To get tickets to see Cheney, people must sign a "pledge of support".

[blueblitzkrieg]

"Phone lines burned across the Land of Enchantment among the Democratic faithful who hailed the new, muscular Kerry. And they relished the controversy that has broken out over Vice- president Cheney's Saturday Rio Rancho, NM visit saying ticket seekers to the event were being asked to sign a pledge of support before they got tickets. The pledge was being required, according to the GOP, because "liberal operatives" were planning to disrupt the Veep's visit."

http://joemonahansnewmexico.blogspot.com/

Is this not bizarre? A pledge of support? What the hell does that mean? Has anyone ever heard of something like this before?

[Spinzonner]

1. What's the penalty for lying

or changing your mind between the time you sign and attend ?

[blueblitzkrieg]

2. No clue - I just found this..

I don't see how they could punish you for breaking a 'pledge of support'..at least I don't think so. I'm not even sure what the hell a pledge of support is.

[Spinzonner]

4. Well, I guess its effectively a contract

and they could justifiably toss you ought for breaking it, which I'd assume is a clause of the form. Probably as a tresspass or the like.

[0007]

27. During the 50's one had to sign a contract for most employers

when being hired that you were not affiliated with the communist party. Also all service members of the armed forces had to sign.

[Solly Mack]

3. That's rather cowardly of you Cheney

but then, you are a coward...

[blueblitzkrieg]

5. omg

" Yier Shi, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee, which is putting on Saturday's event, confirmed that those interested in seeing Cheney were asked to sign an endorsement form if they couldn't be verified as Bush-Cheney supporters.
He said campaign workers got such verification by checking to see whether, among other things, someone has contributed money or volunteered for the campaign. When asked whether workers were also checking the party affiliation of those asking for tickets, he said that was a possibility."

" An endorsement form provided to the Journal by Random says: "I, (full name) ... do herby (sic) endorse George W. Bush for reelection of the United States." It later adds that, "In signing the above endorsement you are consenting to use and release of your name by Bush-Cheney as an endorser of President Bush."

This is so weird http://www.abqjournal.com/elex/204620elex07-30-04.htm

[gonefishing]

18. Land That I love

Where you can't listen to the words of a Govt official unless you agree with them. Whoa!

[NoQuarter]

6. It's about tactics.

"The pledge was being required, according to the GOP, because "liberal operatives" were planning to disrupt the Veep's visit."

This will quietly go away and they will go on quietly (or not) arresting anyone with anti-* anything.

But they just want to get the set-up out there for some Rove penned script.

remember that device he 'found' planted in his office?

[flordehinojos]

7. It used to be that in a real democracy people went to listen to candidates

as a way of helping themselves make up their minds about which candidate they wanted to vote for ... it seems Cheney is coercing votes out of people, constituents or not. How undemocratic can he get?

:wow:

[blueblitzkrieg]

9. It's pretty sad...

that our vice-president will only speak to people if they are a "verified Bush-supporter". What a puke.

[Nay]

17. And in a real democracy, you used to be able to go hear your

own vice-president speak whether you agreed with the guy or not. Jeezus. How fascist is this, everybody? Does anyone on the planet need any more confirmation that this bunch has lost its mind, if it ever had one??

[Blue Gardener]

19. Independents can't even get in

There were a couple of young gentlemen that were on the news here in Iowa that just wanted to see what Cheney had to say when he was in town. They had both been to see Kerry, and just wanted to hear what the other side had to say. They weren't allowed in to see Cheney because they wouldn't pledge their undying love for the Chimp. These men were not happy about it, they sounded pretty disgusted.

[VolcanoJen]

8. Sad to say this, but Dems have done this before, too.

Usually what you're asked to sign is a "Party Loyalty Pledge." I haven't seen it used in years, but it was definitely employed in other campaigns I've been involved in. It's a not-terribly-effective way of keeping disruptors out of the very front rows.

Not sure if the Cheney Pledge is a party pledge or a pledge to the Halliburton CEO God himself, though.

