Text 11272, 51 rader
Skriven 2005-04-10 02:36:08 av RICHARD JOHNSON (1:10/345)
Ärende: Amen
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Bush's believers-only speeches
A Times Editorial
Published April 9, 2005

The Bush administration might not appreciate the difference between campaign
events that are paid for through private donations and official events put on
with the public's money, but the Constitution surely does.

Everyone, regardless of their political affiliation, has a legal right to
expect equal access to one of Bush's public presidential appearances. The First
Amendment guarantees that government will not exclude anyone based on their
political leanings. But disturbing reports have arisen around the country that
entry into one of the president's Social Security speeches is being manipulated
to keep out those who don't already support the president.

In Denver, three people were ushered out of a recent Bush speech because they
had come in a car that sported a "No More Blood for Oil" bumper sticker. The
group had done no protesting at the event, but were physically removed by a man
who they thought was a Secret Service agent but came to learn was a local
Republican staffer.

A similar incident occurred at the University of Arizona where a student with a
"Young Democrats" T-shirt was barred from attending Bush's forum on Social
Security. His ticket was crumpled up by a staff member. And in North Dakota, a
blacklist of 40 people who were known progressives was used to keep them from
attending a Bush speech.

This mind-set - that events must be sanitized so that no critics are anywhere
near the president - permeated Bush's re-election campaign and has infected his
administration. When Bush came to the Tampa Convention Center in February to
tout his Social Security plan, tickets were passed out primarily through
Republican Party groups and the offices of Republican elected officials. A
spokesperson for Rep. Jim Davis, D-Tampa, whose district encompasses the
Convention Center, said that their office did not receive any tickets for the
event and has never received tickets for any event put on by the Bush
administration.

It is apparent that Bush and his handlers are afraid to allow even an inkling
of dissent in the audience. By avoiding legitimate questions, sticking with
those that are staged and scripted, and filtering out anyone who isn't willing
to cheer the the president, the administration creates the illusion that the
American people are fully behind the president.
˙ Copyright 2003 St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved

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Of course he's afraid, he IS a cowardly momma's boy after all.


 
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