Showdown In Searchlight Pics

By Douglas V. Gibbs

My grandmother died on February third. She lived in Kingman, Arizona, which is about an hour drive, or so, south of Searchlight, Nevada. When I began to plan the trip to the Searchlight Tea Party Express event, I wasn't sure how I wanted to get out there. With a 27% unemployment rate in the construction industry, and the commercial side of real estate and construction beginning to head for a face-plant, the work I engage in is beginning to make it harder and harder to stay above water, so I was hoping to split the cost of the trip with someone. After exhausting all possibilities my mother contacted me and asked if I was going to the Showdown in Searchlight. I told her the story, and she told me she desired to go as well, plus was needing to go to Kingman to wrap up taking care of grandma's things. So, we got on the road about four in the morning in her car, and made our way to Searchlight, Nevada.

As we approached Searchlight, Nevada along the lonely two-lane highway, realization revealed that the town is a blink town - if you blink, you will miss it. With a population of 700 in the middle of the Nevada desert Searchlight is a testament to the rugged individuality and self-reliance that is the American People. Despite the rough environment of the area that demands the residents to be personally responsible just to survive, Searchlight is also the hometown of the bleeding heart (thinks he's being compassionate by stealing from one group and creating a culture of dependency in another) Senator Harry Reid.

It occurred to me at one point that all of the people at the Tea Party Express III event was probably the most people that has been in Searchlight at one time, ever.

The Tea Party Express's Showdown in Searchlight was ten miles past the small speck of Searchlight's group of businesses. On the left we saw the area come into view. The place was already hopping with thousands of people, and we were four hours early. At the entrance some Ron Paul nut-cakes had put up a sign that read "Love, Not War," and Mom asked me, "Are you sure this is the place?"

I explained to her about the Ron Paul rEVOLution folks, and then we entered the dusty bowl that was suffering from heavy winds, and lots of flying dust. After locating were Ken Pettigrew had set up shop at media row, I sat down and took a moment to rest.



Before the Tea Party Express buses arrived the stage livened up with local candidates explaining why they belonged in office.



Some of the quotes of these candidates:

"Don't let them kill your American Dream."

"The Free Market is the solution."

"Welcome to Harry Reid's retirement party."

"One third of Republicans sat home in 2008. We will not be home in November."

"You cannot court martial Haditha Marines and our Navy SEALS for doing their job. The founders would not have told the underwear bomber terrorist he had the right to remain silent."

At one point faces began to look to the sky, and when I looked up I saw five planes that had appeared overhead. And then the sky writing began.



Cheers erupted as the sky writers wrote in the sky high above the event: "Tea Party Express," "We The People," "Vote Reid Out," "No New Taxes," and "God Bless America."

Melanie Morgan and Kevin Williams were the first to take the stage from the Tea Party Express III buses after they arrived, addressing the crowd about the ridiculous accusations by the Left that the Tea Party Movement has been inciting violence, explaining that "Thuggery is a Left Wing Tactic."

Shortly after, Sarah Palin took the stage, and gave an awe inspiring speech that essentially articulated conservatism, admonished the thuggish tactics by the Left, proclaimed she was proud to be with proud Americans, and she was optimistic about our future as a nation.





Joe the Plumber, on stage, reminded us to "Hold these people accountable." He explained how the Tea Party Movement is not a Republican Movement, it's an American movement. He also stated that he found it absolutely ludicrous that his popularity arose because he asked a question. We should all be asking questions, he said. Then he discussed his military days, saying he "joined the military because I love my country."

Our country, if it is to prosper, he went on to say, must follow three basic ideas:

- Less federal government in our lives

- Less Taxes

- Stronger state's rights.

He continued saying that he feels political correctness is political castration. It makes you afraid to challenge, afraid to ask questions. Our freedom demands of us to ask questions, and our liberty comes with the responsibility of being engaged. The Constitution ain't broke, so the Left needs to stop trying to change it. "Actions, not words - be involved."

Chuck Devore, the man planning to unseat Boxer in California, said when he got on stage, "If we are going to take back our nation we must work for it - do your research, put the right people in office."

As we were listening to the other speakers, a friend of my grandmother's who had been planning to come to the event called my mom saying that the traffic was backed up for miles and he could not get to the event.



