http://www.massnews.com/maysal~1.htm
Protesters Greet Clinton at Salem State College
Local Taxpayers Pay for Heavy Security; Police Are Everywhere
By Ed Oliver
March 27, 2001
At Salem State College last night, thousands of people waiting to hear Bill
Clinton’s speech lined up around the perimeter of the jammed parking lot,
slowly filing into the auditorium. Umbrellas were plentiful in the wet
weather.
Two groups of anti-Clinton protesters made their presence known at the
college
Meanwhile, in town a mile or so away, a group of protesters waited on a
street corner for the motorcade to pass.
“This is the grassy knoll,” shouted one street-corner protester to laughter.
Police cruisers with lights flashing blocked the intersections along the
route.
.
Mass News asked some of the street-corner protesters why they braved the
cold, wet weather.
Stan Usevich from Salem answered, “I’m as angry as hell.”
Chris Nulty from Gloucester said, “This is the least I can do.”
Frank from Salem added, “I want to know if Senator Kerry and Mayor Menino
are paying for this and who is paying for all the cops here.”
A Salem mother with her two teenage daughters said that because of Clinton,
her girls grew up “without any concept of what a real president is.” Her
daughter Vanessa said, “Go home, Clinton.”
Steve from Lynn said he was protesting because evil flourishes when good men
do nothing. “ As a former U.S. Marine, I just can’t handle the way he
treated the military. That’s just disgraceful.”
Peter Marrie from Salem told Mass News, “We fully respect the right of the
former president to speak at Salem State as long as none of our taxpayer
dollars are used, and I understand that’s being tightly controlled. But the
man disgraced the office of the president. He’s fundamentally lacking in
loyalty, character, integrity, courage and leadership. He was president
during a very sedentary eight years, he could have done great things, he’s a
very bright man. But it was all about ‘me.’ It was always all about ‘me.’ It
’s still all about ‘me.’ The guy is a disgrace.”
Marrie positioned himself apart from the others, hoping Clinton would read
his sign, which said, and “If you get a standing ‘o’, know you are among
fools.”
He was not disappointed. Clinton’s motorcade wound through town and passed
the group on the corner. Clinton was not in a limo, but a smaller dark sedan
sitting in the right rear seat. Marrie stood poised on the side of the road
and Clinton looked out the window right at his sign.
Meanwhile, about a dozen pro-Clinton women, dressed up in witch costumes,
called for an end to the “Clinton with hunt."
Protesters greet Clinton.url
