Gloria Allred, Clinton Delegate, Rallies Support; Reports Being "Gagged" At Delegation Meeting

DENVER -- A rally that began as a march organized by the Hillary-supporter PUMA (Party Unity My Ass) group ended partly as a gathering of 100 or so around celebrity L.A. lawyer Gloria Allred, a California delegate. Chants of "roll call, roll call" and "Who do we want? Hillary!" punctuated Allred's stirring speech. In Hillary-style hair cut and white pants suit, Allred -- who recently appeared with Jessica Gibson in the Rob Lowe harassment lawsuit and whose clients have included Paula Jones and the Nicole Brown Simpson family -- told the crowd that she was a "Hillary delegate" from California, that she was nevertheless not allowed to speak to her fellow California delegates at a meeting earlier in the day and that the California Hillary delegates in attendance "were not permitted" to meet with one another. She said she wore a gag at the meeting to demonstrate that she and the Hillary contingent had been effectively silenced.

The PUMA march reportedly broke up when police divided the marchers. Allred stepped up onto raised ground and began speaking under a tree, acknowledging that the Democratic party had two strong leaders in Hillary Clinton and, she said, "Barack Obonnor" before correcting herself "--Obama."

If you were at the California delegation this morning, you saw me with a gag in my mouth. That is because I was not permitted to either speak to the California delegation, even though I am a Hillary delegate, nor were the Hillary delegates permitted to have a meeting with each other. So all I can tell you is we are proud Hillary delegates and we will not betray our voters and we will not betray Hillary... and even if Hillary releases us, which she may do, we are accountable to our voters and, in accordance with their wishes, we will vote for Hillary... We don't want the DNC to play any games. There has always been a roll call vote... just because there is a woman, there better not be any different treatment...

Video by OffTheBus Correspondent Dawn Teo. This post was updated this morning with reporting by Dawn Teo.

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Comments

[KathyIndiana]

Gloria Allred gagged - that will be the day!

[S1m0n]

"Not permitted"? How could she be prevented from speaking to whomever might be willing to listen?

[rcozad]

Is there a person yet alive that could stand the mere thought of having to listen to another Allred diatribe about ANYTHING!?

[Kwaayesnama]

Please ask her to take this test?

Would a Democrat vote for a man who voted against raising the minimum
wage in, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2000, and 2006?

Would a Democrat vote to kill our bravest young people for 100 years looking for weapons of mass destruction that do not exist?

Would a Democrat vote for a man who does not know that 9-11 was
caused by Osama Bin Laden not Sedam Hussein?

Would a Democrat vote the man who does not know if the Sunnis or
Sheits are our enemies?

Would a Democrat vote for the man who voted against increasing
benefits for the military that he sends in harm's way?

Would a Democrat vote to keep putting our government on the China,
Saudi Arabia credit card?

Would a Democrat vote for tax cuts only for the wealthy?

Would a Democrat vote for opposition to SCHIP?

Would a Democrat vote for tax credits for health care instead of a
nation health care system?

Would a Democrat vote to overturn Roe v. Wade?

Would a Democrat vote for a right-wing Supreme Court?

Would a Democrat vote for a third Bush term?

Would a Democrat vote for a man who says the economic downturn is
psychological?

Would a Democrat vote for a man who says you are better off under
George Bush?

Would a Democrat vote for a man who says irresponsible, undeserving
homeowners are losing their homes? But is fortunate to own 8 homes!

[dsgeorge]

SOMEONE GIVE THIS TEST TO JOE BIDEN TO READ TONIGHT!

[Philson86]

Great post!

[lisasolodwarren]

Right on.
Give me a break, Hillary hangers on. Yikes already.

[YunekFlava]

I have always thought Allred was a "fringe lunatic", and she talks in a rabid , red-meat sort of way, whether she is talking about her clients or Hillary. A real nice representative, one might say.

