Obama’s first post-Wisconsin fundraiser “memejacked” by S.F. Tea Party
The small crowd of about 40 people on my side of the street contained the only enthusiastic Obama fans I encountered all day. Some of the rubberneckers jumped up and down in excitement.
As soon as he passed, I scampered into the One Market complex. Oddly, despite all the security outside, the building remained completely open, with no guards. The elevators had all been blocked off, so scores of frustrated office workers gathered in the lobby. Word began to spread that Obama was in the building, so out came the cell phones to snap pictures of the President. But I could tell at a glance that they were all going to be disappointed: everyone should have realized that the complete lack of Secret Service agents and security police outside the elevators meant that there was no way he was going to emerge unguarded into a crowd like this. He surely zipped up a service elevator. He never came out.
But while we were waiting something interesting happened anyway. A White House staffer ushered the White House press pool through the uncaring crowd.
Each one wore a special hexagonal White House press pass. But since they were excluded from this private mystery fundraiser, they were probably being ushered into a waiting area so they couldn’t see who was meeting with him upstairs.
I also took note of (and tried, with only marginal success, to snap pictures of) the strange Soviet-style red-and-gold pins each journalist wore. There were two styles: arch-shaped for the professional media…
…and hexagonal for Obama’s staff photographers. Or at least that was my best guess.
I’m not sure I even want to know where in the name of Jod they got those polar bear costumes from.
…or how exactly that’s supposed to convince anyone of anything.
I’m pretty sure these people are furries.
Zombie we’ve got to get you some of those press pool lapel pins.
I think you can pick some up in the “Vintage Stalinist Memorabilia” store.
I don’t think I need to point out that the Obama White House ID pins are in the exact same color scheme of old Soviet propaganda pins, something I’m sure is no accident.
Pravda pins for Pravda. They are as much as telling us who they are.
It’s kind of like Islam flying the Moon and Star. The Moon god of Ur… and the Morning Star.
And yes, calling redistribution what it is, theft, is really catching on.
“Thou shalt not covet. Thou shalt not steal.”
Catchy, huh?
If I’d known it would give me White House access, I’d have bought the Order of Lenin medal I saw in Istanbul.
No time for small talk. ‘Forward’, comrade!
Excellent work Zombie. The photography and running commentary on O-blame-a’s whirlwind fundraiser in San Francisco had me enthralled for an hour! You guys really are quality. Thank-you.
Considering his affinity for current Russian leadership, and Chinese, I would liken those pins to CPC paraphernalia.
– was standing next to you, across from the old Post Office aka Rincon Center.
Ironicly he then left SF for a Gay/Lesbian/Transgender/Youth/QuestioningYouth? fundraiser in Beverly Hills.
Last time he was here he hopscotched across Pacific Heights to meet with large donors in their homes.
I played HS football against one of the cops you photographed.
Nice job over there, Zombie. You found the presidential car tent.
Nevertheless, I have one complaint: How come you did not find Cindy Sheehan?
There was a Code Pink lady wearing “Vote Cindy!” buttons at the second protest, but I ended up not including her photo. That’s as close as I got.
Cindy Sheehan still bops around the Bay Area and makes frequent appearances. These days she’s promoting her “I had sex with Hugo Chavez” book, but I don’t think anybody has ever bought a copy.
She’s so irrelevant these days, I stopped covering her wearisome shenanigans.
Cindy…..and Hugo?
I need eyebleach!!! And an airsick bag.
Since no one’s ever actually read the book, I can’t say for sure how graphic the love scenes are.
I note with interest that the book has no customer reviews on Amazon, though it does have one “like”.
It’s also #910,746 on the best seller list, but it’s [SHOCK!] # 38 in the “Government” category.
Actually, that list is interesting. If that list is a harbinger of the November elections, Obama has some packing to do! Take a look at it; I think you’ll like it.
Hmmm. What’s an Army FIeld Manual doing on Amazon????
I did. ha!
IIRC right after she became a DNC prop in 04′, her husband divorced her and the rest of the family issued a public statement that she does not represent their views or opinions.
It was mentioned 8 years ago at some other obscure blog, that she would be thrown under the bus and forgotten after the election and thats exactly what happened. Pity.
To be completely frank, it’s perfectly obvious if you’ve ever been around Cindy Sheehan in person, as I have several times, that she’s missing a few bats in the belfry. She’s not quite at the level of “mentally disabled,” but she is rather, to be blunt about it, stupid. Which is fine, nothing wrong with being stupid, that is until you try to pass yourself off as a political analyst and font of wisdom. In addition to that attribute, she’s like a psychic vampire who derives sustenance from fame and attention. She absolutely craves attention like a bear craves honey.
If she had just said, “I am an ordinary mother filled with sadness that my son died,” and left it at that, then no one (including me) would have a problem with her. But the left IDed her as the perfect victim and used her as a weapon to target George Bush. She misinterpreted the attention lavished on her as actual love, and when the left tossed her out like an old rag, she basically went insane (or more insane than she already was). It’s been downhill all the way from there. Now CIndy openly promotes communism, even though she obviously has no idea what she’s even talking about. She bases her worldview on social interactions, not facts. If somebody “hip” tells her that something is true, then for Cindy it is true, facts or no facts.
“To be completely frank, it’s perfectly obvious if you’ve ever been around Cindy Sheehan in person, as I have several times, that she’s missing a few bats in the belfry.”
I believe you. I’ve never had the discomfort of meeting her, but the short sound bites I heard over the years made her seem discombobulated.
A very sad situation; tragic.
It says a LOT about the MSM that they were willing to use her genuine grief to score a few cheap political points, then toss her like a used ‘d’-bag.
Best Regards,
I’m not surprised in the least at your description of Sheehan. Even from a distance it was pretty obvious. Someday, she’ll be living in a cardboard box on the street, still bleating about communism and Casey. It’s pretty sad.
Cindy Sheehan still bops around the Bay Area and makes frequent appearances. These days she’s promoting her “I had sex with Hugo Chavez” book, but I don’t think anybody has ever bought a copy.
THAT explains how Thugo got his case of terminal cancer.
After the Challenger disaster, President Reagan came to visit the Johnson Space Center, where I worked. I figured he wouldn’t use the main entrance, so I guessed which side entrance he would use. I waited for the limo outside the entrance, alone, and I got it right. I waved to him and he waved back to me. That’s as close to a president as I’ve ever been and frankly, there hasn’t been a president since I’d particularly care to get as close to.
PS: Might try a polarizer on that lens; it may help cut the glare through the window.
The handmade sign carried a simple and powerful message: “The Redistribution of Wealth is Government-sanctioned Theft”. Just as the Declaration of Independence refers to self-evident truths and lays out the moral case for the separation from Britain, the welfare state must also be fought on moral grounds. The simple truths repeated early and often are the most powerful weapons against the left.
Good job, Zombie!
I’ll have to give some credit to those anti-war protesters for consistent principles. They obviously didn’t get the memo that war is suddenly a good thing if a Democrat is CiC and we’re fighting to lose.
(Not that every last one of them won’t vote for the Lightworker anyway.)
Great report! Thanks. He said he would unite us and he did on this one fact – BO is the worst President ever.
Obama’s campaign strategy is inadequate to maintain him in a serious action such as the Tea Party will put to him. He has corruption in the coop, hate on the hoof, taqiyya on the tongue and bats in the belfry — that’s his campaign strategy. He can probably maintain himself in the type of fighting the Tea Party will give him in Mexifornia and a few states on the North East front. After that it will make no difference how many thousands of dead he has voting for him early and often, and if Americans want America and the Presidency back in 2012, the Tea Party will give it to them.
I have to wonder how much of the decoy actions were meant for safety and not just to protect Obama from all that awful criticism.
Somehow, Bill Clinton was able to play both sides of the fence with great dexterity and ability. Barack Obama, not so much. In fact, it is impressive that he has managed to enrage not only the right, but also the hard left against him.
It seems he can’t do anything right. Even Bill Clinton can’t/won’t help him.
It sucks when you have to campaign as hard as he does and still he gets very little support from his own party.
