In what was never going to be an actual townhall meeting, a group of hard-left Anchorage activists rented out the Wilda Marston Theater in the Loussac Library and proceeded to mock and disparage U.S. Congressman Nick Begich and U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, both of whom had supposedly been “invited” to “face their constituents.”
Organized by the hard-left nonprofit – 907 Initiative – along with several other pro-abortion and big-government groups, the protest consisted largely of disgruntled greying and middle-aged residents who held professionally, pre-printed signs stating, “Doormat Dan” and “Chicken Nick.”
A press release sent by Aubrey Wieber, Executive Director of the 907 Initiative, claimed more than 600 Alaskans turned out for the townhall, but it seems no one really expected Begich or Sullivan to show up. In fact, in the days leading up to the event, organizers aggressively promoted the gathering with photoshopped depictions of Begich wearing a chicken suit.
The event appears to be part of a coordinated statewide, ongoing resistance strategy against Trump and his supporters, who seem to have most of the political momentum.
It appears the true objective of the rally was to create the impression that Begich and Sullivan wouldn’t meet with those who were distraught by President Trump’s ambitious, and increasingly popular efforts to expose waste and fraud across the federal government.
According to Wieber’s press release, she and her fellow protesters are disturbed by Trump’s “overhaul of the federal government that includes cutting Medicaid, shuttering the U.S. Department of Education, illegal firings of federal workers, and an escalating trade war that is increasing Alaskans’ cost of living.”
Wieber repeatedly quotes herself in her press release, which is written to sound like an actual news article.
“‘They’re scared of us,’ said Aubrey Wieber, Executive Director of the 907 Initiative,” the release reads. “‘Apparently, the only way to get in a room with one of them is to be a high-dollar donor.’”
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
Overtly mocking the invited speakers in the lead up to the event, however, probably didn’t help if the goal were to actually meet with Begich and Sullivan.
Other organizing partners included Protect Our Care, Stand Up Alaska, Mat Su United for Progress, Alaska March On, and the Alaska Nurses Association. Executive Director of Access Alaska Eric Gurley and Rose O’Hara Jolley of Planned Parenthood gave speeches.
The event appears to be part of a coordinated statewide, ongoing resistance strategy against Trump and his supporters, who seem to have most of the political momentum. As Wieber noted, the Anchorage protest was one of many recent gatherings organized by the political and social left in Alaska.
“We will hold as many events as it takes,” Wieber said. “We will book bigger venues. We will bring in speakers.”
44 Comments
Maybe these worthless democrats could do something instead of whinning all tge time to make our country better! I doubt it because they can’t think for themselves!
How many people actually do think for themselves? We are taught at a young age to comply with society and not trust our own thinking. Kinda seems this is a problem for all political parties and widespread rather than one particular party.
It’s easy to get lured into whining when one’s beliefs are being threatened. I see more people fighting each other than working together these days and that’s disturbing.
Maybe all the political parties can hold more town halls and stay in touch with the voters rather than spending so much time away from us/them?
In any case, I love , I am an American, and this country will always be the best no matter who gets power or how they get it.
Everyone whines all the time.
My least favorite part of conservative thought is the hypocrisy that they never recognize. For you DeWitt to claim that it is democrats that do all the whining is absurd and demonstrably false. The first elected felon to the presidency of the United States of America does little toward making America great or Americans happy, safe and prosperous. Instead it’s an endless and shifting assault on every single core value of our America, a toxic list of petulant mewls that lead us toward a cliff.
And you don’t see it. Instead, the most corrupted convince the most gullible to destroy our democracy. You voted for Trump.
All those charges have been dropped. Next the made up charges in New York are going down along with lying Judge MerChan who donated to entities, didn’t recuse himself. His daughter made $15M off that Trial. Kickbacks? Letatia james was told “ They were going to put her fat ass in Jail. The whole case was a sham. The bankers said Trump did everything right. This entire case was a sham, what exactly are the charges? No one could give me the Legal Descriptive prose. That trial was a Criminal Act in itself.
Yes, we voted for Trump, because big government is NOT a “core value of our America”. Getting rid of the thousands of illegal immigrants that Biden encouraged to invade our country is exactly what we voted for and is indeed making American families happier and safer. Getting rid of excessive government spending and worthless agencies (DOE) that do nothing but act as a DNC super PACs is also what we voted for.
