Fighting Bob Fests I-IX have been graced with many heroes. The late Senator Paul Simon, RFK Jr., Russ Feingold, Amy Goodman, Phil Donahue, Cindy Sheehan, Doris "Granny D" Haddock; Congress members Gwen Moore, Tom Harkin, Bernie Sanders, Tammy Baldwin, John Conyers, Dennis Kucinich and David Obey; Green Party presidential candidates Cynthia McKinney and David Cobb, Ralph Nader; and, what would a Wisconsin Chautauqua be without Stan Gruszynski, John Nichols, Bob McChesney, Mike McCabe and the nation’s favorite populist, Jim Hightower?

Some 1,200 attended our first Fest; year two saw 2,500, year three more than 4,000, and so on. In 2008 around 10,000 jammed the fairgrounds. People are inspired by great speakers and from the knowledge that, as they look around, they are not alone in fighting the good fight. While some say we preach to the choir, we say the choir needs inspiration as well. And we have fun!

My role? I keep the program rolling on time. So, come, enjoy, participate, raise hell, and take words into action. See you in Madison.

Ed Garvey
Editor and Publisher of FightingBob.com

Aug 25, 2011
Dr. Cornel West !!!
Great news-- Dr. Cornel West is coming to Fighting Bob Fest. The program is our best ever-- Bernie Sanders, Hightower, Kucinich, McCabe, Tony Schultz, Ellen Bravo, Greg Palast, Thom Hartmann, Dave Obey, Tammy Baldwin, John Nichols, Raging Grannies, Peter Leidy, and MORE. We do need your help. We need some money to break-even-- If you could send $25-50 with your pre-registration in would help a great deal. Can't wait see you at Bob Fest!
Aug 5, 2011
September 17 is the date.

Coliseum at Alliant Energy Center is the Place.

Our FIGHTING BOB FEST NUMBER 10. Can you believe it?

"Class War: Fight Back" is the theme.

Bernie Sanders,

Jim Hightower,

Thom Hartmann,

Greg Palast,

John Nichols,

Ellen Bravo,

Tammy Baldwin,

Mike McCabe,

Tony Schultz,

and others will get you on your feet.

There will be music food, and, believe it or not, beer.

Parking is free, the facility is handicap-accessible.

There will be three Breakouts:

#1- Nancy Unger, our LaFollette scholar, will discuss Fighting Bob in the context of class disparity.

#2- A great breakout will deal with the "future of labor"-- Carin Clauss - UW Law School- formerly the top lawyer in Carter's Dept. of Labor; Fred Redmond-International VP of United Steelworkers and President of the A. Philip Randolph Institute; along with Tom Geoghegan- author of "Which Side Are You On?" will all join John Matthews, of Madison Teachers Inc., to ask how we can strengthen the labor movement now under attack by Walker, Kasich and Christie.

#3- Our planet is in trouble. Can we save it?

Kick off, as usual, at the Barrymore Theater, Friday night 7pm-- featuring Stan Gruszynski, Ruth Conniff, Dennis Kucinich, poet Dan Kunene--plus a surprise or two!

Can't wait to see you, on behalf of our entire staff,

Ed Garvey

Editor and Publisher

Fighting Bob.com

To: Fighting Bob Fest Veterans

When we started planning the first Fighting Bob Fest ten years ago, few would have bet the ranch that ten years later we would be preparing for the best yet! Battles come and go, but Bob Fest remains focused and ready. Over 60,000 have attended at least one Fighting bob Fest, and some of you have participated in all nine! Most have been to more than one-- so let's make this the best one yet!Here we are. Senator Bernie Sanders, Jim Hightower, Dave Zweifel, John Nichols, Thom Hartmann, Ellen Bravo, Dennis Kucinich (is we can work out some travel plans) Senator Tom Harkin, Tammy Baldwin, Stan Gruszynski, Barbara Lawton, and more.

We are very excited to focus on "class war" in America. It's a war some say we have lost, but that attitude will not prevail at Bob Fest. Sorry, but we can't take a break-- we have kids to protect, grandchildren to help, and a planet to save. With the leading voices coming together to adopt a winning strategy-- we need your help, your enthusiasm, and your commitment to take on that war.

We have moved from Baraboo to the Coliseum at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison-- no rain, more students, more minorities. We are also one week later than usual, on September 17th.

As usual we are helped greatly by the Capital Times, speakers who inspire us but never charge a fee, and wonderful volunteers who make it all happen...

We need your help too. As usual, no entry fee is required-- a ten year tradition-- but we need your financial help. Pre-register today and make a donation. Remember the old depression song, "Brother can you spare a dime?" Well, can you send us twenty or thirty?

See you September 17th!

Our Best,

Ed Garvey

Fighting Bob Fest is an annual Chautauqua featuring progressive speakers, networking opportunities, and entertainment. Fighting Bob Fest carries on the tradition of Robert “Fighting Bob” La Follette by providing a forum for progressive ideas on issues facing Wisconsin and the nation.

Freedom and justice are defended through education, and the exchange of ideas promotes solidarity among progressives. To this end, Fighting Bob Fest strives to provide citizens with a forum for democratic participation where frustrations with current policies can be constructively molded into calls to action.