The FreedomWorks Rally In Raleigh (12 pics)

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The FreedomWorks Rally In Raleigh (12 pics)

Written By : John Hawkins

The fine folks over at FreedomWorks brought me in to do a speech at a rally in Raleigh, NC last week-end.

I drove down on Friday and that night, my pal Lorie Byrd picked me up at the hotel and took me over to a BBQ place where FreedomWorks was holding a little shindig for some of the speakers and volunteers.

Along with Lorie and me, Betsy Newmark from Betsy’s Page, 14 year-old wunderkind Jonathan Krohn, author, motivational speaker, & candidate Mason Weaver, Tabitha Hale, and Dick Armey among others, were all there for dinner (Incidentally, I got to talk to Dick Armey for a few minutes after we all ate and he’s one heck of a nice guy).

Tabitha Hale & Jonathan Krohn

Tabitha Hale & Jonathan Krohn

Tabitha Hale, Dick Armey, & Lorie Byrd

Tabitha Hale, Dick Armey, & Lorie Byrd

The next morning, I got up, checked out of the hotel and walked about 1/2 mile over to where they were holding the rally. On the way there, I passed the Capitol building in Raleigh where I took a single snap:

Confederate War Dead Memorial, Raleigh

Confederate War Dead Memorial. Suck it, libs.

After I arrived at the rally, they had a singer who did some patriotic and Christian songs to get things started. Then, Dick Armey gave his speech:

Dick Armey

Unfortunately, I wore a monkey suit to the rally, which I hated, and felt kind of silly about it, because Dick Armey showed up wearing jeans.

After Armey’s speech, they did a bit more music and then started a mile long walk around the Capitol. I skipped that because I wanted to practice my speech a bit more.

When people returned from the walk, they had about a dozen speakers who were scheduled to talk and I was number three in the rotation. You can see my speech, which was called “Foot Soldiers” below.

Incidentally, I came up with and practiced that whole speech completely out of my head. I had no notes with me on the podium and I never wrote anything down, other than 5 lines I scribbled on a hotel notepad.

Speech Notes

Although I’m admittedly terrible at doing crowd estimates, I’d guess that there were about 500 people there. Here are some pics I took at the rally:

FreedomWorks Rally, Raleigh

Eventually, after Tabitha Hale returned from taking Dick Armey to the airport and things were starting to wind down a bit, the two of us went out and grabbed a bite to eat at some random restaurant that turned out to have passably good nachos and chicken wings — along with some interesting decor:

Tabitha Hale

All in all, I had a great time at the event. It was nice to catch up with some of my blogging friends and the people from FreedomWorks.

gfchicago

Wow great speech John! Wish I had of known you were going to be at that rally because I would have gone since I live here in Raleigh.
William Teach

Wish I could have been there. Which restaurant is that?
Jack Schite

That’s a lot of stupid in one place.
gfchicago

William,

Since you live here in Raleigh, you might want to stop at the Bull & Bear located at Six Forks and Millbrook in the Colony Shopping Center. It’s a neighborhood bar and we play triva on Tuesday Nights at 7:00 P.M. It’s really a blast and they have passable bar food.
gfchicago

Posted by Jack Schite
2009-11-16 09:10:11

Shut up Jack, nobody cares what you think.
http://clecnovato.com/ Thresher

I salute all the attendees of the rally but I must say that Dick Armey is going to betray you and support amnesty for illegal aliens when it comes up again. You are making a big mistake supporting this man on any cause.
http://PatriotPost.US bthewolf

That’s a lot of stupid in one place.
Posted by Jack Schite
2009-11-16 09:10:11

You shouldn’t talk about the empty space between your ears that way, self degradation is just not healthy.
gfchicago

“You shouldn’t talk about the empty space between your ears that way, self degradation is just not healthy.”

Posted by bthewolf
2009-11-16 11:24:34

LOL good one bthewolf! That’s all he has is an empty space between his ears.
William Teach

Might have to do that, gfchicago. I know right where that is, used to live on Six Forks at Summerset Place.
http://PatriotPost.US bthewolf

Posted by gfchicago
2009-11-16 11:41:32

Thanks gf. Jack has the mentally capabilities of a mental midget, I’m beginning to suspect he’s Al Gore! My only problem verifying it is Al Gore seems slightly smarter or at least more eloquent.
gfchicago

William,

If you decide to stop by on a Tuesday Night when we are playing trivia, just ask the bartender Jeannie for Kathy and she will tell you where our team is sitting in the dinning room. Would love to meet you, I so enjoy your posts.

On our trivia team we have one hardcore liberal, a libertarian, two youngsters that are right at the 25 year old age group (they haven’t quite made up their minds yet, but lean towards the libertarian view), my husband (who knows what he really thinks, he votes the way I tell him to) and then there’s me the hard core conservative.

For the most part from what I can glean is that the majority of the people that hang out there are for the most part Conservative.

Oh and by the way most of the folks that hang out there are middle aged to elderly except when Garret (who is the owner’s son) is working then his freaky friends show up.
gfchicago

“I’m beginning to suspect he’s Al Gore! My only problem verifying it is Al Gore seems slightly smarter or at least more eloquent.”

Posted by bthewolf
2009-11-16 13:04:31

Bthewolf,

I think it might just be a tos (S/P) up! Al Gore might be a little more eloquent, but not by much! HaHAHa
gfchicago

Bthewolf,

Notice how Jack Schite is like a seagull, he comes in and craps all over the place then disappears.
William Teach

Ever read Nelson Demille’s The Lion’s Game? Jack reminds more more of a Dracula mission. Comes in, makes a lot of noise, sucks the life out of everyone, then flies off. :)
rmiller

Notice how Jack Schite is like a seagull, he comes in and craps all over the place then disappears.
Posted by gfchicago
2009-11-16 14:23:27

You know that Raleigh (and Wake county) is a place divided. No reason to act like we support conservatives wholeheartedly.

We actually reflect the US pretty well…a county, and nation, divided against itself.

Sad, but true..
gfchicago

Sad, but true..

Posted by rmiller
2009-11-16 15:12:1

RMiller,

Who crapped in your Wheaties this morning? I’ll tell you what, Raleigh is more conservative or libertarian leaning than Chicago and surrounding areas have ever been.
gfchicago

Rmiller,

You didn’t even support or defend Jack’s position, because you can’t, because you know it’s wrong.
gfchicago

One other thought Rmiller if you think that what the political climate in Raleigh or Wake county Democratic philosophy is so great, why is it that there is so much corruption just like in the Chicagoland area.

Those in the Wake County area are subject to all of the transplants that are liberal or dems, with the exception of me.

I might remind you that our former Governor is under investigation.

So tell me again how great the Dems are? Oh and by the way Mayor Meeker is an idiot.
gfchicago

I’ve not said that the whole of Wake County is conservative, I just commented on the one Bar/Restaurant that I have familiarity with RMiller. So stuff it.
rmiller

Who crapped in your Wheaties this morning? I’ll tell you what, Raleigh is more conservative or libertarian leaning than Chicago and surrounding areas have ever been.

Posted by gfchicago
2009-11-16 15:51:17

No one. And you are right, Raleigh is not Chicago.

Still no reason to pooh pooh the opposition. Raleigh and Wake did vote Democratic this past time around.

“I just commented on the one Bar/Restaurant that I have familiarity with RMiller. So stuff it.
Posted by gfchicago”
2009-11-16 16:16:03

Nope…won’t stuff it. You don’t speak for Raleigh, or Chicago…as for stuff it….you know what you can do with that.
gfchicago

Rmiller,

I didn’t speak for Raleigh or any other place on earth. So again stuff it.
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