Video: Scenes from the Fourth
posted at 5:57 pm on July 4, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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Scenes from our Independence Day parade in 2009 — and I suspect that many of you went to similar parades today to celebrate the anniversary of our nation’s birth. Fun, frolic, general weirdness, marketing, and lots of candy spells a full morning, and later on a meltdown from the Little Admiral:
The parade had no horses, the first civic parade I can recall without any. It had plenty of cars, though, as you can see from the slideshow, and a whole series of Corvette convertibles with beauty-pageant contestants waving from the backseat. How can you tell you’ve entered middle age? You take those pictures for the cars.
Off to another celebration tonight — a grill party, even in the rain we’re getting now, and civic fireworks if the rain lets up. Enjoy!
Note: The background music is “Jessica” from the incomparable Allman Brothers Band.
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Ed, don’t let the Palin fanatics who hate you now deter you from speaking your mind.
MedSchoolCatholic on July 4, 2009 at 6:01 PM
Lol Palin fanatics….
Go **** yourself.
TimeTraveler on July 4, 2009 at 6:02 PM
Just because we support Palin doesn’t mean that we are fanatics!!!!
TimeTraveler on July 4, 2009 at 6:03 PM
Doesn’t mean we’re not, either.
gh on July 4, 2009 at 6:07 PM
QB great Steve McNair murdered. RIP.
toliver on July 4, 2009 at 6:11 PM
WHAT!!! Blasphemy!!!!!! GET A ROPE!!!!!!
conservnut on July 4, 2009 at 6:14 PM
Thanks Ed. A taste of northern country on this fine day.
No horses? Probably because that’s all that will be legal in a parade after cap and trade goes into effect. Flatulent free horses of course…
Those trucks will be considered antiques and you won’t find enough gas to even run them in a parade.
Love “Jessica”
katy on July 4, 2009 at 6:14 PM
Well, at least they had fire trucks. I guess we will have to cut those Minnisooootans some slack for that.
conservnut on July 4, 2009 at 6:20 PM
Thanks for sharing some sunshine Ed!
It’s been raining hard all day in Chicago and suburbs and it’s still at it.
No parade for us, no fireworks either. Everyone cancelled their parties.
Hope everyone else is having fun.
Knucklehead on July 4, 2009 at 6:23 PM
USA! USA! USA! USA!
El_Terrible on July 4, 2009 at 6:24 PM
No parade in my town, but I attended a good old fashioned tea party.
It was a beautiful sunny day in northern Maryland. Probably 300 or so people turned out.
I also attended one on April 15. People seem to be more fired up now than they were before. Possibly because crap and tax passed the House.
Or maybe because it was raining on that day in April, so lots of tea partyers stayed home.
UltimateBob on July 4, 2009 at 6:28 PM
Nothing like the patriotic classics to celebrate the Fourth: the Star-Spangled Banner, God Bless America, America the Beautiful, Stars and Stripes Forever, and… Jessica by the Allman Bros.
American Elephant on July 4, 2009 at 6:32 PM
People can disagree without “hating” Ed. I think you are trying to salt the field with ugly divisiveness
clnurnberg on July 4, 2009 at 6:34 PM
My son was in his first parade as one of the newest members of the fire department. He drove the “brush truck” in the parade.
Guardian on July 4, 2009 at 6:35 PM
We don’t hate Ed genius, or AP for that matter. Although AP does relish the poor bashed blogger role.
The point of this site is that we don’t all agree and can debate openly.
Get it?
conservnut on July 4, 2009 at 6:38 PM
I was chief of a rural volunteer department in central Texas for several years. Whenever we had the 4th of July parade or the rodeo parade in the county seat we took our old 1956 Ward LaFrance pumper. It was the hit of the show. Everybody loved our old antique fire engine. What they didn’t realize was, that was our primary piece of equipment!
conservnut on July 4, 2009 at 6:42 PM
Wow, Ed. That was American as arugula, Wagyu beef, vodka martinis and golf.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on July 4, 2009 at 6:44 PM
Just yesterday, I spent 15 minutes on YouTube trying to find that song–I didn’t know the name of it or who performed it. Ed, you should have posted this before then for me!
: P
jgapinoy on July 4, 2009 at 6:49 PM
Thanks for sharing some sunshine Ed!
