Identity Revealed: Meet the Single Mom Behind the Mysterious Downgrade Banner in NYC
- Posted on August 10, 2011 at 11:56am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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Yesterday we brought you a picture (above) of a banner flying over Lower Manhattan delivering a very stern message in relation to the S&P downgrading the U.S.: “THANKS FOR THE DOWNGRADE. YOU SHOULD ALL BE FIRED!”
At the time, the identity of the woman behind it was a mystery, as she wanted to remain anonymous. That didn’t last long.
Today, the woman has been exposed as municipal bond broker Lucy Nobbe. She told the Associated Press she was fed up with Congress and angry over the U.S. credit downgrade, and she wanted the world to know.
So the self-described Midwestern mom hired a plane to fly a banner over New York City with a message blaming federal lawmakers for the downgrade – and making herself something of a populist hero in the process.
“I’m just so overwhelmed,” Nobbe, a 51-year-old divorced mother of two, told the AP on Wednesday regarding her new-found celebrity and the largely positive response to her protest. “I had no idea it would make that big of an impact.”
Nobbe’s anger bubbled over on Friday when Standard & Poor’s announced that it was cutting the U.S. credit rating, a move that set off a volatile week for the stock market and escalated concerns that the country could be heading back into a recession.
So she went on the Internet, found a pilot, and hired him to fly a banner over New York at lunchtime Tuesday with a the message for Congress stating in large red letters.
“My friends and I were ranting and raving ever since we heard about the downgrade,” she said in a telephone interview from her home in the St. Louis suburb of Kirkwood. “I work in municipal bonds so I know the consequences, and it made me even madder.”
The sentiment seemed to connect with many people frustrated by the sour economy, the near-shutdown of the government, the stuttering stock market and increasing debt. Nobbe’s banner created an immediate online stir and turned heads on Wall Street.
It also created confusion – some onlookers, bloggers and journalists thought it was aimed at New York-based S&P.
Nobbe said it was strictly meant for Congress – both Democrats and Republicans. She initially wanted the plane to fly over Washington, D.C., but was told it couldn’t because of air restrictions.
“I’m very apolitical,” Nobbe said. “But the fact that they won’t compromise angered me. They’re acting like children. They leave the place in a shambles and go on vacation. It causes the market to crash.
“I don’t even have an opinion on what they did,” she told Fox News on Wednesday, referring to S&P’s downgrade. “I’m sure they had their reasons, but they did it … and I thought it was a total embarrassment to the United States, especially because it was mostly because of politicians.”
You can watch that interview below:
“I know they’re tough issues, but they have to be dealt with. Get us back in financial shape,” Nobbe said.
Less than five minutes after the brief flight over New York, Nobbe received a call from Fortune magazine asking if she was responsible. She had hoped to remain anonymous and wasn’t sure how her name was leaked.
By Tuesday evening, she was getting flooded with calls, some from journalists but many from well-wishers.
“I’ve had individual people calling me going, `Bravo,’ `thanks,’ `good job,’” Nobbe said.
The praise isn’t enough to spur Nobbe into considering her own foray into politics, but she would consider a follow-up banner if Congress helps get the economy back on track.
“I’d be happy to send an applaud message if they make it right,” she said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Comments (54)
smartgirl
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 2:06pmGood for you, Lucy. But it‘s too bad you couldn’t fly it where the big spenders of other people’s money would see it. There are a lot of factors that led to the spot we’re in but Obama has done nothing but make it worse. We need to STOP SPENDING. Big Economy or Big Government. Choose!
Report Post »jungle J
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 2:05pmcompromise at what cost to who. compromise is a neat word to dolts.
Report Post »An AmericanMom
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 1:31pmWhat a GREAT American Miss Lucy……thank you!
Miss Lucy….you rock!
Report Post »Sherryann
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 1:30pmThis gal is from my neck of the woods!!! YEE HA!!! I’m proud of you Lucy!!!
Report Post »llotus
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 1:18pmIf you do nothing…..you get nothing. The dems have tantrums and the reps. compromise. I call it apease the dems. The squeaky wheel always get the oil. They dont come any squeakier than dems. Reps. should have learned their tricks by now. Lotus.
