100 Days Out From the Denver Convention

By Jeralyn, Section Elections 2008
Posted on Thu May 15, 2008 at 05:17:26 PM EST
Tags: Democratic National Convention (all tags)

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This Saturday, the Democratic Convention in Denver will be 100 days away. How big an affair will it be? Check this out, from the DNCC's press release today:

Nearly 200,000 square feet of media space has been allocated. Initial plans are complete for the media pavilions located outside the Pepsi Center that will provide workspace for many of the nearly 15,000 members of the media expected to attend the Convention.

Space has been allocated for more than 100 production trucks, media workspace trailers and broadcast transmission vehicles.

17,000 hotel rooms in the Denver metro area are reserved....Meeting space reserved at 100+ hotels and the Colorado Convention Center

[More...]

250 buses planned for daily transport between official Convention hotels and the Pepsi Center....400 motorpool vehicles provided by General Motors...100% of buses and motorpool vehicles are flex fuel, hybrids or run on biofuel.

21,000 volunteers have stepped forward to help ensure a successful Convention

Live, gavel-to-gavel coverage of the Convention will be provided in HD at DemConvention.com.

900 "Green Team" volunteers from the Host Committee volunteer pool will be on hand during Convention week to assist with our comprehensive recycling, composting and waste minimization program.

The convention is expected to be a big boon to Denver:

The Democratic National Convention, held from August 25-28, 2008, is expected to pump an estimated $160 million into the Denver area's economy and draw up to 50,000 visitors to the region.

Before Denver was selected as the Convention site, there was a lot of talk about whether holding it would be a boon or a nightmare for the city. Given the intense national interest in the presidential nomination race this year and the registration of hundreds of thousands of new Democrats, I think the convention will be a huge benefit to Denver, both financially and image-wise.

[To be cross-posted at 5280.com]

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100 Days Out From the Denver Convention | 79 comments (79 topical)

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If there is a Hillary protest march (5.00 / 2) (#1)
by athyrio on Thu May 15, 2008 at 05:22:29 PM EST

during this time, my family and hopefully myself if health permits, plan to attend in force....

If it's not just about Hillary... (5.00 / 1) (#12)
by dianem on Thu May 15, 2008 at 05:59:57 PM EST

...I'll be there. I'd like to see a flat out "suffrage" march with women - but one that isn't organized by code pink or ANSWER. I'd like to see a "Million Woman March" to highlight the existing sexism in our media. Maybe NOW could organize something. I think we've taken women's rights for granted. If they hold a march, I'll fly out there. It's time people started paying attention.


count me in if you do one like that (5.00 / 1) (#15)
by bjorn on Thu May 15, 2008 at 06:01:31 PM EST

Great idea about suffrage and NOW (5.00 / 1) (#16)
by athyrio on Thu May 15, 2008 at 06:03:01 PM EST

organizing it....We totally support that too....


: I've put a Gmail email account (5.00 / 1) (#17)
by TeresaInSnow2 on Thu May 15, 2008 at 06:04:37 PM EST

in my info section. If you hear of anything, please let me know.

If it's not just about Hillary... (5.00 / 1) (#66)
by AM on Thu May 15, 2008 at 11:24:00 PM EST

Don't worry, dianem, Code Pink and ANSWER won't have anything to do with a women's march. They'll be with the Obama people. (And will that be the same as the recreate68 people?)


I wish i can go , (none / 0) (#56)
by alright on Thu May 15, 2008 at 09:22:17 PM EST

I am Canadian though.


: We still let Canadians in (5.00 / 1) (#67)
by dianem on Thu May 15, 2008 at 11:54:16 PM EST

For the time being, at least, you are welcome into our nation whenever you wish to be here. I expect that if something like this happens, then anybody who wishes to attend will be welcome. Women's rights are not just about women.

: Well, my ancestors were Canadian (none / 0) (#74)
by Cream City on Fri May 16, 2008 at 01:53:53 AM EST

so you can come along as my cousin. :-)
Btw, I heart Canada, and it's been too long -- I've got to get back there.

I have a spare bedroom, a couch, floorspace (5.00 / 3) (#50)
by echinopsia on Thu May 15, 2008 at 08:44:09 PM EST

a big yard and two tents. My house is about two miles from downtown and the Pepsi Center.

