Protesters Crowd CdM During Presidential Visit

posted: February 16th, 2012 11:39 am | 13Comments

By Nicole Nelson, special to Corona del Mar Today

About 400 people lined East Coast Highway this morning, some arriving as early as 6:30 a.m., to welcome President Obama with protests for and against his policies.

The crowd was two to three deep between Seaward Road and Poppy Avenue and even bigger on the corners.

The south side of Seaward was blocked off by police, and access was limited to all of the Shore Cliffs neighborhood in preparation for President Obama’s arrival for a fundraising breakfast on Evening Canyon Road.

The protesters drew locals as well as people from from Irvine, San Juan Capistrano, Laguna Woods and Los Angeles. The President’s arrival was delayed from the anticipated 7:30 a.m. time, with him arriving just after 9 a.m. Supporters slightly outnumbered protesters, and both groups were passionate and vocal. Multiple other news organizations, both print and television, were visible throughout the event.

Signs along the presumed route carried various messages, from: “Resign,” “No Obama Care,”and “Where is the Birth Certificate?” to “Dead: Bin Laden, Alive: GM,” “We are the 99%,” and “I Heart Obama.” In addition to signs and flags, people also brought their dogs, and one woman, Nancy Johnson, a local business owner and self-described conservative, rode her horse Sinatra dressed in a Revolutionary War-era costume.

A group representing Other Side Farms was there to speak out against federal medical marijuana raids. Chadd McKeen, the leader of the group, said he voted for Obama, but he “felt lied to, and let down.” Another protester, Catherine Contreras from the Los Angeles area, carried an anti-abortion sign, and said she was there “protesting Obama and his policies, the Health and Human Services mandate, and infringing upon our religious liberty.” Chants of “Four more years” from one side of the street elicited groans of, “Oh, no” from the other.

“It’s so vitriolic — I don’t get why we have to be that way,” said one participant. Protesters and supporters bickered more as the wait went on, clashing mainly on abortion rights and illegal immigration. Several cars honked their support of both sides.

Susan Dearing, vice president of the Laguna Woods Democratic Club, said she came because “There are over 500,000 democrats in Orange County, and we wanted to make sure that people don’t forget.” The group was joined by representatives from MoveOn, Democracy for America, Progressive Democrats of America, and the Democratic Party of Orange County.

Traffic was lighter than usual and was impacted especially between 8 and 9 a.m., with police manually directing traffic through the Poppy-Coast Highway intersection during the last half hour.

The morning ended in an anti-climax. The President’s motorcade entered the community from a back route, which did not pass by the crowd at all. Disappointed protesters and supporters dispersed, returning to their homes and their cars.

Inside the Shore Cliffs neighborhood, however, residents were able to wave to the motorcade as it passed, and the president waved back.

Top photo courtesy of Corona del Mar Today reader Barbara DeMarco-Barrett. Bottom photos courtesy of reader Ron Yeo.

13 Responses to “Protesters Crowd CdM During Presidential Visit”

Comments

Jamie

February 16th, 2012

ROTFLMAO - :) That's too funny. Everyone figured he'd drive down MacArther from the airport, but they stayed on the 73 and went down Newport Coast instead. LOL If you think about it, it's a nicer drive with better ocean views of the area. The Secret Service isn't sneaky for nothing. :) :) I thought maybe he'd take a side trip and give an impromptu pardon to the Goldnerod 6. I remember once when Bush or Clinton took a walk on Big Corona without telling anyone. They just showed up one afternoon and surprised a few locals on the beach. So what I really want to know is what did they serve for breakfast for all that money? BTW - congrats Amy and team for making the big time in covering this!

Marion

February 16th, 2012

Thanks for the great local coverage! I'm no Obama fan, but I respect the office. It all sounds like an exciting (if aggravating at times) morning.

Marcia

February 16th, 2012

Not sure where you were standing but I did not see a lot a of Obama fans...

cynthia

February 16th, 2012

Wonderful article Nicole, thank you for highlighting the good, the bad and the ugly. Hope we'll see more of your insight in the future. Amy, I'm thrilled you made the choice you did and attended a great local and historical event.

