Courant covers Anti-war rally in Hartford

Yesterday at least 1,000 and possibly 1,500 people showed up on a freezing, snow-covered day to express their support for getting our troops out of Iraq and ending our involvedment in the civil war there.

The Hartford Courant Associated Press (apparently the Courant was busy Saturday, so they used an AP story to cover the event) has a detailed account about the rally, linked in it's entirety below. The lack of a counter-demonstration shows how unified Connecticut is in its opposition to the war.

People often ask me how the hell Joe Lieberman managed to get reelected.

I'll never understand it, myself.

1,500 Rally In City To Oppose Iraq War
Local Event Part Of National Effort To Pressure For Troop Withdrawals
March 18, 2007 - By STEPHANIE REITZ, Associated Press

More than 1,000 anti-war demonstrators rallied Saturday at Hartford's Old State House, adding their voices to nationwide protests as the Iraq war enters its fifth year.

The demonstration, organized by the Connecticut Opposes the War coalition, drew buses full of college students and suburban activists into downtown Hartford despite the day's brisk temperatures and sloppy post-storm conditions.

(MICHAEL MCANDREWS photo)"That is why we are here in the cold and snow - because we care," said state Rep. Christopher Donovan, D-Meriden, who held up a letter signed by 177 Connecticut legislators urging an end to the Iraq conflict.

[...]

At Hartford's Old State House, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3rd-District, vowed to the cheering crowd that she would "work my heart out" to push for legislation to curtail war spending and start bringing troops home.

The war, she said, is "a mistake of gigantic proportions."

Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd, a Democratic presidential candidate, was campaigning in New Hampshire, but sent a letter of support that DeLauro read aloud to the approximately 1,500 people in attendance.

[...]

Although people held opposing rallies to support the administration at some other events nationwide, no counter-protesters came forward or made their presence known at Saturday's event in Hartford.

Gregory Spear, a member of the coalition that organized the rally, said they hope to convince U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman, an independent, and U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, R-4th District, to reconsider their support of the Bush administration on the war.

Boos rang out from the demonstrators when both lawmakers' names were mentioned. The loudest were reserved for Lieberman, who won re-election to his seat as an independent candidate over anti-war Democratic candidate Ned Lamont.

U.S. Rep. John Larson, D-1st District, encouraged people who attended Saturday's rally to continue to make their opinions known.

"America has found its voice, in large part because of you," he told the crowd. "Now let's have Congress find its voice."

Great coverage of the rally by Tessa is now online at My Left Nutmeg, and I'm sure we'll see additional local blogs reporting as the day goes on.