Unbelievable. President Bush told Matt Lauer in an interview aired this morning that the War on Terror is not winnable. Terry McCauliffe responded that if John Kerry is President, we will win the war on terror.

Reporters are beginning to analyze Bush based in part on his press interviews. Here's what Dan Froomkin says in today's Washington Post:

In describing his character, profilers consistently see Bush as a risk-taker who acts decisively and never looks back. Supporters see this as strength, critics see this as foolishness. Looking at his leadership style, reporters conclude that while Bush is indeed assertive, he also often lacks curiosity and patience and has little interest in details. Several also report that he has a private, darker side, describing him as prickly and cranky, particularly at the end of the day.

History was made. Yesterday's anti-Bush march was the largest convention protest ever.

Estimates of how many participated in the protest march neared 400,000 people, with the procession stretching for miles. But little of the predicted violence and unrest materialized. About 200 people were arrested, some for blocking roadways, others for assaulting police. The marchers followed a plan set by New York officials, snaking along a horseshoe-shaped route through New York's cordoned-off streets, then peacefully dispersing at the end.

Anger at Bush pervaded the gathering. Some signs read ''Bush lied, thousands died" and ''Bush: Empty Warhead." Protesters defaced photos of Bush and poked fun at his family and upbringing. ''No more years," many chanted.

Some pictures of those who are angry at Bush (New York Times):

For a good sense of how many marched, take a look here.

For some cool photos of Sunday's march, including Jesse Jackson, Michael Moore and Rosie Perez, check out Political Strategy.

As for us, after darkness set in, we hit the streets again, this time with our pal, fellow legal analyst Mickey Sherman. We went to the Tank at 42nd and 9th, where we compared notes with Markos of Daily Kos, Anna of Annatopia and Matt Stoller, who were busy blogging, and then walked back up to 59th, by which time we desperately needed air conditioning, and ended up at the Oak Room at the Plaza Hotel, chatting with Shmuli, the conservative rabbi and Bush supporter who has a radio show on the Liberty network. Sometime after midnight I left the Plaza and walked the four blocks back to my hotel. There probably is no safer city in the country tonight than New York. Despite all the hype and warnings, I don't sense any tension in the air. I interviewed several policemen and security guards and street people and most readily agreed to let me take their pictures. Here's a sampling of those I encountered tonight:

The arrests are starting, 53 so far. Mostly along 7th Avenue. Meanwhile, Central Park is still quiet at 3:00 pm.

Welcome Denver Post readers! TalkLeft has an op-ed in today's Denver Post about blogging the Republican Convention--and a recap on blogging from Boston during the Democratic convention. It's a perspective on blogging vs. the mainstream media, mixed with my individual impressions.

You can follow the live RNC and protest coverage of all the liberal bloggers here. It's continuously updated.

Update: For a view from the other side, check out this Weekly Standard article. The last paragraph gets it right:

John Hinderaker, one of the bloggers behind Powerline, summed up the mood of the blogosphere by comparing journalism with brain surgery: "A bunch of amateurs, no matter how smart and enthusiastic, could never outperform professional neurosurgeons, because they lack the specialized training and experience necessary for that field," he said. "But what qualifications, exactly, does it take to be a journalist? What can they do that we can't? Nothing."

[link via Instapundit.]

Update: Atrios responds to Hindraker by pointing to Jim Boyd's op-ed in the Star Tribune expressing regret that the Hindraker piece was published. Go read Boyd.

New York City Saturday seemed no different than it has on any other late summer weekend afternoon. Cabs were plentiful at LaGuardia at 4pm. There was no traffic getting into midtown. I didn't see any protesters.

At 7:00 pm, there was still no traffic in midtown. Nor at 9:00 pm. At 10pm, Ezra from Pandagon called to say there was a "Sleeping with the Enemy" party going on at the Tank, the performance art space where liberal bloggers will be headquartered this week. 42nd between 9th and 10th. It was a party for both Republican and Democratic bloggers.

Nic--the TL kid --and I headed down. No traffic getting there, even though security was heavy at Times Square. The Tank was packed. There was lots of beer, and you got to pick your color cup, blue if you were a Democrat, Red for Republican. The Tank has a wonderful outdoor interior courtyard with tables and chairs--with a West Village feel. Inside it is spacious and comfortable. It easily holds a few hundred people. The crowd was young--predominantly 20's--everyone talking politics and looking forward to the protests. Local tv news cameras were on site, interviewing participants.

We left the Tank around 11 and walked from 42nd and 9th through Times Square and back to 57th and 5th. Plenty of tourists, not a protester in sight. We started a game of "Count a Cop" on 42nd and 7th. By the time we got to 6th, one block, we spotted 20 uniformed cops on the block, some on horses, some in vans, some on the street. They were far outnumbered by tourists and pretty unobstrusive.

Midnight, we went out to dinner. At 1 am, I was back in my room, and I have to say, it was an uneventful day.

I'm staying right near Central Park, so that's where I will head in a few hours to catch the stray protesters who decide to go there after the march to Union Square. About a half hour ago, seven police vans with lights flashing but no sirens turned onto 57th from Sixth--looking like they were headed to the park.

Word on the march so far is its peaceful. Stay tuned.

Reality is setting in. So is the spin. TalkLeft's next post will be Live from New York... on Saturday Night. The Republicans will try and blame all protester problems on the Democrats, in an attempt to take votes away from Kerry. The media will trumpet the outrageous and extreme, not mentioning that any such acts have little or no connection to the vast majority of protesters who are lawfully and peaceably exercising their First Amendment rights of assembly and free speech.

Where will you get the truth? Hopefully, from the bloggers. TalkLeft will be there, in the streets, with camera and laptop and voice recorder. Even the TL kid has been drafted...he'll be a volunteer at The Tank, helping progressive bloggers with the inevitable computer problems that arise.

Reality also is setting in that as a self-employed person, taking a week off from work to travel across the country and report from the scene is going to wreak some financial havoc. If you are a frequent reader of Talkleft, please know that even the smallest of contributions will be sincerely appreciated.

The naked protesters from Act Up and the Plaza rappelers from Operation Sibyl spent very different nights in jail. The Plaza rappelers,--already being called "The Plaza Four" - had a rough time. They spent 25 hours in jail before being arraigned on "felony and misdemeanor charges of assault, reckless endangerment and criminal trespass."

Mr. Maxit, 28, and Mr. Murphy, 31, who have been arrested at protests before, said it had been their worst experience in the criminal justice system. They said they were robbed of cash in the middle of the night while in a general-population holding cell next to the court. Mr. Maxit said a man had punched him in the face because he looked at the man after the man had instructed, "Don't look at me." Mr. Maxit and Mr. Murphy said they were shocked by other prisoners' drug use and felt too frightened to sleep. They complained about the correctional officers, calling them angry and uncaring.....Mr. Maxit and Mr. Murphy expressed regret at not being able to return to the Plaza for a warm bath and a good meal.

City jails, particularly those in which arrestees are housed together in large, communal holding cells, rank right up there with the worst. They stink beyond belief, are overcrowded and understaffed and filled with the mentally ill, the impoverished, the drug-addicted and other unlucky souls. There might even be a real criminal or two. Anyone who thinks getting arrested in New York will be an adventure should think again. It is far more likely to be a nightmare. And once you're out of jail, you have to deal with the courts. Being arrested and processed through the criminal justice system is a dehumanizing and demoralizing experience. Think long and hard before volunteering for it.

It sounds like the Plaza rappelers' arrest on assault charges may be bogus. Which brings the lesson home even more. If you're going to protest, realize that you may fall victim to unfair police action. If you can't imagine enduring the experience that befell the Plaza arrestees, stay out of the fray. Blog, take pictures and stay an observer. Weekend warriors may get more than they bargained for.

Update: If you see an injustice, record it. Pen and paper are fine. Cell phones are better.

A Web protest guide from Just Cause Law Collective suggests that protesters who see police brutality document it by leaving a detailed cell phone message for themselves or recording what they see on their portable music player.

The Manhattan District Attorney is predicting 1,000 arrests per day during the Convention. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is starting off Convention week with a light-hearted humor. How long will he keep it up? We'll track his comments periodically as the week progresses to see. So far, so good, but we're still in the pre-game period.

• "The city also has developed the Peaceful Political Activists program, where protesters who wear a special button or present a savings card will be given discounts such as $5 off admission at the Museum of Sex or up to 30 percent off at a restaurant. "It's no fun to protest on an empty stomach," Mayor Bloomberg said last week."

• On today's naked protesters: ""This is New York," he joked. "Of course we had naked people on Eighth Avenue."

• On visitors to Central Park Sunday: ""We welcome people to the park, and hopefully the weather will be good," Mr. Bloomberg said. "There's a lot of people in the park - there's roughly a quarter of a million people in the park on a normal Sunday afternoon - and this will just add to that. So it will be crowded but it will be a lot of fun."

After some protesters were arrested today following a police officer's fall through a skylight (after protesters warned him it was cracked) the tide may be turning:

• "If somebody wants to break the law, they're going to find that the N.Y.P.D. is going to enforce the law." "They're going to be arrested, and Bob Morgenthau, our district attorney, is going to prosecute them and take it very seriously," he said. "

The protesters have arrived in New York. Some are wacky and wild, New Yorkers seem to be amused, and Mayor Bloomberg is nonplussed. Let's hope it stays this way. -Don't miss this picture--

Mahablog found this CNN article announcing that United for Peace and Justice and the NYPD have reached an agreement. The Sunday march will be end at Union Square Park instead of Central Park. Here's the details from the UPJ website. Note that they are asking marchers not to break out in groups and head to Central Park. This is a good compromise. The march will go past the Garden. Some side streets will be blocked off to serve as feeders for the marchers. It's way better than the West Side Highway. If you're planning on protesting Sunday, please honor UPand J's agreement and stay away from Central Park[added: until the UP and J march has concluded.]

'Stand Up For Choice'! Urge the Republican Party to return to its traditional path of individual responsibility and personal freedom by supporting the right to choose.

Stand Up For Choice(SM)!
Big Tent Extravaganza
Monday, August 30th / 8:00 PM / New York, NY

Buy Tickets Now

Confirmed Talent : Lou Reed, Moby, Joan Osborne, Cynthia Nixon, Kathleen Turner, Lewis Black, Michael McKean, Patrice O'Neal, Annette O'Toole, Giancarlo Esposito, Nellie McKay, Ollabelle, Suzanne Westenhoefer and...
the GE Smith Band.