A belated report from the Michelle Bachmann/Ron Paul town hall meeting last night.  I headed down with a younger friend of mine and we met up with her friend, a graduate student at the U. 

Here's the account from the Strib. 

Here's my account:

I headed down to witness, what I thought would be, a very large crowd from Organizing for America.  They had advertised having a protest from 5:30-6:30.  Within minutes of the post, there were 65 people signed up. 

When I got to Northrop, it was close to 6:30.  There was a total of four, yes four, protesters outside.  One was holding the Obama-font health care reform sign from OFA.  The other three were women trying to be funny as "Billionares for Wealthcare" that the Strib piece mentions.  I guess WCCO mentioned them too according to a commenter on the Strib.  I'm sure this is the most attention these ladies have had in YEARS, so bravo ladies. 

There were three of you there.  There were well over one hundred thousand women in DC a couple of weeks ago protesting big government, we couldn't get a major newspaper to interview us to save our lives.  Go figure.  For the local media to NOT report on the complete lack of protesters at the U is a story in itself.

There are dozens of highly liberal student groups right there on campus, their offices are just steps away at Coffman Memorial Union, not to mention the U is in the middle of the liberal mecca of Minneapolis.  And folks, it was Michelle Bachmann.  They despise this woman.  If you can't get one hundered people there, minimum, then I'd say there's really trouble in River City. 

The left is tired.  I know activist fatigue when I see it.  But, let me sincerely say "Thank you" for not showing up and letting the students at the U hear a  diverse message that they're never going to hear in the classrooms of the University.

I myself was totally stunned by the lack of liberals.  I kept asking where the OFA people were.  I asked a couple young College Republicans inside, they said there were about twenty or thirty people outside earlier, and they had already taken their seats.  Poor things.  They didn't stand a chance with that many boisterous libertarians in the crowd.  One walked out early figuring they were totally outnumbered.  Northrop was packed, completely packed.  People who came in late were looking for seats.

Here's my brief interview with the highly informed women of "Billionaires for Wealthcare".  (Performance tip from a former community theatre actress:  Hire some writers next time, satire is supposed to be FUNNY, the "rich people" protesting gag is as old as your hat.)

 

Inside, it was a huge mix of people of all ages, not just students and "older" people as the Strib reported.  I happened to sit by three guys ranging in age from 25-45.  When I mentioned that I was in DC for the National tea party protest, one of them said "me too."  The size of that D.C. protest-- to have two Minnesotans randomly sitting next to each other at Northrop Auditorium-- huge.  Yet still so under reported that when I mention it to people they have no idea what I'm talking about.

Let me add that I did leave early.  I left when Ron Paul started in on the "Bush lied" rhetoric, (the liberals probably liked that part.)  I was really hungry, so that was probably the biggest factor.  But, I also don't have the time to listen to the nonsense of weak-kneed national defense policy no matter who it comes from.   Not now, sorry.

I will acknowledge that the energy of the young conservatives there (they were not ALL Paul supporters, there was also a good dose of your standard issue College Republicans), was exciting.   The mocking of celebrity video "I pledge" was great.  (Can't find it online)

My bet is that nothing will shake out by 2010.  But certainly, over time, as the factions can come to an understanding about the core ideas of conservatism, there is hope for a stronger party.  Oh, and those core ideas include acknowledgement of "evil empires" other than just that of the Federal Reserve.