Manchester, N.H.— As John McCain supporters filled a downtown plaza, New Haven’s Edward Anderson — channeling Stephen Colbert and the Yippies of yore — crashed the party. His subversive sign fooled not just some McCainiacs, but the media, too.
“Bomb Iran — Vote McCain,” read Anderson’s sign, waving high above the crowds of supporters of the surging Republican presidential candidate as New Hampshire voters prepared to take part in Tuesday’s first-in-the-nation party primaries.
A badge on Anderson’s lapel, “Straight Talk McCain,” pegged Anderson — a liberal activist and blogger active in Connecticut campaigns — as a fan of the Arizona senator.A bag hanging in Anderson’s hand, however, revealed his true allegiance to the liberal blogging world: “Yearly Kos Convention,” it read.
Anderson’s subversive getup drew coverage from reporters from national and international media outlets, many of whom (including the Nation and the Christopher Hitchens Watch blog) mistook Anderson for a trigger-happy Yankee. (Other duped reporters represented outlets from as far away as Italy, China, and South Korea.)
Anderson’s sign drew cheers from McCain supporters and detractors alike.
“Bomb ‘em all!” cried George Boggs, a U.S. Airforce veteran from Goffstown, N.H.
“I like your sign,” said Jordan Marks with a wink.
“This guy’s a lunatic,” said a man on a Democratic campaign.
Boggs confirmed he took the sign literally: “We ought to bomb them all,” he elaborated. Boggs is an independent — the key group that pollsters say may sweep McCain to victory on primary day. Boggs hasn’t always supported Republicans — Bush is a “dirty trickster,” he said — but he applauded McCain’s war experience and support of the surge in Iraq.
“Let’s bomb their nuclear facilities if that’s what we have to do,” agreed Vietnam veteran and McCain supporter Ray Hayes.
Others who weren’t so hot on bombing Iran called Anderson “cuckoo.” Some tried to argue reason with him.
“Didn’t you hear him sing the song?” countered Anderson. “Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran.”
In a short speech at the City Hall Plaza, McCain didn’t mention bombing Iran. He did talk bout staying in Iraq until the mission is complete (which he has said may take “a hundred“ years), and getting Osama Bin Laden, “if I have to follow him to the gates of Hell.”
McCain was supported by Connecticut Republican U.S. Congressman Chris Shays. (Connecticut’s “Independent” U.S. senator, Joe Lieberman, could also be found touring the state on McCain’s behalf Monday.)
“Hey Chrissy!” called out Anderson, waving his sign with a grin.
Anderson didn’t appear to fool Shays or the McCain staff, but he did succeed in doing a bit of damage to the the McCain effort. “I like McCain, but I think that sign worries me a little,” said an elderly man who gave his name as Joe. “It’s hurting more than it’s helping.”
Asked to explain his antics, Anderson said he was just trying to “point to the truth.”
“Someone is all too happy to bomb Iran,” Anderson said. “Oh, and Joe Lieberman is going to be his wartime consiglieri.”
Anderson was also handing out buttons against the “Clinton Dynasty.” “Three terms,” he explained, “is too much.”
so awesome!
New Haven needs more merry pranksters like Ed Anderson.