Report Post »Living In NYC
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:56pmThanks Lucy…I could not said it better myself.
At $1200.00 a pop, the conservatives should fly a message board around each of Obama’s events to expose what a fraud he is!
Report Post »le misanthrope
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:47pmShe admits she doesn’t understand any of it but she is sure the congressmen are acting like children. (obama’s reaction to the harvard cop incident comes to mind). She just wants some one else to make it right but she doesn’t want to learn about it herself so she can know what is right. She obviously is very foolish with her money. So a moron is getting a lot of publicity for being a moron.
Report Post »tketterer
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 1:19pmShe was talking about the s $ p downgrade.
Report Post »Jaycen
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 1:46pmI have to agree. She’s rather foolish, even if the message was correct, her reasoning was flawed.
I guess even a blind squirrel will find the occasional nut.
Report Post »republitarian
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:43pm“I’m very apolitical,” Nobbe said. “But the fact that they won’t compromise angered me. They’re acting like children. They leave the place in a shambles and go on vacation. It causes the market to crash.”
She doesn’t get it at all. She is buying the media hype that partisan bickering caused the downgrade. What a joke.
Report Post »Pattondog
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 4:07pmactually to say the bickering didnt have anything to do with it is a devauled statement it self. in essence they should be true leaders and act as if they are in a such a postion. would you invest in a company that had their senior leadership acting in such a manner, NO you wouldnt as a lack of confidence not only in their leadership style and effectiveness but from a can I also trust their decision making and are the decions being made out of self interest or whats best for the compan.y
Report Post »behonest
Posted on August 11, 2011 at 12:59amWe would of had a big deal $4 trillion and $800 billion in tax reforms (hopefully get rid of loopholes and unearned credits) But it was the Liberals who went screaming July 22 on the Ed show about the cuts and that Obama better not touch them. Nobody is talking about that. Juan Williams mentioned it Sunday on Fox with chris Wallace and it was scrubbed just the portion about Move-on blasting the WH. Obama comes out blaming Boehner because he wouldn’t come up with $4 billion more. Nobody are blaming the Libs for this screw up just the radical tea party give me a break.
Report Post »Gypsy123
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:41pmHurray for the lady with the plane
Report Post »jim
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:41pmFOX co-opted her gesture, like NBC and the left wing media, to use it for their own purposes… but this gal is a lefty. This was done to humiliate Congress and S & P, not Obama. She gets behind the president. Listen to her interview.
Report Post »lyndiloo
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 3:43pmGreat for her but she is only scolding Congress?? How does Congress negotiate with someone who refuses to deliver any type of a plan. She needs to fly her plane by one of Obama’s many fundraisers thanking him for spending more money than any other President in US history.
Report Post »Lucy says, “give the President something he can work with”?? The only thing Obama can work with is more spending and tax increases. She clearly does not understand WE ARE BROKE and need to STOP THE SPENDING. I had hoped the country was waking up but Lucy showed me we are still sleeping which means we could be looking at another 4 more years of Obama. If we get 4 more years America will become Sweden or Denmark and at that point I am off to Australia!! Not impressed with Lucy!
jim
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:37pmLike Nobbe, we all hate gridlock, but don‘t fall into the trap of the Obamanation’s cry for, “we’ve got to do SOMETHING. We can’t just sit around and do NOTHING. Gridlock is HORRIBLE.” Well, newsflash, gridlock is necessary sometimes to stop bad policy.
Like Mark Twain said, “No man’s life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session.”
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:56pmHe also said, “Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.” :)
Report Post »STS2_SS_Iver
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 1:20pm….and Twain also said: “There is no distinctly native American criminal class – save Congress.”
Report Post »SquidVetOhio
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:36pmShe was mad the didn’t compromise? Idiot woman. They did compromise and guess what happened! As long as there are idiotic people like the dunce of a woman who believes “compromise” is great, we’re doomed. Compromise is what got us in this mess!
Report Post »carbonyes
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 3:03pmCompromise is what got us in this mess and just kicked the can down the road. The national debt is going to continue to rise by at lest 10 trillion dollars over the next ten years, and that is minimal. The Republican leadership, whether it be in the House or Senate does not have the backbone to do what needs to be done – hold the line on spending and hold Obama’s feet to the fire, while educating the electorate.
