Zombie Walk coincides with Palin appearance in Asheville

by: Pam Spaulding

Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 10:00:00 AM EDT

"I mean, when you see 700 shambling dead zombies walking toward the Civic Center up the bridge, it would probably get the Secret Service's attention. So we gave them a heads up on it to make sure they know we're not doing any kind of protest or (are a) threat in anyway."
-- Dan Burrello, organizer of the Asheville Zombie Walk that drew 700 of the undead to Flint Street and past the Civic Center where Bible Spice rallied up the nutter troops

The walk has been in the works for a year, and is organized for people who love zombies, horror films and to celebrate Halloween, Burrello said. Some of it also is a statement on consumerism and society, though the fact the Zombie Walk is taking place during Sarah Palin's visit is pure coincidence.

"It's fascinating because regardless of the party, so much of politics is mindlessly following," Burrello said.

Lisa Loper, her daughter Cassidy Maney, from Sevierville, Tenn., drove about an hour and 45 minutes to get here. "I wanted my daughter to see this," Lisa said. "We just think this is a very important election," because of the moral issues at stake and the economic crisis.

3:03  Carla Lovelace, of Clyde, came out to see Palin because "she's got kind of a bad rap." She wanted to see Palin unfiltered and unedited.
"His economic issues kill the American dream," she said. "His defense policies kill the American spirit. His moral and ethical policies kill what America was built on."

3:05 Karon McPeeters, from Marion, says she came out because, "I like what she stands for.
"I have a niece that lives in Alaska and she says she's doing great things for Alaska," she said. "She has come up through the ranks like the rest of us."

3:10 Seen at the scene:
Nathan Ramsey is handing out McCain stickers to everyone passing by.
"No socialism. No class Warfare, No Obama, no way!"
A significant anti-abortion contingent is present, with signs reading:
"Unborn for Palin"
"Pro-life for Palin"
"We vote pro-life"
"Palin power"

T-shirts:
A homemade one says, "You betcha!"
"Another small town religion-clinging, gun-toting American voting for McCain and Palin."

3:15 Tim Pack is wearing a small name tag that simply says, "Joe." Although he is a Libertarian, Pack says he is coming to see Palin because he is a feminist. "I support Palin I hope she is successful in everything she strives for," he says.

Palin, speaking just nine days before the Nov. 4 election, set a folksy tone from the beginning. Country music star Gretchen Wilson had fired up the crowd with a set before Palin arrived, but Palin invited her to sing one more song, her hit "Redneck Woman."

"We got any rednecks in here tonight?" Wilson asked, drawing thunderous applause.

As Wilson sang, Palin, wearing blue jeans, a black jacket and white shirt, danced a little on stage, slapping her hip in cue with the song's lyrics. Palin also had the crowd sing "Happy Birthday" to her mother while she held a cell phone in the air.

8:30
She saying that it is not negative campaigning to call someone out on their records, their plans and their associations.
8:31 John McCain and I are for a real tax cut, she said.
8:31 We've really got to hand it to Joe the Plumber, she said. He got Obama to state his true intention in plain language, she said. She's talking about spreading the wealth, and the crowd booed.
8:33 She mentions Biden saying that paying taxes was patriotic. She said Joe the plumber said it sounded like socialism.   The crowd roared. She likes the a poster here that says "I"m Joe Mama"

9:15 A few zombies stood outside after the rally, beating a drum. One had a megaphone and said, in a zombie-esque tone, "Zombies for Palin."