terrific, and reaction to us was great and alot to negotiate with and 100 names already to make this a model mobilization for us in West North Carolina, but also names in 6 N.C. cities.
We also decided to form: "I-40 For Hillary". We have wonderful folks in Nashville, Knoxville and now Ashville as we work our way East and West.
Yours Faithfully,
Bob Kunst
Pres., hillarynow.com
305-864-5110
................................................................................................
FW: Per your request/my synopsis of meeting&w-end !Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2006 13:47:30 -0400
From: Rcalypso@aol.comTo: hillarynow@hotmail.comSubject: Per your request/my synopsis of meeting&w-end !Date: Sat, 29 Jul 2006 12:01:27 EDT
The Hillary Now organizational meeting in Ashevillewent great! When I let Bob Kunst know I was backin this area and mentioned Bele Chere.(A downtown festivalin Asheville NC that gets tri-state coverage with over 350,000people to attend).We at first wanted to do a booth at the festival.It was way too late and there was over 300 on the waiting list! We went with what we had and Bob (Hillary NOW) decided tocome into this area anyway! We got together the first organizationalmeeting in this area for Hillary '08. We had a smallturn out but literally had only a couple of days to announcethis event.The word must have got out some as we did have afew protesters.What astonished me the most has been the reaction toour Hillary effort in this area afterwards.After our meeting and people beganto return Home from work etc.I personally have had dozens of people approachme for more information about Hillary Now and about a possible Hillaryrun for the presidency in 2008! I have been absent from this,myhometown area for 2 1/2 years.When I left, this area was a extremelyconservative area.That combined with the events at that time and you wouldmention Hillary and get laughed at.Now as people learn moreabout Hillary and her vision for America with the great Senate recordthat she has and the poor record of this administration and the Republicancongress, I have never seen such interest and hope that she will run in 2008!I live further up in the Mountains of Western North Carolina,an area thatis even more conservative.When people see my HillaryNow,Hillary 2008 bumperstickers they come up to me.I think 'oh no',here it comes...'Attacks', etc.What I have got in reality has been "where did you get that?","I hope she runs"This morning I had an elderly lady come up to me at a gas station and say"America Needs Her" .She couldn't have said it better! It matters notif you are a Republican,A Democrat,independent.Liberal,Conservative.What matters is thewrong direction this country has taken.The support I haveseen in this area this weekend for Hillary 08 has been overwhelming! After theorganizational meeting I had to return 'back to the hills' and finishup with my unpacking and my return Home to the mountains that I love.What better Homecoming could one have ask for! Hillary,I hope you read thisas if (it seems apparent you do)have this kind of underlying supporthere who can imagine the untouched support that hasn't been tapped here andall over the country! I understand Bob(HillaryNow) has had great successduring the Bele Chere festival over the week-end.Let him tell you aboutthat.It has been wonderful meeting Bob Kunst and working withHillaryNow.Com If I can help further in this area let me know!
Randy Howington
.......................................................................................
posted by Randy Howington aka,Randy...Rcalypso
for more info go to:
http://www.HillaryNow.comhttp://www.oralmajorityonline.com/
