NYT: Protesters Are Anti-GOP, but Democrats Don't Claim Them

[DeepModem Mom]

Protesters Are Anti-G.O.P., but Democrats Don't Claim Them
By DIANE CARDWELL

Published: August 29, 2004


....Even though most protests are aimed squarely at the Bush administration, there is little evidence that Democratic Party officials are at the helm. Indeed, Democratic leaders have been worrying that angry images of demonstrators shouting, clashing with the police or damaging property will be used to tar their party, as historians say occurred after the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, when violent antiwar protests were seen as hurting the party's cause. As a result, party officials say, a focus of the spin operation they set up last week about 10 blocks from the convention site at Madison Square Garden will be to counter Republican efforts to link them to protest mishaps or violence....


***

...while few people say they expect a repeat of the mayhem of 1968, the events of the past week suggest that there will be disruptive demonstrations. Already, the protesters, some naked, some on bikes, have been snarling traffic - and signs, banners and fliers are cropping up throughout the city. On Friday night, in the first major clash between demonstrators and the police, more than 250 people were arrested for biking through the city in an anti-Bush protest. And today, law enforcement officials are girding for protesters expected to descend on Central Park, many of them in defiance of bans on political rallies on the Great Lawn....

***

The protest landscape, ranging from established groups like Planned Parenthood and the A.F.L.-C.I.O. to anarchists bent on undoing the country's corporate structure, is disparate and fragmented. And some groups have found themselves in the uneasy position of trying to balance a desire for inclusiveness and lack of hierarchy with the need to assert enough control to avoid chaos. Law enforcement officials, while emphasizing that the vast majority of protesters are peaceful, say that organizers have no way of controlling how many or which people show up at their events and what their motives may be.

Some groups have tailored their methods to minimize the chances for a political boomerang. Mr. Franken's "shout-out,'' in which he is encouraging people to throw open their windows and engage in a loud spurt of collective anti-Bush venting as President Bush takes the stage on Thursday, is one example. "It won't tax the public safety structure," he said. "We think that this provides a way for people who really want to do something to do it in a way that can't be used by the Republicans to say, 'Look at these unruly Democrats.' "...


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/29/politics/campaign/29groups.html

[truthisfreedom]

1. Kerry's people might want to announce something before the RNC starts:

the rethugs have generated hatred for their party through their embracing of radical neocon and religious fringe groups that are dragging our country into the toilet. this has nothing to do with Democrats... but normal people are turned into an angry mob when they see our country controlled by thoughtless radicals.

[cornermouse]

2. If the democratic party is worried about their

image, then we, the people, truly are lost. Take a closer look at the paragraph of accusations...

"...while few people say they expect a repeat of the mayhem of 1968, the events of the past week suggest that there will be disruptive demonstrations. Already, the protesters, some naked, some on bikes, have been snarling traffic - and signs, banners and fliers are cropping up throughout the city. On Friday night, in the first major clash between demonstrators and the police, more than 250 people were arrested for biking through the city in an anti-Bush protest. And today, law enforcement officials are girding for protesters expected to descend on Central Park, many of them in defiance of bans on political rallies on the Great Lawn...."

Now, what major crimes do you see in that paragraph? Snarling traffic? Hanging out anti-Bush signs, banners, and fliers? Violent pedal cycle riders?

How difficult is it for you to see that you're being managed?

[Voltaire99]

8. Democrats should disown Terry McAuliffe, not protesters

How difficult is it for you to see that you're being managed?

Rather difficult, apparently. The party's been managed by corporate shills for better than a decade, but the sheep hardly noticed as long as the NASDAQ ruled.

And just look at the Party's shills today: eager to denounce anti-war protests, pro-environment protests, pro-reproductive freedom protests. Not surprising, really, after giving Bush a free ride for three years; but still disgusting.

It's the very apotheosis of Bush-lite. If the party's going to be taken back from these unprincipled careerists, then the streets of New York this week might just be the place to start doing so.

[robbedvoter]

10. Precisely why New Yorkers do not vote - millions march, but are disgusted

with both parties. Result - we have a GOP mayor and governor. Congratulations, mr McAuliffe!

[rogerashton]

3. Get a look from the inside.

http://www.infoshop.org/blackbloc.html

[bitchkitty]

12. Well, I never!

Organized anarchy, what is the world coming to?

[rogerashton]

18. If you think that is organized,

take a look at Giovanni Baldelli, Social Anarchism.

[Mr.Green93]

4. we have

"plausible deniability"

[non sociopath skin]

5. Isn't it the case though ...

.. that SOME of the NYC protestors will most definitely not be Kerry supporters. There is still a body of opinion (see Greg Palast, John Pilger) that feels (however much we'd vehemently disagree) that there is little to choose between Shrub and Kerry and that any adverse kickback for the Democrats is no bad thing.

