The great Iowa meetup!

[cujothekitten]

This thread is for the people that are making the trip. Post your photos, video links and stories in here. I want all the dirt including your trip.

If you plan on live blogging let us know as well.

Keep us updated on what's going on and how things are going :D

[cujothekitten]

from Hancock1776

Podcast Covering Iowa Rally
http://www.topofcenter.com/?p=33

I will be attempting to cover the Ron Paul rally via my podcast this weekend, which will be immediately after the ITR candidates’ forum.

But in order to do it, I need callers-in from the event. You can help me out by clicking here. Call in with your free TalkShoe PIN and use the TalkCast ID 25004, and you’ll be in.

Please email me if you know you’ll be there and we can trade cell numbers to get acquainted.

I have word from the Ron Paul campaign that the event itself will be starting somewhere between 4:30 and 5:00 Central, and Paul will be speaking for 30-60 minutes. After that there will be some socializing, and that appears to be the time we’ll be able to orchestrate callers-in.

That being the case, I’ll be scheduling the talkcast for 5:30 Central (Iowa) time, 6:30 Eastern.

[mdh]

Please keep one thing in mind for me.

Our enemies, our opponents, are playing for the very worst in all of us. They expect it. They love it. They see the worst in every one of us.
Defy them.

Let's live by our highest standards in Iowa this weekend. Let's show them who we are and what we're about. This is especially going to mean not taking any hostile action towards people espousing views that we may disagree with. If an opponent agent shows up with tons of 9/11 conspiracy materials, then that's on him. If we try to assail him for it, then that's on us. If they try to assail us at all in a non-direct way, this'll probably be it. Let's show these people that we're above that - that we're better than they are in every way.

[nevesis]

I'm from Des Moines.

Out driving today I saw Ron Paul revolution banners hanging on freeway bypasses and interchanges.

So I'd guess Phoenix is here :P

[cowbot]

Moar banners!

Moar yardsigns!

Moar! moar! MOAR!

http://havy.ic.cz/MoarCAT.jpg

[EastWindRain]

I hope the Iowa gathering is a great success. I can't wait to see the YouTube videos. Go Ron Paul go. :)

[Man from La Mancha]

Agreed totally dude and good suggestion


Please keep one thing in mind for me.

Our enemies, our opponents, are playing for the very worst in all of us. They expect it. They love it. They see the worst in every one of us.
Defy them.

Let's live by our highest standards in Iowa this weekend. Let's show them who we are and what we're about. This is especially going to mean not taking any hostile action towards people espousing views that we may disagree with. If an opponent agent shows up with tons of 9/11 conspiracy materials, then that's on him. If we try to assail him for it, then that's on us. If they try to assail us at all in a non-direct way, this'll probably be it. Let's show these people that we're above that - that we're better than they are in every way.

[mdh]

Something bad happened to my ride, and I don't know what. I never got picked up, so I'm not on the way. He left Parkersburg (a 1.5 - 2 hours tops drive from here) at around 11pm last night and I still haven't heard from him at all, no calls, hasn't shown up. *sigh*
I really wanted to be there. I don't know what's going on, and it sucks.

[torchbearer]

do you think there will be any news feeds that will broadcast the rally?

[torchbearer]

I feel like I'm holding down an empty fort... while everyone else is fighting on the front lines... oh well, anyone up for a game of monopoly?

[cujothekitten]

do you think there will be any news feeds that will broadcast the rally?

I hope so. I'm starting to get excited now that it's getting closer to the show. We might start seeing video pop up on youtube as people start uploading from wifi on the ground.

[torchbearer]

I read on Lew's blog that their will be dedicated internet booth provided by these people http://redstateeclectic.com/page4.html

they will also be boadcasting live over the internet starting around 3:30pm

[cujothekitten]

I read on Lew's blog that their will be dedicated internet booth provided by these people http://redstateeclectic.com/page4.html

they will also be boadcasting live over the internet starting around 3:30pm

Awesome!

[Joe Knows]

I feel like I'm holding down an empty fort... while everyone else is fighting on the front lines... oh well, anyone up for a game of monopoly?

Torchbearer.

I kind of feel the same way. But I called up national and asked if they had a handle on people attending. They said that it looked like they had plenty of people. I asked how important it was for me to go. I was then asked how much money I would spend to go. I told her about $100. She told me that it was much more important to the campaign if I could donate the $100 than attend the rally. They said they needed the money. She actually made me feel pretty good about not being able to go. So I gave the $100 as my contribution to the event.

[foraneagle2]

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070630/NEWS/306300004/1001

[MozoVote]

Looks like Huckabee and Romney will be staying in Iowa for a few more days to continue campaigning. It will give the Iowa RP sign carriers somewhere to go! :D

[cujothekitten]

10 minute clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnXHM522-EE

[SOS4USA]

This is why I contacted an Iowan for Ron Paul and told them we could incorporate the Free Hugs movement (check it out on You Tube, sounds lame but it is way cool on video) so they would realize we are not hatemongering and making harassing phone calls. You guys are the best.

