Darcy Burner's Last, Best Hope?

From olyimc.org, the latest on earned media protest plans this Friday June 16 while POTUS raises money for U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert (WA-8th) in Medina. First came news of a "Walking Dead" march from Bellevue and a "die-in" at the fundraiser. But permits for street protests are required in Medina, so maybe nobody's gonna croak on Peter Neupert's driveway after all. Now the plans include a flotilla of anti-Bush kayakers in the waters of Medina in a transparent bid to draw earned media that Seattle Camp Wellstone students could discuss in their class later that same day. Anyway, note the protest sponsors, and the whole waterborne and freeway-related logistics.

A question: Will the publicity from protests such as this, trying to directly confront Bush on Iraq and national security during his fundraising trips for tight House and Senate contests, have any effect on the '06 election cycle? Bush's negatives are way up there now, assuming you care about those kinds of polls, and that voters in unrelated contests also do. But he still raises hella cash for Republicans, cash which is smartly husbanded for direct mail and paid media that helps win elections. So far it seems the anti-Bush and anti-Republican meme is - again - all the Ds have going into gametime. That's not good for their side.

Here's an excerpt from the latest pitch (first link, above) by protest leader Kenn Dzaman at the olyimc.org site.

Please help protest this president and his failed leadership. (Illegal WAR, illegal imprisonment, domestic spying, white house leaks, media manipulation, congressional manipulation; and many other abuses of executive power and the constitution.) Help stop the "Bush corporate-war-money-machine"; - President Bush will be there, will you? Help to stop the fear and terrorism of war. There are protests being planned in Medina and Bellevue Washington, Friday morning, June 16th, at 9:00am. There will be a lot of people practicing their first amendment rights as to free speech, the right to peacefully assemble, and protest.

There will be boats on the shores of Medina with protest banners. There will be people in kayaks protesting on both sides of the 520 bridge. There will be banners and protesters on bridge overpasses going into Medina. There will be protests at Downtown Bellevue Park, Medina Park, and Maydenbauer (sic) Park. There will be speakers at Downtown Bellevue Park - 10201 NE 4th St, people with signs and posters, and a march is planned. (Downtown Bellevue Park is next to Bellevue Square in downtown Bellevue, speakers to be announced). (There are confirmed groups and individuals coming from as far away as Portland; also Seattle, West Seattle, Olympia, Olympic Peninsula, and Bellingham.)

Organizers, and people, who have shown support, and are planning to attend: Not in Our Name...; Eastside Fellowship of Reconciliation...; Work For Justice...; Democrats DFW...(chadshue(at)hotmail.com).

Jes' wondrin: would those boats with banners on the shores of Medina be owned by Democrats, Greens, socialists or anarchists? Are we talking purring yachts with wet bars, owned by friends of George Soros; downscale dinghies; or good working-class Alaskan fishing vessels? Enquiring minds will want to know.

MSM: The lead organizer, Dzaman, gives his phone number in the above-linked post. How about an in-depth profile? And that Thursday night protest planning meeting at the Seattle Public Library's U District branch might be worth attending too, doncha think, political editors? Give us some real insight into the people behind the protest, not just the usual paint-by-numbers quotes from those at the event.

I can see the Sunday package, front-page with a color photo spread: "Kayaking For Peace And Justice." C'mon, make my day.

UPDATE, 6/14/06: The Seattle Times runs a a story this morning on the planned protests. After the Moonbat sorties on the Eastside Friday morning, the State Democratic Party will hold a Seattle rally featuring as a speaker......Reichert's opponent Darcy Burner.