[bazokbros]

Lot's of irony that Allred who wanted to persecute Hillary's husband is acting like a victim. But that's what Gloria Allred does, and has made a very lucrative ambulence chasing career, by exploiting an event for her own personal gain. There were 100 PUMAs? LOL If you were to listen to media reports, you'd think there were thousands that are actively demonstrating. PUMA is what it is, a very small cult similar to the Ellen James group in "The World According to Garp."

[yhgtup]

This "chick" Gloria Allred has always been a publicity seeker. These women & guy shouting "ERA" don't even come close to understanding the "ERA" concept I & many other women demonstrated for in the early 70's. If they did, they surely wouldn't be helping John McCain get elected, through their actions.

[susanb2010]

It troubles me no end that women are our own worst enemies. Women like Gloria, the de Rothchild millionaire, Susie Thompkins and the like will set back the movement vs moving us forward. As in any situation, there is a time where you act like a lady. Get a grip.

[Adrienne Williams - Huffpost Blogger]

How can we even reply to this video? I'm a woman -- why am I not upset? Because in life there are winners and losers and it's the name of the game that you will lose in your life time. I think some just haven't realized that it happens to all of us.

Again, there will still be upset PUMA's that will not vote for Barack Obama, and we need to just let them go and go after new voters, and young voters, and older voters, and people that want to see this country move (like Hillary stated last night) in the right direction -- to the future.

[Jain]

Thank you - let's move on. Clinton will have the roll call and her speach was fantastic.

The anger is displaced and should be aimed at Grampa McSame.

PUMA has accomplished something with younger voters I know: they will vote Obama.

[Bob Vanderet - Huffpost Blogger]

Reality check: There has NOT "always been a roll-call vote". It is quite common, indeed usual, for a motion to be made early on to approve by acclaimation the nomination of the candidate who has clearly secured the winning number of delegates. This is about Gloria Allred, and her insatiable desire for publicity, not about Hillary Clinton, who demonsrated last night that she knows what is at stake in this election. Gloria would rather see herself on TV than preserve reproductive choice for women.

[NorVaGal]

Amen. Thanks for some much needed reality and truth.

[mjc]

That is simply not true. Even when the sitting president was the candidate there was some sort of roll call vote. Just ask Bill Clinton or Jerry Brown. Many of the roll calls went to three or four before a candidate was decided upon. This Convention was the most scripted, controlled ever and least democratic. And that is a very good reason not to vote for a person nominated by such a convention.

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

Please, get over Hillary already. She must continue to do a great job as a senator, and will have another chance in the future. But for now, get over it and UNITE!

[happypup]

How in the world does this woman possibly expect us to believe her wild claims that she was
not permitted to speak to the California delegation of which she herself was a part? Was she forcibly wrestled to the ground and locked in a closet? Lassooed and whisked off to solitary confinement at some top secret location? Sheesh................what a drama queen!

HINT: To be taken seriously, it always helps if your assertions are at least moderately credible.

[mjc]

If there is not a roll call vote tonight then that ends any consideration that MAYBE Obama might have been given by many voters, men and women. What is he afraid of? Having given him a brillant speech and campaigned for him what more do they want from Clinton? Already on some of these threads the Obamacons are blaming Clinton for Obama's loss. Strange and twisted logic and too emotional to be in politics I think.

[NoElephants]

Too emotional? We are at the crux of one of the most important times in modern history. Emotion is characterized by sore losers, who are so selfish and indignant they seem to think that everything they supported Hillary for isn't worth letting big mean Obama win.

[doglove]

You are correct, thanks for some sense here.

[IslandGyal]

mjc,
Ask Gloria Allred....

[CeciliaBertrand]

I thought they submitted their votes on paper and dropped them in a box? I heard that (I have been watching the convention all day - each day on CSPAN) by someone at the convention...???

[messy]

There may not be a roll call at all. It's not on today's schedule, no nominating speeches, no votes for president of vice president. That will help McCain trememdously.

[CeciliaBertrand]

how will it help McCain?

[IslandGyal]

YES there will be a roll call and nominating process! It's listed here on Huff Post; please STOP disseminating false information.