FIRST HAND ACCOUNT OF SEN WARNER’S TOWN HALL – SEPT 3

This is a first-hand report to the South Wales TEA Group and the Culpeper Community TEA Parties

My husband and I attended the Senator Warner Town Hall Meeting in Fredericksburg, VA. We had a one day notice about the meeting but 5 of us carpooled to Fredericksburg. We got there at 5PM in order to get good seats. The national news media was there. Outside, as a reporter was taping a report, the pro-health care group was already lined up behind the reporter for the camera shot. When my husband and I tried to get into the shot with our signs, the cameraman screamed at us to back up and not threaten the reporter. If you knew me, you’d laugh at this. I’m a very scary looking grey-haired granny.

Inside, we got seats in the front center section, behind the already reserved seats for the pro-health care sign holders (all pre-printed). People who wanted to ask questions were given numbers that would be selected at random. There were at least 1000 people there, which the DC FOX channel reported. Of all the questions asked, I recall 2 or 3 were pro Obama reform to 15 enthusiastically against it. We left around 8:30; it started at 7PM and questions were still being asked.

Based on the crowd reactions, I would say the ratio was about 4 or 5 (against) to 1 pro Obamacare. Whenever the crowd cheered the Constitution or against the plan, the group in the front rows held up their pre-printed pro-Obamacare placards. In this way, the TV camera crews were able to film them and it would look like the cheering was for President Obama’s reform.

There were lots of young people there with pro-green jobs signs. We sat next to 2 of them. One of our carpool members engaged them in conversation. They were there on a college class assignment. They handed us a printed list of talking points. They were nice kids but didn’t seem to have a clue why anyone would be against the President’s plans for our country. We educated them a bit.

All in all, it was an exhilarating experience for me. There are a lot of wonderful people in our state who care about our country and the direction it is going. My husband’s sign "I HAVE 2 YEARS TO LIVE", he’s 63, was on the DC local Fox News channel. My sign, "Obamacare = Debt and Taxes" was on ABC News. We think being there made a difference. We are proud of our TEA Party members and hope you will stay involved in the action.