Bush War is for GOP Profit
2006-01-31 06:40:09 UTC
Just remember if you disagree you will be silenced!!
October 18, 2004
The Bush Campaign Playbook: Step One - Filter Democracy
At campaign stops across the country, the Bush-Cheney campaign has
practiced a Republicans-only policy, barring individuals that disagree
with the President from public campaign events. The Republican National
Committee has even required event-attendees to sign endorsement forms
that pledge their support for the re-election of Bush.
Whether you're a World War II veteran, a pro-choice independent, a
grieving mother, a FEMA worker, or even a high school student, if you
question Bush's leadership or don't belong to his political party,
you don't have the right to see your president, ask him questions and
understand where he stands on the issues. What follows is a sampling of
stories, from across the country, of individuals banned from Bush's
campaign events.
THE BUSH CAMPAIGN'S COORDINATED EFFORT TO DENY ACCESS
Republican National Committee Requires Voters To Sign Loyalty Oaths
Rally-Attendees In New Mexico Were Required To Sign Endorsement Forms
Before Entering Bush-Cheney Rallies. The Republican National Committee
is requiring voters to sign endorsement forms before they attend
campaign rallies featuring Vice President Cheney or President Bush.
When Vice President Dick Cheney spoke on July 31st to a crowd of 2,000
in Rio Rancho, NM, voters were required to sign an endorsement form in
order to receive a ticket to hear Cheney "Whose vice president is
he?" asked a 72-year-old John Wade. "I just wanted to hear what my
vice president had to say, and they make me sign a loyalty oath." The
form's endorsement begins, "I, ___," requiring individuals to
state their name, position, hometown and state, "do hereby endorse
George W. Bush for re-election of the United States." Attendees then
date and sign the form. A disclaimer box underneath the signature line
states, "In signing the above endorsement you are consenting to use
and release of your name by Bush-Cheney as an endorser of President
Bush." [Boston Globe, 8/9/04]
RNC Falsely Claimed That Bush-Cheney Events Do Not Require Endorsement
Forms. An RNC spokesman, Danny Diaz, claimed that RNC rallies are
separate from Bush-Cheney campaign events and that the Bush-Cheney
campaign does not require endorsement forms from attendees. Diaz
justified the policy saying, "They want to make sure people can hear
the president and vice president's vision for the next four years,"
he said. "There are thousands of volunteers who sacrifice and work
hard on the campaign and who deserve to see and hear their president
without being disrupted and disrespected." However, Democrats and
Independents have been turned away at Bush-Cheney rallies in Minnesota,
Iowa, Nevada and West Virginia. [Boston Globe, 8/9/04; AP, 7/10/04;
Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 6/19/04; Telegraph Herald, 5/4/04; Reno
Gazette-Journal, 6/19/04]
Secret Service Colludes In Keeping Events Bush-Friendly
The Secret Service Has Banned Anti-Bush Protesters Since September
2001. The Secret Service has actively barred individuals from
protesting President Bush since he took office in early 2001.
Individuals across the country have been banned from displaying
anti-Bush messages at dozens of appearances. The ACLU filed a suit
against the Secret Service in September 2003, seeking an injunction
against the Bush administration from sequestering protestors at the
president's public appearances. Most recently in West Virginia, a
FEMA worker and her husband were arrested for wearing anti-Bush
t-shirts at a public appearance billed by Bush as a presidential visit.
The couple were forcibly removed from the event and arrested. Witold
Walczak, a lawyer who has filed suit against the Secret Service for the
ACLU, said that since the event was a presidential visit, it made it
"an even more glaring violation of the First Amendment."
[Charleston Gazette, 7/14/04; Cox News Service, 9/23/03]
Internal Secret Service Memo From September 2002 Said Protestors Could
Not Be Treated Differently. The Secret Service had an internal memo
dated September 2002, saying that agents could not treat protestors
differently or worse than anyone else at a presidential appearance.