It’s been raining hard all day in Chicago and suburbs and
Palatine, Il still had their parade. Very, very light drizzle. Streets were packed with spectators.
journeyintothewhirlwind on July 4, 2009 at 7:01 PM
It’s 103 here and hotter than hell. I would be afraid to go to a parade for fear of heat stroke, never mind the asphalt sticking to my shoes if I stayed in one place too long…. however catlady’s ferocious mate is firing up the grill and we are going to do hamburgers, roasted corn and apple pie. By the way, he is using a leaf blower to get the fire good and hot. God, I love that man!!!
Happy fourth, may we all be able to blog this time next year!
catlady on July 4, 2009 at 7:07 PM
Anybody go to a Tea Party today?
d1carter on July 4, 2009 at 7:08 PM
No, but there was a big one going on in my neck of the woods. We just got back from my sister’s funeral, so not much in mood for a lot of crowds.
catlady on July 4, 2009 at 7:09 PM
Ed, thank you so much for posting this. My incipient agoraphobia has intensified in the last few years, and crowds are no longer my thing. So it was good to see my American brethren, most of whom are also my brothers and sisters in Christ, doing what this country does best: National Pride.
By the bye,Ed at nearly 58, I, too, have gotten to the point that little girls melt my heart rather than young women piquing my libido. Or, as I put it to a very lovely young customer several years ago, you know you’re getting old when you recognize the pretty young girl’s dog before you recognize her.
sondiehl on July 4, 2009 at 7:10 PM
catlady on July 4, 2009 at 7:09 PM
Sorry to hear of your sister’s death. My condolences to your and your family. God bless you.
d1carter on July 4, 2009 at 7:12 PM
So Sorry maam. God bless you and keep you.
GoodBoy on July 4, 2009 at 7:16 PM
I’m sorry catlady. My prayers are with you and your family.
ladyingray on July 4, 2009 at 7:28 PM
Dave went to Home Depot the other day and came home with 42lbs of Kingsford charcoal.
I have my two biggest Weberd fired up right now with burgers and fresh white corn, and plenty of adult type beverages. :-)
Happy 4th of July, everybody!
-Dave
Dave R. on July 4, 2009 at 7:30 PM
what a beautiful family, Ed.
My neighborhood had a little two-block parade which included a police car, a fire truck, and about forty trikes, wagons, bikes, etc. Fun for all.
okonkolo on July 4, 2009 at 7:31 PM
Dang…my hometown in New Canaan, CT only has a Memorial Day parade. Kinda looks the same tho!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DHDuALg3D8
JetBoy on July 4, 2009 at 7:59 PM
So sorry for your loss catlady, God bless your family.
conservnut on July 4, 2009 at 8:00 PM
Dave went to Home Depot the other day and came home with 42lbs of Kingsford charcoal.
I’ll be right there!
conservnut on July 4, 2009 at 8:01 PM
This reminds me of the Afton, Mn parade a few years back where I got to meet Michelle Bachman…
….I know I’m a name-dropper.
jbh45 on July 4, 2009 at 8:42 PM
Well, they can, but more than a few people haven’t been very charitable in the last few Palin threads towards the Captain and Hot Air in general. And that’s putting it mildly.
On topic, thanks for the photos.
Asher on July 4, 2009 at 9:12 PM
Some of the participants look very familiar. My middle daughter is in the Patriots Marching Band, so have gotten to attend several parades in MN this summer already.
coyoterex on July 4, 2009 at 9:20 PM
Attended the 38th Annual National Conservative 4th of July Soirée at Bull Run Memorial Park, Centreville,VA
There were signs and tea partiers aplenty. Watch this Barqawi guy in the future. He is my friend, a recently naturalized citizen, and a very strong enthusiastic Republican. Supposedly will be running for office in VA in 2-6 years.
http://www.adnanbarqawi.com
Pictures can be found
http://tinyurl.com/adnanbarq1 and
http://tinyurl.com/adnanbarq2
SgtSVJones on July 4, 2009 at 10:11 PM
I have a relative who was in the Allman Brothers Band. Ha! lol
EnochCain on July 4, 2009 at 11:07 PM
Catlady, blessings to you and your family. May God’s grace give comfort to you during your grief. The first year is the hardest getting through all the “first’s”. My condolences.
My family attended the Kansas City, Missouri Tea Party. We estimated 300+ patriots came out on a fairly busy highway in Parkville, MO. We counted a few “one finger waves”, a few thumbs down and someone threw a golfball that hit one of our folks. Other than that, there were many thumbs up and alot of horns honking.
If one person wakes up because we were there, the event was a success. My message was the liberal media is the #1 enemy of our country.
Happy Independence Day!