The United States has a debt of $36 trillion. Interest paid on that debt is $950 billion annually. The interest paid is greater than the entire defense department budget. So, please explain to us how we get the situation under control if not curtailing government spending?
a) we don’t live in a democracy
b) you need to spend some time studying the laws of our constitutional Republic. our President Trump is doing nothing unlawful. Rather, Czar Biden put us back in the same state we were in before the American Revolution, as we were taxed to the hilt and had no say in anything.
Trump is not the first elected felon. The founding fathers are all convicted felons and Trump is just like them, doing the right thing despite pure evil. God bless America!
This is apparently happening across the country. Makes you wonder who is paying them? Glad you made some of them famous with photos – it would be good to post all over social media for people to identify who they are and how they are registered to vote.
No one paid me to go but I don’t know if anyone else was paid to go. But if someone offered me money to attend something, I would consider going even if my beliefs or my country wasn’t in alignment with the event. But the amount of money would change based on what the event was about.
People do dumb stuff for very little money. But people also do some great and horrific stuff for millions. How’s that saying? Money talks and bullshit walks. It applies to everyone, all over the world, not just some people who aren’t liked.
Also, I’m undeclared, always have been always will be because thus is the greatest country and I love the freedom to be undeclared. I get to choose the best politician for the job regardless of their political affiliation. Go USA!!
The bigger the $$$ amount is what you care about. You would toss your beliefs for the right amount of money. Street walkers do the same thing.
My gosh. Just imagine the smells in that room.
It was warm but didn’t smell weird. Everyone was well-behaved and respectful..
Y’know, Shelley, some years ago we’d rescued an aging, neglected Cocker Spaniel with bad teeth and matted hair and we considered it an honor to be able to do it. She wasn’t especially bright nor well house trained but she usually put her best foot forward to be personable. She also had a terrible habit of rolling in her own poop for some reason or another which caused us to believe that poop didn’t smell weird to her. So no offense of course but I saw your post and it immediately looked kinda familiar. How odd.
The event was an opportunity to be heard and an echo chamber. It doesn’t mean they’re wrong but it doesn’t mean the equal and opposite force is right. Why is it not ok for one political party to do something and not another. The event was well attended for a Thursday night. Not much different than other well attended events when people care to attend.
Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, progressives, and it goes on and on… it doesn’t matter what one ideology someone chooses to side with, what matters is what kind of world will we have 50 years from now when our children are attending events like this. I wonder if they will have a world where they’ll be thriving or if they’ll be barely surviving or somewhere in between.
I didn’t care for their signs much but I was glad to have an opportunity and the courage to say what I went there to say.
God bless America! Go red white and blue!!
Godless people who have no awareness of accountability and never grew out of their 60’s and 70’s immaturity. Sad. Add also how impressionable to lies they are. Medicare is not being cut, nor is Medicaid except for illegals, states do a far better job managing their education, there are no ‘firings’ as superfluous positions are being eliminated. The people in those positions are laid off, not fired. Good grief. It seems the Democrat party has become the party of very low common sense and intelligence. On a side thought, no wonder so many leftists pretend to be republicans to get elected. Most aware voters don’t vote Democrat.
I am not godless nor a democrat and I went. Lies can be hard to discern from truth when we are so caught up in ideology that it becomes too painful to admit someone we look up to or trust is lying.
This is probably the last post I’ll reply to here because the audience is also an echo chamber, much like the event I attended as an undeclared voter who thinks for herself, loves this country, values our freedoms, and regularly talks to God.
Learn to cope.
I too am an undeclared “actual voter”. Shelley, well said in response to Neil, Aunt Sally, MeMe, and Elizabeth girl! You know if you tell that lie enough times the majority of undereducated, uneducated, and ill informed people will believe anything. Most Americans who never worked or served in the Federal government as a civil servant do not have a clue what the Government (and each agency) actually does…not until it affects them personally. I’ve learned a couple things over my 30+ year career. 1) You can put lipstick on a pig…but it’s still a pig! 2) You can’t fix stupid! 3) Only idiots and morons follow rabid FOX! There are 596,493 registered voters in Alaska as of March 2025 purge. Of the total 145,637 (24.4%) are (R), 72,992 (12.2%) are (D), 82,871 (13.9%) are Nonpartisan, and 264,387 (44.3%) are Undeclared. I don’t care about “A Party”, I vote for the person with the knowledge, skill, ability, and experience to do the best job for all Americans and not just his/her party or self proclaimed KING. You get what you voted for…or didn’t vote! Statistically speaking, (R’s) are at the low end of the curve.
