Report from the Orlando Protest 03/21/01
By: Jeannine Ross
Just got back from Orlando to protest G. Dubya. We got to see his limo drive right by us where a group of about 40 people were holding up banners that said “President Select Bush is Illegitimable,” and that “Gore Won - Bush Stole the Election, ” among many other creative signs. We can only hope he saw us as they sped by so fast, There were a small group of Republicans holding up their Florida loves Bush signs on the other side. However, they mysteriously left right before Dubya went by. Can only imagine where they went. Several of the faces looked familiar from events in Miami. After the protest they made a point of walking through our group, laughing, calling us losers and generally being rude.
Before Dubya got to the convention center where he was set to speak to the American College of Cardiologists I was able to walk through, past all the doctors who had paid to hear him speak. It was really fun as I was wearing my “Bush = Illegitimate” t-shirt and I walked past about a hundred of them with a big smile on my face. Most of them looked either embarrassed or surprised, although I did get a few smiles and one person who told me to “get over it!” I think most of them couldn’t believe that anyone was still out there saying this.
After the protest where we got only local media attention we went to the Cuban American Social Club where G. W. and Jeb were having a luncheon. The whole way there was filled with more police than I have ever seen. Once we got there the police had blocked off the street and we couldn’t leave until he was finished eating. The police wouldn’t let us get anywhere near Bush so I doubt he had the chance to hear or see us. It seems the Secret Service has taken great pains to shield Dubya from the public. Others there said they remember seeing Clinton where he would get out and shake hands with people, etc. Dubya either doesn’t want to see the public or he’s afraid of something - maybe just criticism.