Rep. Michele Bachmann says her "Super Bowl of Freedom" at the U.S. Capitol today can torpedo Democratic health care overhaul plans by enlisting "the voices of freedom."
At noon eastern time, the lawn near the Capitol's West Front was crowded with thousands of protesters who chanted "kill the bill."
"Are they going to listen?" Bachmann asked the throng of cheering protesters, referring to House Democrats. "Oh, yeah, they're going to listen."
Bachmann stood at a podium that promoted the House GOP' health care plan, declaring "Health Care Freedom."
GOP members of Congress stood on the Capitol steps behind her.
Bachmann was followed by actor Jon Voight, who called his listeners "brave, concerned patriotic American citizens."
Among the signs displayed at the flag-draped rally was one demanding "Waterboard Congress" and another that said, "Vote no to government-run health care."
"The most powerful voice in the United States is that of the American people," Bachmann said earlier today in an interview on WCCO Radio.
Bachmann, the two-term Sixth District Republican, hatched the plan for what she called "a spontaneous meetup" to protest against the Democratic overhaul bill that is scheduled to be voted on Saturday.
The bill, she said this morning, is overly complex and intrusive and has been rushed through by the Democratic leadership.plans last week.
She has attracted considerable attention, getting the backing of conservative activists and some GOP House leaders.
Organizers predicted that "thousands" of disgruntled Americans will descend on Washington, D.C., for the noon rally. Among them are about 120 Minnesotans who left from the Twin Cities area in three buses on Wednesday.
When she unveiled her planned protest, which will include confronting members of Congress in the chamber's offices, last Friday, Bachmann told conservative talk show host Sean Hannity:
"I'd love to have every one of your viewers join me so that we can go up and down through the halls, find members of Congress, look at the whites of their eyes and say, 'Don't take away my health care.' "
This morning, Bachmann called such planned confrontations "all about true democracy in action."
She also said the protesters will "remind members of the lessons of August," when protesters known as tea partiers disrupted congressional town hall meetings across the country.
In a conference call Wednesday night with bloggers and activists for the advocacy group Americans for Prosperity, Bachmann said protesters should "scare" members of Congress into voting against the House health care bill.
"Nothing scares members of Congress more than freedom-loving Americans," Bachmann said. "I think that will absolutely scare these members of Congress so much that [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi will not get the votes and it will kill the bill. I think it could be dead for 10 years."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This morning, Bachmann called such planned confrontations "all about true democracy in action."
She also said the protesters will "remind members of the lessons of August," when protesters known as tea partiers disrupted congressional town hall meetings across the country.
In a conference call Wednesday night with bloggers and activists for the advocacy group Americans for Prosperity, Bachmann said protesters should "scare" members of Congress into voting against the House health care bill.
"Nothing scares members of Congress more than freedom-loving Americans," Bachmann said. "I think that will absolutely scare these members of Congress so much that [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi will not get the votes and it will kill the bill. I think it could be dead for 10 years."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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