I was mortified to see reports of a small group of demonstrators destroying property and creating a tiny riot.

I'm in a bit of Conspiracy Theory mode, but they seemed dressed intentionally to look like democrats, and I didn't see any protest signs, and it's just so not the usual Dem M.O. 

On the other hand, I've seen some militant Hillary supporters that scared the bejeezus out of me.  This could have been a stupid bunch of youths going too far with their demonstrations.  To be fair, they could have been Dem youths, or Repub youths trying to make the Dems look bad.

 HoneyBearKelly wrote: 

So we will be spared his stirring, historic "I Have A House" speech.

Rudy (9/11™) had been disinvited.

 MonkeyPod wrote: 
It may be that a massively scaled-down Convention is exactly what they need, because we won't see all the excesses and lobbyist inappropriateness that inevitably would happen.

On the other hand, I have first-hand understanding of the strength and power that comes from invigorating the volunteer base at an event like a convention.  They may avoid some embarrassment, but their weak organization on the ground will slow their get-out-the-vote movements.  With no convention excitement, that volunteer crew may remain pretty sluggish.  Even with the thrill they may feel about Palin.

We may look back and realize that best thing that could have happened for the Republicans was for them to avoid the intense media scrutiny that would have accompanied a national convention. It's a lot easier to spot all the smoke and mirrors if they get pinned down on some of the answers I've heard from the typical GOP operatives lately.

 uselessart wrote: 
  Give it time, it takes a very long time to send a Word document via telegraph.

Was there a memo or something about the convention?  And TPS cover sheets?  I think I missed it.

 Zep wrote: 
With GOP spending, from Gramm-Rudman to Gulf War II as a measure, it's an expense that the Republicans will be more than willing to let us taxpayers make...

Servo wrote:

That's some pretty expensive justice there...

It seems to me like the Republican convention is going to be a total bust.  McCain will be nominated, with no drama of the kind that came from the Hillary situation.  McCain has blown his wad by announcing his running mate before the convention, so there's no anticipation there.  And since both McCain and his token female have been doing a lot of campaigning and press interviews recently, I can't imagine any truly new material for the speeches at the RNC.

At best, the RNC will be a non-event.  But because Obama can also upstage McCain if he wants to (maybe an Obama & Clinton fact-finding trip to Georgia), and because of the storm that is reminding the world of how bad the Bush administration has failed, this seems to be a convention that could easily turn into a PR disaster for the GOP.

Looks like poetic justice to me...

Inamorato wrote:
oh, whoops!  something else to apologize for. 

Ex-Dem Chair Apologizes for Hurricane Remark

August 31, 2008 5:55 PM

ABC News' Teddy Davis Reports: Former DNC Chairman Don Fowler apologized on Sunday for joking in a private conversation that the timing of Hurricane Gustav demonstrates that God is on the side of the Democrats. 

"If this offended anybody, I personally apologize," Fowler told ABC News. "It was a mistake, and it was a satirical statement made in jest. And one that I clearly don't believe." 

Fowler was secretly recorded by the person sitting behind him while flying from Denver, Colo., to Charlotte, N.C., following the Democratic National Convention. His conversation with Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C., was anonymously posted to YouTube and highlighted by RedState.com, a conservative blog. 

"One doesn't anticipate that one's private conversation will be surreptitiously taped by some right-wing nutcase," said Fowler. "But that's the nature of what we're dealing with." 

Fowler, a superdelegate who endorsed Hillary Clinton in 2007, was caught on tape saying: "The hurricane’s going to hit New Orleans about the time they start. The timing is — at least it appears now that it’ll be there Monday. That just demonstrates that God’s on our side. Everything’s cool."

(Full story)

Lazy8 wrote:
I would never! 

n4ku wrote:

Oh good God! Thanks for the translation.

 katzendogs wrote:
Somebody off-camera says that the hurricane is due to arrive Monday. He replies that it shows god is on their side.

C'mon, if the situation was reversed Republicans might crack this kind of joke too.

 katzendogs wrote: 
He said that the timing of Gustav hitting NO on the opening day of the Republican convention was proof that 'God is on our (i.e. The Democrats) side.'

n4ku wrote:
I didn't understand what he said. A lil help please!

 Alpine wrote: 
Seriously.

n4ku wrote:
What a creep.

jadewahoo wrote:


I posted the following over in Hurricane Gustav.

n4ku wrote:
Insane? Maybe. Cool? Totally.

Speaking of riding Gustav, I saw Senator McCain putting on his presidential voice as he talked about the "disaster" (hasn't happened yet, has it?) in New Orleans and how the RNC was modifying the convention format because "we aren't going to be Republicans tomorrow, we are going to be Americans and stand together in the face of this "disaster". I think he's breathing a sigh of relief that he won't have to appear on the same stage as Bush/Cheney who have both canceled their appearances at the convention.