MalindaH on July 4, 2009 at 11:25 PM
That look like a so much fun. One year all the kids in our neighborhood decorated our bikes and trikes with the Fourth and we had a parade. The parents stopped the cars and people came out to watch it was great fun. It only happened one year. Too bad.
Cindy Munford on July 4, 2009 at 11:38 PM
I was disagreeing with Ed earlier. I also wondered aloud why so many people were jumping all over him, AP, and HA in general. Got a little bit of jumped upon myself.
To quote a great philosopher:
Can’t we just all get along???
bikermailman on July 5, 2009 at 12:20 AM
In a simpler time, Elmer Fudd set up camp early on 7/4 and picked a fight with some ants who ended up kicking his getalife, and later that afternoon, between 3:55 and 4 PM, Porky Pig got run over by a herd of wild elephants. During a hailstorm.
Del Dolemonte on July 5, 2009 at 12:52 AM
Maybe your wife believes that but you aren’t fooling the rest of us. :)
chemman on July 5, 2009 at 12:56 AM
Hey, got to see the boss at the Dallas Tea Party (online). She gave the best speech of the day! She doesn’t pull any punches. Also heard she has a book coming out soon on the corruption of the Obama administration.
Christian Conservative on July 5, 2009 at 1:43 AM
I did. It looked like about 2-3,000 people showed up to me, but I’m terrible at estimating. If someone ends up reporting it was 1,000 or 5,000 I wouldn’t be surprised I was that far off.
Daggett on July 5, 2009 at 2:54 AM
Ed .. that was Great! So good to see your family in this Patriotic context. You are a good man with a good family. Stay the course and keep on keeping us energized.
ORrighty on July 5, 2009 at 3:00 AM
Ed, I’ve lived overseas in Europe for the last decade (US Military) and I really appreciate you posting this slideshow. I felt like I was at home again.
Thanks
Black Adam on July 5, 2009 at 7:36 AM
Thanks Ed. Good ol’ fourth of July for the community, s@#$W the rest. No horses put alot of horsepower. Vette appears to be the vehicle of choice.
I know this event really shows the pride of community and that the community is made up of real people. The give away is the way the beauty queens are waving – not using the standard forearm and hand straight up with the hand twisting on the writs. These ladies used real waves from shoulder to full open, like blowing one great big kiss to the community saying Thank you.
MSGTAS on July 5, 2009 at 9:22 AM
A 4th of July Parade in Minnesota??!! Considering they elected Al Franken for Senator wouldn’t a “May Day” parade be more popular there?
Jeff from WI on July 5, 2009 at 10:14 AM
Nice Parade.
I don’t know why Palin is a subject matter in this thread, but since it is, I’d like to weigh in. I am no fanatic, however if you look at the titles and the subtitles they are incorrect. If you listen to HER, not Andrea Mitchell or whatever source the info is coming from. She did NOT say her political career was over. And, if anything what she said is that she is trying to stop the drama for the citizens of her state. Why make Alaskan taxpayers continue to pay (already $2million) in legal defense over false claims and waste her time when she could be governing. According to Palin, there is NO scandal that will break. Her counsel even put out a memo to stop the rumors. When I look at the hotair subtitles, I feel like I’m reading the Kos. I would just ask for fair coverage for her. She gets enough false press everywhere else, can’t you just listen to what she is saying rather than all of this speculation? I think truth and fairness goes a long way.
njpat on July 5, 2009 at 12:56 PM
In addition, you are inviting the rumors to spread with the “unless the other shoe drops” subtitle.
njpat on July 5, 2009 at 1:01 PM
No tea party coverage here? Michelle gave a great speech at the Dallas Tea Party…I was hoping to post it around but I can’t find it except on her site and it is in 22:00. There was less coverage in the MSM yesterday than on tax day. We need some coverage!!!
njpat on July 5, 2009 at 1:06 PM
Headlines on front page of Cedar rapids Gazette yesterday.
Top of page graphic “Celebrate Freedom”
Story of Veteran celebrating his last 4th (has inoperable brain tumor)
Short piece on Palin’s resignation
And above the fold with the largest text of all the headlines:
You own $37,000 story about the national debt.
agmartin on July 5, 2009 at 4:00 PM
Still recovering from three fractured ribs and a concussion, so wasn’t able to take in any of the festivities on Independence Day.
Thanks for providing a parade to brighten my day, Ed! Wow, the Little Admiral sure is growing fast now!
KendraWilder on July 5, 2009 at 11:28 PM
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