I don’t think Mr. Romney has much to worry about come November.
Good post. The book “Amatuer” comes to mind. Obama either miscalculated America or doesn’t care that he is so wrong. Chicago-style politics is Obama’s Waterloo. It worked for awhile to intimidate the timid, but once people started to realize Obama was a toothless tiger, real Americans are waking up and, God willing, we can get back to the Constitutional law of the land and not the Emporer’s decrees.
Once again, Zombie brings teh Awesome! Your photojournalism surely would deserve a Pulitzer….if that were a real award not based on carrying water for a fundamentally dishonest profession. Great job!!!!
After his off-color and very unpresidential joke at the expense of his wife, in front of gays, lesbians and transgenders the other night, it seems oh so fitting for him to be back in friendly Polk Street territory and among the super wealthy donors who cry the don’t-tax-me, tax-only-those-rich-Republicans hypocrisy.
I think he made the joke about his wife after this appearance. Sorry.
Why the bloody hell would anybody WANT to see Obambi?
I just don’t get that.
I was pretty surprised to see those people at the first stop jumping up and down in excitement. Their behavior could be due to one of two reasons: One, they are simply thrilled by fame, regardless of who the celebrity may be, and would be just as excited to see Snooki from Jersey Shore or Kim Kardashian as they would be to see Obama; or two, they are hardcore liberals who think Obama’s the cat’s pajamas. It’s probably a combination of “one” and “two.” Remember that despite all the disillusionment and dissatisfaction about Obama even in SF, most of the population here is still gonna vote for him, some quite enthusiastically.
There is only one circumstance under which I’d like to see the usurper. I won’t mention it here, but it should not take a lot of imagination to figure it out.
Did anyone notice the Labor Dept. drones overhead?
The altitudes at which the drones fly is so high that only the tinfoil-hatted can observe them.
Zombie,
A former veteran white house reporter said those aren’t journalists wearing the red pins.
Interesting. But then what are they? Some of the same people that were wearing the white hexagonal cardboard “White House Press Pool” tags around their necks were also wearing the red pins. The hexagonal red pin has a Presidential Seal on it. I couldn’t tell what the round device on the arch-shaped ones was.
Perhaps the pins identified just some kind of White House or campaign staffers intermingled with the press pool?
It all happened so fast — they pushed by me in the crowd for a few seconds and then were gone — that I didn’t have time to figure out the whole situation and visually assess each person’s position. All I know is that a bunch of “official” people came out of the “no go” forbidden security area, some of whom were wearing White House Press Pool badges, some of whom were wearing the various red pins, and some of whom were wearing both passes and pins, and pushed through the crowd and were ushered away by Secret Security guys. Make of it what you will.
Interesting indeed. I’ll forward your comments to Keith at whitehousedossier because he is the one that told me. He didn’t provide any other insights.
Zombie:
I don’t know but I would be more than willing to do some very extra study on the “Hex” pin on the white sweater over the white blouse that is, oh gosh, sleightly unbottoned, purely for the purpose of clarity.
Those might be markers that the bearer has been pre-vetted by the Secret Service. Dunno what the difference between arch and pentagon would be.
Good theory. You may be right.
Keith didn’t tell me who they were the 1st time, only who they weren’t and he didn’t respond to my follow up. Being that he used to be a WH reporter and there are certain things you agree not talk about even when you are no longer at the job, I think his lack of response tells you who they were. I’ll leave it at that.
Perhaps they designate the official minders, ala N. Korea.
Zombie – you have being doing yeoman’s work in the cause for years now. Thank you more than I can even say…..
Tiniest of nitpicks – The fact that the two vehicles have the same license plate is not the least bit strange. The entire point of the doppelganger limo is to force bad guys to have to “get” both limos if they are up to no good. The same plate makes it all the harder for them to know at any given moment which car they are seeing. Even if only for a split second, that could make all the difference in an ugly situation. Eminently sensible.
That’s what I figured as well.
And the author was like… an airheaded pre-teen.
Please learn to speak English. ADULT English.
Mark v, you’re overanalyzing.
First off, Zombie is an excellent wordsmith. Or did you not read the whole four pages?