Come on out and we'll march.

Bring your sensible shoes.


Give 'em hell.... (none / 0) (#3)
by kdog on Thu May 15, 2008 at 05:30:33 PM EST

and for heaven's sake don't let 'em pin ya in one of those Orwellian "free speech zones" aka "trouble-maker cages".

If I thought it would help I'd join ya, not in support of Hillary of course, but in a general "F*ck you DNC" show of force. But I don't think it will help, and I'm through with gettin' locked up.


Clinton's name will be all over the convention (3.00 / 2) (#37)
by talex on Thu May 15, 2008 at 08:01:24 PM EST

floor. Don't forget people that she will have close to 1/2 of the pledged delegates and they will be flying her colors.

Visually it will be hard to distinguish who has the most supporters.


: damn electrifying....I want so bad to go (none / 0) (#70)
by thereyougo on Fri May 16, 2008 at 01:05:13 AM EST

could Jeralyn start something along the lines of email addresses or something... ?
thanks Talk left for all you do.

No there won't be (none / 0) (#5)
by Jeralyn on Thu May 15, 2008 at 05:35:18 PM EST

We will be behind the nominee, whoever it is. Rather than go negative, how about getting behind her efforts in KY and Oregon and Puerto Rico? She's going to stay in the race. Let's wait and see what happens, but there's no reason to call for protests if she doesn't. That's the last thing Hillary would want.


No need to get behind the nominee (5.00 / 1) (#7)
by Cream City on Thu May 15, 2008 at 05:41:33 PM EST

until nominated. There are days of the convention before that, and conventions often have protests -- as it's the opportunity to at least start raising the consciousness (I give up on the consciences of too many in the DNC) of the Dems about issues that they are ignoring at their peril.

I had to miss the '68 convention protest. I've regretted that for 40 years. . . .


I was 13 (5.00 / 1) (#18)
by stillife on Thu May 15, 2008 at 06:08:51 PM EST

and living in Chicago in 1968. We were on vacation, and I remember my mother crying when we watched on a motel TV the footage of the cops bashing the protesters.

Not saying I'm gonna riot in Denver - I'm too old and staid for that - but I'm not just going to fall in line.


: I sincerely hope (5.00 / 1) (#26)
by JavaCityPal on Thu May 15, 2008 at 06:27:40 PM EST

Denver doesn't experience anything less than gratitude for opening up their city to all the democrats.
A peaceful march of women asking to have their issues taken seriously, would be fun.

: My mother probably cried, too (5.00 / 1) (#47)
by Cream City on Thu May 15, 2008 at 08:39:27 PM EST

because she was one of the people at the convention injured by the rioters, the Chicago police.
And she wasn't a protester. She was there with the Dem party but trying to help protect the protesters -- because that's what Dems are supposed to do. Not cave and behave for the big boyz but speak up and stand up when necessary.
She is not here now, but I know what she would do -- this year, she would be protesting the Dem party and what it is doing. So if there is a protest, I will be there this time.
Would someone here really not want me to honor my mother?

It Has To Go All The Way To The Convention (5.00 / 2) (#20)
by PssttCmere08 on Thu May 15, 2008 at 06:20:12 PM EST

and then let the fireworks begin. This is going to be the best convention in a very long time.

GO HILLARY...


: yeah, it should go to the convention for (5.00 / 0) (#71)
by thereyougo on Fri May 16, 2008 at 01:19:30 AM EST

historical perspective and to remind the country that we elect people at events like this,in case someone forgot in Bush's America.
Its easy to get bummed over the past 7 years. Hillary will know how to get us back on track.
I only wish and hope the astrology predictions are right about her. Its her destiny to be president.

missed (none / 0) (#59)
by jedimom on Thu May 15, 2008 at 09:39:32 PM EST

sadly there is a site recreate68.org that appears to be determined to repeat some of the things that were not good about that event..

they have a manual for forming certain protest impact positions and have apparently ordered 100 tazers, statements about the entire corrupt capitalist system and listing themes of protest for each day, but all the media announcements are listed as 'communiques', not what I expect from a movement of the people whose grievances this movement purports to address just IMO, one press communique is to me hilarious, it is a diatribe against the city of Denver for giving the largest park use to the DNC! shocking, they allowed the DNC to rent the park at their ow convention, the group says it is a violation of everything they can think of to list, and everything seems to involve some sort of advice about the property damage ....
that Rushbo was telling his listeners to go to our convention and riot to make us look bad as well...

