Live Blog: Unions Rally to 'Save the American Dream

2:37 p.m. -- Rally in Los Angeles kicks off with union member screaming, "Let's hear it for Obama!" ::crowd cheers:: "It rhymes with 'yo mama!" ::confused silence::

Another speaker: "Tax the rich, not the workers! Tax the rich, not the workers!"

2:35 p.m. -- It's like a snowy Woodstock today in Madison, Wisc.

2:30 p.m. -- Rally underway in Denver urges protesters to "march for choice," as speaker discusses how federal funding for Planned Parenthood is in jeopardy.

Abortion = American Dream?

2:03 p.m. -- Pennsylvania protester needs a spelling teacher:

1:42 p.m. -- The Wisconsin solidarity protests have attracted activists of all kinds, including anti-war demonstrators pro-choice activists.  In D.C., a group of pro-abortion protesters chanted "Pro-life men have got to go. When you're pregnant let us know."   This woman advertises their political views and urges others to visit SocialistWorker.org.

1:32 p.m. -- Tea Party-sponsored counter-protests are popping up across the country, from St. Louis to Tuscon.

1:24 p.m. -- Extremely energized AFSCME activist speaking in Chicago has gone high-frequency.  I'm pretty sure only dogs can hear her now.

1:20 p.m. -- Dispersing D.C. rally crowd has decided to make an impromptu march to the White House.

1:18 p.m. -- St. Paul crowd chants "Union busting is disgusting," one of the more creative chants I've heard today.

"You can't have a democratic society without a strong union in the workplace," one speaker notes.  What's so democratic about the unions' card check bid to abolish secret ballots?

1:09 p.m.  -- Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., praises Caesar Chavez for fighting for human rights.  Collective bargaining is a "basic human freedom," Durbin says, a "right" Americans have "died for."

Wisconsin and Indiana senators are welcome in Illinois, Durbin says.

1:00 p.m. -- Demonstration kicks off in Chicago with leader from progressive group Citizens Action of Illinois.  MoveOn.org reports Sen. Dick Durbin is set to speak soon.

Gee, I wonder if the Wisconsin state senators are there...

12:51 p.m. -- Former Obama campaign employee and political appointee stands to speak in D.C.

"This is not about Republicans and Democrats.  This is about a handful of billionaires... trying to take away all of our rights and all of our income."

Leads crowd in chanting "Hey, hey, ho ho, Scott Walker has go to go!"; "This is what democracy looks like!"

12:40 p.m. -- Van Jones takes the podium in Washington, D.C., proclaiming the "nightmare of the last two years is coming to an end... this is the dream."  As we reported Friday, the D.C. demonstration was organized by the International Socialist Organization.

Jones mentions he was born in 1968, "the year they tried to assassinate hope in America."  Mentions years of "Reaganism and Nixon" and how it took four decades for hope to make a comeback.  "We have a movement that hates the govt, but love govt services. The teaparty. We're fighting for them too!"  We won't crawl toward the political center; we stand in the moral center, Jones added.  "Liberty and justice for all."

One DC rallygoer tweets about tea party members counter-protesting with sign reading, "Remember when astroturfing was bad?"

Click here to watch live.

12:36 p.m. -- Protesters gathered at the capitol in Harrisburg, Pa.

12:24 p.m. -- Demonstraters in Raleigh, N.C., cheer "Yes We Can!" and repeat Wisconsin Democrats' "Shame! Shame! Shame!" chant.  The mention of Wal-Mart gets loud boos from the crowd.

12:21 p.m. -- D.C. crowd applauds Wisconsin teachers for "sicking out of their jobs" to protest Gov. Scott Walker.

12:13 p.m. -- A freshman from George Washington University addresses the D.C. crowd, to "represent the youth."

"If we're so poor, why do profits number in the trillions?  If we're so poor, why did we just cut taxes for the rich?  And if we're so poor, how come these politicians who tell us we're so poor can raise billions of dollars in every election cycle?"

"What do we do when the robber barons we need protection from are our leaders? ... They are dead-set on middle class destruction."

12:11 p.m. -- Labor leader at D.C. rally leads chant:

"You say cut back, we say fight back."  "Save the dream, we are united!"  "We are gonna kick some ass!"

12:00 p.m. -- Protests are underway in Boston, Mass., and Washington, D.C.  Green jobs activist Van Jones is attending the D.C. rally.

11:45 a.m. -- Congressman Charlie Rangel, D-N.Y., was on hand to deliver remarks to the Albany crowd:

11:00 a.m. -- Protests have kicked off in Albany, N.Y. The crowd chants "Tax the Rich!" and cheers as speaker announces "This is what democracy looks like!"