[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/09/18/art.ap.mccain.9.18.jpg caption="John McCain and Sarah Palin were interrupted by protestors Thursday."]
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (CNN) - Sarah Palin’s introduction of John McCain in Cedar Rapids Thursday was noisily interrupted by a small group of anti-war protesters from the University of Iowa, who sparked a back-and-forth of shouting that drowned out at least four minutes of her remarks.
Palin kept speaking throughout the disruption, but her remarks were nearly unintelligible to much of the audience inside the airplane hangar where the rally was held.
About five minutes into Palin’s speech, four female students from the University of Iowa Feminist Majority and Anti-War Alliance held up a cloth banner, and began a loud anti-war chant in the middle of the crowd. An advance staffer tore the banner from their hands and other members of the audience shouted them down with chants of “USA! USA!” and “SARAH! SARAH!”
It was several minutes before the women were escorted from the venue.
The demonstration should have come as no surprise to McCain-Palin advance staff: a local newspaper, The Gazette, reported earlier that the protesters would be in attendance Thursday.
Another protester disrupted McCain’s speech about half an hour later, sparking an even louder, but shorter, commotion.
Palin stumbled out of the gate on arriving in Cedar Rapids. The Alaska governor told the audience that she was thrilled to be in “Grand Rapids,” the Michigan city where the campaign had just overnighted.
It's ok that Palin's remarks were unintelligible. They're just the same stuff prepared for her by a Bush speech writer that she parrots off a teleprompter at every campaign stop.
Now if protesters drowned her out when she was actually answering and unscripted question, now THAT would be a shame! It was headline news when she actually responded to a question the other day!
How a canidate hold up on the strenouse campaign trail is a good indication of how they will hold up if they actually make it into the ultimate executive office. Palin's recent slip up combined with the fact that she is too scared to talk directly with reporter indicates that she fundementally does not have what it takes.
I plan to protest along with alot of women.. Alot of women!!! If they ever come here.. Both their views are so extreme. So I think you'll fined it everywhere they go. Its the protesters right to do so...
Obama /Biden
OMG, she said Grand Rapids when she was at Cedar Rapids????? I'm still amazed at her answer to yesterday's town hall when asked on her foreign policy credentials by one of her supporters. She said when she gets sworn in on January 28th she will be ready. What????
Oh! No! They can't do that! Mccain is too old to handle hecklers and you really don't want to set him off.
Please don't make the real Mccain come out. Plizz
A USA chant to drown out protesters? Weren't we protesters during the reveloution? Isn't that our right to protest? So why chant USA?
SARAH IS LIKE THAT PRETTY RED CAR YOU'VE ALWAYS WANTED.....
THEN YOU POP OPEN THE TRUNK, AND IT IS FULL OF BROKEN NUTS AND BOLTS.
They should have known that there would be protestors...I personally e-mailed Mrs. Palin myself....oh wait...
Well, at least we know it wasn't McCain that hacked her e-mail. Yahoo!, isn't that a chocolate beverage?
America is looking for change in a new direction and this time there is no turning back.
Obama/Biden 08/12.
Their speeches should be interrupted. They are lying to and deceiving the American people.
The floodgates have opened, expect protesters to be at every McCain rally now. The people have finally had it and they aren't buying the finger pointing from the GOP.
Excitement WILL die?
Looking at the polls and seeing that McCain's lead has evaporated and he's lagging in all major polls, sure looks like that excitement is pretty dead already.
That's funny! Then Palin stumbled by saying she was thrilled to be in “Grand Rapids” in which she really in Cedar Rapids Iowa. Wow! It only took her 20 days since her announcement and 6th public event to confuse Grand Rapids with Cedar Rapids.
I think the McCain campaign better add a geography lesson to the VEEP plan along with economic policy, foreign policy, tax policy, education policy, and health care policy. She only has two weeks until her debate with Biden.
Obama/Biden 08!
Palin abuses power. She fired the librarian after the librarian refused to censor books. The librarian was only reinstated after there was a public outcry. This gave Palin the right to claim that she never censored books. Palin is unethical and is a liar.
Liar Liar Pants on Fire. Palin's Thin as Tissue.
--NO WAY---NO HOW---–NO MORE LIES---
_________NO MCCAIN/PALIN___________
even chuck hagel said today palin is a joke
How do these two claim to be reformers – when now Palin and her staff refuse even to respond to subpoenas in her ethics case? The luster is off her celebrity status, and she is now already a liability. Let the protests continue!
Just goes to show not every is in love with palin.
hahaha
The minute she said Grand Rapids, all the money and time spent to set it up was wasted. LMAO
Thank you, brave women protestors!
No more war mongers in office!
Hello, Cleveland!
Wow. I heckled Spiro Agnew in that same hangar 35 years ago. Good for them!
Good for them! Its about time women started speaking up about this vapid woman Palin
Well I guess Obama has given direction to his foot soldiers.
OBAMA TELLS SUPPORTERS: 'ARGUE AND GET IN THEIR FACE'
Talk about protecting the U.S. Constitution of Free Speech, Free Press and bipartisanship.
Well, what happened to unity and harmony. Clinton supporters saw this Chicago Thug politics come before. Well, Nat Turner Rebellion of 2008 will be extinguished fairly soon.
PUMA 2008!
While I am utterly contrary to McCain's highly questionable platform, interrupting them is wrong. McCain and Palin should be freely able to spew all the ridiculous malarkey they choose. Then, afterward, Americans with sound wits and sense can counter it and tear it to shreds.