A few hundred people turned out on Friday afternoon to support the Republican candidate for Vice President, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. We gathered on the street corner outside the venue of a Republican fund raiser to be held at the San Antonio River Center Marriott on Friday, October 3, 2008.
The New Braunfels Republican Women were the first on the scene (I'm sorry it was so early, Ladies). We were soon joined by women from the Canyon Lake Republican Women, the Alamo Group and good Republicans from as far as Georgetown (north of Austin) and Lytle (south of San Antonio).
More pictures will be posted as they are sent to me.
A group of our New Braunfels Republican Women were walking through the Marriott River Walk lobby when they met actor Robert Duval. Mr. Duval was in town to attend that night's fundraiser and praised Governor Palin. He also agreed to a picture with the four. The women are beautiful and I'll post the picture as soon as I'm sure that I have permission.
In addition to the Republican Womens clubs (encouraged by the Texas Federation of Republican Women), a group of women from Bulverde who are not members of a club (yet), families with children of all ages and babies in strollers, beautiful and brave teen age girls, and men and women who just wanted to show Governor Palin that Texas is behind her and Senator McCain.
Unfortunately, no one would tell us the route that the Governor's vehicles would take to enter the hotel. (That should be "Governors'," since it turned out that Governor Rick Perry accompanied the Palins.) It turned out that security steered the cars and limos to an entrance about a block behind us.
The local San Antonio media turned our good deed into bad news, focusing on the cost of the fundraiser tickets and our lost opportunity to see Governor Palin. I'm convinced that they were projecting their disappointment at being on the wrong corner, too, right along with us.
However, we all knew that she was in San Antonio for a fundraiser, not a campaign stop. We were there to show our support for her, not to gain support from her.
We waved our flags and our signs, got lots of encouraging honks and shouts from fellow Palin supporters as they drove by, and met wonderful conservative men, women and children.
We also stood to face about 6 "Code Pink" protesters - whose pink and glitter signs said "Protect a woman's right to choose" and "Tyrant Palin." They were mean and rude and very upset at our "I'll pray for you," and singing "God Bless America." (Two of the younger members were dressed in black and stood with us until the pink ladies showed up. They refused the water I was handing out to the crowd, though. So maybe they were honest.)
The local TV news videos are on line, at least for a while and preceded by advertisements. Many of our Comal County women are featured and most of those blue McCain-Palin signs that you see were our contribution from the County Republican Headquarters. Here's the links:
KENS TV Channel 5(focuses on the protestors )
WOAI TV posts their videos in javascript, so I'm not sure I can figure out how to make a direct link. They are on this page, and titled, "Palin's S.A. Fundraiser Too Pricey For Most" and "VP Candidate Sarah Palin Makes Stop in S.A."
Last, but not least, KSAT TV Channel 12 features our own Jan Kotylo about 40 seconds in and our Ruth Pharris, Jeri Odom, Tasha Greg (in the Sarah mask) and another NBRW at 1:00 minute in. (Sorry, I can't remember her name - Please let me know her name and I'll edit this post) See "San Antonio Greets VP Candidate Palin."
