National Meetup Rally?

[sidsquidrick]

What do you all think about having a national meetup conference/rally?

I am thinking we could set a time and day in the future that all meetups set up individually. The time would be staggered to work with the time zones. Then, somewhere in front of a live audience, with a ton of lights, maybe fireworks, and music, he enters the stage and gives a great motivational speech. At each meetup location (ideally) there would be a web cam showing the different meetup groups viewing the show. These meetups can be displayed on a large screen at the live conference and should also be available online for meetup groups to go look at another group while they watch the show. As we watch the rally live, we would see our own live feed which of course EVERYONE would see. A simple faster way of doing this would be to have show each state with the same "screen". Have Ron and the croud shout off each state with applause and then show the feeds in a collage fashion (like the Brady Bunch).
The media would most likely get involved.
Why?

This kind of rally would help to build a strong "unified" feeling amongst the groups accross the nation. It would also help the campaign office "see" just what kind of support they have right now.
I would also envision the meetup groups advertising the "viewing" so that those who have not come on board yet can see the energy and excitement in the movement.
Goals could be set for the meetup groups like, - Bring two guests for every member to the viewing.
I would like to hear your thoughts on this.

Oh, and we could start an eventful event for this and EVERYONE can demand it.

Sid

[Bradley in DC]

I was thinking something similar, and this is how the idea evolved in my head (for those of you not hearing my voice in your head already):

We could pick various themes and implement them nationally through the various Meetup groups around the country (all of them should be open to a fundraising angle!). For example (and I'm thinking more of at the same time being for a week or weekend or something):

we could have a national bake sale,
a national sign-making party,
a national "call and write and email everyone we've ever known in Iowa" theme,
a national cookbook sale (no, really, Carol Paul's cookbooks are huge hits in the Congressional District),
a national music fest with bands for Ron Paul playing at different locations,
a national art exhibition (hey, just brainstorming here),
a national parade/rally/picnic,

well, you get the idea. If every group were to send out press releases, then the local newspapers and tv stations could cover as their local inclusion in a national event on an important issue (the presidential election). Great human interest story as well.

[sidsquidrick]

With the national rally happening at the same time we could have flash polls and fundraising goals

[denvervoipguru]

Anyone have time to get us a cost estimate from these folks?

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