DC hosted another stellar rally to continue ensuring our voices are heard regarding the dramatic and cruel cuts to Medicaid and Medicare, which would seriously impact the most vulnerable of our population: elderly, poor, sick, children and Veterans.
Your intrepid writer braved the 90+ degree heat and 65% (guessing) humidity to take in person photos and video of the event. Here are some of my tweets:
Setting up right on the South Senate Lawn - what an amazing view!
I promised I wouldn't show his face.
Vote Vets was on site, one of the earliest speakers:
Senator Mazie Hirono (HI) was the first member of Congress to arrive. She shared her story of being diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. So powerful.
Rain could not keep the crowd away - about 150 - 200 people by 2:00pm.
NARAL arrived!
This man survived cancer SEVEN TIMES! Love his outfit too.
OMG Senator Al Franken arrived and the crowd went nuts.
His speech was amazing. This was my favorite part:
And after his speech was done, even though we were all getting rained on, he stopped to take photos with the Little Lobbyists a group of kids walking office to office to meet with members of the Senate to share stories of kids fighting serious illnesses. So powerful.
(CONFESSION: at this point your intrepid writer was soaked and overheated, so she did have to leave...I bring you other tweets from attendees who showed up later).
Elizabeth Warren!
Kamala Harris and Chris Murphy!
Cory Booker!
It was a very powerful and moving event. Everyone in the audience was personally invested in ensuring that Medicaid and Medicare stay funded. We all know someone that is reliant on these programs - our parents, our kids, our neighbors and friends or maybe, like me, it is us who are reliant for one reason or another.
Moveon.Org and the other event coordinators did an EXCELLENT job in bringing out the firepower. We need to keep this up - daily - to remind Congress exactly how many people will be affected.
