NPR: Intimidation of voters at Bush campaign rallies and speeches

[fiorello]

A vicious, vicious story from this morning's NPR. Audio only.

They interviewed 5 or more people who had been thrown out of Bush rallies. Most of them undecided or soft pro-Kerry Republicans. All of them outraged.

All were threatened with having their names "given to the Secret Service" and with being thrown in jail. One person was kept in jail for 2 hours.

The offenses of these dangerous people include: wearing Kerry button; wearing a pro-choice T-shirt, being in the company of someone wearing a Kerry button, or
having a Kerry button concealed somewhere on their person. People were frisked as they entered, and anyone with a Kerry button was thrown out.

The head of the Secret Service says they would never do that, though they say they might have thrown people out at the request of the Bush campaign.

In a lovely display of non-partisanship, NPR quoted a Bush campaign person saying that "Kerry was doing the same thing", and asked for names of people thrown out of Kerry rallies. The Bush campaign gave them one name- but the person did not return phone calls. Very tongue-in-cheek.

The link:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4076497

[missjudy6]

1. disgusting as usual

but not at all surprising.
Glad NPR is covering this story, but it's not enough. Should be covered by all news media. Hah, like that's gonna happen.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

2. I guess NPR isn't completely useless yet.

I'm surprised they ran this.

They were complete whores in the run up to invading Iraq.

[missjudy6]

5. National Pentagon Radio

seems they're returning ever so slightly to a tad left of center.
I have a republican brother, called him last year and said, you can listen to NPR now, I'm through

[MARALE]

10. What?

NPR has always been the most centered program around except for the run up to the war when they did not have any guts and got caught up in the war frenzy. It leans more right than anything, it just seems to lean left because of all the radical right wing leaning news stations out there.

[IdaBriggs]

3. It was a great story to wake up with this morning! nt

[Supersedeas]

4. the trend toward Rovian Democracy - don't forget what happened to TX

Dem state representatives who dared oppose the unlawful gerrymandering of Congressional districts.

There are all kinds of political uses for the Secret Service, State Patrolmen, and Department of Homeland Security.

Rove smiles about the future of 'Merican democracy.

[commander bunnypants]

6. Bushtapo

I heard it too.. I probably would of been arrested. I get kinda of volcal

DDQM

[amber dog democrat]

7. It bodes ill for IL Presidente

What kind of banana republic have we turned into?
One of the signs of a totolitarian state is controlled acces to public events.
When dissent is not permitted you are looking at fascism.

[missjudy6]

8. oh but you're forgetting "free speech zones"

apparently those people arrested and tossed were laboring under the delusion the first amendment covered their sins.

[Nimrod]

9. The jail cells ARE free speech zones

You even get a tin cup to rattle.

[amber dog democrat]

12. Your'e free to speak your mind, my friend.

as long as you agree with me.
Don't criticize the fatherland
or those who shape your destiny.

Cause if you do.

You'll lose your job, your mind, and all the friends
you knew.

We'll call out all our boys in blue.
They'll find a way to silence you.

Steppenwolf - 1969. I forgot the name of the song however. How prophetic is this?

oh and welcome aboard ! :toast:

[missjudy6]

17. Thanks for the welcome

and you're showing your age if you "forgot" the Steppenwolf song :-)
Very prophetic.

[MARALE]

11. I was appalled at the part

with the two people that got arrested at a non-campaign speech of his. They had a legal right to be there and were not disrupting except by wearing Kerry shirts. This USA is getting more dictatorship like than I have ever seen. All the freedoms that we fought for are getting taken away and many don't seem to care because they are too frightened of terrorists.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

13. This is the kind of shit that is turning moderates AWAY from Bushler

Republicans of the moderate kind are voting for Kerry. This will add to the movement.
Spread this story far and wide.

[Polemonium]

14. NO Dissent allowed

All dissenters will be... well they will be voting. BYE BYE

[Sparkly]

15. That would be a GREAT question for tonight!!!

Wouldn't it be wonderful if someone asked about these events, and what Chimp thought of having people ousted and even jailed for disagreeing with the preznit?

[LuminousX]

16. I think NPR is reacting to the number of people cancelling

their donations.

Yesterday they had a whole re-do over Juan William's total misinterpretation of Kerry's 'global test' phrase. I doubt NPR still gets the message, but it is at least a start.

[spanone]

18. I heard that story. Four more years and America is gone.