I don't think Mr. Keebler watches much elevision, he's very busy. Besides, I believe he's a Republican. :-)
Posted on 08/31/2004 12:02:41 PM PDT by clintonbaiter
Everyone who is paying attention to today's opening of the Republican convention in New York knows that the city is playing host to a sizable number of Bush protestors. In fact, even people who are paying no attention to the Republican convention know that New York is suddenly home to an anti-Bush demonstration scene. Whether you care about politics or not, it's just hard to miss things like naked AIDS protestors and "George Bush is the anti-Christ" signs. Somehow, they capture one's attention.
But President Bush needn't be overly worried about these demonstrations, for they are unlikely to generate much support or sympathy from mainstream Americans. In fact, there's a good chance they could do just the opposite, alienating middle of the road voters and convincing them to opt for Dubya simply because he's the opposite of the extremists currently clogging New York streets. For example, I'd be awfully surprised if anyone who uses the Bronx golf course that was vandalized by anti-war protestors on Saturday (there was $6,000 worth of damage) was suddenly filled with an urgent desire to elect John Kerry.
No, the anti-Bush protestors capturing headlines in the Big Apple are not having their desired effect of pushing the current president out of the White House. They're reminding Americans of the fringier, wackier side of the left that Democrats like John Kerry normally try to keep under wraps during an election year. And this is better anti-Democrat publicity than the Republicans could ever buy. What quicker way to cause second thoughts amongst Republican voters considering straying to Kerry than by wearing a "Keep your laws off my vagina" t-shirt or defacing public property with a spray paint propelling computer as Bush protestors have?
So if over the top demonstrations won't help kick Bush out of office and might actually work in his favor, why are the protestors nonetheless going ahead with their chanting and marching and vandalism? There are two possible answers: 1) because they don't buy my nut-jobs-turn-off-voters analysis and honestly believe they're changing voters' minds; or 2) because this really isn't about Bush at all, but rather is a handy excuse for some heavy-duty self-promotion. Of course, the fact that Michael Moore and Jesse Jackson have been among those leading the New York protest charge makes reason number two look that much more likely.
Well, that and the fact that so many of the "anti-Bush" protestors are protesting things other than Bush. Take the group protesting Starbucks hiring processes as a good example. As president of the United States, Bush may have a lot of important powers, but deciding who will have the honor of becoming a frappuccino-blending barista does not happen to be one of them. Clearly the anti-Stabucks crowd is using the Republican convention as a convenient way to get publicity for itself, rather than as a way to impact the election. Same goes for the pro-Hugo Chavez crew who are not only marching about a different vote in a different country (Venezuela), but are marching about a vote that's already been decided, to boot. That's why it's hard to ascribe a genuine motive of wanting a change in guard to the New York protestors' antics. I mean, sure these people would like to see Bush lose in November. What self-respecting leftist wouldn't? But at the moment, they're far more concerned with getting their faces on elevision .........
The problem with the Bush-protestors is that they weren't spanked as children.
I think the demonstrations give kerry the opportunity to position himself as the calm middle of the roader between two extremes. I would watch for his change of position to this strategy shortly after the convention.
Middle of the roader?
It's way too late for that!
No way, these are his people. He's stuck with them.
call it the halloween strategy.
"The problem with the Bush-protestors is that they weren't spanked as children."
The REAL problem with the Bush-protestors is that they STILL ARE children.
The unspanked but unaborted.
This piece is pretty good but I think the author overlooked one other possible motive for the demonstrations: self reinvention.
Most of these people have been brought up on turgid tales about how Grandma or Dad fought the right fight at the 1968 convention or some other pivotal date in the 1960s. Just like everybody over 55 personally flopped around in the mud at Woodstock, so too did innumerable Boomers participate in the "riots" and "protests".
Their children and grandchildren now want a piece of the historical pie for themselves and so they protest. Now they can say, "I was right there, Dude."
And so we can look forward to another couple of lefty indoctrinated generations.
I don't think Mr. Keebler watches much elevision, he's very busy. Besides, I believe he's a Republican. :-)
HUGE LOL !
Yeah, I would agree that a lot of this is orchestrated by warmed over woodstockers. I live in nyc and the woodstockers seem desperate to regain any relevence. The ponytail men are out in force.
Definitely. Thanks.
However, I wouldn't overlook the influence of the evil muslim groups. After all they share, along with our misguided youth, a desire to destroy GWB along with the rest of us.
that's an interesting idea, that they are concerned with getting on television. I think there is some truth to that. I never underestimate people's desperation to get on television. If only they could get more of these people on network reality dating shows they wouldn't be clogging up the park here.
Just as Kerry has demanded that Pres. Bush call of the Swiftboat Veterans, I think the time is ripe for the RNC to ask Kerry to call off the violent protests in NYC.
or at least ask Kerry to call John Sweeney to tell him to stop funneling union dues to finance them.
BTTT
Agreed .. but it shows they were lacking instruction in respect, honor, integrity .. and AMERICAN values.
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