Cable news networks were estimating the number of people from being in the hundreds to over ten thousand. Some conservative talkers today said "tens of thousands." Looking around I believe the amount of people there was enough to fill Angels Stadium in Anaheim, which holds well over 40,000. Later, I heard some of the local people say they were hearing estimates of about 40,000. Regardless of the number, it was a lot of people.



As Victoria Jackson (of Saturday Night Live fame) was speaking, it became clear to me that though I had spoken to my good friend Andrea Shea King on the phone earlier, and we had planned to meet up at the event, unless I took steps to make it happen, it wouldn't. So, followed by my Mom, I began to make my way towards the area where the buses were parked behind the stage. When I arrived, Andrea's producer called me and asked if we had had the opportunity to connect, and I told him we were having trouble calling each other because the cell phone signal was so bad. He promised to try to call her as I began to work closer to the bus.

Earlier, when Lloyd Marcus had taken the stage to sing, I told my mom that I had spoken with Lloyd before, and that he knew Andrea well. Armed with that knowledge, Mom saw Lloyd, approached him, grabbed his arm, and said, "Andrea Shea King wants to see my son, can you get her?"



Lloyd, at first, had this look on his face that seemed to say, "Who's this woman, and why is she grabbing my arm?" But he wound up going into the bus and letting Andrea know we were outside waiting for her. While Lloyd was gone, just to make sure there were plenty of folks looking for Andrea, Mom called to Andrew Breitbart as well, saying, "Andrew, Andrea Shea King wants to meet my son, Doug, can you get her?"

Little did we know, there was another Doug, and he was a part of the Tea Party Express III. This confused Andrew Breitbart, especially when I said to him something about Political Pistachio as well. About the time the foggy cloud grabbed a hold of him, and he began to try to figure out what the heck was going on, Andrea came out, gave me a hug, and we began to talk.



While talking to Andrea, I also got the opportunity to spend some time discussing conservatism with Lloyd Marcus.



As I was spending time with Andrea and Lloyd, Mom decided she wanted a picture with Andrew Breitbart, so she called out to him again. This time he came over, posed for the photograph with us (at first Mom tried to give the camera to Lloyd Marcus to take the picture, but he said he wasn't sure about the camera, so Andrea Shea King took the picture), and then we began talking with Andrew about politics, Hollywood, and the Tea Party Express III.



During the conversation with Breitbart, Andrea suggested to him that he come on my Political Pistachio Radio Revolution program. He agreed to, and I told him I'd hold him to it, and sick Andrea on him if he didn't. We all laughed, and talked a little more. I am figuring some time after the Tea Party Express III finishes its trip to Washington DC (April 15), I will have Breitbart on my program.



After we completed the conversation, and Andrew Breitbart began to head back to the bus, my mom called out to him one more time. Joe the Plumber was a few feet away, and Mom called out to Breitbart to send Joe over to our little group for pictures and conversation. Joe the Plumber, being the nice guy that he is, obliged.



Joe was one of the best speakers of the event, and when he spoke with us after the picture was taken, it became apparent that he is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. After the conversation was over, I spotted Hannah Giles of "bring down ACORN posing as a prostitute" fame, and she's even cuter in person.

I said my farewell to Andrea, we hugged, and Mom and I returned to our spot at Media Row.

I then realized that I missed out on meeting with Debbie Lee, another person I had Emailed, and she had responded saying she was looking forward to meeting me. After I got home I sent her an Email apologizing, and we determined we will get the opportunity sometime in the future.

Andrea took the stage shortly after, whipping the crowd up into cheers as she called them "beautiful Americans" and snapped a couple of pictures of the crowd from the stage. The consummate professional, Andrea also gave a phenomenal speech.

Shortly after Andrea's speech, we departed the event, drove to Kingman, Arizona, and I broadcasted my radio show live from the hotel room. Later, checking the numbers, the live radio report about the Showdown in Searchlight is one of my more listened to shows.

Figures. America loves the Tea Party, and is beginning to understand that what is happening in Washington is wrong, and against the U.S. Constitution.

We returned home on Sunday, tired, but grinning. The pictures came out great, but the memories will last a lifetime.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary