Bullies Storm Republican Office

[Timefortruth]

http://www.540wfla.com/news2.html

A group of protesters caused a commotion Tuesday afternoon at the Bush-Cheney Headquarters at SR436 & the 408. The protestors rushed the front door and Orlando police spokesman, Sgt. Brian Gilliams says what happened 540 WFLA News Byte Bullies at Republican Office.

*more*

It looks like the October surprise is going to be a bunch of self inflicted wounds.

[Carolab]

1. Bunch of crap

ignore it

[Trajan]

17. Why is it we are told to look away ? ...

Why would you sweat any of us keeping an eye on things ? ...

[fishnfla]

38. Everyone read post 36 before responding. PLEASE

This was the AFL/CIO, not a Rovian thing.

I tried telling y'all yesterday, but my first hand knowledge was ignored.

Sometimes posting on the internet is like road rage, to me.We have this "power" and should behave reasonably, but we sit on our brains and act like idiots

[republicansareevil]

42. The "Rovian" aspect is in how it was spun.

I don't think anyone here thought they made this story up out of whole cloth -- just that there was probably more to the story... or less, depending on how you look at it. The original story, which I believe has been changed (did anyone save the original in its entirety?) painted a picture of thugs crashing onto private property and intimidating people. They claim that one of the Republicans was injured; perhaps his injuries were due to his own behavior. What would be the point of a labor group planning a violent protest? And the headline "Bullies Storm Republican Offices" is so obviously slanted it casts suspicion over the entire story. I might also add that this Orlando station is a Clear Channel station.

Similar events took place in other cities, such as Tampa. Why aren't we hearing about problems in these other cities? In fact, Tampa's own police department spokesperson confirms there was no violence:

http://news.tbo.com/news/MGBF1XMUYZD.html

The demonstrators did not disrupt business, said Rob Ray, Hillsborough County Democratic Party vice chairman.

"That's what they always try to say about working people - that when you demonstrate together for a cause, you're being a mob or a thug," Ray said. "No one was hurt. We abided by what the police officers asked us to do."

Protesters stayed in the public area of the headquarters or on the street, and they left when asked, said police spokeswoman Laura McElroy.

"They might have been boisterous or somewhat intimidating, but they didn't threaten anybody," McElroy said.

[bloom]

2. "self inflicted wounds"

I they get reported as such.

[JusticeForAll]

34. Purple Heart Bandaids

I am glad they are well-stocked.

[RoundRockD]

3. I thought that same thing when I read about gun shots being fired at...

a B/C Headquarters.

[w4rma]

26. Except that was done by bank robbers from across the street. (nt)

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. This is what Karl Rove (and now his students)

excell at.

Anybody read the Atlantic story on Karl Rove and his methods?

They are not only scary, but he now has pupils

[54anickel]

13. Has anymore info come out on those stolen laptops yet? n/t

[Supersedeas]

40. Rovian Brownshirt Democracy 101 - stage & blame slight of hand

[Cyrano]

5. Self-inflicted wounds my ass. Sounds like a Karl Rove operation.

[Timefortruth]

23. The Republicans inflicted this wound on themselves.

Not the Democrats.

[grytpype]

6. Yeah, it's all over.

Kerry might as well concede right now. All that commotion.

(no, I'm not serious)

[movonne]

7. Do you remember when the bush bullies stormed the election counting..

I not sure that these may not be set up by the repugs.

[mahina]

11. I once was hustled by some gypsies who stole beaucoup $, just this way.

They create a giant sense of urgency. Hurry up hurry up....NO WAY!
Take as long as it takes. Careful, deliberate, will not be rushed.
They will fail.

[AndyTiedye]

20. Were These the Culprits?

[tanyev]

8. Where was Phil?

[DURHAM D]

9. More details please . . .

[aquart]

10. That's it? They're parlocking?

I guess they thought, "What would WE do to THEM?" and did it to themselves.

[Eye and Monkey]

33. Yep, parlockosis. There's a rash of it, a veritable epidemic.

[Out the Parasites]

12. They will stop at nothing...

I hope they do arrest these so called "protesters".