I think this behavior is counterproductive to being taken onto the platform and having issues addressed, rioting IMHO is not the way to be taken seriously for redress of grievances..sorry for word fog..


: isn't there a law thats being broken by (none / 0) (#72)
by thereyougo on Fri May 16, 2008 at 01:21:58 AM EST

Rush for calling for something like this ? Like inciting a riot? he shouldn't get away with that.

What jeralyn said (none / 0) (#34)
by kempis on Thu May 15, 2008 at 07:21:19 PM EST

Overzealousness can hurt Hillary and set us back even further rather than advancing our cause. If we launch protest marches, there will be much eye-rolling and "oh the old bra-burners are back." Then we'd be dismissed, not heard, and even angrier.

If we want to be heard, we need to encourage reasonable people in the media to document and analyze the sexist treatment of Hillary Clinton by the press. This needs to be a calm conversation so that the perpetrators don't become heroes to the locker room set.

After Gore's abysmal treatment by the press in 2000, it took years and years for journalists to concede that Bob Somerby had a point, many in fact. What we need to do is encourage journalists to jump on this story ASAP. I know the main story now will be Obama's coronation by the DNC, but I do hope there are some serious journalists left in this country who will write about how Hillary was dismissed as a psycho wife of an ex-(psycho)president, and analyze why that narrative happened.

What role did the Obama campaign have in shaping it? How about the DNC? How much was just the knee-jerk reactions of juvenile men like Jack Cafferty and Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann? I'd like to see some of these talking heads interviewed in depth about their impressions of Hillary (and Bill) and see what was at the heart of their bias--and how much was encouraged by people in the Obama campaign and the DNC.

I really hope there are many, many investigative and analytical pieces written about Hillary's treatment. And I hope someone gets to the bottom of why the DNC decided early on to turn its back on Hillary, make sure FL and MI weren't revoted, and gamble on Obama.

But in the meantime, let's try to stay frosty....I know it's hard. I know this hurts. I know it's infuriating.

There will be some kind of justice somewhere down the line. We just have to focus right now on supporting Hillary through these last contests. Win or lose, she needs to finish these primaries and then say "THERE! Don't tell a woman who is barely behind and in fact still winning by large margins in some states ever again to quit."

There will be a victory even in that.


Protest now = "overzealousness"? (5.00 / 1) (#48)
by Cream City on Thu May 15, 2008 at 08:42:21 PM EST

Your comment explains, better than I can, why I can no longer be a Dem. What a sad bunch of sentences.


don't judge all dems by me :) (none / 0) (#76)
by kempis on Fri May 16, 2008 at 05:31:24 AM EST

I'm old, tired, arthritic, out-of-gas--and thanks to this nomination process, I'm no longer a Democrat. :)


kempis, (none / 0) (#80)
by kenoshaMarge on Fri May 16, 2008 at 08:57:06 AM EST

I too am old, tired, and arthritic. And many of the issues will not affect me. I all ready have my Social Security and Roe V Wade certainly isn't something of concern to me personally. And I really could care less if some braindead punk doesn't like old ladies. Right back at ya Bozo!

However I have 7 granddaughters that those things will affect. I wanted to leave them a better life than the constant misogynistic assaults that I have been subjected to personally and have seen done to others over the years. I regret that I am leaving them a world where misogyny is an accepted form of commentary.

Are we really so old, tired and arthritic that we accept these things? We may not be able to march any more but we can write and we can speak and we can let others know that women's rights ARE human rights and we will not accept anything less.

I would gladly burn my bra this time around if needed cause the "girls" have headed for my knees now anyway. Personally I always thought the bra-burning was silly.

What do we care what they call us? If you want a little inspiration get the DVD "Iron Jawed Angels" and think about it. When we give up the ba%tards win.


: oh, I'm not arguing we concede anything. (none / 0) (#81)
by kempis on Fri May 16, 2008 at 10:34:29 AM EST

I'm not quite sure what I said that gave that impression.

kempis, I detect an Obama inevtability in... (5.00 / 1) (#75)
by NO2WONDERBOY on Fri May 16, 2008 at 01:58:07 AM EST

your piece which I hope it is not the sign that Hillary's supporters are giving up. Although I am a realist about her chances, I cannot surrender to defeat by diverting the dialogue to adopting a submissive and futile posture to try to 'persuade' the press to "encourage journalists to jump on this story ASAP. I know the main story now will be Obama's coronation by the DNC, but I do hope there are some serious journalists left in this country who will write about how Hillary was dismissed" . The press will not 'jump on this'; to do so is tantamount to be objective in their coverage. That will not happen. I mean, just look at how our great victory in WVa has been diluted to a fly-on-the-wall in and all but forgotten importance!
The media cannot be co-opted to our cause, we have to literally hit them in the head by showing them and the political harlots, that Hillary prevails in spite of the juggernaut they're unleashing against her and against rescuing our country from the throes of disaster.
So, instead of accepting this man's nomination as a Fait Accompli, we need to rev up political activism for the next primaries, especially in Oregon which is a presumed Obama stronghold.
Hillary's press people also need to be, IMO, more aggressive to execute damage control, Edwards endorsement take over and monopolization of the air waves. I'm sure they have an insider or two in that sector who could be minimizing the potential effect of that nomination by accentuating Edwards' weaknesses.
At this point in the game, what are we afraid of? keeping party unity? if we have to go down fighting, so be it. Let's overtake the primaries that are left to be held. Let's take it to the convention. Let's conduct the one million women march (BTW, great idea posed here in the blog). Let's write her name on the ticket. Let's leave the choose-the-president box blank (uncommitted, just like he did in Michigan). Let's start brainstorming about political strategies, choose and execute; we're almost out of time


: I appreciate your spirit and your points (none / 0) (#77)
by kempis on Fri May 16, 2008 at 05:41:47 AM EST

My only concern is that any protests, to be productive, have to be conducted carefully--as us older folk surely know, so I'm probably not adding anything useful by bringing up that caution.
You're right about the media, for the most part, needing to be provoked into exposing what has happened here: the sexism and the apparent political factionalism in the Democratic party. The Marie Coco piece the other day gave me some hope, and Joan Walsh has made some encouraging noise--though not enough. I guess I hope that more women--and some enlightened men like BTD--in media will be bothered enough about the gender-based attacks on Hillary to lead the nation in a big, WTF discussion. Of course, what's particularly frustrating is that even within the "liberal" Democratic party, we have a lot of Obama-supporters who look at this stuff and say "what sexism"? Maybe that's what makes this particularly painful. If they don't get it, how can we expect the rest of the country?
Anyway, thanks for your response. It gave me much to think about.

Not everyone (none / 0) (#39)
by talex on Thu May 15, 2008 at 08:04:09 PM EST

will be behind the nominee if it is Obama. And even some of those who are won't be enthusiastic.

I live in a Deep Blue state so my vote won't make or break the outcome. Therefore I will proudly write in Clinton.


Million Woman March in Denver (none / 0) (#83)
by GeekLove08 on Fri Jun 06, 2008 at 02:22:18 PM EST

Check out my blog where I first mentioned this idea and it's caught like wildfire.


Yeah for Denver (5.00 / 0) (#2)
by lisadawn82 on Thu May 15, 2008 at 05:22:38 PM EST

Denver was a great choice. Nice to see it work out well for them.

: Denver certainly is trying to keep the lid on (5.00 / 1) (#64)
by Cream City on Thu May 15, 2008 at 11:14:32 PM EST

and isn't even allowing marches, it seems.
Very stupid. Then people just march without permits, and are angrier, and the result is still mass arrests, bad publicity for the city and the party -- and infringement of civil rights too often, but that doesn't seem to matter to Denver.
Btw, also google Larry Hales and Denver. It's going to be ugly, anyway -- and not because middle-aged women may show up in sensible shoes to try to peacefully march for their daughters' daughters. . . .
Re-Create 68 Files Lawsuit Naming the U.S. Secret Service and City of Denver
DENVER, May 2, 2008--Today the Recreate 68 Alliance along with the American Indian Movement of Colorado, Escuela Tlatelolco, Code Pink, Troops Out Now Coalition, Tent State University, and others filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court with cooperating attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union. The suit is asking that the City of Denver and the United States Secret Service publicly announce their security plans and issue permits for marches pertaining to the Democratic National Convention in August.
Recreate 68 had initiated discussions over a year ago with representatives of the city in hopes of sparing the citizens of Denver the expense of legal action. But the city has been unwilling to engage in negotiations. It has refused, in violation of its own regulations, to even accept applications for march permits, and has refused to even disclose when it will accept applications. Thus the R68 Alliance is unable to engage in the planning necessary for effective marches and demonstrations.
As a result of the city's apparent contempt for free speech rights, the very basis of a democratic society, R68 had no choice but to initiate legal action to ensure that demonstrators will be able to peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights to bring their concerns to the attention of DNC delegates. . . .

Jeralyn (5.00 / 0) (#6)
by BarnBabe on Thu May 15, 2008 at 05:35:22 PM EST

OT-But did you see on CNN where the Tennessee GOP has a 4 min video with Michele Obama saying about being proud of being an America? It has started already. The GOP has been waiting.

As for Denver, only landed their once. Drove over the Rockys twice. But, in as much as you have been to a convention before, in 2004, was that your first one? Mine was a Republican Convention in Miami. In fact, Ronald Reagan was there. I have pictures of the day before the convention started. CBS, NBC, and ABC had the booths above the convention floor. My most exciting moment? Waving up at Walter Cronkite and he waving back. My BF at the time had a Father who was a assembly man in PA. So we went to the Penna delegation and mentioned the Dads name and told them we were honeymooning in Miami. That is how we got tickets. We lived in Ft. Laud and were Democrats.I hadn't even ever voted yet. Are you a delegate?

Not a delegate (none / 0) (#9)
by Jeralyn on Thu May 15, 2008 at 05:49:40 PM EST

I'll be blogging it though -- from inside or outside the convention hall depending on credentials. Now that the state blogs have their credentials, they are considering the credentials for the national bloggers. I apllied as a national blogger since TL does not focus on Colorado issues.


: When Is The First TalkLeft Convention? (none / 0) (#22)
by PssttCmere08 on Thu May 15, 2008 at 06:23:18 PM EST

Denver.... (5.00 / 2) (#8)
by p lukasiak on Thu May 15, 2008 at 05:49:32 PM EST

....could turn out to be Chicago 1968.

I suspect that the GOP's strategy is going to be "boiling the frog"... erode Obama's support over the summer, but try to do it slowly enough that the Obamaphiles will be able to stay in denial mode, while Clinton supporters run around 'with their hair on fire'.

Then drop something big a day or two before the convention starts.... and watch the Dems fall apart.

Follow that up a week later with their own orderly Convention, and the campaign is over before it starts.

Maybe if Dems start reading (5.00 / 3) (#10)
by bjorn on Thu May 15, 2008 at 05:53:14 PM EST

what Jeralyn has been writing about Hillary's electability, and now Cokie and Steve Roberts, the Dems will get it before the convention.


: Did Cokie Roberts say this on TV as well (none / 0) (#62)
by bridget on Thu May 15, 2008 at 10:19:32 PM EST

on the Sunday show maybe?
V. interesting - thanks for posting this.

: FABULOUS!!! (none / 0) (#68)
by Eleanor A on Fri May 16, 2008 at 12:14:01 AM EST

I just forwarded the Roberts article to everyone I know...thanks a mil for the link!!

Did you forget Tom Hayden is on Obama's (none / 0) (#14)
by oculus on Thu May 15, 2008 at 06:01:05 PM EST

side this time?


I don't expect the Hillary supporters to (none / 0) (#19)
by MarkL on Thu May 15, 2008 at 06:17:48 PM EST

demonstrate violently.


who said anything about Clinton supporters... (5.00 / 1) (#29)
by p lukasiak on Thu May 15, 2008 at 06:43:01 PM EST

the chaos will erupt on the convention floor because party leaders will realize that Obama is unelectable after the GOP drops its August Surprise right before the convention -- its the Obama supporters...the insane zealots who don't care about the party, and are part of a personality cult -- that will create the chaos...


