Here's a columnist analyzing how the protestors who hate Dubya the most might actually be Dubya's "ace in the hole" in this campaign.
http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Columnists/Toronto/Bob_MacDonald/2004/08/29/pf-607244.html
Lefties' protests may backfire onto Democrats
Bob MacDonald says U.S. voters will detest antics at GOP summit
By BOB MACDONALD
With an estimated 250,000 protesters -- including busloads from Canada -- descending on New York to harass this week's Republican national convention, a growing danger for John Kerry and his Democrats is backlash.
That's a backlash from many fair-minded American voters who will resent the protesters -- many who have already broken the law and been arrested. Others have announced they plan to stage a day of civil disobedience on Tuesday.
And there are so many co-ordinated protests planned to make life miserable for the GOP delegates that no sane person believes it isn't stage-managed by the Democrats.
That's in sharp contrast to last month's Democratic convention in Boston, when Republican President George Bush politely stopped all campaigning and his party stopped running TV and radio ads. The idea was to allow Kerry and his Democrats to have their week in the limelight.
But this week the Democrats will be joined by anarchists, Hollywood stars, peaceniks, leftists, pro- abortionists, same-sex advocates, and a multitude of other protesters in daily and nightly demos. It's an all-out war to grab the limelight -- especially the TV spotlight -- from Bush and his party's re-election campaign.
Stated an Associated Press story yesterday:
"Sit-ins, street theatre and even vandalism might erupt. That evening (Tuesday), groups plan to swarm the streets around the Garden (the convention site). They purposely did not seek permits for actions on Tuesday."
Land of make-believe
Of course, Hollywood -- the land of make-believe -- has long been the home of pro-Democrats. So it's no surprise that such people as Marisa Tomei, Lauren Bacall, Robert Altman, Margaret Cho, Spike Lee, John Sayles and Slick Rick plan to speak at demos against Bush and the Republicans.
A Republican ad slated to run in New York newspapers this week notes the all-out effort of the Democrats to sabotage the convention and blur Bush's message to the American people. In it, Republican Party chairman Ed Gillespie states:
"We will be joined this week by thousands of Democrats, as well. Many of Senator Kerry's supporters in the government employee unions and radical environmental movement, and abortion activists and anti-war protesters who support him, will be out in full force."
Gillespie said he hoped the protests would be peaceful, but if they turn violent, "I do believe there is a risk of backlash" against Democrats.
And there's the rub. Democratic Party chairman Terry McAuliffe-speaking from his party's "counter-convention headquarters" in Manhattan -- was already whining yesterday that his party might get blamed if violence erupts.
"I think they (the Republicans) are almost hoping for problems," he protested.
Fired back Gillespie: "Only Terry would hope that the other party is hoping somebody would get hurt next week."
Hey, if you're going to play with explosives, there's a chance you might blow yourself up. And that's the chance taken by an increasingly desperate Kerry and his Democrats when they helped organize the massive protests and demos planned against Bush and the Republicans.
Signs of desperation
They are the signs of desperation. Only yesterday, the latest USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll found that 50% of American voters now support Bush compared to 47% for Kerry. The Democrat's popularity has been steadily falling from highs of 57% and even 60% last month.
Meanwhile, Bush is forging ahead with his own campaign, noting yesterday that he "know what needs to be done" compared to the vacillating, constantly-changing Kerry platform.
"It is essential that America lead in the 21st century in order to defeat the ideologues who use terror as a weapon, in order to secure the homeland, but also in order to spread liberty," said Bush.
"The president has to make hard decisions. My job is to confront problems, not pass them on. And the American people have seen me make the hardest of decisions," he said.
Yes, the protesters and anarchists will be going all out this week in New York. Some Canadians will join them -- although they have no vote. They probably are fans of Liberal MP Carolyn Parrish, who called U.S. plans for an anti-missile defence system "a coalition of the idiots."
She's the same Liberal MP who last year declared: "Damn Americans, I hate the bastards."
No matter. It should be quite a week in old New York.
http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Columnists/Toronto/Bob_MacDonald/2004/08/29/pf-607244.html
Lefties' protests may backfire onto Democrats
Bob MacDonald says U.S. voters will detest antics at GOP summit
By BOB MACDONALD
With an estimated 250,000 protesters -- including busloads from Canada -- descending on New York to harass this week's Republican national convention, a growing danger for John Kerry and his Democrats is backlash.
That's a backlash from many fair-minded American voters who will resent the protesters -- many who have already broken the law and been arrested. Others have announced they plan to stage a day of civil disobedience on Tuesday.
And there are so many co-ordinated protests planned to make life miserable for the GOP delegates that no sane person believes it isn't stage-managed by the Democrats.
That's in sharp contrast to last month's Democratic convention in Boston, when Republican President George Bush politely stopped all campaigning and his party stopped running TV and radio ads. The idea was to allow Kerry and his Democrats to have their week in the limelight.
But this week the Democrats will be joined by anarchists, Hollywood stars, peaceniks, leftists, pro- abortionists, same-sex advocates, and a multitude of other protesters in daily and nightly demos. It's an all-out war to grab the limelight -- especially the TV spotlight -- from Bush and his party's re-election campaign.
Stated an Associated Press story yesterday:
"Sit-ins, street theatre and even vandalism might erupt. That evening (Tuesday), groups plan to swarm the streets around the Garden (the convention site). They purposely did not seek permits for actions on Tuesday."
Land of make-believe
Of course, Hollywood -- the land of make-believe -- has long been the home of pro-Democrats. So it's no surprise that such people as Marisa Tomei, Lauren Bacall, Robert Altman, Margaret Cho, Spike Lee, John Sayles and Slick Rick plan to speak at demos against Bush and the Republicans.
A Republican ad slated to run in New York newspapers this week notes the all-out effort of the Democrats to sabotage the convention and blur Bush's message to the American people. In it, Republican Party chairman Ed Gillespie states:
"We will be joined this week by thousands of Democrats, as well. Many of Senator Kerry's supporters in the government employee unions and radical environmental movement, and abortion activists and anti-war protesters who support him, will be out in full force."
Gillespie said he hoped the protests would be peaceful, but if they turn violent, "I do believe there is a risk of backlash" against Democrats.
And there's the rub. Democratic Party chairman Terry McAuliffe-speaking from his party's "counter-convention headquarters" in Manhattan -- was already whining yesterday that his party might get blamed if violence erupts.
"I think they (the Republicans) are almost hoping for problems," he protested.
Fired back Gillespie: "Only Terry would hope that the other party is hoping somebody would get hurt next week."
Hey, if you're going to play with explosives, there's a chance you might blow yourself up. And that's the chance taken by an increasingly desperate Kerry and his Democrats when they helped organize the massive protests and demos planned against Bush and the Republicans.
Signs of desperation
They are the signs of desperation. Only yesterday, the latest USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll found that 50% of American voters now support Bush compared to 47% for Kerry. The Democrat's popularity has been steadily falling from highs of 57% and even 60% last month.
Meanwhile, Bush is forging ahead with his own campaign, noting yesterday that he "know what needs to be done" compared to the vacillating, constantly-changing Kerry platform.
"It is essential that America lead in the 21st century in order to defeat the ideologues who use terror as a weapon, in order to secure the homeland, but also in order to spread liberty," said Bush.
"The president has to make hard decisions. My job is to confront problems, not pass them on. And the American people have seen me make the hardest of decisions," he said.
Yes, the protesters and anarchists will be going all out this week in New York. Some Canadians will join them -- although they have no vote. They probably are fans of Liberal MP Carolyn Parrish, who called U.S. plans for an anti-missile defence system "a coalition of the idiots."
She's the same Liberal MP who last year declared: "Damn Americans, I hate the bastards."
No matter. It should be quite a week in old New York.
SHOULDN'T the Democrats be blamed if trouble arises? For crying out loud, THEY'RE PAYING FOR IT!