Did anyone else go to Fighting Bob Fest in Baraboo ?

[KC21304]

It was amazing. I knew Jim Hightower and Greg Palast and Bernie Sanders were going to be there. But Russ Feingold and Dennis Kucinich showed up to surprise us all. They were all awesome. But Greg Palast really blew me away. I will never forget it.

[snyttri]

1. Palast was a surprisingly good speaker. The whole event was good.

Fighting Bobfest should be a great rallying point for dethroning George the Second next year. Kucinich was good. Sanders was good. Missed Feingold.

[CMT]

2. I live in Madison

and wanted to go but I had to help a friend move today. I know at the Dean Meetup on Wed they were getting together a bunch of people to go and have a table. It sounds awesome. Even though I'm for Dean I would of loved to have heard DK--and all the rest!!

[TheBigGuy]

3. Fighting Bob Fest...in a town know for its circus museum?

This I have to hear about.

Im familiar with Baraboo as its close to the scenic Devils Lake.

[KC21304]

5. It is in the district that Bob La Follette represented.

It was held at the Sauk County Fairgrounds. Around noon the count was 1675 people. They had to move the events from the Pavillion to the grandstand because there were so many people.

Paul Wellstone was to be the featured speaker so they displayed a large picture of Paul and Shiela on the dias. He had agreed to it right before he died.

[TheBigGuy]

9. Yep..they have a website...

http://www.fightingbob.com/

I am proud to say that I have a Wisconsin connection as my grandmother was born their and my grandfather had, briefly, a farm and resort there, too.

[snyttri]

6. A thread of progressivism in Wisconsin runs along with La Follette.

Workers compensation, mandatory public education and other programs originated here, pushed by immigrants. Milwaukee had Socialist mayors as recently as about 1960. A disdain for large campaign contributions runs from Gaylord Nelson to William Proximire to Feingold.

[madrchsod]

4. i knew it ,dam

i was going to go but ran out of money, great weather,nice drive up rt 78..dam,dam,dam!!!

[CMT]

7. how many people attended?

Did all or most of our candidates have tables at the event?

[KC21304]

8. I saw Dean, Kerry, Kucinich, and the Democratic Party

with everyone's bumper stickers. There may have been more. The usual books, bumper stickers, and other booths.

The last count I heard was 1675 but that was very early afternoon so there could have been many more.

[Cheesehead]

10. I believe the final count was over 2100

A terrific program as planned with surprise appearances by our Senator and progressive hero Russ Feingold and also Dennis Kucinich. There were plenty of campaign materials available from of the candidates (including "potential" candidate Clark).

I must applaud the work of MC and fightingbob.com principle Ed Garvey and Madison Capital Times Editor and Nation contributor John Nichols. They provided exceptional commentary and fitting introductions throughout. Greg Palast was entertaining and Jim Hightower was the closing act. The Wisconsin progressive community isenergized and on a roll!

[Jackpine Radical]

11. I was there, as were madashell and Sybilla.

Also a mixed bunch of people from the N. Wis. peace orgs, Amnesty Internatinal, Deanies, etc. & a few sad Greens.

There were far more Kucinich buttons, shirts, signs, stickers (& probly tattoos) around than anything else. I wore a Dean t-shirt & it was the only one I saw around, although a number of people were wearing smaller Dean logos (buttons & stickers). I was disappointed that there was no obvious DU presence. I thought (because I had earlier heard) some DUers were going to put up a sign or something that we could rally 'round.

Anyway, it was a helluva good time. In addition to the big-name people already mentioned (& of course the ubiquitous Ed Garvey) plus John Nichols, I would mention that the Lt Gov of WI was there--Barb Lawton. In addition to working the phrase "Whistle-Ass" into her speech as often as possible, she happily & unabashedly called Bush a liar, with no mumbling when she said it.

[sybylla]

12. Some quotes from a most fabulous day in Baraboo

"For the first time in my lifetime, all across this country the corporate control of our media is on the agenda, people are talking about it." Rep. Bernie Sanders. He also said that before we, as a country, can take on any of the issues facing us, we must take on the corporate control of the media.

"Bush suffers from Messianic Militarism" Matt Rothschild, editor of the Progressive.

"It's time to take on health care for profit in the US." Dennis Kucinich
He also said his first act as President will be to pull us out of NAFTA and GATT.

Feingold said, though I don't have an exact quote, that, when faced with the vote on the Iraq invasion resolution, he went to the CIA. They were straight with him on Iraq, telling him that the evidence wasn't there. He claimed that the bushistas used their documentation to intimidate the Reps and Sens into voting for it.

I can't begin to describe what a wonderful day this was. I was at the first Fighting Bob Fest last year and about 1000 people showed up throughout the day. This time it more than doubled. I was moved to see the county fair grandstands filled with progressives and thought of the many more who couldn't make it. And I was thrilled to hear all the speakers talk about the issues that get discussed all year here at DU. And the cherry on top was bringing home an autographed copy of Greg Palast's book, The Best Democracy Money Can Buy.

I just don't know how you can top this year's Fighting Bob Fest.


on edit: spelling