Sestak health-care town meeting a spoonful of sugar (filled with mostly reform supporters in Phila)

[JPZenger]

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/front_page/20090813_Sestak_health-care_meeting_a_spoonful_of_sugar.html

Aug. 13, 2009

Sestak health-care meeting a spoonful of sugar
By Michael Vitez, Michael Matza and John Sullivan

"About 650 people - diverse in age, race, and occupation, but nearly all supporters of a health-care overhaul - last night crowded into a Center City church for a town meeting with U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak that, in sharp contrast to recent gatherings across the country, was overwhelmingly civil.
Many said they went to Broad Street Ministry because they felt their point of view wasn't being heard.

"We just haven't been getting our story told," said Antoinette Kraus, an organizer with Health Care for America Now. "The supporters of health reform have been missing from the debate. We support Obama's health-care plan, and we can't wait any longer for reform." Kraus and scores of supporters were in Lebanon, Pa., on Tuesday when opponents of health-care change shouted down Sen. Specter at a town-hall meeting there. She said she and other supporters had been shut out of that meeting. So the group told supporters get to the church early last night. By 6:20, the church was at capacity and a line to get in stretched for more than a block.

"The strategy today was to get people here early to try to counteract the booing and hissing that Sen. Specter received in Lebanon," said Katy Weeks, another Health Care Now organizer. Those on both sides were reasonable and well-behaved.

For example, outside the church before the doors opened, Pat Noble, 56, of Lansdowne, manned the Lyndon LaRouche Political Action Committee table that held handouts depicting Obama with a Hitler-style moustache. Behind her was a sign emblazoned, "Stop Obama's Killer Health Care Reform."

[ejpoeta]

1. hmmm... wonder if meetings that don't include shouting will get any media attention.

the only ones they seem to want to show are the shouting matches.