[Charleston Gazette, 7/14/04]
ACLU Case Against Secret Service Segregating Protestors At Bush Events
Was Thrown Out. The Secret Service had been telling local police that
they should be segregating anyone displaying anti-administration
messages in areas out of sight and earshot of President Bush. However,
when the ACLU filed a suit against the Secret Service, they agreed with
the ACLU and said that they should not be separating protestors.
Because they agreed with the ACLU, the judge threw out the case. Since
that case was filed, the ACLU has reported only two incidences of a
"no-protest zone" in Little Rock, AK and Knoxville, TN. [Charleston
Gazette, 7/14/04]
Bush-Cheney Campaign Racially Profiles Journalists
Cheney Campaign Worker Demanded To Know Race of Asian American
Newspaper Photographer. A Cheney campaign worker called the Arizona
Daily Star to check the name, date of birth, social security number and
race of a photographer assigned to cover a political event that the
Vice President would attend in Tucson. The paper, which had never been
questioned on the race of a journalist before, refused to answer the
question. The Asian American Journalist Association's [AAJA]national
officers issued a statement saying that "the demand bordered on
racial profiling." Abe Kwok, AAJA vice president for print, said he
was "troubled at published reports that the inquiry of race as made
of some journalists and not others." A Bush-Cheney campaign spokesman
said the request came from the Secret Service, but reporters and
photographers are usually asked to provide only name, date of birth and
Social Security number when requesting access to political events. The
paper was told that the journalist's race was "necessary to allow
the Secret Service to distinguish her from someone else who might have
the same name." "It was a very lame excuse," said Terry Hayt, the
paper's managing editor. [PR Newswire, 8/3/04, Newsday, 8/3/04;
Arizona Daily Star, 7/31/04]
INDIVIDUALS THREATENED, THROWN OUT OF BUSH EVENTS
Grieving Gold Star Mom Was Handcuffed At Laura Bush Event
A Gold Star Mom Woman, Who Lost Her Son In Iraq, Is Forcibly Removed
Iraq at a campaign event with Laura Bush. Niederer wore a t-shirt with
the worlds "President Bush You Killed My Son" and brought a framed
picture of him with her to the event. She interrupted Bush's speech,
demanding to know why her son, 24-year old Army First Lt. Seth Dvorin,
had to die because of Bush's misguided policy in Iraq. Secret service
and local police handcuffed Niederer and detained her in the back of a
police van. Laura Bush continued to speak, making many references to
the September 11th attacks. "Too many people here had a loved one
that went to work in New York that day," Bush said. "It's for our
country, it's for our children, our grandchildren that we do the hard
work of confronting terror." [AP, 9/16/04]
High School Students Threatened At Bush Campaign Event: "A Sniper"
Could "Take Him Out"
John Sachs, an 18-year old high school senior went to see Bush in
Clive, IA. Sachs got a ticket to the event from school and wanted to
ask the president about whether there would be a draft, about the war
in Iraq, Social Security and Medicare. At the event, a campaign staffer
pulled Sachs aside and made him remove his button that read:
'Bush-Cheney '04: Leave No Billionaire Behind.' "The staffer
quizzed him about whether he was a Bush supporter, asked him why he was
there and what questions he would be asking the president. 'Then he
came back and said, 'If you protest, it won't be me taking you out. It
will be a sniper,' Sachs said. 'He said it in such a serious tone it
scared the crap out of me.'" [Des Moines Register, 10/16/04]
Woman In West Virginia Was Fired For Protesting At Bush Event
FEMA Worker Was Lead Away In Handcuffs For Wearing Anti-Bush T-Shirt At
A Presidential Visit, Then Ordered From Her Post In West Virginia.
Nicole Rank and her husband were lead away in handcuffs during the
President's July 4th visit to Charleston, WV for wearing t-shirts
that said, "Love America, Hate Bush." The couple was ticketed,
released and given summonses to appear in court. Rank, who was working
in West Virginia for the Federal Emergency Management Association, was
taken off her assignment and sent home by the federal coordinating
office for FEMA. FEMA officials refused to say whether she had been
fired from her job, but her husband later revealed that she had been
fired. The event was billed as an official presidential visit and not a
campaign stop, but Bush-Cheney campaign buttons were sold on the
grounds of the Capitol. All those given access to the event had applied
for tickets ahead of time, and were given a list of prohibited items
that did not include political t-shirts, buttons or lapel pins. Those
wearing pro-Bush t-shirts were left alone. [The Charleston Gazette,
7/9/04, 7/8/04]
West Virginia man who heckled President Bush at a political rally was
fired from job. Glen Hiller, a graphic designer, expressed his
disagreement with President Bush at a Hedgesville High School rally.