[JHB]

26. When and how often?

When and how often did Dems use this? I can imagine a few particular scenarios where it might be used, but for CheneyBush it seems to be Standard Operating Procedure -- used at EVERY event they attend.

[flordehinojos]

10. It used to be that in a real democracy,

people used to go to listen to the candidates as a way of helping them make up their minds about who they wanted to vote for. It seems that like the Bushes, Cheney knows that the Bush-Cheney ticket can't win unless the steal votes or coerce people by fear, intimidation or blackmail to vote for them. It seems Cheney is coercing people through blackmail to vote for them.
:wow:

[blueblitzkrieg]

11. Yep.

It sounds like they're just really alienating people, swing voters in particular:

'However, some who left the office off Osuna NE without tickets on Thursday said they're not affiliated with an operative group and should have a right to see their vice president without pledging their allegiance to Bush.
"I'm outraged at this. I'm being closed off by my own government. It's crazy," said East Mountains resident Pamela Random, who added that she is an unaffiliated voter.
John Wade of Albuquerque said he initially signed the endorsement but was having second thoughts before he even left the office. Wade, a Democrat, said he returned his tickets and demanded to get his endorsement form back.
"It's not right for me to have to sign an endorsement to hear (Cheney) speak," Wade said. "I'm still pissed. This just ain't right."'

[Dem2theMax]

12. Bush isn't the only one who needs meds.

Are they all frickin paranoid? What are they going to do? Hunt you down and shoot you if you don't keep your word and vote for Bush?
Are they going to get Homeland Security to come and arrest you for being a terrorist if you don't 'keep your word?'
I don't know WHAT country the Bush gang is living in, but it sure isn't the America I was born in.

In all seriousness, I think they've lost it. If they have to come up with such bizarre ideas to try to win (steal, pay for) votes, they are on a downhill slide. And there ain't no rope tow to bring em' back up the hill.

[sandnsea]

13. Hey, he's supposed to be everybody's VP

Okay, I need a swig of Pepto after typing that, but still. What the hell is going on in this country when ANY American can't go see the Vice President? And those asshats create this hatred and love doing it. It's revolting. There really is a special place in hell for them.

[lapfog_1]

14. No, this is a good thing

that they only address their base, plus they tell fence
sitters and undecideds that they can't listen to the candidates
without first deciding (and we have ways of checking on you!),
then they don't get those votes. All they get is the positive
crowd TV image and no disruptions. Good for them. But they
can't win with just their base.

[blueblitzkrieg]

15. Exactly...

the Zogby poll shows Kerry is up over Bush in NM - 52% to 42%. I don't think barring the undecideds from seeing Cheney talk unless they 'endorse Bush' is going to help their cause...it'll just piss off the undecideds who will vote Kerry or stay home. SO STUPID!

[izzie]

21. Well yar if you look at it that way. But will this----------

also tell some of the base that pretty soon you must be of the right church also? I wonder if they can see what that means?

[Kenergy]

16. Screening

I think they were just screening people so that the 'liberal'
media wouldn't see any dissent, or chainsaws :-)

[izzie]

20. Well that sounds like the Germany army. They did to Hitler and Not Germany

But I guess that is not fair. It is what popped into my head when you asked the question.

[Pepperbelly]

22. The Great Loyalty Oath Crusade from Catch-22.

And how many loyalty oaths did YOU sign, Yosarian?

[Krupskaya]

23. Yes, this happened in Duluth

...a few weeks ago, when Bush came to visit. When people called to get tickets, they were asked who they would vote for. If they said "Kerry" or "I haven't decided yet" or "That's really none of your business" or "I'm not going to vote, I just think it's important that my kids see the president of the United States," or anything except "Bush! Smiling!" then they were turned down for tickets. They were asked at the door, then, too. Nice.

[truthspeaker]

24. So sign it. He lies, we lie.

[blueblitzkrieg]

25. It's kind of horrifying...

the thought of the Repukes having my name down as an official endorser of George Bush. Gives me the shivers!!