Long time reader, first time poster....
I just got back from one of the branch libraries in West Hartford, CT. I'm on vacation and wanted to load up "a great big valise full of books to read." Just as I finished loading up my bag with freshly scanned reading material, Senator Lieberman walked in the front door.
Now, to be fair, I had a bit of warning as the librarians were all a dither about something taking up a mess of parking spaces. It wasn't until I was about to go that I heard a librarian on the phone mentioning Lieberman's bus and his advance people.
I started to shake.
(Update: I've posted some requested clarification http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/8/4/115836/6905)
I've been telling my close friends for days now that the more I read about Lieberman, the more angry I get and the more I want to physically hurt him. I had decided that I needed to stop reading about Lieberman - just cast my absentee ballot, then just forget the whole primary race and relax on my vacation.
So, when I heard he was going to be walking in, I vented with a few exclaimations of "I don't fucking believe this!" (it's my vacation, I'm trying to relax and this guy shows up at my library!?) I turned to the woman next to me and said "just, someone, please; don't let me hit him"
I saw him come in the door and tried to stay calm. As he got up even with me, close enough that I could have grabbed his arm or pinched his cheek, he smiled toward me and I lost it.
With my voice shaking, I calmly, firmly and with just a little break to my voice said: "I'm very disappointed in you, Senator Lieberman." I then walked away, coz if I stood there much longer, I may have been unable to stop myself from doing something inappropriate. Then I would most likely miss my vacation and end up spending time as the guest of the Town of West Hartford -or the State of Connecticut. (In fact, I'm lucky I wasn't wearing my "PEACE" T-shirt that my husband brought me from Israel with PEACE in english, hebrew and arabic. Goodness knows what might have happened to me if I had worn that!)
As I walked away, Lieberman took the discourse to the next (Fox News) level. (He's quite the pitbull these days.) "You should get the truth!" he shouted out at me. Without turning or breaking stride I yelled loud and proud: "I do have the truth! YOU need to WAKE UP!"
I was then followed out to the curb by a nice young man (who said he was a reporter with the New London something or another). First he asked me what I said to Senator Lieberman to get him to yell out "you should get the truth" then he asked if it was the war.
I sighed and babbled like a mad woman while he jotted down a lot of stuff. I babbled about Lieberman's Lies, Social Security, telling anyone who disagreed with the President that they should shut up, about having more Non-Connecticut money in the primary race as well as just having more money in the race period. I babbled about how Lieberman doesn't publish his stops in advance "coz he's afraid people like me will show up on purpose!" I babbled about my fear for our country and how Lieberman wasn't doing anything to stand up for it. I was incoherent. At one point I said "am I against the war? yeah! but I'm against all war" - I dug two books out of my book bag and shook 'em at the poor guy. "Why Didn't The Press Shout? American and International Journalism During the Holocaust" and "Hitler's Willing Executioners: Ordinary Germans and the Holocaust" - I told him I was desperately trying to understand what's going on in our country and how it can be stopped. I told him my next stop was the Town Clerk's office to file my absentee ballot.
He asked me what I thought would happen Tuesday. I told him what I thought. Lamont has a chance. I think he will win the primary. However, Lieberman will run as an independant (at this point, I stopped, put my hand on his arm and said "Excuse me, He'll run as a 'Connecticut for Lieberman'" and rolled my eyes) and with the right wing noise machine he might just win his "do over" and screw us all.
I mentioned Wellstone. I lived in Minnesota at the time and there is certainly the same feel in the air here today. I held my left (without thinking, and unintentionally) hand out, palm up and said "In the democratic party, you had Wellstone over here - the poster boy for integrity. On the other hand (held out my right hand, palm up, like a balance) you have Lieberamn, who's been lying about everything."
We chatted a bit about Wellstone.
He thanked me for my time, and had the grace to chuckle politely when I asked him to not "make me out too crazy." I asked him where the kiss float was and he said he didn't know "it was at the last stop..."
So that's it. The encounter that got me inspired enough to write my first blog entry. I know it's no big deal in the big picture of things, but the very fact that I said something and I'm not in jail right now is huge for me.
I am a little disapointed that I missed the Kiss float.
It's doing important work.