Conservatives clapped, smiled and danced at the kickoff to a series of "tea party protests" launched in downtown San Diego Sunday.
At the event, sponsored by the Republican Party of San Diego, more than 1,000 people gathered to protest the Obama administration and efforts to pass a government-run health care plan.
“We, the people, are speaking today loudly and clearly,” said talk radio host Roger Hedgecock who pointed out a sign held by one girl in the crowd “Stop putting me in debt, I don’t have a job yet.”
Despite the sea of protest signs and banners and the seriousness of the subject, the mood of the event was celebratory.
“Conservative women are sexy!” singer Lloyd Marcus declared as a line of women – some in mom jeans – formed a chorus line in front of the bandstand.
Marcus performed his song, “American Tea Party Anthem,” that goes to the tune “New York, New York,” as part of the party kicking off a national tour from our Embarcadero.
“This socialist nightmare,
Must come to an end,
But we’re going to vote them out,
In 2010”
Local
The national tour, dubbed
“The Tea Party Express II: Countdown to Judgment Day,”
will cover more than 7,000 miles and hit 38 cities in 19 days.
It marks the one-year point from the 2010 elections when “numerous members of Congress will be targeted for defeat, as a result of their support of higher deficits, growth in the size and intrusiveness of government, higher taxes, bailouts and more,” organizers said in their news release.
According to the tour map on the group's website, the next stop is the California's Central Valley.