:puke:

[Lucille]

14. protestors criminally trespass, destroy property, and batter an employee

Yet no charges are filed.

What bullshit.

Kinda reminds me of the "Clinton trashes the White House" story.

[glitch]

15. These guys don't have an original thought in their heads.

Perhaps their strategy is to bore us to death.

[fishnfla]

16. WAIT Y'all!! I heard one of the protesters talk on local talk radio

She sounded legit to me. They were protesting overtime pay rules. She gave a different version of events, but still no arrests. They were turning in petitions or somesuch. she said they were locked in the office and threatened with arrest, but were peaceful

I would wait and see before people start calling it a Rove set-up, because they had signed petitions and had alerted the media ahead of time, who were there, so I'd imagine there will be more details forth coming

[peekaloo]

44. so did I. It was union people fed up with Bu$h's treatment of labor.

Heard him on 104.1 The Phillips File......Phillips is a Kerry supporter btw.

[republicansareevil]

45. No one is saying there wasn't a protest.

FishnFla has been directing people to post #36 to prove that this actually happened. I, too, urge you to check out post #36. What it describes is a peaceful protest coordinated in 17 cities nationwide. The point was to hand-deliver postcards and petitions protesting the new restrictions on overtime pay. I have not come across any other reports of violence at any of these events. And I have not found any other corroboration that there was any violence in Orlando. The only one reporting that is a single Clear Channel station (which another poster reports carries Rush Limbaugh). And even that report omits any details that would allow anyone to verify this story. FishnFla has said there was a story in the Orlando Sentinal. I couldn't find it. I asked FIF in this thread and also sent him/her a personal message earlier today asking for a link to this story. FIF has not yet provided that link. That's why I believe this story is BS. I'm NOT denying there was a peaceful protest. If anyone wants to contact the Orlando police department and obtain a copy of the police report for this so-called violence, please feel free to do so and post the results here.

[fishnfla]

52. Look, I was trying to point out

that the whole PROTEST was not a Rovian operation, as DUers were falsely claiming here. I heard the labor lady on the radio. I cant link that. I came in here and thought that people were making judgement without cause.

the orlando sentinal story is on page A10 of todays edition "Protesters alarm Bush campaign workers" i'll try and post the link later

Maybe this is my misunderstanding, I felt that DUers were claiming the whole protest was a Rove set-up (as you skeptically thought too)not just the story

I mean look thru the posts above and below...

[republicansareevil]

54. Where did I claim the protest was a Karl Rove set-up?

I searched on this whole thread for the word "Rove" and I didn't see a single poster, including myself, who claimed that Rove was behind the protest. It's the story in the original link that we all think is BS -- well whatever the story ends up being, they've changed it so many times.

[fishnfla]

56. try posts 4,5,18,25,40,and 46

Whats up with you man?

OOps-I see what you mean, your skepicism is with the story about the protest

My issue is with the reaction to the protest on DU

I think we are arguing apples and oranges

[liberalmuse]

18. Rove used to plant bugs in his own office.

This story STINKS of a fat man named Rove.

[fishnfla]

19. I'm sorry to counter the groupthink but i think you are wrong

Why is everyone so quick to judge? Because of the headline? I think 540 is a clearchannel station.

I heard different version of events, from one of the protesters, she was calm and rational and explained things without hysterics. the host, a liberal,BTW was giving her a hard time, but she sounded legit to me


wait and see is all I'm saying

[republicansareevil]

27. Why are we so quick to judge?

Maybe because this is the umpteenth story with this theme in as many days and the others turned out to be a bunch of BS - of course not until after the false tales were spread far and wide. And you are correct that the headline doesn't help the credibility of this story. Like you, I am willing to "wait and see," but Republicans are not going to do the same. True or not, they are going to take this and run with it, and then the damage will be done. So, yes, I will "wait and see" if the story turns out to be true, but in the meantime I am applying a healthy dose of skepticism. My BS detector is in overdrive from all these stories lately. The burden of proof is on those who want to say this is a legitimate story, and so far, I haven't seen any convincing evidence. IMO this is "Parlockery", as other DUers have called it.

