And these McCain supporters outside Tabor Center, chanting "Not ready to lead!" (They might have put down the Mac Daddy signs before the chant... not sure if they went together as intended!)
I went home last night with a gaggle of Obamaniacs -- who were on my standing-room-only train, jazzed from the Hillary speech and parties galore. One of the guys sitting across from me was wearing a button that read "Obama said knock you out" (think LL Cool J song). The guy next to me, with a curt British accent and clearly annoyed with all the whooping and hollering, was texting to someone on his Blackberry that he was "stuck here with all these..." -- he kept rechoosing that final word. A guy with a bullhorn stood in the middle of the train yelling free association: "Cheney! Halliburton! KBR! Ted Haggard! Larry Craig! Slavery is over! Obama is here!"
"Al Gore: Jim, I'd like to interrupt here and answer that question as if it were my turn to speak. Jim, let me tell about a friend of mine. [ holds up a picture of an elderly woman ] Her name is Etta Munsen. She's 94, she's a widow living on Social Security in Sparta, Tennessee. Etta was born with only one kidney. She also suffers from poilo, spinal menengitis, lung, liver, and pancreatic cancer, an enlarged heart, diabetes, and a rare form of styctic acne. Now, several recent strokes, along with an unfortunate shark attack, have left her paralyzed and missing her right leg under the knee. Just last week she woke from a coma to find that, due to a hospital mix-up, her left arm had been amputated, infected with syphillis, and then reattached.
... As you can imagine, Jim.. Etta's prescription drug bills are staggering. They run to nearly $113 million a day! And she tells me that some weeks she has to choose between eating and treating her Lyme Disease. Now, under my plan, Etta's prescription drugs would be covered. Under my opponent's plan, her house would be burned to the ground. And that is wrong. That is just wrong!"
OK, so this is what a DNC worker was telling me on the light rail this morning (yes, in the interest of not wanting to see an anarchist torch my convertible, this Angeleno has learned how to use public transportation this week):
"The most troubling thing happened, though, when I arrived back to my hotel. We got back early because the altitude and sleeplessness were starting to take a toll on us. We did not march after the rally, so we decided to rest before the next event at 7pm. As I walked toward my room, I noticed that the door was opened with the security bolt blocking the complete closing of the door. I knew immediately that I had not left the door open, and I double checked to make sure it was the right room because, as a frequent traveler, I have been known to forget my room number, but it was the right room.
I was upset at first thinking that housekeeping had made a mistake and left my room open and I was worried that something might be missing. So I walked into my room and bigger than life, there was a man standing by my desk holding the room phone with a screwdriver in his hand!
I immediately said; 'What the hell are you doing? Are you putting a bug on my phone?' He looked like he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar and stammered out: 'N--no, we are having problems with the phone.' I told him to get out of my room because my phone was fine and I called the front desk and the person at the front desk stammered something out about 'problems' with some of the phones.
This room was reserved soon after we got to Denver last night because the room we had was inadequate for 3 people. The room was reserved under my campaign manager's name with a CFC debit card. By the time we left for the march, it could have very well been ascertained that I was the one in this room, and the room we did reserve could be bugged, also. I am confident that that's what was happening when I walked in on the 'maintenance' man and I am becoming more shocked every day with what the ruling class are capable of....that's why...
My phones are in the room fridge. Let them listen to refridgerator noise."
So I started out at Civic Center Park at about 6:30 last night, where there was some really bad speech being delivered at the theater portion. I wandered off toward Bannock Street, where the anarchist soup kitchen was in full swing: one girl was eating a bowl that looked like some brown, grainy porridge with a few chunks of broccoli. (No wonder they're in such a bad mood, eh?) After they finished, in true communal living style, they were supposed to all wash their dishes in gnarly white pails in a separate tent. Very soon after this, they all started marching (full tummies = time to riot!) and chanting (couldn't make out the first part, but the refrain was "We'll burn your f*#@ing face") toward Bannock and quickly poured into the street, blocking it off. Police in riot gear quickly met them, and at the very first confrontation cops shot a generous stream of spray into the group. I caught some, as those near me -- you hear the hacking in the video, plus the dramatic cries of the freshly sprayed anarchists.