It's the activities of the "plague-on-both-your-houses" set that worries me most.

The Skin

[Citizen Daryl]

6. Fracas Or No Fracas, I Believe It Won't Matter

Bush and his handlers have no plans on leaving the White House, and he'll use any means at his disposal - legal or illegal - to extend his illegal occupation of the White House.

If you thought the 2000 election was a fraud, you haven't seen anyhting yet.

[Cha]

7. I know what you mean ...and that's why

it's going to be all the more Sweeter to kick them out!

And yes it will be a miracle.

[rogerashton]

9. Don't forget the anarchists.

While there is now some controversy among anarchists

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040816/ap_on_el_pr/anarchists_vote

nevertheless the long-term position of anarchists is that they don't vote, and still less support any political party. And yes, anarchists will be prominent among the protestors -- see my previous post for link.

[leesa]

13. What crap. So you're saying those who are smart enought to see that

both parties are wholly corrupt are the ones YOU are going to blame disruptions on.

[non sociopath skin]

19. I guess that most of us here DON'T accept that both are equally corrupt..

.. and might even find the posturing of anarchists "crap."

The Skin

[DeepModem Mom]

20. Might be wrong, but think from inception DU "Democratic" was capitalized

-- as in Democratic Party. Doesn't mean party is perfect. I think it's often stated, however, that we work toward a goal, the defeat of George Bush, and that the Democratic Party, and its candidate, are the only realistic means available at this time to accomplish that goal.

[non sociopath skin]

21. No problem with that asssessment, Mom.

The Skin

[mbperrin]

11. There is a perversion of logic going on here.

In 1968, the convention at which the protests were directed - the Democratic Convention - produced a losing ticket because millions of Americans could see the violent disagreement with the politics of those at that convention.

Let me be clear. Anti-Democratic Party folk brought down the Democratic nominee in 1968.

So why would anyone worry about the image of the Democrats if millions of Americans see the vehement/violent disagreement with the politics of those at the Republican Convention? It would become clear that there is huge disagreement with the politics of those at that convention, the Republicans.

So, the true parallel is: Anti-Republican Party folk can bring down the Republican nominee.


When you figure it the other way, somehow, magically, demonstrations anywhere always hurt Democrats and always help Republicans. Cannot be.

So to all those rowdy signhangers, bicyclists (Chimp is just jealous cause he falls off his), Billionaires, Dancing Queens, Mice, and yes, Black Blocs, too, have fun and do some good. To quote a poster at DU with much better credentials than mine, "Let's get those Bush bastards!"

[Dhalgren]

23. You are absolutely right.

I noticed that "magical" leap from protesting against Democrats hurts Democrats to protesting against Republicans hurt Democrats. Eh? If this country and the Democratic party are so screwed that protesting against the Bush administration hurts the Kerry campaign, we should just quit now and save everyone a lot of time, money, and trouble. This is simply stupid!

[DeepModem Mom]

14. Looks right now on TV as if the statement is numbers, and it's beautiful!

Look at those streets of Manhattan filled with people! So far, so good.

[calimary]

15. Actually, I kinda like that line, up top -

"there is little evidence that Democratic Party officials are at the helm."

Especially in light of the Swifties' smear-jobs that have been linked to the bushies, several times over. The bushies WERE behind all of that. By contrast, THESE crowds weren't motivated by some party activists trying to stir things up. They're motivated by the shit that's been perpetrated on our country since georgie TOOK office. They're motivated by what the republi-CONS have jammed down our throats. They've come on their own. That is TELLING.

[GHOSTDANCER]

16. ANTI? I'd Say..................

For me it's a boarder line of Hate. If there's anything I can't stand..... It's ignorance or racism. The GOP is chaulked full of both of em! They've built a religion around it.
<http://www.bushflash.com/ihr.html>

[BiggJawn]

17. Oh, isn't that just SO simplistic?

"They're against Bush, so they must be Democrats...what? The Democrats don't claim 'em? Then who ARE they?"

It's not always black and white, is it?

Naderites don't like Bush. LaRouchies don't like Bush, Deaniacs don't like Bush, Anarchists don't like Bush, Enviromentalists don't like Bush...

The Media can't get their over-hair-sprayed brains around the truth that the man who thows them little scraps of "access" for their ratings wars is not universally loved....

[Keirsey]

22. freeper 2,000 plus thread

A few of them were delighted that there were so few pro-Kerry signs.

That it proves that 250,000 were not DNC related. Think about it. That many people, most with minds of their own, did not push Kerry.

That protest was anti-war, probably with more than 3 Republicans participating.

[glitch]

24. Stupid headline - the Dems didn't organize the protest - to claim it would

be a lie. So why even ask the question? Setup.