When he returned to work the next day at Octavo Designs, he was told he
had embarrassed a client and was dismissed. "All I did was show up
and voice my opinion," Hiller said. [AP, 8/21/04]
Pro-Choice T-Shirt Grounds For Removal At Bush-Cheney Events
Family of Three Was Kicked Out Of Bush Event For Bringing A Pro-Choice
T-Shirt. The Millers, a family of three - husband, wife and daughter
- were removed from a Bush-Cheney campaign event because the wife,
Barbara Miller, brought a pro-choice t-shirt with her. A campaign
worker confiscated the t-shirt informing the family that "We don't
accept any pro-choice, non-Republican paraphernalia." The campaign
worker returned an hour later with another worker and a security guard
and accused the Millers of "smuggling t-shirts." Barbara Miller,
who brought the t-shirt because she was cold and had not considered the
implications of its pro-choice logo, reports that a guard grabbed their
three tickets from her hand and ripped them up "violently and told
her, 'They're no good anymore.'" A Bush campaign spokeswoman,
Jennifer Millerwise, defended the right of the campaign to ask
individuals who intend to "disrupt campaign events" to leave.
"These events are put on ... for people of an open mind who are
interested in hearing [Bush's] positive message and his vision for a
future," she said. Theresa Miller, the daughter, said that was what she
was there to do. "I'm not an American? I can't see my president?"
she asked. [Saginaw News, 8/6/04]
Teachers Who Believe In Civil Liberties Are Kicked Out of Bush Event
School Teachers Are Threatened With Arrest For Wearing "Protect Our
Civil Liberties." In Medford, OR, three school teachers "were
threatened with arrest and escorted from the event after they showed up
wearing T-shirts with the slogan 'Protect our civil liberties.' All
three said they applied for and received valid tickets from Republican
headquarters in Medford," the Associated Press reported. "The women
said they did not intend to protest. "I wanted to see if I would be
able to make a statement that I feel is important, but not offensive,
in a rally for my president," said Janet Voorhies, 48, a teacher in
training. "We chose this phrase specifically because we didn't think
it would be offensive or degrading or obscene," said Tania Tong, 34, a
special education teacher." Republican officials attempted to
distance themselves from the event. A Bush campaign spokesman, Tracey
Schmitt, said: "It is not the position of the campaign that wearing a
T-shirt that says protect civil liberties is enough to conclude someone
is disruptive." [AP, 10/14/04; Oregonian, 10/16/04]
Woman In Alabama Fired For Kerry Sticker On Car
Alabama woman lost job for sporting Kerry sticker on car. Lynne
Gobbell, of Moulton, AL, lost her job after her boss demanded she
remove the Kerry-Edwards bumper sticker from her car. "The manager
told her to go back to work, but he came back a few minutes later and
said, 'I reckon you're fired. You could either work for him or John
Kerry,' Gobbell said." 'It upset me and made me mad that he could
put a letter in my check expressing his (political) opinion, but I
can't put something on my car expressing mine.' " [Decatur Daily
News, 9/12/04; AP, 9/15/04]
Man in Maryland Fired For Hosting Pro-Kerry Message Board
An alternate delegate to the Democratic National Convention forced out
of job for support of Kerry. Ono Ekeh was dismissed from his position
at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for organization's
computers in moderating a 'Catholics for Kerry' message board. He
made 31 of the message board's 401 posts between late August 2003 and
February 2004. "U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops spokesman Bill
Ryan said the organization would not fire anyone merely for supporting
a particular political candidate, but declined to comment on the Ekeh
matter." [Capital News Service, 7/23/04; Knight Rider, 7/30/04]
College Newspapers Denied Access To Bush Campaign Appearance
College Newspapers' Reporters And Photographers Told That They Should
Be In School Instead Of Trying To Report About Presidential Visit.
Reporters and photographers from the Des Moines Area Community College
[DMACC] and Iowa State University newspapers were denied access to see
the President in Des Moines. The students were not included on the list
of approved media when they arrived, despite faxing their request for
credentials well ahead of the event's press deadline. Mike Allsup, a
student reporter from the DMACC Chronicle, said that the "White House
advance staff told him his time would be better spent in school. 'It
really is not fair that we represent 14,000 students at my college and
I'm disregarded and sent away.'" "A news crew from WQAD
television in Moline, IL was not on the approved media list but allowed
into the event," alleged Iowa State Daily photography editor Eric
Rowley. [Des Moines Register, 4/16/04]
INCIDENTS FROM ACROSS THE STATES
Seating For Republicans Only: Minnesota
Campaign Staff Prevent Democrats And Independents From Attending July
13th Bush-Cheney Rally In Duluth, MN. Bush-Cheney campaign staff,
trying to ensure a friendly crowd for Bush's rally in Duluth, would
not hand out tickets to Democrats or Independents, if they admitted
that they weren't sure they were voting for Bush. Many residents were
angered that only Republicans would be given the opportunity to attend
the Bush-Cheney rally. A Duluth resident, Jan Witte, questioned who
Bush really represented. "He's my president too... I just thought I
should be able to hear him speak." [AP, 7/10/04]
ACT Campaign Worker Told That Only Bush Backers Could Hear The First
Lady Speak. Meighan Mills Stone, a spokeswoman for Americans Coming
Together, a 527 working to defeat Bush, tried to attend a campaign
event of about 1,700 Republican-faithful to hear Laura Bush in St.
Paul, MN. Stone had received tickets ahead of time from the Bush-Cheney
campaign. Stone had her tickets confiscated in line and was told that
the event was for Bush backers only. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press,
6/19/04]
Tim Walz, a 23 year National Guard veteran wanted to hear his
commander-in-chief. He was allowed into the quarry event after the two
young men he was escorting were told to leave the event because one of
the young men had a Kerry sticker in his wallet. When Walz objected he
was first told to leave as well. Then, a Bush official asked if he
supported the President. When he said he did not, the Bush official
told him he had to leave as well and he was threatened with arrest.
When he informed the official that he had just returned from overseas,
the official begrudgingly allowed him to stay with the admonition that
the Secret Service would be watching him. [Minneapolis-St. Paul Star
Tribune, 8/13/04]
Two young high school students turned away from Bush rally in Mankato,
Minnesota. The young men were denied tickets for making unfavorable
comments while waiting in line for three hours. They were then given
tickets, but when they got off the shuttle bus at the event, they were
denied entry. A Mankato West High School teacher who defended the boys
was also prevented from going in and threatened with arrest upon being
ordered to leave. [Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune, 8/13/04]
Seating for Republicans Only: Michigan
A school teacher's ticket is torn up and she is barred from entry into
Bush event for wearing Kerry-Edwards sticker on blouse. "But Ralph
Soffredine, a Traverse City commissioner, school board member and
former police chief who worked security at the front gate, said it is
part of the Bush campaign policy." The fifty-five year old wanted the
experience of seeing a president and hearing him speak, but instead
left wondering this is truly a democracy. [Traverse City Record-Eagle,
8/17/04]
"if you are an undecided voter or an independent, you might have to
make the case that you are willing to support Bush." The Ottawa
County Republicans handed out tickets after first asking for ID and if
people were Republicans or open to the President's ideas. [The Grand
Rapids Press, 9/11/04]
Seating for Republicans Only: Wisconsin
Party workers made sure the audience was made up of Bush supporters.
