Ex-Obama staffer, other supporters leading Obama protests in SF Tuesday

[DEDixon 39]

President Obama will again be in San Francisco Tuesday — but only to take money from the “fat cats” that he said that he said waaaay back in 2009 that he didn’t run for president to protect. No, he won’t be spending any time with the “99 percent.” Not unless they cut him a $7,500 check for lunch. As we know by our story Monday, Obama has had nooo problem taking money from the fat cats.

But Obama will be greeted by a rainbow of people he’s disappointed — left, right and center during his $7,500-a-plate noon fundraiser right here at the W Hotel in San Francisco. Some will even be chanting re-constituted Obama for Prez cheers — in opposition to the Prez’s policies.

We know that Tea Partiers (protesting Obama’s economic policy) from all over Northern California will be on hand Tuesday as will the 99 Percenters from Occupy Wall Street/San Francisco. California NORML will be there ripping on Obama’s medical marijuana crackdown. AndWorld Can’t Wait (protesting his Afghanistan/Guantanamo policy) will be representing, of course.

But the biggest group — perhaps 500 strong — may be environmentalists fronted by former Obama campaign staffer Elijah Zarlin. The Mendocino native/Oakland resident used to write fundraising e-mails for Obama during his 2008 prez campaign. Now he works for SF-based CREDO Action.

And he’s “disappointed” with how the President has “failed to lead” on stopping the proposed 1,700-mile Keystone XL pipeline, which would bring highly polluting oil from Canada’s tar sands to the United States.

Like many, Zarlin was moved four years ago when Obama said — during his fabled Springfield prez campaign announcement speech –”Let’s be the generation that finally frees America from the tyranny of oil.” While the President has speechified along those lines, Zarlin said, he also has been surprisingly climate-unfriendly. Like when Obama recently backed off a proposed new air pollution rules proposed by the EPA because, in part, he wanted to reduce “regulatory burdens” on industry during the economic recovery.

The decision to greenlight the pipeline is in the hands of the State Department. But Obama, as Prez, Zarlin said can override that. “He’s delegated it to the State Department, but ultimately, it’s his decision.”

Get ready to hear this chant Tuesday: “Barack Obama, yes you can/Stop the dirty oil plan.”

http://blog.sfgate.com/nov05election/2011/10/24/ex-obama-staffer-other-supporters-leading-obama-protests-in-sf-tuesday/?tsp=1