The sentence of your post said everything we need to know about you. Vote blue no matter who is your motto weather you want to admit it or not.
MAGA CULT FOREVER Like I said, stupid can’t be fixed Ricky! Keep digging…maybe you’ll finally see the light at the bottom?
I stopped registering as a republican when I realized both “sides” are not on a spectrum, they are a circle….just one party that meets in the middle and are bent on destroying this country. We should all be organizing events to show our representatives how angry we are at them but not for the reasons these people were gathered: we should be angry because these politicians are not doing enough to fix this mess! We are bankrupt and people like Sullivan, Begich, and Murkowski are wholly behind that destruction either through their votes or through their silence. Our voting system is completely corrupt and we are represented by people who will never admit that or stop feeding the people that attended this event with government money. These people are angry because their sources of money are being exposed and that is the simple truth that none of them want to admit. Look at the people in that picture: old, unhealthy, and unable to work for themselves. This is what the rot of our political class has created: people who are wholly dependent on the grift of government because they do not have the means or desire to support themselves. We are in for some very hard times as the bill is coming due and people who have not prepared are going to have a rude awakening. Trump is not taking away “your” money….he’s trying to save what is left of this country and we are witnessing exactly what you see when you take candy away from a baby happening at events like this……
Trump will take away my money. As hundreds of millions of Americans have done, I’ve paid into social security all my life, it was essentially a loan to the government and now, that I’m 67, the bill is coming due. You said “he’s trying to save what is left of this country”. Given Trump’s corrosion of every beneficial component of our democracy, I sure hope he doesn’t try to save any more.
What I find encouraging is the number of left leaning folks who regularly read your articles Joel. One can only hope that feeding their mind on a regular diet of accurate knowledge, common sense, and Christian values will have some effect on their lives. All is not lost.
Hmmmm? And you are suggesting Trump has Christian values that you admire! As a recovering Catholic the last time I read the Ten Commandments…he had scored an 8 out 10 broken and working on a perfect score! Some Christian. Or are they just “alternate values”? Have you bought your copy of “The Bible” according to Trump? Good read just like Hitler’s and Project 2025! Shallow minds can still drown in one size fits all ignorance you know! Jesus loves you and forgives your faults just as the great spirit forgives mine.
So much negativity Patrick, so much sadness, and so much judgement. Please reread my prior comment, the commendation was for Joel. I am glad that you have pulled away from a religion, but I certainly hope you have not pulled away from the Lord as so many have. The lord is not and does not need nor represent any religion so well done you. To the balance of your comments, please remember 2 things: Romans 13:1 and Luke 6:37.
I am not interested in Patrick’s politics here, but his being a self-proclaimed “recovering Catholic”. I might respect that choice IF he had read the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Humanae Vitae or the Theology of the Body, and still decided to walk. If he has, then he is better off where he is. If he hasn’t, then he might kindly reconsider his decision. Humanae Vitae is not long, is clear-cut and prophetic. Same with Theology of the Body. But while the Catechism is long, go to the index, pick your topic, and see what it says. But maybe he took a walk because of the current pope being a confused and inconsistent mess? That would be a far more understandable choice, but popes are NOT the Catholic Church, they are (supposed) to be custodians of unchangeable doctrines. When they fail there, as this one has, consult the doctrines, not the reckless statements of Pope Confusion the First.
I am mystified as to the point of this little stunt. I guess these folks need somewhere to grieve for their hippy past and sing a little kumbaya, but what did they accomplish except to get the media to report their whining? And the lies they tell themselves–if you have to lie about something to make your point, then you don’t have one. I am put in mind of those who “marched for science.” What did that accomplish? Much sound and fury, signifying nothing.
Tamra. Not sure what you mean by “And the lies they tell themselves”. If you don’t mind, provide one example of a lie that these citizens tell themselves.
Well, Manny, since you can’t be bothered to look it up yourself, nobody is cutting Medicare, Elon Musk is not cutting any jobs–he is an advisor to President Trump, who orders the changes–and holding a silly meeting and claiming that the opposition won’t attend for some unknown reason. That’s three to start. I’m sure if you actually read what you yell at you might learn one or two more, maybe even a lot. I’d go on, but you will probably think I’m being cruel. Now, knock yourself out refuting these three and then tell me how you are the party of science, whatever that means.
