McCain-Palin rally to expect masked protestors with a hint of Rocky Road ..

John McCain and Sarah Palin are due in Strongsville this afternoon for a campaign rally, and while we knew to expect big crowds, we're now getting word that a group donning grim reaper masks plans to protest across the street from the venue.

"Change to Win" claims to represent a number of major unions, including the Teamsters.

An email claims that about 100 members will be posted on Royalton Road in Strongsville, right across the street from the McCain-Palin rally. The notice claims the workers feel McCain is a "job killer" so they plan to wear the masks while protesting McCain's job plans.

The release also says:

"The groups will be joined by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream entrepreneurs, who will be unveiling their 'Hugger Mobile.' The Hugger is a Ford F150 van that features a life size statue of President Bush and Senator McCain locked in a warm embrace."

Since there are often threats of protests that don't materialize and since I'm not assigned to cover the event, I don't know how much validity there is here. Still, if the protest happens as scripted, I'm not sure how much coverage it will receive either .. but visually, it sounds like something that will draw video cameras.

I also wonder if any of the crowd will turn on the local news crews as was alleged to have happened at Palin's recent stop in Alabama.

Thoughts here?

P.S. If you're going .. and B&J are there, can you bring me back some ice cream? :)