Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin urged Nevada voters to retire their Senator, Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid, at a massive rally near the dusty desert outpost where Reid grew up.
The “Showdown in Searchlight” was the first event of a 44-city, three-week US tour of political demonstrations by the Tea Party Express, a consortium of anti-tax, anti-Democratic groups that will culminate in Washington on April 15, the day US taxpayers’ returns are due.
While there were dozens of speakers on Saturday — from local politicians vying for Reid’s job to right-wing radio talk show hosts — the main draw was Palin.
PHOTO: AFP
The 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate is now among the most popular conservative politicians in the US.
“The big government, big deficit Obama-Reid-Pelosi spending spree is over,” Palin told the audience.
Referring to the gambling state from whence Reid comes, she went on: “This isn’t a crapshoot, but a lot of this is crap, though.”
Crowd estimates ranged wildly, with organizers claiming as many as 10,000 people from every US state and across Nevada.
There was no way to confirm the claims, but the one four-lane highway that led in and out of Searchlight, south of Las Vegas, was overwhelmed with hundreds of cars flying US flags and sporting such homemade signs as “Obama Care: Socialized Medicine Guaranteed To Kill You.”
Despite the anger with federal government, rally participants had an upbeat, joyous tone.
“Yes, I’m mad as hell, but today I’m with my people and I can’t believe how many there are,” said Gary Tangiers of Los Angeles, whose face was painted red, white and blue. “We’re going to make a difference and that’s something to celebrate.”
Planes overhead etched “Vote Reid Out” in skywriting and performers sang patriotic songs from the dais.
Reid, who is gunning for a fifth six-year term in this November’s election, was not in Searchlight and issued a statement: “This election will be decided by Nevadans, not people from other states who parachuted in for one day to have a tea party.”
The attention and throngs of people were a bit disconcerting for the people of Searchlight, many of whom disagree with Reid’s politics, but are protective of him as their favorite son.
Reid, whose father and grandfather worked in mines in the area, rose from Searchlight to become the state’s youngest lieutenant-governor at 29. He was elected to the Senate in 1986 and is the most powerful national figure to emerge from the state.
“I tell ya, I really am in favor of Tea Parties, I think it’s wonderful that the American people are finally waking up, but for them to come to Harry Reid’s hometown is not the American way,” said Verlie Doing, 86, owner of the town’s only casino, the Searchlight Nugget. “You respect people more than that.”
Leaders of the Tea Party effort went to great pains to emphasize from the podium how calm and peaceful the event was after a week during which Democrats accused other Tea Party advocates of spewing racial and homophobic slurs and inciting threats of violence against members of Congress.
A sign at the entry gate read: “No Violence By T-Party! Violence Perpetrators Keep Out!”
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