Obama visit: Fillmore will be ground zero for grassroots rally, and grass

The circus is coming to town today, and it's playing the Fillmore. Not the inside of the Fillmore Auditorium -- that's where President Barack Obama will address a "Grassroots Rally" at 3 p.m. -- but the outside of the facility at 1510 Clarkson Street, where protesters will gather all day...

By Patricia Calhoun

February 18, 2010

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The circus is coming to town today, and it's playing the Fillmore. Not the inside of the Fillmore Auditorium -- that's where President Barack Obama will address a "Grassroots Rally" at 3 p.m. -- but the outside of the facility at 1510 Clarkson Street, where protesters will gather all day.

Anti-immigration groups are talking about demonstrating, as are environmentalists and other activists. But the biggest protest could well be the DEA Go Away action organized by Sensible Colorado, which is urging medical marijuana patients to show up at noon and urge Obama to "Get the DEA Out of Colorado."

Given how rigidly scheduled Obama's official visit is -- he's landing at Buckley shortly before 3 p.m., heading to the Fillmore, then going to a private cocktail reception to raise money for Senator Michael Bennet -- this pro-grass rally has the potential to grow a lot more interesting than the official "Grassroots Rally."

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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