Second, using “like” in this way is completely fine. Zombie didn’t, like, totally say, like, “Oh my God, and then, like, the cop was all, ‘Hey, back up the truck!’ and, like, it was, like, crazy!” The phrase as used in Zombie’s write-up was a clear way of saying, “The cop’s actions, words and manner were communicating that he wanted the women to step back on the sidewalk.” But you can say something stilted and boring like that, or you can say, “And the cop was like, ‘Hey, step back! You want to get shot?’”
Please, take a deep breath and find something more worthwhile to complain about. Like absolutely anything else.
No, it’s NOT completely fine. If you are not familiar with the doctrine of “deconstructionism”, you should do some reading on it.
I purposely play with language sometimes. Using “like” in this circumstance was a conscious choice, not an ignorant affectation, nor because I was at a loss for better terminology. People utilize slang at select moments in otherwise proper grammar in order to convey a feeling. Writers such as James Thurber or Robert Benchley would slip in words like “ain’t” for very specific stylistic reasons, not because they didn’t know how to spell “isn’t.” In this case I purposely used teen “Valley Girl” slang for two reasons, firstly because it was thoughtless teen girls who were stepping out into the street, so I was addressing them in their own lingo, jocularly; and secondly, I used a casual-ism to defuse the apparent severity of the situation; although the cop was yelling at them and so forth, he wasn’t really going to shoot them; I wanted to convey to the readership that the cop himself was mostly being faux-menacing — he was required per his job description to herd the girls backward with the most violent threats, but he wasn’t actually going to gun anyone down over it.
Language is our tool, not our master.
Zom.. that should shut up the anal-retentative types! Like really!
Gag me with a spoon.
Howdy Zombie,
Bravo Zulu, from an old Navy Vet.
The English languange is indeed a wondrous tongue; it can be used with equal ease to carefully illuminate a complex idea in very specific terms, or to artfully disguise an obvious truth.
Your photos are interesting, excellent locations, mediocre picture quality (kinda assume your just using a phone camera to catch opportunities as they present themselves). Your prose is quite good. Humor is *very* good.
Best Regards,
There’s a big difference between using slang artistically, and aiding and abetting the enemy in the degradation of our language.
Those of you who are defending this, I have two questions for you:
Have you ever read Marx? Do you know what “deconstructionism” is, and what it’s intended to accomplish?
If you don’t, I suggest you just shut up. You are “useful idiots” for the left. This is not trivial.
“Deconstructionism” is not a doctrine. It’s technique or analytical device originally used in semiotics and co-opted by other disciplines. Before you call other people out, maybe check yourself.
“Last night upon the stair
I met a man who wasn’t there.
He wasn’t there again today.
Oh how I wish he’d go away.”
Excellent as always, Zombie! Tell me, were the native San Franciscans convinced it was the end of days when they saw all these Romney signs parading through the streets? I’d have liked to see their panic.
Great work, zombie.
Too bad I was unable to make the Obama fundraiser at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel the other day, in Beverly Hills. I heard there were anti-Obama protesters from both sides of the spectrum there as well. I was working in the neighborhood but unfortunately didn’t get finished until it was too late.
I work in Beverly Hills two or three days a week and it’s amazing how popular the President is among the dreaded 1%. I see Obama stickers on Maseratis, and Bentlys and Porsches every time I drive through the area.
I once shook hands with Richard Nixon. His hands were cold, covered with powder, and his eyes lacked life or spark. As a young kid, I felt slightly ill afterwards probably from all the excitement of seeing a President and shaking his hand, but more probably from the lifelessness in his eyes and his cold, clammy hands.
I would dread meeting Obama in person. I fear much deeper feelings of disgust and creepiness if I shook the anointed ones hand in person.
Obama’s LA visit was focused on the gay and lesbian community. I wondered if he was also going for the homosexual dollar in SF. In any case, how do the black Obama supporters in Watts and Compton feel about being totally ignored, especially in preference to their hated gay fellow citizens. No one seems to be commenting on that, and there are certainly no barbershop interviews in the ‘hood asking that question.