Individuals seeking tickets were brought in either individually or with
another person and asked if they were Republicans. If they said
"no" they were then asked if they had an open-minded approach to
the coming election. A state spokesman confirmed that the campaign was
primarily trying to reward past supporters. [The Chippewa Herald,
8/17/04]
Wisconsin elected official ejected from Bush event. Outagamie County
Supervisor Jayson Nelson was removed from the VIP list for the event
for 'inappropriate attire'. He had a Kerry t-shirt fully hidden
under his button down shirt. He was ordered out of line and told to
take off his outer shirt revealing the Kerry t-shirt. At that point a
female election worker called police over, exclaiming "Look at his
shirt! Look at his shirt!" The police told him he must leave and
directed him to the Secret Service. The Secret Service informed him he
had broken no laws, that the same would happen at a Kerry event and
that he still must leave. [The Post Crescent, 7/18/04]
Seating For Republicans Only: Iowa
A World War Two Veteran Didn't Qualify To Hear The President. Bill
Ward, a veteran of World War II, got into line at 7:30 am to get
tickets to see Bush in Dubuque, IA. He waited in line for an hour, and
when it finally came time to show his identification campaign staff
asked him if he had voted for Bush in 2000. "I didn't vote for him
then and I won't vote for him now," declared Ward. Ward identified
himself to the campaign workers as a World War II vet who served in
France and Germany. Critical of the war in Iraq, Ward said, "The only
thing I wanted to do was get down to the riverfront and ask Bush some
questions." Ward recalled, "They asked some girl to escort me out
and I told them I don't need to be escorted out. I'm a veteran of
World War II." [Telegraph Herald, 5/4/04]
19-Year Old Political Science Major Need Not Apply. Matt Trewartha, a
19-year old political science major was excited to see hear the
President during his campaign stop in Dubuque, IA. However, after
waiting in line for more than an hour, Matt was turned away empty
handed. He writes in an editorial in the Telegraph Herald, "When I
finally reached the [campaign] office, I was pulled aside by a campaign
official and told that I would not be given the four tickets that I
desired because of a comment I had made in line about not being a
Republican. After a lengthy discussion and my promise to be respectful,
I was turned away empty handed. I though this was a public event with
the community as the guest, but the man told me that they were
selecting the guests." [Opinion, Telegraph Herald, 5/11/04]
Seating For Republicans Only: Nevada
Campaign Staff Rips Up The Tickets Of Three Teenagers. In Reno, Nevada,
Bush's campaign workers stalked the line of attendees to a Bush rally
to ensure that only his supporters were allowed inside. "Three Reno
teenagers had tickets pulled out of their hands and ripped to pieces by
a campaign staff member after someone in line pointed out an anti-Bush
sticker on one of the teens' shirts." 17-year old Jonathan Daniel
tried to assure staff that he wouldn't make trouble and only wanted
to hear the president on the issues. The campaign would not be swayed.
Daniel protested, "I believe it's my right as an American to hear
where he is leading our country." [Reno Gazette-Journal, 6/19/04]
Seating For Republicans Only: Arizona
Bush Spokesman Says Woman Should "Come To Her Senses" and Support
Bush If She Wants To See Him. Sue Walitsky, communications director for
the Kerry-Edwards campaign in Arizona, had a valid ticket to see Bush
speak at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, AZ, but the
Bush-Cheney campaign refused her admittance with no explanation.
Walitsky said that she wore no Kerry button and did not bring any Kerry
campaign chum that would have upset Bush supporters. Danny Diaz, a
spokesman for the Bush campaign said, "If she's willing to come to
her senses and support him, we'll be happy to welcome her in."
Walitsky said that the Kerry campaign allows everyone with valid
tickets, regardless of political affiliation, to attend Kerry campaign
events. [Arizona Republic, 8/11/04]
March 30, 2005
Kicked Out of Bush Speech - For Liberal Bumper Stickers
Three people who tried to attend President Bush's "town hall" meeting
in Denver, Colorado, were forcibly removed. Why? Because they had
bumper stickers on their cars supporting liberal causes. How horrible!
Why weren't they shipped immediately to Guantanamo?
KCTV 5 reports:
The three said they had obtained tickets through the office of Rep.
