SANTA BARBARA — An estimated 200 people came out Sunday evening to a rally calling for opposition to the Iran deal currently being considered in the U.S. Congress. The event followed a midday briefing that drew over 150.
The evening rally crew energetically brandished signs reading, “The World Can’t Afford A Nuclear Iran!” and “Iran is The World Sponsor of Terrorism. Imagine Them With Nukes.”
This was the first political event that organizer Sheridan Rosenberg says she has put together. She told Breitbart News that she is a simple owner of a private plane charter company and was compelled to get involved after listening to Andrew Breitbart.
“I watched Hating Breitbart and it changed the way I think about things. I listened when Andrew was once asked why he was doing what he was doing and he said: I just want to save the world. Breitbart News is my most trusted source for news. I believe Andrew is still changing the world.”
Rally attendee Camille McCormack told Breitbart News, “I drove four hours from Silicon Valley to be a part of this.”
In the midday briefing billed as “Stop Iran Now: We only have until September 17th to DEMAND a better deal” attendees spent over two hours engaged in the discussion over details surrounding the controversial nuclear deal. Over and again the message that history tells us we cannot trust Iran circulated.
Briefing panelists Ryan Mauro, of the Clarion Project, and Clare Lopez, retired CIA Middle East expert, spoke directly with Breitbart News. Mauro emphasized that the deal minimizes military options and minimizes economic options. Specifically, he said, Iran would be initially economically strengthened with lifted sanctions, so that even if sanctions could be snapped back, a strengthened Iran would be less affected.
Mauro also addressed the evening rally, sharing with new faces the dangers of the current Iran deal.
Lopez, who earlier emphasized the troubled history of Iran’s long-running nuclear program to Breitbart News, commended the evening crowd for coming out to oppose the “staggeringly, stupendously, awful deal.” Lopez noted talks between Obama and the Ayatollah Khomeini during the then-Senator’s 2008 campaign that she states was the actual start of talks leading to the current deal.
Several other prominent speakers, political candidates and elected officials joined in the days’ events.
Various prior California events held in support of the Iran deal have drawn smaller numbers. In Orange County, Breitbart News reported a crowd of 50 in early August. Left-wing groups attempted to plan a show of support for the deal at an August Town Hall meeting with Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), but no activists showed up.
An attempt to gather supporters for photo shoots was slightly more successful, with approximately 80 showing up at a San Diego event, and approximately 200 at a Los Angeles photo-op as reported by Breitbart News.
There is a Sep. 9 “Oppose Iran” rally in Washington, D.C. being put on by 2016 presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX). Fellow 2016 contender Donald Trump has also accepted an invitation from Cruz to participate in the D.C. rally.
Follow Michelle Moons on Twitter @MichelleDiana
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