: Well, of course. Just agreeing with you. (none / 0) (#49)
by MarkL on Thu May 15, 2008 at 08:43:06 PM EST

: Why would they drop it (none / 0) (#63)
by mg7505 on Thu May 15, 2008 at 11:07:24 PM EST

before the convention? Why not after, so the Dems look even more foolish? Can't the delegates change until the last minute?

: Won't it be more effective (none / 0) (#65)
by denise on Thu May 15, 2008 at 11:22:40 PM EST

to spring it AFTER the convention than before? Then there will be nothing anyone can do about it.

Any mention of whether there are seats (5.00 / 1) (#13)
by oculus on Thu May 15, 2008 at 06:00:29 PM EST

on the floor of the convention for those MI and FL delegates? Hotel rooms?

I heard.. (none / 0) (#23)
by JustJennifer on Thu May 15, 2008 at 06:23:46 PM EST

Dean canceled any hotel slots for FL and MI a long time ago. It's probably just a rumor but who knows?


they will have both (none / 0) (#25)
by Jeralyn on Thu May 15, 2008 at 06:27:25 PM EST

: they just won't have the votes (5.00 / 1) (#28)
by Florida Resident on Thu May 15, 2008 at 06:36:49 PM EST

If Hillary Isn't The Nominee, We Could All Stand (5.00 / 1) (#24)
by PssttCmere08 on Thu May 15, 2008 at 06:25:57 PM EST

there with our dem cards, tear them up and throw them at the democratic leaders, in lieu of burning them...

Lou Dobbs just asked FL and MI (none / 0) (#33)
by bjorn on Thu May 15, 2008 at 07:12:39 PM EST

voters to join the Independents since Dems have treated them so bad!


: Really? Now We Have Seen It All. You Don't (5.00 / 1) (#35)
by PssttCmere08 on Thu May 15, 2008 at 07:55:01 PM EST

have to sign a pledge says you will help round up illegal immigrants, do you?

I sent in my voter re-regisration. (5.00 / 1) (#32)
by AX10 on Thu May 15, 2008 at 06:55:14 PM EST

I switched from "Democrat" to "Non-Affiliated".

It's official. The Party cannot think that my vote will be there for them.

gee binx, (5.00 / 1) (#60)
by cpinva on Thu May 15, 2008 at 09:46:02 PM EST

were you elected grand arbiter of the "correct" battles to fight and i missed it? sorry, i was at work all day, then at my son's district track meet in the late afternoon/early evening.

what planet have you been on for the past few years anyway? people have been protesting those very items you listed. just because you've missed it doesn't make it not so.

i'm going out on a limb here, and assuming getting a reservation at the buffalo restaurant is probably out of the question that week? lol

I don't know if it just me. (none / 0) (#27)
by Florida Resident on Thu May 15, 2008 at 06:35:52 PM EST

But I was in Vietnam in 1968 and followed the Chicago events through the Armed Forces news. Those events were anti-war protests and reflected on the convention because the administration at the time was Democratic. That is why I find it rather strange when I hear the MSM bring it up whenever they talk about the possibility of protests in Denver.

events inside the convention hall... (none / 0) (#30)
by p lukasiak on Thu May 15, 2008 at 06:44:46 PM EST

were also chaotic...
while what was happening in the streets is what people remember, the convention itself was a mess (dan rather was thrown out, IIRC)


Yes but wasn't it because certain (none / 0) (#31)
by Florida Resident on Thu May 15, 2008 at 06:46:54 PM EST

anti-war people were not being allowed to sit as delegates?


Yes, but also because Daley called police (none / 0) (#53)
by Cream City on Thu May 15, 2008 at 08:50:48 PM EST

right into the convention itself. "Outside" and "inside" became one. One big police riot.


: Ah yes another party leader from Chicago (5.00 / 1) (#54)
by Florida Resident on Thu May 15, 2008 at 08:53:09 PM EST

uniting.

Honestly. (none / 0) (#36)
by Binx on Thu May 15, 2008 at 08:00:41 PM EST

Do you people actually hear yourselves?

You're talking about rioting at the convention?
About inciting chaos and encouraging pandemonium?
About Chicago 1968?

What the HELL is wrong with you? You are picking the wrong battle. George Bush started an illegal war and you didn't riot. They started listening in on all of your telephone conversations and you didn't riot. They created a special communications squad of formerly military men to feed our media and our citizenry, government propaganda and you didn't riot. Now you're here getting yourself all jacked up about people who are on the SAME SIDE as you.

My lord, get over yourselves.

Heh (5.00 / 1) (#40)
by Steve M on Thu May 15, 2008 at 08:06:35 PM EST

You should think a little more deeply about what it means.


I don't think (5.00 / 3) (#41)
by samanthasmom on Thu May 15, 2008 at 08:06:54 PM EST

that a peaceful protest by women who feel that the Democrats have left them behind constitutes "rioting the convention". And what gives you the right to decide what battles I choose to fight?


I'm not telling you... (5.00 / 1) (#43)
by Binx on Thu May 15, 2008 at 08:13:50 PM EST

I'm not telling you what battle to fight.

I am telling you I'm embarrassed for you that out of all the absolutely HORRIBLE things wrong with our country that you are choosing to start here, with people who agree with 95% of all your political passions, you are choosing to divide us against OURSELVES instead of choosing to fight against the real enemy ---the Republicans and the Bush Administration.


If you think they agree with 95% of what I (5.00 / 1) (#45)
by Florida Resident on Thu May 15, 2008 at 08:17:21 PM EST

have a passion for then you have not been listening to what they have been saying about SS Health Care etc.


Right now for me (5.00 / 2) (#46)
by samanthasmom on Thu May 15, 2008 at 08:27:10 PM EST

the bigger enemy is the Democratic Party. I'm sorry that you can't see that, but sexism and misogyny in your home hurts deeper than it does from people outside. Every day the DNC is receiving mail with torn up membership cards from people who no longer want to be associated with it. People are changing their affiliation to whatever "unaffiliated" is called in their state. To believe that some of us think we have enough in common with the DNC to unite with them to defeat the Republicans is a mistake on the DNC's part. I will support candidates on a one by one basis. Obama isn't one of my choices.


I just wish TN had party registration (5.00 / 2) (#55)
by tnjen on Thu May 15, 2008 at 09:03:18 PM EST

...so I could switch. Unfortunately, TN just asks you DEM or REP when you go to vote each time. It's nice for voting but it doesn't make switching much of a protest.


: Well, and (none / 0) (#69)
by Eleanor A on Fri May 16, 2008 at 12:18:45 AM EST

the Republicans in TN are sooooo bad. It makes me HOPPING mad to think about how cavalierly the Obama people have split the only coalition in place to stop the GOP from shoving anti-gay marriage, anti-abortion, and anti-gun control down our throats at every opportunity.
In good news, though, today the TN Senate FINALLY approved paper ballot legislation (the House already voted for it). So now there are only 12 states left without it. Hey, it seems like a small thing, but with the good-ole-boy mentality that exists in TN, it's actually huge. I'm happy as hell about it...only downside is it won't be implemented in time for 2008.

I agree with you (5.00 / 0) (#57)
by alright on Thu May 15, 2008 at 09:29:52 PM EST

Sexism is a big issue and it hits closer to home than anything else.


No, the real enemy is ignorance (5.00 / 2) (#52)
by Cream City on Thu May 15, 2008 at 08:49:38 PM EST

including ignorance of the Constitution.

And the real enemy is hyperbolic over-reaction to the mere thought of protesters. That sort of thinking makes you the one who fits perfectly into the Chicago '68 riot -- but you would be on the side of the police, since the federal government itself determined it was a Chicago police riot. And your thinking here is exactly their thinking then.

So I am embarrassed for you, as you must have missed a lot of history classes -- and, for that matter, civics classes, too.


You have the right to protest anything you want... (5.00 / 1) (#78)
by Binx on Fri May 16, 2008 at 08:37:14 AM EST

I am the child of an elected county prosecutor in VA who won elections for 35-years by registering voters and building bridges not by division. I've voted in every election I have been eligible to vote in, campaigned and canvassed, worked polls, caucassed, participated in whatever the political structure was where I lived, am a member of my ward committee in Boston and have been a delegate to my state Democratic convention multiple times. I am active in the MassEqualty gay marriage organization and am both gay and happily married. So honestly, Cream City, I could care less about your opinion of my civic education. I am content with my record of participation and protest. Must everyone that disagrees with you be "demonized"? Isn't this the behavior you're whipping yourself up into a frenzy about?