[fishnfla]

37. OOPS !! This was a legit AFL/CIO protest see post 36

The Orlando Sentinal contains an account which has quotes from AFL/CIO leaders. This was a protest DUers should be behind IMO

I dont care if I was right,but those who were so wrong should really get facts before they cast judgement.

[republicansareevil]

43. Please provide a link to this story in the Orlando Sentinal

I looked on their website and did not see one.

[DavidFL]

32. Yes, 540 AM is a CC "newsradio" station in Orlando that airs Rush et al.

And I heard the same story you did on our rightwing NBC affilliate here in Tampa during the 5 PM news. But I trust neither to give an accurate account of what happened. Has anyone come out with a report yet on what exactly happened?

[fishnfla]

39. I didnt hear a story

I heard a caller on a local talk radio show, I think it was Debra Booth, a local labor leader, she was there. I heard her version of the events first. Thats why I thought it was legit. But I guess, first hand information is automatically discounted (no link=no truth).

There is more information in post 36, the Orlando Sentinal had a piece today that quotes to of the AFL/CIO leaders.

[0007]

21. (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((gong)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))



[drscm]

22. Were they counting votes? eom

[MsMagnificent]

24. Clearly the Reichstag is Burning n/t

[Thurston Howell IV]

25. Hey, timefortruth

That is such small shit. If they (Rove & Co.) get desperate, they'll blow something up and blame it on Osama.

This ain't nothing.

[banana republican]

28. OVER 1000 US DEAD 20,000 IRAQIE'S

IS IT BALLOTS OR BULLETS TIME YET???????

[farmbo]

29. Were they wearing Brooks Brothers golf shirts?

circa November 2000?

[Voltaire99]

30. The WFLA story isn't even grammatically correct

Not a problem for Orlando's Bush-loving shit-kickers, presumably.

[Still_Notafraid]

31. They

Look like Republicans to me:P:P

[foo_bar]

35. where were these guys during the recount?

[soup]

36. Update October 6th - Tampa Tribune

Apologies for the duplicate post in LBN. Missed this yesterday. Guess it was the difference in headlines. From 'Bullies Storm Republican Office' to:

'Labor Activists Invade Bush's Campaign Sites'

By ELLEN GEDALIUS and WILLIAM MARCH The Tampa Tribune
Published: Oct 6, 2004

TAMPA - Labor activists stormed President Bush's campaign headquarters in Tampa on Tuesday, part of an orchestrated event nationwide involving thousands of people protesting his policies on overtime pay.

No one was injured or arrested in Tampa, police said. Miami and Orlando also were among the 17 cities in swing- voting states where the AFL-CIO organized such events.

Protesters, including construction and hospital workers, were armed with postcards and petitions expressing their disapproval of Bush's overtime policies. Some held signs reading: ``Don't Take Away Our Overtime.''
http://news.tbo.com/news/MGBF1XMUYZD.html

[Kimber Scott]

50. Armed with postcards and petitions... How could they be so cruel? nt

[HEyHEY]

41. Journalists get overtime pay? Not in my world

Dang

[ArnoldLayne]

46. Karl Rove is probably

behind it the big prick.

[Moderator]

47. Note from moderator

The original title was as the poster wrote. The source changed it.

[republicansareevil]

48. That's at least the second time they've changed the story.

And I still can't find this story anywhere else.

[OKNancy]

49. Right here in this thread

post 36

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x886329#887218

[republicansareevil]

51. That story describes a *peaceful* protest in *Tampa*

It mentions that events were coordinated in many other cities, including Orlando. Again, I am not disputing that there was a protest where postcards and petitions were delivered to GOP offices. What I would like corroboration on is the description of violence at the Orlando GOP HQ. So far, the only story we have is from a right-wing source that quotes only the Republican and which has an obviously slanted headline.

I'd like to see confirmation of these events from a real news source.
I'd like to hear from both sides.
I'd like to see the police report.

[Duncan Grant]

53. Oh, it's AM RADIO.

Thanks for that.

[NervousRex]

55. They got Parlock'd

n/t