Any alternate theories? I vote for a, b, c and d.
Yes. SEIU and AFSCME have quit funding the Occupists due to futility and public disgust to date. Exit Occupy, pursued by a polar bear costume.
A little-known SEIU ad in Washington state showed up in December last year, wishing to hire a full-time activist to coordinate between SEIU and various ‘other’ organizations in direct actions, statehouse occupations etc during the coming election year. Perhaps they squandered all his/her attentions on the Walker election, but most likely the remainder of the effort is being held in reserve for riots of opportunity nearer to November.
Choice E. Occupy Oakland was amply represented by its one gag queen.
Gotta love the Tea Party, especially those daring California patriots who survive in such a hostile environment. I’m greatly enjoying the fantasy image of Owebama feeling them rubbing salt in his Wisconsin wounds.
Thank you Zombie. I will pass this around. @ Anonymous = Thank you for you concerns about Ca. We are moving in the right direction in two ways, SF Pension reform with a Dem and San Diego Pension reform. Last year Costa Mesa sold all four of their helicopters and some city workers and now contract with Huntington Beach. Now we need to get rid of Palosi; Waters; Waxman and moonbeam.
Do the old and crusty baggers realize that they are protesting against redistribution of tax dollars while being on the government dole via SS and MC, two socialist welfare programs?
Your stupid and pre-rebutted Media-Matters-supplied failed talking point has absolutely no effect on the crowd here except to elicit our scorn and laughter.
Since participation in Social Security (through SS taxes) is COMPULSORY by LAW and no one has the option of NOT being in the program, lest they want to go to jail for tax evasion, then it is not hypocritical to be on Social Security while at the same time protesting against its implementation. Same holds true for Medicare.
Leftists constantly protest against things they benefit from (military action, the police, laws they wrongheadedly diasgree with), and yet they never seem to think this counts as hypocrisy.
See my essay “Why the Hypocrisy Defense is political suicide for liberalism” for a more thorough dissection of the fallacy that is your worldview.
Howdy Zombie,
Is ‘jarjar’ really worth a sharp rebuke?
Even the screen name screams simple minded . . .
Best Regards,
What is your point, that we should all stop working?
Cuz that’s where social programs go, at the limit.
The point of the conservatives is that the numbers have to add up, or the whole system goes down. Spending more out of balance only brings the end sooner. Is that your point? Cuz I sure don’t see any other.
JarJar: You do your name-sake proud.
I see Bruce Vilanch let his hair grow longer.
Once again, Zombie, thank you. You are absolutely indispensable. There is no one who catches it all and reports it like you do.
Great pics and article. Go TEA Party!
Since when is anyone convinced that Barracky boy really cares?
Just attend one of his exorbitant fund raisers. You can wear your receipt on your suit to show how much respect you have been endowed with, sucka.
The point is well made here: What kind of person would want to meet a creep like Barack Hussein Obama, stand there being sneered at, and actually give the treasonous, lying rat a check to help him perpetuate his malicious fraud? Obozo’s leftard donors are immensely wealthy; they must have done something right to get so rich, God bless them. So how can they be so utterly clueless, ignorant, and stupid, funding a candidate who loathes them and has no agenda except to reduce them to poverty and impotence? These fools have a big psychological problem. It’s like a science fiction movie, where the aliens have taken over normal human bodies.
The only answer is: They’re PODS!!!
Yeah, these folks who support Baraka at these fundraisers, who’ve earned unimaginable sums of money due to what must be their spectacular capitalist initiative and acumen, has always puzzled me with their choice in politicians!!!
Are they just money making savants, while being certifiably NUTS??!!
Never vote for a democrat — NEVER!!!
They are the ones who get in on the ground level of projects like Solyndra. Their contributions to Obama’s campaign is an “investment” to give them access to future “investments” by the Obama administration. That’s how they get rich or richer. That is the Chicago politics way of redistributing wealth, from taxpayers to those politically touched. All these contributors will expect payback.
Jarmo is only half correct. They also plan to be part of the inner crowd – part of the new aristocracy.