: You may be all you say and done (none / 0) (#82)
by Florida Resident on Fri May 16, 2008 at 12:15:55 PM EST

But, when you say

What the HELL is wrong with you? You are picking the wrong battle. George Bush started an illegal war and you didn't riot. They started listening in on all of your telephone conversations and you didn't riot. They created a special communications squad of formerly military men to feed our media and our citizenry, government propaganda and you didn't riot. Now you're here getting yourself all jacked up about people who are on the SAME SIDE as you.
You are talking up the wrong orifice, If those things were so important did you protest, did you riot? Look the people who brought the words riot into the panorama are the MSM and people like yourself no one here talked about rioting in Denver so the fact that you bought it up in your comment leads me to think that you bought the MSM diatribe that they were aiming at Obama's followers if he was not selected. And also the last thing we need is some better than thou whatever preach civility to us. thank you.

people are reacting to the vitriol from within (none / 0) (#79)
by kempis on Fri May 16, 2008 at 08:52:35 AM EST

the Democratic party toward their candidate.

While I'm urging that people plan their methods of protest carefully, I certainly understand the anger and I share it.

Obama supporters really have no moral high ground from which to lecture Hillary supporters about the need to "come together" right now. Most either participated themselves in absurd pile-ons about how Hillary is a racist or Hillary is going to "steal the election" or how Hillary should just "quit, dammit" or they stood by silently while their more hot-headed fellow Obamites slung mud at a candidate in their own party.

I've lost an old friend over this because I got disgusted by his public trolling of Hillary Clinton. He couldn't help himself. He hated her with the passion of any dittohead. And now I see that he's hating Hillary supporters who won't fall in line nicely now. He doesn't get it.

You guys should have thought of this back in January when the full-on Hillary hatred began to erupt at DK and other sites. You've made it clear that you despise Hillary Clinton and her "hicks and chicks" supporters. But you want our votes now. So you're going to bark us back into line.

Guess who aren't sheeple?

Personally, I'll probably vote for Obama, though his supporters make that damned hard. But I've decided my protest is to leave the Democratic party--which is what the Kossacks and others in the Obamasphere want anyway. The despicable centrists, working-class, and anyone over 50 need to go away. So we are. Some will vote for Obama. Some won't.

This is what you guys wanted: a purge. This is what you're getting. Again, I'll hold my nose and vote for your candidate, but I'm no longer a Democrat.


Who's talking about rioting? (5.00 / 1) (#42)
by nycstray on Thu May 15, 2008 at 08:11:09 PM EST

And since when is standing up for your rights and/or your preferred candidate the wrong battle?


BTW I spend my time in Vietnam (5.00 / 3) (#44)
by Florida Resident on Thu May 15, 2008 at 08:15:32 PM EST

fighting and then came back and spend my time protesting the war so I guess I earned the right to decide what I fight for or not fight for.


You think protest is the same as riot? (5.00 / 1) (#51)
by Cream City on Thu May 15, 2008 at 08:45:35 PM EST

You should hear yourself -- you sound just like Mayor Daley of '68. Or a Republican.

Either way, you don't sound like a real Democrat or like some who really understands what democracy is. Spend your time more wisely. Stop typing and start reading the Constitution.


Oh! (5.00 / 2) (#58)
by TeresaInSnow2 on Thu May 15, 2008 at 09:33:35 PM EST

That isn't all right with you? Oh dear. We'll be sure and ask the Obama supporters' permission next time. Or not.


Same Party (none / 0) (#38)
by Florida Resident on Thu May 15, 2008 at 08:03:24 PM EST

Not neccesaryly same side.


What ever happened (none / 0) (#73)
by Makarov on Fri May 16, 2008 at 01:23:10 AM EST

with hotel rooms for MI/FL delegates? Last I heard (back in March or early April), the DNC was saying they had them, but no information was available for the delegates themselves.

I wonder if the strategy is to delay seating them long enough so the closest hotel room is in Grand Junction.