Joel Davidson, I enjoy reading your views on AlaskaWatchman even if I find it somewhat bias shifted. But your headline “Aging Anchorage Libs” was obviously your personal impression of the attendees! Although the majority were seniors I met many younger people and seniors who I personally knew who were Republicans that I invited to join me and some others who identified themselves as Democrats, Nonpartisan, or Undeclared. So where’s your data? No one I met was offered anything but gave up personal time and honest concern to attend. But we all pay Sullivan, Murkowski, and Begich for their jobs and they were AWOL! Facts matter, not alternate facts! Do your homework and research before you insult hundreds of Alaskans who came please! Thanks!
The Federal and State Governments aren’t the problem. Career politicians and incompetent leadership by those ill equipped and $$$ are the problem.
I am a registered Republican and voted for Trump. I’m very sorry that I did. He immediately lost our allies Ukraine, Canada, Mexico and the EU. The stock market has tanked. Unemployment is up. He is turning our democracy into a dictatorship. I may not be ready to turn blue, but I’m ready to ditch the GOP!
Chris: It really takes courage to recognize a mistake, and to publicly explain it. That shows integrity. But why in the world did you vote for him in the first place?
How did you feel about Biden getting the Ukraine into a war and paying for it with your tax dollars? How about Biden’s inflation? How about Biden shutting down oil production? I kinda doubt you voted for Trump, but if you want to say so, then go ahead. Did you think Trump would wave a magic wand and fix everything overnight? It took 8 years of Obama and 4 years of Biden to screw it all up. Give Trump half a year or so to turn this around, or be unreasonable on purpose to virtue signal to your buddies.
Tamra, you are unreachable. You have frequently demonstrated that evidence doesn’t comport with the world you’ve chosen for yourself. The Bible, Trump, and right wing information outlets are not reliable sources of evidence.
“He immediately lost our allies Ukraine, Canada, Mexico and the EU.”
With allies like that, who needs enemies? Ukraine is an endless money laundering drain run by a thankless, petty dictator; Mexico and Canada channel drugs and illegals across our borders non-stop; the EU is a tyrannical entity bent on restricting the free speech of its member countries’ population while replacing them with migrants, and then telling the US we should foot the bill for protecting them…
Trump is doing everything I want him to do, just not doing it fast enough. As for those old farts in the photo, that has to be about the saddest looking crowd I’ve ever seen.
Jeffrey, I didn’t say big government is a core value. But for damn sure most of it supports our care and feeding. Weather forecasts are core, yes? How about agencies that enforce medical standards at health care facilities, without which you’d be taking Ivermectin suppositories for gout. Thousands of examples of how Americans benefit from public dollars. Then there’s the Department of Defense (13% of federal budget; $820 BILLION!), a black hole that consumes budgets from any nearby agency. Want to cut the debt? Want to shrink big government? Start with the entity whose mission is to kill others.
Does paying more for nearly every consumer product, getting your earned social security contributions stolen, advancing climate change, diminishing education make your American family happier and safer?
Some of the conservative republicans in the lower 48 that had this same situation bowed out and sent donuts instead. I thought that was more appropriate as this whole situation has been bought and paid for and was not meant to be informative in the first place. All staged by the libs who are losing their minds. It’s interesting to watch.
And of course, Debi, if it were the DEMOCRATS being too cowardly to literally do their jobs – meet and represent their constituents – you would encourage your conservative friends to kick some civic ass. Remember the We The People drama queens at school board meetings several years ago?
Did you read this: “An estimated 34,000 people gathered Friday evening at Civic Center Park in Denver to hear Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York”. People are pissed and you should be too. And ashamed for being so gullible to vote for a convicted felon!
Goodness! Did 34,000 people actually don masks for that event, as requested? What a colossal gathering of rubes!
Make mental institutions great again!
The bickering in the comments completely ignores the REAL problem: Dark Money, 907, and the multiple-failure Weiber as a leader of anything. The attacks are organized not organic, funded by Arabella/Soros (Nazi), and are extreme in nature & purpose. Democrats are polling at 26%, so – by all means double down!
Some of us actually learned in Civics class how the 2party system is stupidly accepted. Are you Left or Right, because thats all you get.
Do you “choose” Vanilla, or French Vanilla? mmmm?