Interesting. The people attracted to this event are rather conventional and boring. In just a few weeks and not very far from the Embarcadero “Up Your Alley Fair” will unleash a conga line of depravity undoubtably much more colorful and shocking. Why no ATM visit THAT day?
great work zombie
I don’t appreciate your putting up so many details of the President’s security procedures, such as license plate, body double, etc.
I didn’t reveal anything that wasn’t already easily visible by the public or already widely well-known.
I think he’s (MikeN) adorable; kinda like a puppy that can’t really walk very well yet . . .
Some of the very lefties that really and truly ‘no-sh*t’ hung GW in effigy are excited about rather prosaic common sense observations, the details of which are already common knowledge to many in the DC area media.
Best Regards,
There’s a metaphor here. So much of what the One does in public is misdirection.
Howdy Zombie,
You are obviously well practiced at this little game; hope you don’t get a visit from the Secret Service for exposing the obvious . . .
You are also a very *funny* guy! . . . and I thought droll was dead . . .
Thank you for taking the time and effort to assemble this little slide show plus commentary.
Best Regards,
from a Suberban refugee
[hat tip]
Howdy CAPT Mike!
I’m not sure, but I don’t know if Zombie has been confirmed to be a ‘guy’.
All part of the rich tapestry of mystery that shrouds our beloved Zombie.
Imagine if the 2008 electorate knew then, what they know now? Obonehead wouldn’t warrant the tunes of an ice cream truck, much-less a presidential motorcade!!!
Never vote for a democrat — NEVER!!!
Thank you San Francisco Tea Partiers!!! You are the definition of courage! As a former Californian and fellow conservative you have given me renewed hope for California and the Country. Keep fighting the good fight. And thank you Zombie, great article.
Just a reminder- there are still conservative Democrats out there (all be it a shrinking group). We must not disenfranchise them, but seek to work together. The liberals have proven masters of division- let the conservatives be the ones who bring this great nation back together the way Ronald Reagan did years ago.
God Bless America and The Tea Party!
Funny thing happened late last year. The building I work in, close to Los Angeles Airport(LAX) had a fire drill just before BHO flew over in MC1. With out thinking I saluted…It seemed I could only deploy one finger in my salute. How did that happen? He must have felt it from the blast of air from my flailing arm.
I think it was another fund raiser with his snooty hollywood types.
Just as Z man described, two choppers just like two limos.
Great report Zombie!
“Your comment is awaiting moderation”
Who does this “moderation” thing? Is it the NSA?
It’s the editors taking the weekend off. Nothing to worry about — ya just have to be patient for comments to get “approved” if you make them at night or on the weekends. If you’re lucky, an editor will be logged in and lurking and will get to your comment quickly; but if not, just wait for a bit, and it’ll get approved eventually. That is, unless your comment makes reference to “nuking all the wops” or some such no-no.
REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH=FINANCIAL RACISM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2X3QRSIXgns
Gary Johnson encompasses all the grievances aired at this event!
I miss Cindy Sheehan! It’s good to know that she’ll back (and very vocal) once Mitt is elected.
portraying one of the highest profile black women in the United States as a “welfare Mom” is classic dog-whistle racism at it’s finest. The woman attended Princeton University and Harvard Law School before returning to Chicago and to work at the the sixth-largest U.S.-based corporate law firm Sidley Austin, subsequently working as part of the staff of Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley, and for the University of Chicago Medical Center. All while raising a family. I wish some of these dicks would share her work ethic.
And all zombie can do is remark that “Michelle’s free-spending ways also came under attack.”???? Really shows how disgusting racism has infected the conservative movement.
Your bleatings about “classic dog-whistle racism” is all you got left. Because there is no, nor has there ever been, any actual racism in the fiscal-conservative movement. So you have to construct an illusion of racism in your own mind through intentional faux-outrage.
Problem for your side is, that the accusation gets basically no traction with the general public. Obama’s lackeys such as yourself have been playing the race card relentlessly and incessantly for nearly five straight years now, in order to silence opposition with the ultimate bugbear threat of “racism accusation,” but the cumulative result is a public sick of being insulted by insinuation.
Let me cite a classic definition which you should ponder carefully: