Huffington and Oprah both pay for attendees to 'Rally to Restore Sanity'

A quarter of a million $$$ by Huffington (of left wing Huffington Post).
Oprah (Big Obama supporter) pays for a whole audience to attend.
SO FAR that's it. But I would bet their 'example' will sponsor more big hollywood $$ to boost this event.
Sponsoring people to go to a rally?
Or basically paying for a free DC trip for people so they can attend and boost numbers?
You can be the judge.

The Wrap - covering Hollywood

Arianna Huffington’s surprise gift to Jon Stewart -- a convoy of shuttle buses to his “Rally to Restore Sanity” in Washington -- was an even bigger surprise to the folks at the Huffington Post. And the cost of the grand gesture -- an estimated $250,000 for 100 buses for thousands of New Yorkers -- is making some of Huffington Post’s finance executives wince, according to insiders.

NewsBusters

In case Arianna Huffington plotting to spend an estimated quarter-million dollars on buses to the liberal Jon Stewart/Stephen Colbert rally didn’t paint it as an Obama event, how about Oprah Winfrey? The Obama-endorsing, Obama-campaign-stumping Winfrey appeared via satellite on Thursday night’s episode of The Daily Show to announce that she was going to fly Stewart’s audience to Washington, D.C., for the so-called Stewart half, the “Rally to Restore Sanity."

Oprah Pays For Stewart/Colbert Audience to Attend Rally


There are more links out there about this. I just posted a few.

So ... did any big names dish out big $$$$ like this and pay people to show up at the Restore Honor rally? I don't remember any. Were there? I don't mean things like churches getting their people together and having a bake sale to raise money for a bus. I mean big name right wingers paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay for people to go and therefore boost numbers. I googled around and didn't see any info. Any big names dish out big $$ for other rallies like this? I don't recall hearing anything.

reply to post by FlyersFan


beck paid for it out of his own pocket from what i hear..............................i also heard that the one nation rally was funded by big union and you can bet those people were paid unlike the beck........................

so............how much does ones soul go for theses days?

i wonder how many people will show up at the restoring "sanity" rally or will this nation be all one big joke to them like it is all the time..................

meh.....................

And so the excuses begin...


The rally is still a full week away...and yet you are already trying to downplay the crowd?

I don't know how many are going to show up to the rally...I would go if it was a different date, but I have other commitments.

I just wanted to be able to go to hold a sign that says "I am not angry"...or "I have a sign"...or "Sanity....it's healthy".

Nice... nice. If they get cash to go the Obama admin will count it as job creation.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
So ... did any big names dish out big $$$$ like this and pay people to show up at the Restore Honor rally? I don't remember any. Were there? I don't mean things like churches getting their people together and having a bake sale to raise money for a bus. I mean big name right wingers paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay for people to go and therefore boost numbers. I googled around and didn't see any info.

Try googling Freedomworks and "restore Honor" and Buses

Whether officially a tea party event or no, tea party infrastructure has been heavily involved in the rally's promotion, logistics, and attendance. According to an August 27 ABC News article, "FreedomWorks, which organized last year's Tea Party extravaganza in Washington, D.C. and is planning another rally on Sept. 12, is helping Beck's team with promotion and logistics." Tea Party Patriots co-founder Mark Meckler is quoted in the article, saying, "I can't find anywhere that people aren't coming from to go to this event. Our members are coming from all over the country."

Indeed, members of both FreedomWorks and Tea Party Patriots have organized bus trips to "Restoring Honor."

As explained on a page of the Tea Party Patriots website, "Tea Party Patriots will be coordinating the volunteer marshalls for the 8/28 Restoring Honor event at the Lincoln Memorial." An August 24 Politico article reported that Beck requested that the tea party group assist with planning the rally:

At the request of Beck's team, which lacked the organizational infrastructure or logistical know-how to pull off Saturday's march, Tea Party Patriots agreed to help promote the march among its 500,000 e-mail subscribers and to provide 400 volunteers to staff it, a requirement before the National Park Service would issue a permit.

mediamatters.org...

reply to post by maybereal11


If you go to the Freedomworks website, go back to August 28th and look at the events listed, they offered people a slot on a bus for $100+ per person, or $200+ for a trip package. They didn't pay for people to go like Huffington and Oprah are being accused of doing, they wanted people to pay to get on the bus. There is a massive difference between the two.

Edit: The other website is apparently down at the moment so I don't know what they did or didn't do concerning the Beck rally.

Originally posted by neo96
reply to post by FlyersFan

 

so............how much does ones soul go for theses days?

i..

edit on 15-10-2010 by neo96 because: (no reason given)

You say that as an unapologetic Glenn Beck fan...the irony is delicious.

reply to post by aching_knuckles


hmmm making assumptions like that now are we........................who ever said i was a fan............?


i treat everyone how i want to be treated.............makes no never mind to me what they say....

Originally posted by OutKast Searcher
And so the excuses begin...The rally is still a full week away...and yet you are already trying to downplay the crowd?

:shk: Oh brother. And where exactly did I say that? No where.
I posted facts. Big name people are paying to bring in busloads of supporters.
I asked the question .. have others done this.
I ask the question .. generous supporters of the idea or is it political to try to get bigger numbers than Beck?
Dunno ... judge for yourself.

reply to post by maybereal11

Supplying avenues for a person to pay for their own ride is a bit different than actually paying for people to show up. What can be questioned with those avenues is this .... did the Beck bunch make a profit from providing access to transportation? Did they get a kickback? Or was it just a 'hey .. you can call this number and pay for a ticket at a reduced rate due to the high volume of people going through this channel?

I HAVE googled .. and I can't find anything that matches the hollywood money for the 'Restore Sanity' rally.

STill looking ....

Originally posted by FlyersFan

I HAVE googled .. and I can't find anything that matches the hollywood money for the 'Restore Sanity' rally.

STill looking ....

edit on 10/15/2010 by FlyersFan because: fixed quote

As best I can tell Freedomworks/Tea Party organized buses and travel, provided 400 staff members to work at the rally etc. But you are correct, no apparent outright cash laid out to cover travel for attendees as far as I can tell..

Maybe I am just in this mood today, but who cares? What is the point of the OP?

Not trying to be snarky...seriously...Is this where the Conservatives start to complain about money given to a rally called "Restore Sanity"??

It's not like these are hidden contributions to a Right Wing PAC....And the GOP has fiercly defended the right to take large sums from undisclosed donors BTW...to the tune of something like 200 Million this campaign season thus far.

Isn't it the conservatives who tout that corporate money equals free speech and folks shouldn't have to disclose the same? Citizens vs Untied?

So in the context of all of the above...what is your concern with Huffington and Oprah publicly flipping the travel bill for folks to attend a rally called "Restoring Sanity" being given by comedians???

Is "Sanity" a threat to the right wing talking heads now??

Am I missing something? What is the point of this OP?...not trying to be offensive, I just don't think you have voiced what you point is yet? Please get to it and make your case...

I will cede that Oprah and Arriana Huff. are paying for travel to the rally...i will cede that no big names did the same for Glen...but honestly who cares?? Please explain why I should.

reply to post by FlyersFan


If a bunch of angry, white right-wingers can have a rally, then so can left-wingers.

I don't care enough to attend any rally. I have a life to live here.

Originally posted by neo96
reply to post by aching_knuckles

 

hmmm making assumptions like that now are we........................who ever said i was a fan............?

Believe it or not, forums have this amazing ability to preserve something once it has been posted! One day ago, or a year ago. Or two years ago. Or whenever ago. It doesn't matter. And I know for a fact you are a fan of Beck considering you have said so yourself on several occasions.

It's okay to accuse people of making assumptions, especially when they are wrong. But when you assume someone is making an assumption when in fact it's very likely they are not, especially when you should full well and know what you have previously said on this forum well...I don't even need to use the word, it should be self-evident.

Where does it say the tea-party "organizers" paid? I see volunteers, I see help planning.... Nothing about paying for people to go... Also didn't Beck's rally raise money for charity and the people who went not only paid their way but also donated money to make the rally happen... Show me where people went for free. Media Matters is a bunch of liars, can you site a better source? Why don't you just google Media Matters caught lying and see what pops up...

Originally posted by maybereal11
ng Freedomworks and "restore Honor" and Buses

Whether officially a tea party event or no, tea party infrastructure has been heavily involved in the rally's promotion, logistics, and attendance. According to an August 27 ABC News article, "FreedomWorks, which organized last year's Tea Party extravaganza in Washington, D.C. and is planning another rally on Sept. 12, is helping Beck's team with promotion and logistics." Tea Party Patriots co-founder Mark Meckler is quoted in the article, saying, "I can't find anywhere that people aren't coming from to go to this event. Our members are coming from all over the country."

Indeed, members of both FreedomWorks and Tea Party Patriots have organized bus trips to "Restoring Honor."

As explained on a page of the Tea Party Patriots website, "Tea Party Patriots will be coordinating the volunteer marshalls for the 8/28 Restoring Honor event at the Lincoln Memorial." An August 24 Politico article reported that Beck requested that the tea party group assist with planning the rally:

At the request of Beck's team, which lacked the organizational infrastructure or logistical know-how to pull off Saturday's march, Tea Party Patriots agreed to help promote the march among its 500,000 e-mail subscribers and to provide 400 volunteers to staff it, a requirement before the National Park Service would issue a permit.

mediamatters.org...

edit on 15-10-2010 by maybereal11 because: (no reason given)

:

reply to post by SpectreDC


really now forums do have that ability shame whats said in one thread isnt relevant to another thread.......threads actually need to stay on topic..................what a shame.........................................i wonder just how many posts you have made telling other people that they are stupid? just how many times have you gone personal............but then again posts in other threads arent accepted or tolerated in any other thread.


and you will be lying if you can find anything in the world having the effect............." i just love glenn beck......i believe everything he tells me............."

you know if you really want to search my posts feel free............and you will come to this one post........once upon a time.....................and it went something like this..........." i tend to phase in and out listening to beck i do tend to find him annoying at times................"

nice try tho like i said what i have said in other threads has no bearing in this thread

oh boy! more on-sided partisan sniping!

You are destroying America.

Why do you hate Liberty?

...does huffington or oprah have a secret back door deal, where they'll send you to dc but if you dont support what they believe in and in the manner they think you should, they'll leave your uncooperative tater in dc?... if not, well, uh, whats the problem?...

Originally posted by maybereal11
Maybe I am just in this mood today, but who cares? What is the point of the OP?

This is a chat forum and it's a subject worthy to chat about. If you are in a mood and don't wish to discuss it .. then don't.

Is this where the Conservatives start to complain about money given to a rally called "Restore Sanity"??

Dunno'. You'd have to ask a hard core right wing NEOCON.
My own opinion - not that it matters - I think this is a fun idea that Stewart came up with.

I just don't think you have voiced what you point is yet? Please get to it and make your case...

I don't have a case. I'm presenting information for discussion.

I have no idea if this is just rich people on the left being generous to a 'cause' they agree with.
(I don't see how the rally is a 'cause' .. it just sounds like fun but I suppose some think it's a cause)
Or if this is a political thing to try to outdo Beck. If so that's fine. But call it what it is ...
I was wondering if Beck had the same thing happen.
Rich right wingers paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to ship people in - that kind of thing.
Couldn't find the info though ...

Originally posted by The Sword
If a bunch of angry, white right-wingers can have a rally, then so can left-wingers..

1 - Sure. I never said they can't. I hope Stewart has a great rally. Should be fun to watch on TV.
2 - The Beck rally wasn't a white thing. That's just left wing hype to try to paint it as racist. It wasn't.

Originally posted by ljtg123
didn't Beck's rally raise money for charity and the people who went not only paid their way but also donated money to make the rally happen...

Yes. It was a charity event. The money collected paid for the event and then the rest went to charity.

I don't know if Stewart is taking donations for the event or for charity.
I couldn't find anything on that.

Originally posted by OutKast Searcher
And so the excuses begin...


The rally is still a full week away...and yet you are already trying to downplay the crowd?

I don't know how many are going to show up to the rally...I would go if it was a different date, but I have other commitments.

I just wanted to be able to go to hold a sign that says "I am not angry"...or "I have a sign"...or "Sanity....it's healthy".

A sign that says "I have a sign" that's fracking hilarious. Now I want to go to a rally just so I can make one too.

Originally posted by FlyersFan

Originally posted by maybereal11
Maybe I am just in this mood today, but who cares? What is the point of the OP?

This is a chat forum and it's a subject worthy to chat about. If you are in a mood and don't wish to discuss it .. then don't.

Okay. I guess I am unaccustomed to seeing you post something for general chit-chat. But I will take you at your word.

I have no idea if this is just rich people on the left being generous to a 'cause' they agree with.
(I don't see how the rally is a 'cause' .. it just sounds like fun but I suppose some think it's a cause)

I do believe this is a cause...It is the same thing Jon Stewart has been saying for years...If you want to know what he means by "Restore Sanity"...look back to 2004 when he first articulated his issue with the direction that discourse in this country was taking.

He tore CNN a new one..