Glad these guys made it, but I'm kinda glad I didn't go too. I was unprepared and would've gotten heatstroke in a traffic jam, sounds like.

(Unrelated side note: Boy am I glad it's cooled down here in S.F. -- That was a miserable couple of days [and nights] last week...)

Protesters battle heat to boo Bush --
Tough day to make voice heard as cars jam airport-area streets
By Ryan Kim for the SF Chronicle.

The day was trying for many of the protesters and Bush supporters trying to converge on Friday's luncheon. While the relentless heat did its share of damage, the closure of Millbrae Avenue and Old Bayshore Highway for security reasons caused major traffic headaches on streets and Highway 101.

Opponents of Bush harped on a number of topics but consistently hammered home their belief that the president lied about Iraq's weapons capabilities as a false pretext for invasion.

"Bush lied, people died," shouted the throng of protesters as he arrived.

Inside the hotel, five members of Code Pink, a nationwide anti-war organization, gained access to the lobby after they booked a hotel room together. Dressed in pink evening wear, the women engaged many of the luncheon guests, knocking Bush and his $2,000-a-plate fund-raiser.

"I find it obscene to charge $2,000-a-plate when he's making sweeping budget cuts across the country in veterans' benefits and health care," said Carol Norris, an organizer with Code Pink.

The Code Pink women drew their own protester -- Terri Connell of Fairfield, who paused from checking into the Marriott to say, "I respect your First Amendment rights, but you're wrong."

Here is the full text of the article in case the link goes bad:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2003/06/28/MN278215.DTL&type=news

Despite near triple-digit heat, extensive street closures and frustrating traffic, about 1,000 protesters turned out Friday to boo the arrival of President Bush during a brief fund-raising lunch in Burlingame.

The president's visit to the San Francisco Airport Marriott attracted a vocal but peaceful gathering of protesters, who along with more than 50 Bush supporters, lined a half-mile stretch of Old Bayshore Highway just outside the hotel.

About 300 police officers formed a human barricade in front of the hotel, but they made no arrests and reported no major incidents.

Protesters used Bush's rare visit to the Bay Area to blast him on everything from the war in Iraq to his handling of domestic issues. Many called for his impeachment.

"I'm in 'shock and awe' about what Bush is doing to this country," said Bridgette Fuller, a 48-year-old unemployed tech worker from Santa Cruz. "We're spending far too much of our budget on the military, and we need to spend more money back at home. I just think for the sake of this country, we can't have another four years of Bush."

Mill Valley resident Martin Guffler, however, defended the president and touted Bush's vision and strength in the face of adversity.

"He's one of the most courageous presidents we've had," said Guffler, 59, a business analyst. "He has the ability to make difficult decisions that are necessary. He's a leader and we need a leader in this world."

The day was trying for many of the protesters and Bush supporters trying to converge on Friday's luncheon. While the relentless heat did its share of damage, the closure of Millbrae Avenue and Old Bayshore Highway for security reasons caused major traffic headaches on streets and Highway 101.

Opponents of Bush harped on a number of topics but consistently hammered home their belief that the president lied about Iraq's weapons capabilities as a false pretext for invasion.

"Bush lied, people died," shouted the throng of protesters as he arrived.

Inside the hotel, five members of Code Pink, a nationwide anti-war organization, gained access to the lobby after they booked a hotel room together. Dressed in pink evening wear, the women engaged many of the luncheon guests, knocking Bush and his $2,000-a-plate fund-raiser.

"I find it obscene to charge $2,000-a-plate when he's making sweeping budget cuts across the country in veterans' benefits and health care," said Carol Norris, an organizer with Code Pink.

The Code Pink women drew their own protester -- Terri Connell of Fairfield, who paused from checking into the Marriott to say, "I respect your First Amendment rights, but you're wrong."

Connell, who came to the Marriott specifically to counter anti-Bush protesters, praised Bush's character and said she was "sick and tired of no morals in the presidency."

Chronicle staff writer Mark Simon contributed to this report. / E-mail Ryan Kim at rkim@sfchronicle.com.