PrestonDawkness

February 16th, 2012

Want to thank all of you, for your Powerfull stand against Oboma & His Corrupted political partners. But there is so much more we can do. Being aggressive and focusing on the facts and truth is only the first step. We musT follow Up with more details standing by our convictions and dont back down. Oboma has NOT brought CHANGE, In fact ~! ~ THE ONLY real THING needing CHANGE !....Was Barack Hussein Obama II. HIMSELF Barack Hussein Obama II ( Who hates American Values ) who is A " SELF PROCLAIMED Enemy" ~of responsible, Morally Conscious HARD WORKING Americans. oBOMAS Irresponsible & DRUG MAFIA and reckless supporters KNOW~ that Barack Hussein Obama II, WILL FORCE YOU to paY THEM, out of your PockeT .{ FOR all of their UNCHECKED Vices and THRILLS/ { All on YOU | / At your COST & Sacrifice. ...This UN~CHANGABLE fraud, has done His VERY BEST to Inspire VIOLENCE. THESE ARE OBAMAS OWN WORDS.. saying ......To his supporters.Saying “Get ready for hand-to-hand combat with your Fellow Americans” – Obama has ALSO DECLARED to his Supporters. “I want all Americans to get in each others faces!– Obama Demands ! “You bring a knife to a fight pal, we’ll bring a gun” – THESE ARE OBAMAS OWN WORDS.. ANGER VIOLENCE And more taxes..... THIS IS OBAMAS Change for america /“Hit Back Twice As Hard”. He commands ! *Obama on the private sector: ~~ “We talk To these folks…~ / so I know whose a*$ to KICK.“ OBOMA wants to KICK your a*$ /``` Shouting THAT Republican victory would mean ~ “hand to hand combat” and HE IS EXPECTING people to be on Edge and ON BORDERLINE killing MODE, `` VIOLENT / and STAND and STOMP and MOB for their immoral CAUSES and THIS IS WHAT HE LIVES FOR ./ ./ ./ THESE ARE OBAMAS OWN WORDS.. !* Obama Tells democrats: “ I’m itching for a fight.” ! ....PLEASE.... go to reXes NEW WebsiTe ~ ! Oboma *( Just like Adolf Hitler~~oBOMA~~~ Demands ! -- [ THE FINAL SOLUTION - for Un~Wanted Children Barak Obama is A MURDERER .~Torturing UNWANTED babys on DEATH ROE. CLICK HERE http://obomlnation.webstarts.com/index.html OBAMA TAKES a little NEW BORN innocent child, BORN ALIVE sTabS it iN the head and SUCKs ITS BRAINS OUT. This is just too wrong and horrible. Please stand for Loving Children and the USA. Respectfully and Thankfully Thank you ALL for your Time. To see HORRIBLE HONOR Killings~` HATE CRIMES ]`~ ! eXecuted by the CLINTON,RENO and ATF Media WHO COMMITTED H0NOR KILLINGs [ SLAUGHTERING }] 21 LITTLE Helpless Children at Waco. Click Here http://obomlnation.webstarts.com/partly_born_totally_murdered.html

Ryan

February 16th, 2012

Good Lord, PrestonDawkness. Time to up your meds.

Kathy

February 16th, 2012

Not sure if you were at the same event. From my view, and I walked down the north side of PCH, it had to be 4 to 1 in protest to Obama's arrival. 4 to 1. These same numbers are being reported in the OC register. Please report the facts

What the *?

February 17th, 2012

Oh Amy....why did you post PrestonDawkness' horrible comment. Shame on you.

Dawston Prekness

February 17th, 2012

Sorry about that post. My other self suffers from many and various mind bending diseases.

robincdm

February 17th, 2012

Oh good grief dawston prekness get some serious help for your extreme paranoid delusions. @Amy, good for you for seeing President Obama. Luck lady I'm jealous. I think that the paranoid rantings of mr dawston or dawkness or whatever he calls himself should stand. It should serve as a warning to all that either the extreme right is far worse than many realize or that there's still a lot more to be done for the mentally ill.

Corona del Mar Today Staff

February 17th, 2012

Reply to

Dawston Prekness

February 17, 2012

Sorry about that post. My other self suffers from many and various mind bending diseases.

Would you like that comment deleted?

Neston Dawprek

February 18th, 2012

robincdm: All three of us are sorry that you are worried by our existence. You may want to look in a dictionary for the words, satire and/or sarcasm.

Therese Loutherback

February 20th, 2012

Thanks for the fair and balanced report. Wish I could say the same about The Daily Pilot or the OC Register. I noticed they only showed photos of Oboma supporter...most of who were out-of-towners. When will our local newspapers support the majority of residents...Newport Beach is the most conservative city in America I am sure. I was at the protest, and I know there were plenty of Obama protestors, but NOT one photo. Even the photo of the lady on the horse would not include the sign she was holding that read " Anybody but Obama".


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