Pro-Bush Rally Draws Crowd From Loudoun | LoudounExtra.com

“Thank you President Bush God Bless” is what 14-year-old Chrissy Doolittle’s sign read.

The Leesburg resident stood holding her sign by the Washington Monument for nearly an hour and a half Saturday afternoon with her mother and grandmother to thank President George W. Bush for his eight years in office.

Chrissy’s family was part of a group of around 150 people – the majority of them from Loudoun County – who wanted to make sure that their voices of gratitude were heard, even as Bush’s approval ratings hover around 30 percent and the area and nation turn their focus toward Barack Obama’s inauguration, just a little more than two weeks away.

“We will continue to pray for him as we always do every night, and that God will continue to use him,” said Chrissy’s mother, Annabelle Doolittle, who found a flyer about the rally on her car.

The noon rally on the National Mall was organized by Ashburn resident Shannon Tercero and included a small stage and microphone for individuals to express their messages of thanks. The demonstrators also sang “God Bless America” and listened to a tribute to President Bush by Jerry Alway, pastor of Grace Tabernacle Church in Berryville.

Photo Gallery

Thank You, President Bush

Photo: 0/1

« Previous | Next »

Larger Version

From left, Eleng Colesio, Chrissy Doolittle and Annabelle Doolittle of Leesburg hold up their homemade signs at the "Thank you, President Bush" rally near the Washington Monument on Jan. 3. Daughter, mother and grandmother said they pray for President Bush every night. (Charity Corkey)

Larger Version

From left, Regina, Michael and Sylvia Dorham of Aldie hold signs thanking President Bush for his years of service in front of the Washington Monument on Saturday, Jan. 3. (Charity Corkey)

Larger Version

A demonstrator at the Washington Monument holds up a sign for Laura Bush. (Charity Corkey)

Larger Version

Demonstrators at the "Thank you, President Bush" rally at the Washington Monument hold up signs supporting President Bush. (Charity Corkey)

Larger Version

A demonstrator at Saturday's "Thank you, President Bush" rally at the Washington Monument holds up a homemade sign. (Charity Corkey)

Larger Version

Around 150 demonstrators -- including at least 100 from Loudoun County -- gathered at the Washington Monument on Saturday, Jan. 3 to thank President Bush for his eight years of service. (Charity Corkey)

Larger Version

Children write notes for President Bush on a "Thank you, President Bush" sign following a rally for the president at the Washington Monument Jan. 3. (Charity Corkey)

Larger Version

Personal notes for the president cover a sign created for the "Thank you, President Bush" rally in D.C. Jan. 3. (Charity Corkey)

Larger Version

Personal notes for the president cover a sign created for the "Thank you, President Bush" rally in D.C. Jan. 3. (Charity Corkey)

View all thumbnails

“They were really happy we were having it,” Alway said of the spectators. “One child was approached by two men who said they were anti-Bush, but there were definitely more positive than negative [reactions].”

Saturday’s rally was the second pro-Bush rally that Tercero has planned. The first was on Nov. 22 at Lafayette Park.

“There have been many protesters outside of the White House, and I guess that moved us [to hold a rally] because we are thankful for what he has done,” she said.

Traditionally a Republican-leaning county, Loudoun went for Bush both in 2000 and 2004. But in 2008, for the first time, Loudoun went blue, with 54 percent of the vote for Obama and 46 percent for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).

During the Lafayette Park demonstration, two women working for the Bush administration approached the group and asked them to hold another rally, Tercero said. Their comments, along with the positive reactions the group received from people passing by, inspired Tercero to plan Saturday’s larger event at the Washington Monument.

Many Loudoun parents brought their children to the rally. Sylvia Dorham of Aldie helped her two children, Regina, 12, and Michael, 8, make signs for the outgoing president.

Regina’s sign read, “Thank you President Bush for Defending Life,” and she said that if she had a chance to meet President Bush she would thank him for “saving the unborn babies of our country.”

Chrissy Doolittle had a different message for Bush if she were able to speak to him face-to-face: “Thank you for helping our country and keeping us safe.”