Report from Madeira protests

Reporter Greg Korte reports from Madeira:


By 2:30 p.m., about 30 protesters had taken up positions at the corner of Miami and Euclid avenues in Madeira. Most held anti-war signs, but others complained about the economy, social issues, the domestic spying program and Washington lobbyist scandals. A half-hour later, the crowd had doubled.

Most doubted that the president would drive by. But they said their goal was just to show that it's acceptable to protest -- even in this predominately Republican part of town.

"I want people to see that we're not happy with the direction the president is taking us. And I want people to see that it's O.K. to oppose that," said Linda Perrone, a 44-year-old homemaker from Sharonville. As she spoke, passing drivers honked, cheered -- and sometimes jeered -- the protesters.

"They just assume we're all Democrats," she said.

But there was at least one Republican in the crowd.

Patty Thomas, a 59-year-old school health aide from West Chester, said she campaigned for U.S. Rep. John Boehner and believes in the GOP platform.

She said she resented that the president was mingling with Cincinnati's upper crust when he should be attending to Iraq and hurricane relief efforts.

"That's the biggest problem I have with Bush. He doesn't live in the real world," said Thomas. "His presence in Indian Hill today just shows that. He's had a padded ride with everything he does."