No kudos for fox on this one.
Report Post »jim
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:35pmNobbe is a LEFTY, who clearly says: “Get the president something he can work with…” That’s left wing progressive talk, folks. She ain’t no fiscal conservative. She’s a talking head for the left.
Obama put absolutely NOTHING on the table, ever. And had we given the president SOMETHING he can work with, our deficit would be $20 trillion right now with a downgrade inevitable either way. The Tea Party stopped this ship from sinking… let’s not get carried away with a mindless message in the sky.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:55pmUH, yea he did. In early January he presented to the senate a FOUR TRILLION budget proposal. The senate voted it down 97 zip. I guess since he did not present it to the house, technically he offered nothing.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:34pmShe’s “fed up with Congress”? Lady, the Republicans wanted to do the right thing with the nation’s debt and cut spending. Democrats who run the Senate and the White House caused the downgrade with their resistance to cuts. People who generalize with statements like that are people who don’t pay attention to what is going on in government…until it’s too late.
Report Post »rienheart
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:46pmThe Republican RINOS sold us out a long time ago. Some TEA Party Member Congressmen also sold us out on the Debt Cieling Vote. They will be voted out of office, if there is an Election in 2012. Not too surte there will be.
Report Post »eat-more-bacon-USA
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:32pmI still don’t get why the banner was flown over New York. Unless enemy-obama was in town fundraising and partying, shouldn’t this banner have been flown over the White House, or wherever
Report Post »Mr. Downgrade was golfing for the day? Enemy-obama owns this economy and this downgrade, lock, stock and barrel.
rienheart
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:43pmThere is a NO_FLY ZONE over Washington D.C. The Plane and Banner would have been shot down.
Report Post »jtm
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:30pmThis may sound petty, but she is not a single mom, she’s a divorced mom. There is a major difference between the two. Divorced is someone from a failed marriage. Single is someone who has not yet been married.
Report Post »saranda
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 1:10pmbeyond petty.
Report Post »Steel Awesome
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 1:26pmI bet her kids have to explain that difference to their friends at school on a daily basis.
Report Post »LadyIzShy
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:23pmgood for her to take a stand
Report Post »Eric_The_Red_State
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:15pmSomeone actually DID something?
How “Four Years Ago” was that??
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:13pmLucy Nobbe~~~ GOD BLESS AND PROTECT YOU! Thank you for standing up!
Report Post »mossbrain
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:12pmWow it only costs $1200 to fly a banner from a plane? I wonder why it isn’t done more often. She is just a loser, probably lost a lot of money in the stock market. Why if she were in an IHOP I wouldn‘t put it past her that she’d start an irate rant and start tipping over the syrups at any politicians tables.
No wonder she is a single mom, probably she nagged her husband out the door once too often.
Report Post »lynda1276
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:24pmBeavis is looking for you
Report Post »doctroprint
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:26pmWhat would you do with 1200 cash? I see a flat screen in your future! numbnuts…
Report Post »IAMMADDOG
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:28pmBetter scrape that moss off….its eating away your brain.
Report Post »Viks4141
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:36pmMOSSBRAIN should read ‘%$&# for Brains’
Report Post »My Two Cents
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:45pmDOCTORPRINT: Most of our welfare babies already have flatscreens. Are you implying that he needs two?
Report Post »lynda1276
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:11pmLucy in the sky with diamonds!! Love it!!!
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:10pmYes but don’t worry because the fed is not raising the interest rates…so all is well.
Report Post »nysparkie
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:07pmAll Stand and applaud this lady. She gets it. Maybe she should be the next speaker of the house.
Report Post »At least in charge of the Fed Bank.
Secessionista
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:04pmFortune got her name from the whitehouse, no doubt. How is it that they know everything, all the time? And yet they are still incompetent?
Anyway, a job well done Ms. Nobbe.
Report Post »ConstitutionalPatriot
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 12:01pmCan you say Ms. John Galt? I think you can…
Kudo’s to Lucy!!
Report Post »