Great Moments in Democratic Protest

According to the Danville News, a group calling itself the Danville, VA Tea Party on December 17 hired a plane with a 100-foot banner that said, "OBAMA STOP DESTROYING OUR COUNTRY" in five-foot tall letters, to fly over Washington D.C. The message reportedly cost $1,350 dollars paid to New York-based Arnold Advertising.

Tea Party Protest: The Flyover

EXT. CRYSTAL CITY, VA. MORNING. HYATT REGENCY HOTEL

INT. HOTEL ROOM

From a high floor overlooking the Potomac River, Danville, VA Tea Party Project Coordinator Susan Lee is with a small group of fellow Danville Tea Party members crowded around a window. She has a cell phone pressed to her ear. The group seems giddy with nervous anticipation.

TEABAGGER 1: Shhhh!!! There it is!

SUSAN: Where?

The group presses closer to the window, necks craning.

TEABAGGER 2: I see it too! There on the right!

A small plane appears high in the morning sky, a banner "OBAMA STOP DESTROYING OUR COUNTRY" in tow.

A loud cheer engulfs the room, high-fives and whoops of joy!

SUSAN (speaking into the phone): Oh God, Robert, it’s beautiful! Do you see it yet?

Susan raises her hand and waves it to quieten the teabaggers.

SUSAN (to group): He says he doesn’t see it but he’s looking. (Into the phone) Robert? Anything?

Silence.

SUSAN: Whooooop! He sees it! He sees it!

Another cheer erupts in the hotel room, more high-fives, raucous laughter.

SUSAN: (Into phone) What? (She waves her hand again) Shhhhhhh! (Into phone) What do you mean? Uh huh. Right. (She sags visibly, frowning) Uh huh.

TEABAGGER 1: Susan, what’s the matter?

SUSAN: (Still speaking into phone) Well, can’t they just fly back over?

TEABAGGER 1: Fly back over?

TEABAGGER 2: Susan.

TEABAGGER 3: What’s going on?

SUSAN: (Into phone) Well, I guess we didn’t think of that, did we? No. No. I understand. Thank you, Robert. Goodbye. (She shuts cell phone and tosses it onto the hotel room’s king size bed)

TEABAGGER 1: Susan?

SUSAN: Well, he wasn’t watching.

TEABAGGER 2: What do you mean?

SUSAN: (Testily) I mean, Carl, President Obama – who do you think I mean? — He wasn’t watching.

TEABAGGER 1: Goddamnit!

TEABAGGER 3: Let me get this straight.

TEABAGGER 1: Goddamnit!

TEABAGGER 3: You don’t think he saw the banner?

SUSAN: Robert was standing right across the street from the White House. No one came to the window. No one!

TEABAGGER 2: Not even Biden? Christ almighty.

TEABAGGER 1: Goddamnit!

TEABAGGER 3: What’re we gonna do?

SUSAN: (Looking in purse, she pulls out a wad of bills and starts counting) I have $43, no, $48 dollars and 25, 75, 81, 2, 3, 4 cents.

TEABAGGER 3: I'll get Arnold Advertising on the phone.

*This post was adapted from a comment I originally posted on The Awl.