The masses arise!

Green Eagle reminds us -- I had honestly forgotten -- that yesterday was the date of President Obama's removal from office.  According to this post by arch-wingnut Larry Klayman back on Sept. 23 (I mentioned it in that week's link round-up), a "people's court" -- that is, a bunch of irrelevant cranks sitting around bitching about things, but in more phony-pompous language than usual -- had "convicted" the President of some of their usual crap involving his birth certificate.  On the off chance that Obama might somehow fail to resign in disgrace at this news, Klayman set Nov. 19 as the date for the American people to rise up, descend upon Washington DC in their millions, and sweep the Commander in Chief (whom Klayman imagines as "perhaps cowering under his desk for fear") from office.

As matters developed yesterday, fewer than 100 people showed up (report here, photos here).  President Obama was in a meeting with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at the time; it seems unlikely that anyone bothered to bring Klayman's ragtag little clump of goofballs to his attention.  Klayman put a brave face on things, declaring that "We are giving [Obama] one last chance to obey the will of the American people" and that he must yield to their demands by Nov. 29 or be forced from office.

You may now be telling yourself that this must have been a purely lunatic-fringe project with no connection to serious conservatism, but if so, you're sadly mistaken.  Heavyweight wingnuts like Alan Keyes, Pamela Gellar, former Congressman Bob Barr, and former Senator Gordon Humphrey signed on as speakers; so did a retired admiral and general.

In fact, the extremely low turn-out at events like this (here's another example) is rather surprising.  According to Gallup, 22% of Americans consider themselves Tea Party supporters; assuming an adult population of 200 million, that's 44 million people.  Yet events like Klayman's typically draw fewer than 100, even with a chance to see Pamela Gellar.  Apparently a lot of people will proclaim extremism when talking to pollsters, but are capable of embarrassment when it comes to appearing in public with a bunch of cranks.

Oh, and for future reference, here is what an actual popular uprising against tyranny looks like:

Just in case the teabaggers need a standard of comparison.

Update:  Green Eagle has a follow-up post -- this thing just gets more and more ridiculous.