Hot Button: Answering the call

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By Amanda Carpenter

Fired up

A Florida woman is happily answering Rep. Michele Bachmann's call to storm the steps of Capitol Hill on Thursday to protest Democratic health care proposals.

The Minnesota Republican has been encouraging the "tea party" protesters who came to Capitol Hill on Sept. 12 to turn out again Thursday afternoon and arrange face-to-face meetings with their elected officials to talk about the health care legislation that could be put to a House vote as early as this week.

"The only way they're going to listen is if real freedom-loving Americans come here to Washington noon on Thursday, look at the whites of the eyes of their members of Congress and say, 'Don't you remember, I told you don't take away my health care,' " Mrs. Bachmann told Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity on Friday evening.

That was enough to inspire Orlando resident Donna Kearfott, who is anxious about the increasing size of government, to make plans to go to Washington.

"I heard Michelle talking about it on Friday night and got up the next morning and said every American needs to be in Washington, so I told people about it and sent a link out and finally decided to take it upon myself to get a bus," Mrs. Kearfott told The Washington Times over the phone. "Now I'm working on my second bus and have a waiting list of people to call back.

"My phone won't quit ringing," she said. "This is the first time I've ever done anything like this, but our government is trying to take over our freedoms and it's crystal clear and it's very scary."

Watching Boxer

As Sen. Barbara Boxer, California Democrat, oversaw the markup of her centerpiece cap-and-trade legislation Tuesday, it was a sure bet that Carly Fiorina was taking notes.