[PongGod]

10 minute clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnXHM522-EE

I saw this clip a moment ago on MySpace and was wondering if anyone could confirm the claim that there were about 1000 supporters in attendance. If so, I'd say "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!"

- Robert -

[angrydragon]

10 minute clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnXHM522-EE

Look at this comment from the video by Vali585.

Well, we had a meetup here in Washington and Lew Moore was our guest. We asked him how Ron Paul was holding up and some expressed concern that he gets enough rest. Lew's response, "He is doing great, and we are all doing our best to keep up with him...He goes 15 hours a day and as we are all wrapping up at the end of the day...Dr. Paul goes by in his jogging outfit...he was a track star and still runs...he takes the stairs instead of the elevator...Yeah, thanks for asking, he is doing great!"

[EastWindRain]

10 minute clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnXHM522-EE
Great clip. Is there any more from Des Moines, Iowa?

[DjLoTi]

do you think there will be any news feeds that will broadcast the rally?

I'm working on RonPaulradio.com that plans to do a live feed in all events... stay tuned.. coming soon

[Santana28]

I was there, i drove out with Chuck from Milwaukee and Josh from the Chicago group. It was a VERY long day, but VERY worthwhile.

Ron Paul absolutely had more people there to see him, then the other forum combined. It was probably right around 1000... there were a few seats in the back, but there were also a lot of people who choose to stand closer to the front. I heard somewhere along the line that they gave out over 1000 meal tickets (for the free meal provided by the RP campaign - a very nice hamburger btw) - and people could only supposedly get one ticket each.

I hope someone shot video... almost the entire group of RP supporters came marching in to a bullhorn at the same time, proceeding past the other forum's campaign tables... it was an awesome sight to behold. I myself was told rather rudely to move to the other side of the building, and all i was holding was an American flag.

The Iowa Tax Forum mysteriously ran almost an hour late - and then instead of letting out the main entrance they ended up letting out through doors on the opposite side of the building next to the exits and out of sight of Ron Paul supporters. We were also reminded repeatedly and rather forcefully not to "be rude. don't harrass people." In my case, as i simply stood in awe of the events around me, holding my American flag.

So anyways - i went for myself to see firsthand what is true and firsthand what is not true. Ron Paul definitely had more people than the forum - and the forum organizers were doing everything in their power to keep their members away from Ron Paul aside from physically telling people not to walk to our side of the building. And that, i'm not even sure of - because i wasn't allowed on that side of the building.

Go Ron Paul! Thanks to Chuck, and Josh, and Chris, and Eric, and every other awesome person i got to meet yesterday.

[Bro.Butch]

Thx to u 4 reporting Santana, That's a bummer they guided everyone out a different direction from the RP rally.I was thinking some of them might get to hear a little of RP...

[Scribbler de Stebbing]

Here are two of my clips:

Ron Paul's parking lot speech to supporters just as we started to gather:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLnr6LTy8oQ

And the March on the Hy-Vee:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj4u7zVmAQE

Do we have a central location to which we may upload stills and/or video? Would be great if we can all put our picts in one place, then go through to find ones of ourselves. :)

[Orat]

I was one of the people counting people coming in the doors, and we had right at 1,000. Don't believe the reports that it was "nearly 500".

It was awesome. One of the best experiences of my life.

[smtwngrl]

Thx to u 4 reporting Santana, That's a bummer they guided everyone out a different direction from the RP rally.I was thinking some of them might get to hear a little of RP...

Yes, it is a bummer, but at least there were a couple of people with flyers on the other side. Also, the irony is that they had all of the booths for the other candidates set up outside of the main entrance. So when they routed them out the back way, they bypassed the booths as well.

Some of the forum attendees did come to the rally. Also, Ron Paul's campaign handed out food coupons to the forum volunteers, and a number of them stayed to hear him speak. Some of them were even applauding him during some of the standing ovations.

One woman who came over from the Forum stood next to my husband in line and asked him what he liked most about Ron Paul. He told her that it wasn't just one thing, that he liked pretty much everything about him. He told her some about his record of following the Constitution, and other things, and she asked, "Do you think he would bring the troops home?"

She seemed happy with what she was hearing; and when Ron Paul was speaking, she was one of the ones standing up, in order to be closer to the front of the room.

I second what Orat said. It was great being there, and I'm really glad that we went.

[smtwngrl]

Look at this comment from the video by Vali585.

Well, we had a meetup here in Washington and Lew Moore was our guest. We asked him how Ron Paul was holding up and some expressed concern that he gets enough rest. Lew's response, "He is doing great, and we are all doing our best to keep up with him...He goes 15 hours a day and as we are all wrapping up at the end of the day...Dr. Paul goes by in his jogging outfit...he was a track star and still runs...he takes the stairs instead of the elevator...Yeah, thanks for asking, he is doing great!"

:D

[Scribbler de Stebbing]

May I direct your attention to the Scribbler's first video production?

Operation Blowback: Des Moines (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=5306)