You and I understand that not all the protesters at the RNC are Democrats, but what do you think the PERCEPTION of many Americans, particularly in between the coasts, is? Their perception is that these are a bunch of left wing radicals, ie Democrats (they aren’t going to make a distinction), stirring up trouble. It simply does not play well to the interests of Democrats.

I was on a shuttle bus one day when 5 lonely McCain protestors, a handful of \”end of days\” protestors, and some anarchists tried to stop the buses. We got off and walked back to our hotels, through the crowd with police waving us through. NO big deal.

You\’re missing the point. When police actively raid places where protestors are organizing their efforts (handing out signs, mapping their routes, etc.) and just arrest people who are there, or try to come up with reasons to arrest them, like saying chili powder in soup is a tear gas ingredient, then I think the distinction is clear.

I\’ll post an account by one of my friends who served on the Logistics side in the VIP Motorpool regarding protests in Denver, and will also post accounts by a Rocky Mountain News reporter, also a friend of mine later, to further clarify the differences.

Also, you can\’t damn the efforts of peaceful protestors because of the shennanigans of the few anarchists causing trouble. Nor can you label peaceful protestors as anarchists and be credible when they\’re trying to follow the rules.

Your’e right, and it’s those who are breaking the law and wreaking havoc who will gain the most press coverage. The Dems just can’t help shooting themselves in the foot.

According to the Associated Press;

“Instead of a single coherent march that organizers had hoped for, fringe groups of anarchists and others wrought havoc along the streets between the state Capitol and the convention site. Some anarchists who had started the trash bin fire later tried to block a major intersection. Police quickly dispersed the group, then shot two tear gas canisters at the fleeing anarchists.”

MLK would be spinning in his grave. What ever happened to nonviolent protest?

Correct link …

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2002/roll367.xml

Senate: 90 – 9 – 1

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=107&session=2&vote=00249

House: 295 – 132 – 6

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h2007-318

Well Misha… PERHAPS the biggest difference between the two conventions is the way that the demonstrators are behaving or misbehaving?????

From a recent media article for example, \”Thousands of protesters descended on the city hosting the Republican National Convention Monday, some smashing cars, puncturing tires and throwing bottles in a confrontations with pepper-spray wielding police who arrested at least five people.\”

Or this from the same article, \”Some anarchists who had started the trash bin fire later tried to block a major intersection. Police quickly dispersed the group, then shot two tear gas canisters at the fleeing anarchists.\”

This too, perhaps? \”About 200 people from a group called Funk the War noisily staged its own separate march. Wearing black clothes, bandanas and gas masks, some of their members smashed windows of cars and stores. They tipped over newspaper boxes, pulled a big trash bin into the street, bent the rear view mirrors on a bus and flipped heavy stone garbage bins on the sidewalks.\”

I\’m not certain that illegal activity would have been tolerated in Denver either — so perhaps the arrests and police actions are more related to the illegal acts and activities of the people who are seemingly intent on creating disruption at this convention???