NYTimes: New York RNC convention might be a bad idea

[seventhson]

Bush could actually win some votes by doing eight million New Yorkers a huge
favor and holding his fake convention in another City, perhaps Midland,
Texas.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/10/nyregion/10convention.html

NY Times April 10, 2004
Second-Guessing of Bush Now Extends to Convention Site
By MICHAEL SLACKMAN

When the Republican Party chose New York City as the site of its 2004
nominating convention, the symbolism was apparent: the G.O.P. would be
rallying around its nominee in the city that had come to embody the
nation's resolve in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, a place where
President Bush once stood on a pile of debris at ground zero, rallying
the nation to unite in the war on terror.

But then came Richard A. Clarke, the 9/11 commission and a rising
insurgency in Iraq. Now, as the administration faces increasing scrutiny
of its handling of pre-9/11 terror threats and the wisdom of extending
the war on terrorism into Iraq, the question has emerged whether New
York is the best place for the Republicans to be gathering this summer.

"I would assume that it has turned from a win-win to a maybe not," said
a Republican political strategist who spoke only on the condition of
anonymity. Like many others, the strategist was reluctant to contradict
the party line. "I don't think that it is all negative at this point,
but it has the potential to turn. It's eroding slowly, and that's a real
problem for them."

[LittleApple81]

1. ROFLMAO!!!! This, the flying suit, the plastic turkey... what, pray tell

is working for them now?

[BOSSHOG]

3. A few weeks back the republican guest on crossfire

was asked when the gop would put out ads with bush in the flight suit. The guest responded they have lots of opportunities to use that picture. The democratic guest chimed in, "SO DO WE."

[blondeatlast]

9. HAH!

I hope to hell they do--next to the real heroes flying missions in Afghanistan and Iraq!

[Amerpie]

2. New York 2004 = Chicago 1968

Even though Bloomburg is studying Gestapo tactics to quell dissent during the convention, it's still going to be the uberprotest of a generation.

[Kahuna]

6. Chicago helped to elect Richard Nixon. ..

Let's not go there. I'm sure the repukes are hoping that things do get as ugly as they did in '68. It will be a plus for them, not us.

[Amerpie]

7. The Democrats lost in 1968

because they waffled on ending the war. Why were all those people in Chicago so pissed off? It wasn't the Republicans they were mad at. It was the Democrats. Why?

They felt betrayed by a party that was perpetuating a system that was sending young working class people off to an unwinnable war. The Democrats were wrong in 1968. Hopefully they'll start remembering that lesson soon.

BRING THEM HOME NOW!

[sangha]

12. Why?

Because the Democrats sometimes listen to people, unlike the Repukes. You must have forgotten that in your rush to condemn the Dems

[Amerpie]

18. Back off

If you think Lyndon Johnson's Vietnam policy was defensible and an example of "listening to the people" remind me not to hire you as a national security advisor in my administration.

Holding a group accountable is not the same as condemning them.

[dogman]

14. And a Democratic Mayor

that authorized the "police riot".

[MoonRiver]

11. How could mass protests possibly help * ????

They won't be aired by the corporate whores, but if some blips get by it will just further reinforce the doubts of all (rational people) about this bogus, bloodthirsty regime.

[w4rma]

15. In Chicago, 1968 the Democratic convention was protested. Not the GOP one.

That is a *major* difference.

In New York, 2004 it is going to be the GOP convention that gets protested.

[gpandas]

25. tough getting a salient fact into a

rather stupid thread

[Piperay]

13. I hope it won't be that way

otherwise it will help elect chimp, just the way Chicago helped Nixon. :thumbsdown:

[readmylips]

4. I wish I could be in my Native City (NYC) for this....

I wish all NYC natives will go back for this and blaster that small man bush and his criminals. Don't Mess with New York City!

[DaveSZ]

5. Bush to NYC: Drop Dead

http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml%3Fi=20040419&s=newfield


Bush To City: Drop Dead
by Jack Newfield


The Bush Administration has treated New York City like a battered wife who still gets displayed for photo-ops and state dinners. George Bush and the Republicans who control both houses of Congress have starved New York for three years with fiscal policies that alternate between abuse and neglect. But now Bush will stage his renomination convention in the city he has used and abused--sticking his finger in our eye and exploiting our bereavement. This August, Karl Rove, the kitschy guru of political theater, will try to convert the crematorium of Ground Zero into a re-election billboard.

One of Bush's first TV ads of the season was another example of his exploitation of New York. It contained footage of New York firefighters carrying the remains of a dead co-worker on a gurney draped with an American flag. The image was an icon of the carnage. Scores of 9/11 widows and firefighters condemned the ad's poor taste and hypocrisy. As Jimmy Breslin wrote in Newsday, "In his first campaign commercial, George Bush reached down and molested the dead."


-continued-

[frank frankly]

8. whoops!

see you in nyc, Georgie.

i will one of MILLIONS.

[rasputin1952]

10. I am a native NY'er, presently in NE...

I have made it a point to make the pilgrimage to NYC for the convention. I am bringing my 16 yo son, and he will learn first hand how to oppose the bush regime.

It has been many a year since I've felt the necessity to voice my opposition, and I will join the millions in my native city to ensure the world knows we despise this charlatan that occupies OUR WH!

I look forward to being a part of the long history of rising up to voice the opinion that things have gone awry, and we need to a change. Come...we will bring this administration back to earth, and depose it in the next election.

bush can go back to Crawford, permanently.....:)

[Monte Carlo]

16. If the FDNY, which did the REAL work on that day, picketed the RNC...

... around Madison Square Garden in full view of national cameras, it could be a gigantic embarassment for Bush and the entire GOP. It will be simply impossible for Karl Rove to herd the entire media circus into it's pen.

Those firefighter unions pay attention to what is happening. Most of them are en league with the Democratic Party, anway.

[seventhson]

17. That is a GREAT idea

and a viable one too.

who's on this?

[DaveSZ]

19. Awesome idea!

Let's write the fire fighters union:

http://www.firefightersforkerry.com/feedback/

:)

[Arugula Latte]

24. They should march with a big banner:

"Bush Betrayed FDNY"

[Hekate]

20. If it's a mistake for Bush, I hope he goes right ahead...

Stay the course, Bushie! C'mon Dubya, keep that ol' resolve! Don't let a few (a few million) malcontents keep you away from the Big Apple! They'll be dancing in the streets to see you there! Woo hoo!

Hekate

[DaveSZ]

21. Heheh

What a uniter.

Boy howdy.

[dusty64]

22. I've always hoped

the rethugs blatant attempt to exploit 9/11 would backfire on them, thankfully that appears to be happening. Fear, taxcuts for the superwealthy, and "terra" are all they have to offer, its going to bite them in the asses.

[Kanary]

23. As another poster has suggested

the Replutocratic Convention should be held in downtown Bagdad.

That would forestall any demonstrations. :)

Kanary