Rove gets a glimpse of political street theater.... more to come

[G_j]

www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0219-01.htm

Published on Thursday, February 19, 2004 by the New York Times

Now in Previews, Political Theater in the Street

by Michael Slackman and Colin Moynihan

 Karl Rove, the political adviser to President Bush, made a brief visit to a Manhattan nightclub yesterday and netted the Bush-Cheney re-election effort about $400,000. But Mr. Rove also caught a glimpse of what might greet Republicans when they come to New York for their national nominating convention this summer.

Mr. Rove was the guest speaker at a fund-raising reception at the club, Eugene, on 24th Street between Fifth Avenue and Avenue of the Americas. Marvin Bush, the president's brother, also attended the event.
Billionaires for Bush

"Fabulous, fabulous," Mr. Rove said as he left after giving a 20-minute talk to several hundred people gathered inside.
But while Mr. Rove was inside, more than 100 protesters were outside, standing behind blue police barricades chanting slogans, waving placards and offering a bit of street theater that confused the police.

At one point, as hundreds of guests with invitations waited to pass through velvet barriers to enter the club, a small group of men in bowler hats and women in gowns marched up, chanting, "Four more wars" and "Re-elect Rove."
...more...

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. OMG that was fucking hilarious!!

And to think these people were so good the Sierra Club thought they were the opposition!

Too cool!

[G_j]

2. brilliant

hilarious, and quite effective!

:-) love it!

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

3. I PM'ed it to a couple folks

[G_j]

4. one of our greatest assets:

Creativity.

we may not have the money, the power etc.
But most RWinger's are incapable of this sort of creativity (and humor)

[4morewars]

5. OMG !!!

I know the girl in that picture !!! The one holding the sign !!! Good for her, I may have to go back to nyc in august !!!
PS: love the 4 more wars chant !!!

[4morewars]

6. Ya Know....

I just told her on monday, that I was on here as 4morewars, I wonder if there is a connection? I can't wait to call her, and I just e-mailed her. What a blast !!!!

[G_j]

7. I was going to comment

on your name..

& please tell her thanks!!

[4morewars]

8. Thank YOU

for posting that !! I'm all tingly !!!!

[americanstranger]

9. We met up with BFB in New Hampshire.

They were at the TBTM Town Hall meetings in Manchester and Portsmouth.

I think I spent about 30 bucks on buttons and bumper stickers.

That is some funny, high-concept shit.

-as

[The Mighty Boot]

10. "It was very inspirational"

That's disturbing. Maybe he meant inspired
to upchuck, or get in shape. That's
what KKKarl inspires me to do.

[Tom Kitten]

11. That's awesome!

Shades of LAW (Ladies Against Women)!!!

[morgan2]

12. ha! thats great

I have a feeling there is going to be some major violence during the RNC. Gonna be way too many angry people, commuters and tough guy cops in one area.

[G_j]

14. here is a suggestion

that I heard from a NYer.

Write a polite letter to the NYPD telling them you are coming to NY to protest at the RNC because you are very concerned over their policies. Tell them you want to exercise your democratic right to dissent in a peaceful way and would like to know what to expect and if they have any helpful suggestions. According to this person the NYPD responds vey well to this type of thing, and it helps lower the tension level.

[izzie]

13. That is funny and when the President become a joke? Bad for him

I really liked it.

[kiahzero]

15. Interesting how pro-Bush groups don't have to be behind barricades

"It took a few minutes, but the police finally realized what was going on when they escorted the group behind the blue barricades as well. Still, the show was not over."

[salin]

16. Effective way

to get a message to start to "soak" in. Through humour - initially people laugh uncomfortably... but the message is there... then later it starts to reverberate in the minds of a few as the admin continues to pursue their ridiculous policies... I would bet that while the attendees are not as much the intended audience - as the general public (due to the publicity - and for whom the humour is even more of an effective tool), that more than one or two attendees - over time will have been affected... Satire - even when poking at one's own - can have a longer lasting impact on the internal "hmmmmm" effect than oppositional signs (though those are great as well...)

[G_j]

21. they got NYT coverage, not bad n/t

[WEagle]

17. LOL

from http://www.billionairesforbush.com/

Attention All Billionaires:

If you're like most of us, you're always looking for higher returns on your investments. And while you may be familiar with stocks and bonds, currency speculation, IPOs, and all the rest, there's a new investment arena you really ought to be aware of: Legislation.

If a mutual fund returns 20% a year, that's considered unbelievably good. But in the low-risk, high return world of legislation, a 20% return is positively lousy. Why, there's no reason why your investment dollar can't return 60,000, 70,000, even 80,000%!

Here's how it works: With the help of a professional legislation broker (called a Lobbyist), you place your investment (called a Campaign Contribution) with a carefully selected list of legislation manufacturers (called Members of Congress). These manufacturers then go to work writing legislation: crafting industry-specific subsidies, inserting tax breaks into the tax code, extending patents, or giving away public property for free. In an assembly-line process that would make Henry Ford proud, the legislation is produced, and you (and your favorite industry) reap the benefits! The effect on your bottom line is immediate and huge. Just check out these results:

Contributor (Investor)
Campaign Contributions (Investment)
Legislation or Administrative Action
Date
Payoff in govt contracts, reduced costs, higher prices for consumers, or shift in tax burden
Return on Investment
Source

Halliburton
$2,379,792 1990-2002
Logistics contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan
2002-03
$2,329,040,891
97,767%
Center for Public Integrity, Windfalls of War Oct. 30, 2003.

Bechtel
$3,310,102 1990-2002
Infrastructure construction contracts in Iraq
2002-03
$1,029,833,000
31,012%
Center for Public Integrity, Windfalls of War Oct. 30, 2003.

Airline Industry
$16 million 1991-2001
Airline bailout
Sept. 2001
$15 billion
93,650%
Common Cause, The $16 Million Soft Landing, Jan 10, 2002

Drug Companies
$44 million since 1999
Prescription drug coverage in Medicare reform bill.
Nov. 2003
$139 billion in increased profits
315,809%
Public Campaign, Ouch #123, The Big Medicare Fix, Nov. 20, 2003.

...more..

[G_j]

18. afternoon cheer up kick

:)

[diamond14]

19. here's one pic....will someone post some more pics...we need the

sight of the real impact...

[proud patriot]

20. " Abbie Lives "

:evilgrin: