BS: Observations of Republican Convention

Subject: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Donuel
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 12:17 PM

My first observation before it even begins, is the fact that Hurricane Gustav is going to be ravaging New Orleans, while Bush is in the twin cities.
Can Fema get ahold of Brownie in time?
Katrina will certainly be a strong reminder during this Convention.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: katlaughing
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 12:19 PM

They've rejected McCain as to the party platform...dissension in the ranks, already.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Donuel
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 12:24 PM

The platform commitee dropped their objection to McCain's reticence to drill in Anwar Alaska. However there is more compromise by McCain to the platform than the other way around.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Donuel
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 12:31 PM

If McCain walks into the convention with Colin Powell as his VP I believe he has effectively split the black vote and veteran vote.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Ebbie
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 12:33 PM

If Colin Powell should accept the post he would lose all the credibility he has left, imo.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Donuel
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 12:34 PM

He hasn't declared one way or another but people do strange things for power and $.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Amos
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 12:35 PM

SO far, the Repub Convention is a large Zero.


A

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: GUEST,Jack the Sailor
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 12:37 PM

Looks like Ron Paul is fully on track for the counter convention. But the main stream media has not mentioned it since June 10. But they are not in the tank for McCain't Oh no!!!!

Paul Website, 10,000 at the Target center.
http://www.mudcat.org/blickifier.cfm

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Donuel
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 12:39 PM

McCain Rice might do better than McCain Powell.

Will The Rep convention fiddle while the South floods?
I have no doubt.

Dem Congress needs to address this storm since history teaches us that the President isn't fit to respond.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Donuel
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 12:40 PM

Good for Ron.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: GUEST,Jack the Sailor
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 12:47 PM

Rice and Powell have both said that they would not take the position if it is offered. Speculation to that end is just Republican misinformation.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Donuel
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 01:11 PM

I take full respondsibility for my malformed speculation.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: katlaughing
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 02:07 PM

McCan't wants Lieberman, badly...I hope he chooses him so a bunch of GOP members will stay home in Nov.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: GUEST,Jack the Sailor
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 02:11 PM

I didn't mean to be critical of you, Donuel. McCain has been saying some crazy things just to get his attack dog on TV for the past month or so.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Amos
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 02:20 PM

Apparantly the local hurricane is threatening to interfere with the RNC plans.

If this occurs will it, like Katrina, be sinners' punishment by God for sinful lives?

Or will it be chalked up as coincidence, as the moral-theological interpretation would be just too inconvenient?

This makes for an interesting test-case on the sincerity of right-wing theology.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: GUEST,Jack the Sailor
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 02:24 PM

They'll just blame it on a gay rights march in Beijing.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Alice
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 03:15 PM

Reports of secret service checking out Romney's sister's house, so maybe the VP choice is Romney.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Donuel
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 03:45 PM

Prediction is always difficult, especially when its about the future.

Yogi Baer


Romney spent $56 million of his own money. If there is one thing Republicans honour, its their own money

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Donuel
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 04:14 PM

SONG&DANCE

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Bobert
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 05:14 PM

Wow, Donuel.... When I saw the name of this thread Gustov and Katrina instantly came to my mind... If Gustav hits New Orleans as a Cat 3, McCain might as well pack it in...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Donuel
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 10:04 AM

3 year old digital pictures are being reworked as the internal horror in the hearts of all those who lost their home and family cry in rememberance on the eve of another crushing storm.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Riginslinger
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 10:21 AM

Actually, Gustav gives Bush a reason to git outta Dodge, and McCain will be a lot better off without him. The weather gods are smiling on the Republican Party.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: GUEST,JoeBT
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 10:30 AM

The establishment media is already reporting that Bush will be a no show at the RNC on Monday due to "concerns" about Gustav.

Coward. At least we can count on Billy Bragg showing up for the protests!

There was a huge crackdown on journalists and lawyers in the Twin Cities over the weekend. A Democracy Now producer was detained, staff of the organization i-Witness, and if you go here:

http://theuptake.org/

you can see footage of Amy Goodman jumping a fence to get into the yard where people were detained during one of the house raids.

The house in question is apparently the home of a long time Twin Cities Green Party activist, who had rented out one side of his duplex to the Democracy Now, Free Speech TV & i-Witness folks from NY for the RNC.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: GUEST,JoeBT
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 11:21 AM

AP is now reporting this:

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger are all skipping the Republican National Convention.

Bush and Cheney are focusing on Hurricane Gustav, which is rapidly approaching the Gulf Coast. Schwarzenegger is staying home to deal with a standoff with California legislators over the state budget. All three had been scheduled to speak Monday night at the convention.

***

Monday is the big day of protests, with some estimates as high as 50,000 coming.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Alice
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 12:30 PM

Why does this remind me of the preacher who asked his followers to pray for heavy rain to fall on the Democratic convention?

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Peace
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 12:35 PM

I asked on another thread: Has anyone notified FEMA that there is a storm approaching New Orleans? That's not meant to be tongue in cheek. I mean it!

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: catspaw49
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 12:46 PM

Here's a piece to help put you at peace Peace.....so read the piece and be at a bit of peace.......uh, Peace.

Actually I think they're ahead of Katrina but the whole admin makes me nervous so who ta' fuck knows. The Shrub is making noises like he knows what he's doing but of course he doesn't. RNC is making MAJOR schedule changes according to news reports.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Alice
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 12:59 PM

News conference with Bush was just broadcast on major news stations. He said he would not be going to the convention. Urged everyone to evacuate the coastal areas. Mayor Nagin has also announced total evacuation of New Orleans in a press conference. He will go to Texasto meet with emergency workers and evacuees.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: GUEST,JoeBT
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 01:02 PM

Convenient for them, the timing of landfall, isn't it?

From today's San Francisco Chronice, we see the REAL reason why a Cat3 looking to hit sparsely populated coastal areas between NOLA & Houston, is causing such a freakin' panic:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/30/MNQJ12LPN1.DTL

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Donuel
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 01:24 PM

Joe, whats the point of spending 20 billion dollars on a new executive branch secret police called HLS and changeing the FBI guidlines with Patriot Acts...
if you don't attack and arrest people in their own homes for opposing the Republican ticket.

If ya got that kind of power, flaunt it.

Lets hope entire neighborhoods are ghettoized for the duration of the convention.

In contrast the number of arrests in Denver seemed to be less.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/30/MNQJ12LPN1.DTL

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Alice
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 01:27 PM

My post above was not clear - BUSH will go to Texas to be with emergency workers in Austen during the storm.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Donuel
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 01:29 PM

Thats another thing maybe one in a hundred people even realize that Home Land Security is the Imperial Guard, investigators and Army exclusively for the Executive branch. http://usera.imagecave.com/donuel/don1/homelandseal.jpg

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Stringsinger
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 01:29 PM

Bush is persona non grata at the RNC. Unfortunately for McCain the residue doesn't
wash off so easily.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Donuel
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 02:36 PM

Will Barack claim his back hat?


Go Ahead take it. I Double dog dare ya

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: GUEST,JoeBT
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 05:29 PM

They have completely cancelled the RNC for tomorrow.

Again, quite convenient that no high ranking Republicans will be here tomorrow when the 50,000 protestors are here.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: catspaw49
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 05:50 PM

Yeah, it was great of them to create a hurricane just for this reason. A really crafty and sly move.   Just plain fuckin' A Brilliant!!!!

On the other hand what would you have thought if they had gone ahead and "partyed hearty?" Something like, "Why those sunsabitches are partying while people are losing their homes?"   Yeah.........

Look.....I wouldn't vote for McCain if he was the last man on earth unless he was somehow running against Dumbya! But some of this shit that's getting thrown from each side is fuckin' ridiculous. Would the Dems have done the same thing? Sure.   

Yeah.....McCain bites the big one, but ferchrissakes, give it a break!


Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Amos
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 07:56 PM

08-31) 04:00 PDT St. Paul, Minn. -- Activists planning protests around the Republican National Convention say they are being targeted in a heavy-handed attempt to chill dissent after police arrested five people, detained dozens of others, and seized computers and protest guides in raids Friday night and Saturday on private homes and the major meeting center.

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The "RNC Welcoming Committee," an organization of dozens of activist groups and individuals from around the country, has been planning demonstrations for over a year at the convention. The largest, which activists said could draw up to 50,000 people, is scheduled for Monday, the opening day of the convention.

At around 9:15 p.m. Friday, Ramsey County sheriffs and St. Paul police officers kicked in the door of a former theater in St. Paul that the group had rented as a central planning office, said Lisa Fithian, a nonviolence coordinator working with the protesters. They ordered the 50 people inside onto the floor, where they were handcuffed, photographed and asked for identification, then had their possessions searched.

Police kept at least three laptops, plus schedules and 7,000 "welcoming guides" organizers planned to distribute to people coming to the Twin Cities for demonstrations, Fithian said. Those inside were released within two hours, she said.

On Saturday, police raided four other homes and arrested five people. They were being held at the Hennepin County jail in Minneapolis Saturday on suspicion of conspiracy to riot, conspiracy to commit civil disorder and conspiracy to damage property.

"The 'Welcoming Committee' is a criminal enterprise made up of 35 anarchists who are intent on committing criminal acts before and during the Republican National Convention," Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher said in a statement. "These acts include tactics to blockade and disable delegate buses, breaching venue security and injuring police officers. They have recruited assistance in their criminal conspiracy from other anarchists groups throughout the country."

Activists who gathered Saturday evening at the Rivertown Events Center, where the Friday night raid occurred, said they were shaken by the raid but not deterred. Some shared stories - and photos - of police arresting and handcuffing other suspected activists around the area.

"I think (Friday night's raid) was a scare tactic to not go to the big demonstration Monday," said Monica Trinidad, a 22-year-old University of Illinois at Chicago student who was handcuffed outside the center Friday night as she was returning to see what was going on. "But I don't think it's going to work."

Hal Muskat, a 61-year-old San Franciscan and member of Veterans for Peace, said the arrests might attract even more protesters.

"It was a tactic to try and take out the leaders," he said. "I know some people don't like to go out in the streets. But when anybody within a 12-hour drive hears about what's going on here, they're going to want to be here with us on Monday."

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: GUEST,JoeBT
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 08:49 PM

From where a lot of people sit, this is a manufactured crisis, that cynically aids McCain by keeping Bush/Cheney out of the picture completely.

The president is in Texas, Homeland Security is in LA, and just what the hell can anyone else do? Besides be interviewed by establishment media talking heads ten times daily, while keeping Obama off the screen?

Tamper down the celebratory nature of the beast? You bet they could. But cancelling everything, going into disaster monger mode (where have we seen that happen before around election time?) and costing the local MN economy to suffer for it? What the hell kind of sense does that make?

They easily could have gone with a subdued convention. It wouldn't have been inappropriate at all.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: SharonA
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 09:47 PM

The disaster they're trying to relieve is Her'n'McCain Sarah.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Barry Finn
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 09:51 PM

Everybody's out to lunch, dining will resume when the sun shines out my back door.

Meanwhile Obama can take to the waves & surf in on this storm, "hang 10 buddy". Talk about an opportunity to go fishing for floatsum & jetsum. This could be his Bejin..gle, hope he's not dancing, that would be carrying things a bit to far. Oh, how Barack could do a Bojangles & dance with both feet & land on HummerLand Security, "My protest's were smaller than yours" song, Privacy, the Patriot Act, Freedom of Speech, the Right to Assembly, the Amendants & search, seizure & warrantless acts on the American people, he could milk it till the well runs dry! And the protesters, how's all this unwanted public attention gonna go down in favor of their cause. If the RNC isn't carefull China may want a piece of this, they call in the markers. All the NRA or the RNC has to do now is call in a couple tanks with "what's her name from Alaska at the wheel".

McRain may have skated weatherwise but he's in deep 'DoDo' with a reschedule, that means the rest (ok, only the 3 or 4 that count) will have to be a 'show up' on a new date & that again ties Bush & Chain-eeee to his side which is not a good thing for him under the present country's climate. I don't think Arnold really wants to be McFails terminator but as a sold=her (he's married to the Kennedys') he'll do as he has too or stay home as long as possible.

Barry

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: SharonA
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 09:54 PM

"Do a Bojangles", Barry? That's very offensive.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Donuel
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 10:03 PM

Maverick and Paldin went gunnin for the new man in the black hat.
When all the smoke cleared there were bodies on the ground.
The hired guns had done their job in no time flat.
Big Railroads paid the killers and bought drinks all around.

Town folk were told he had to die, his dream caused a crisis.
Then the ranchers lost their farms to the bank.
And the rail road store doubled their prices.
Those dangerous dreams were whispered as his body stank.

It was 40 years before another dreamer came to town.
By now the water was sour and crops died in the field.
This time the church and bosses put him down.
And another 40 years went by until the town had healed.


refrain:
They say you don't need to kill a man
all you need is delay
Dreamers try to help the best they can
while killers are taught to pray.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Deckman
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 10:05 PM

God speaks in mysterious ways!

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Barry Finn
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 11:10 PM

That's very offensive

How so, Sharon?

Maybe a bit crude but not offensive.

I like to do a "Bojangles" on the head on McDunce & his new Plame, why should I not want Obama to do the same, I certinally wouldn't keep him from any opportunity that's knocking on heaven's door.

Barry

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: GUEST,Jack the Sailor
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 11:38 PM

do a Bojangles?

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Barry Finn
Date: 01 Sep 08 - 12:29 AM

I was having a word play moment with "Beijing" as in China who we're in debt to & "Bejin..gle" a cross between "Beijing" & a "Jingle" as in a catchy commerical musical add, which led to more play with "Bojangles" a dancer with a pair of fantastic feet.

Never mind I was getting too carried away anyway.

Barry

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: beardedbruce
Date: 01 Sep 08 - 06:04 AM

mos:

ASince it has not yet started, your post

"RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: Amos - PM
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 12:35 PM

SO far, the Repub Convention is a large Zero.


A "

Is a lot like me claiming that a future Obama administration is a large zero that has done nothing.

Is that what you want to jsutify?

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: SharonA
Date: 01 Sep 08 - 07:23 AM

Barry: Since you asked, I will answer. I hope you're not acting intentionally dense here; I hope you're just too young to understand why your remark "Oh, how Barack could do a Bojangles & dance with both feet" is so offensive. Let me attempt to explain before you make any more posts about it and receive a verbal smack upside the head from Azizi!

Bill Robinson (1878-1949), who was given the nickname "Bojangles" as a child (a href="http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/exploring/harlem/faces/robinson_text.html">according to this article), was a pioneer of dance, a successful vaudeville and nightclub performer and a toast of Broadway on the black theater circuit, but did not dance for white audiences until he was 50. At that time he appeared in Blackbirds of 1928, a revue of black performers produced by a white impresario for white audiences. From that point on, in films and shows that whites would see, his roles were restricted to playing the stereotypical happy-go-lucky, smiling, servile step-and-fetch-it (mainly as an antebellum butler in films that hearkened back to those "happy" days when blacks were slaves). This was a restriction imposed by Hollywood and by the Jim Crow era, and Robinson bowed to these restrictions in an attempt to be a sort of ambassador to the white world while trying to maintain a connection to black show-business through the Hoofers Club. Consequently, the name "Bojangles" came to have a different meaning to whites and to blacks: to whites he was an unthreatening pet, a role which blacks resented.

So, to "do a Bojangles" means more than just to do a stair-dance. It means to become the worst kind of throwback Jim Crow stereotype for the amusement and entertainment of the white man, a happy darkie dancing for the Massa to allay his fears of a slave uprising. To imprint this onto Barack Obama, who is breaking through color barriers and stereotypes to achieve true equality, is to make a mockery of his campaign for change. It is highly offensive. Please stop it.

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: SharonA
Date: 01 Sep 08 - 07:27 AM

My link in my second paragraph above is missing an HTML character. Linking again: according to this article

More info came from this Wiki article

Subject: RE: BS: Observations of Rep. Convention
From: SharonA
Date: 01 Sep 08 - 07:37 AM

For those unfamiliar with the famous "step dance" from the Shirley Temple movie The Little Colonel, here it is with a bit of the context of the movie, which shows Robinson in one of those servile roles: The Staircase Dance (Warning to film buffs: this clip is colorized!)