This photo turned out as hazy as the pro-marijuana guys' memories of this day will be.
These ladies gave me an orange ribbon to protest torture; instead, I'm going to wear it to protest the lack of Orange Bang in this city.
Remember... do not elect Papa Smurf for a third term!! The anarchists have warned you.
This woman was pulling double duty: supporting abortion AND Iran!
The calm before the anarchy.
If you hate Cheney, Big Brother, Richard Nixon, servicemen and women, Republicans, imperialism, and the fuzz -- and don't know that "landwars" is actually two words -- then this was the bumpersticker booth for you!
Ralph Nader's campaign was literally full of hot air.
This tree was opposed to torture, oil drilling, and immigration raids. It's all bark and no bite.
Last night I braved the rain that never came -- but did get stuck holding my Moschino umbrella all night -- to join other media and delegates at Elitch Gardens for the DNC Media Welcoming Party. I ran into my buddy Greg Hernandez, just in from L.A. to cover the showbiz side of the convention, and since there was no Halle Berry walking around in any of her number of Obama T-shirts we took in the free food and drink and the very best part of all: Free carnival games with giant stuffed animal prizes (pictured: my haul)!
out the whole thing: telling him to compost his funnel cake, recycle his napkin... oh, who knows. We went back over to the volunteer, and she confessed that she was still trying to learn the ins and outs of proper trash wrist-slapping. She unfolded a sheet from her pocket with the training pointers that volunteers had been given earlier. I hope she recycles that damn thing."We are one's we have been waiting for!"
We've been waiting for Joe Biden?
Isn't it really the funniest thing ever to see Joe's face superimposed over all those "change" signs? John McCain should start picking out a new BBQ grill for the Rose Garden patio. It's Christmas in August for the GOP.
Oh, my my my my... remember this was the guy who marveled about Barack Obama being "the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy"? The AP is reporting that Joe Biden is Obama's No. 2, and that the text message will be sent out Saturday morning (does this mean some Dems won't answer their phone now?). ABC News reported late tonight that Secret Service had been dispatched to Biden's home, so either he's been printing counterfeit bills in the basement or needs executive-wannabe-level protection."'I think that this is time for unity in this country, and maybe it is time to have a guy like John McCain -- a Republican -- on the ticket with a guy he does like. They do get along. And they don't have fundamental disagreements on major policies.'
When asked by Matthews if he would support such a ticket, Biden said, 'I would. Yeah, if John Kerry said that's who he wanted, and McCain -- I'd encourage McCain to say yes. I doubt whether John would do it. I doubt whether John McCain would do it. But, you know, we need some unity here, man. The red states and the blue states -- we've got to have something to coalesce around here.'"
What's more, by keeping expectations hanging for so long, Obama makes it harder to deliver on all the anticipation. A weeks-long strip tease, ending with a naked Joe Biden or Evan Bayh--or some other safe but unsexy choice--might prove deflating.
I'd say "Chet Edwards WHO??" ... but people are saying that anyways!
Take a minute and stroll over to see the new DNC Opinion page: We've got all sorts of things in store for readers as the Dems prepare to kick off their party, as you can see by the extended roll call of diverse contributors, the new media player and blogroll, and our new Twitter feed. You may also notice that Drew Litton has joined our esteemed Ed Stein on the page for this occasion -- I can only say that you'll laugh till it hurts.
• "Outside food [popcorn, six bucks!] and beverage of any kind, including alcoholic beverages, coolers and bottled water [I smell a bottled-water ripoff in the works]
• Umbrellas (in case of inclement weather, the public is encouraged to bring raincoats or ponchos) [the last person to be killed by an umbrella was Georgi Markov on the Waterloo Bridge]
• Large bags, suitcases or backpacks [trying to keep out the laptops?]
• Noisemakers, air horns, whistles, cowbells, horns, bull horns or other voice enhancement devices. [no cowbell??]
• Signs, banners, flags or any other items that would either obstruct the view of a patron or serve as a security risk [translation: by banning all signs, we can avoid being labeled as free-speech foes for trying to keep Hillary or McCain signs out of the view]
• Any and all unauthorized merchandise, including unapproved pamphlets, handouts, advertisements, etc. [unapproved pamphlets? OK, Politburo!]
• Knives of any size, razor blades or sharp and/or pointed objects like scissors, knitting needles, etc.
• Mace/pepper spray or aerosol containers
• Fireworks
• Weapons of any kind, including toy weapons, or any article that might be used as a weapon and/or compromise public safety as well as canes, chains, sticks of any length (non-medical use canes [how do they prove a cane is or isn't for medical use? kick it out and see if the user can walk?]
• Screwdrivers or Leatherman brand or similar tools
• Dangerous or hazardous items or materials including chemical, biological, radiological, etc. [City Council already took care of that pesky poo or pee]
• Animals (except service dogs & guide dogs) [this is why I won't go: love me, love my chinchilla]
• Folding chairs
• Laser devices
• Tripods
• Bikes, inline skates, skateboards, scooters, shoes with wheels
• Illegal drugs and any other illegal substances
• Frisbees or inflated balls of any kind [no Beach Blanket 'Bama?]
INVESCO Field at Mile High policy for this event prohibits strollers or baby seats from being taken into the stands or left in section entrances. [no worries... you can just leave them at the Kids Tent with your local neighborhood anarchists]
The camera policy is as follows: Cameras with lenses less than 75mm and small hand-held video cameras are permitted, provided they do not obstruct the view of other attendees [or be able to film any spontaneous protest actions]. Professional cameras or any other audio/video recording equipment are not allowed to be brought in to the stadium unless the user has the appropriate Convention press credential."
"On the first day of action during the DNC, we'll be reclaiming the streets from the police and corporate occupation of Denver. Our celebration in and of the streets will be one of music and noise and so we are inviting mobile musicians, insurrectionary marching bands, radical cheerleaders, and all others who want to make the streets a joyous, vibrant space to come to Denver and add your voice, noise, and music to our collective expression of autonomy and freedom from occupation.
If drums, horns, or strings aren't your style, come with pots, pans, sticks, and boom boxes to lend your hand in the noise."
Next up: "Caddyshack" gopher burrows Taliban tunnels underneath Invesco Field.
"The Queen City is heating up as anarchists, witches, clowns, Iraq vets, artists, SDSers, radical queers, immigrants, Earth First!ers, rebel Democrats, parents, precarious workers and others are making it known that, come August, the Democrats' attempt at co-opting our energies and power will fall short as we make it clear that change will come from below not above, in the streets and not in their stadiums."
... then don't miss the DNC protests, which will be full of ornery Bozos! The Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army (CIRCA, for connoisseurs of alphabet soup) is meeting on Aug. 19 at the Mercury Cafe to organize it's fun-filled fiesta at the Democratic National Convention:"Now is the time to laugh and poke at all of those bewitched by 'hope.' Come one come all with juggling balls and stilts to rise above their walls."
"We are clowns because what else can one be in such a stupid world. Because inside everyone is a lawless clown trying to escape. Because nothing undermines authority like holding it up to ridicule. ...
We are an army because we live on a planet in permanent war - a war of money against life, of profit against dignity, of progress against the future. Because a war that gorges itself on death and blood and s***s money and toxins, deserves an obscene body of deviant soldiers. Because only an army can declare absurd war on absurd war. Because combat requires solidarity, discipline and commitment. Because alone clowns are pathetic figures, but in groups and gaggles, brigades and battalions, they are extremely dangerous.
... RUN AWAY FROM THE CIRCUS
JOIN THE FORCES OF THE CLANDESTINE INSURGENT REBEL CLOWN ARMY."
"Riot police or troops would wear a back pack with three cylinders - one containing compressed air, another filled with plain water and a third containing a supply of very dry, finely ground, polyacrylamide powder. A nozzle, resembling a shower head, would blasts two separate jets, containing the water and the polymer powder, in the general direction of an ugly crowd.
As the two jets mix in the air, after clearing the nozzle, they create a slimy mixture that covers the ground and causes everyone in the area to fall down. Even vehicles should be unable to get a grip on the goo, the patent says. And because the gel is non-toxic, it should cause no permanent harm, besides a few bruised bottoms, that is."