Bob Beauprez, R-Colo., had passed through security and were preparing
to take their seats when they were approached by what they thought was
a Secret Service agent who asked them to leave. ... "The Secret Service
had nothing to do with that," said Lon Garner, special agent in charge
of the Secret Service district office in Denver. "We are very sensitive
to the First Amendment and general assembly rights as protected by the
Constitution."
"They hadn't done anything wrong. They weren't dressed
inappropriately, they didn't' say anything inappropriate," Recht said.
"They were kicked out of this venue and not allowed to hear what the
president had to say based solely on this political bumper sticker. The
very essence of the First Amendment is that you can't be punished for
the speech you make, the statements you make," Recht said.
[A] group called Americans United to Protect Social Security said
there have been at least two additional instances where people who have
done nothing wrong have been removed or barred from a Bush event
beforehand. One instance happened in February in Fargo North Dakota,
where a "black list" of people banned from getting tickets was obtained
and published by the Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. The White House and the
Republican Party denied such a list existed and Gov. John Hoeven's
staff said nobody was denied tickets.
Daily Kos has a report from one of those who were affected:
The Secret Service revealed that we were "ID'ed" when local
Republican staffers saw a bumper sticker on the car we drove which said
"No More Blood For Oil." Evidently, the free speech expressed on one
bumper sticker is cause enough to eject three citizens from a
presidential event. (Similarly, someone was ejected from Bush's Social
Security privatization event in Arizona the same day simply for wearing
a Democratic t-shirt.)
The Secret Service also revealed that ticket distribution and
staffing of the Social Security event was run by the local Republican
Party. They wanted us to be clear that it was a Republican staffer -
not the Secret Service - who kicked us out of the presidential event.
But this revealed something else that should be startling to all
Americans.
After allowing taxpayers to finance his privatization events (let's
call them what they really are after all,) and after using the White
House communications apparatus to set them up, Bush is privatizing the
ticket distribution and security staffing at his events to the
Republican Party. The losers are not just taxpayers, but anyone who
values the First Amendment. Under the banner of a "private event" the
Republican Party is excluding citizens from seeing their president
because of the lone sin of expressing the wrong idea on a bumper
sticker or t-shirt. The question for Americans is - will we allow our
freedom to be privatized?
What is with the Bush regime? Are they really that afraid of what they
will hear from real citizens at these events that they can't bear the
thought of non-Republicans attending? Do they really have to control
every possible level of detail, even down to the political orientation
of who listens to Bush speak? Are they really that interested in a
one-party society?
Bush, the uniter... as long as you already happen to agree with him.
Bush-backers-only policy riles voters at RNC rallies
By Steve Larese, Globe Correspondent | August 9, 2004
RIO RANCHO, N.M. -- A Republican National Committee practice of having
people sign a form endorsing President Bush or pledging to vote for him
in November before being issued tickets for RNC-sponsored rallies is
raising concern among voters.
ADVERTISEMENT
When Vice President Dick Cheney spoke July 31 to a crowd of 2,000 in
Rio Rancho, a city of 45,000 near Albuquerque, several people who
showed up at the event complained about being asked to sign endorsement
forms in order to receive a ticket to hear Cheney.
''Whose vice president is he?" said 72-year-old retiree John Wade of
Albuquerque, who was asked to sign the form when he picked up his
tickets. ''I just wanted to hear what my vice president had to say, and
they make me sign a loyalty oath."
Nick Lucy, a 64-year-old veteran and Democrat, said he was turned away
from a May 7 rally in Dubuque, Iowa, at which President Bush spoke even
though he had a ticket given to him by a local Republican leader. Lucy,
who was not asked to sign a form, said he has seen every president
since Ronald Reagan, but he was denied access because he is not a
registered Republican. He is a Democrat and a past commander of the
American Legion in Dubuque who plays taps at veterans' funerals.
''They asked the police to escort me out of there," Lucy said. ''I
wasn't going to disrupt anything, but I probably wasn't going to clap a
lot, either. Every rally the president goes to everyone is cheering for
him because they're handpicked."
Republicans contend they foiled a plot by America Coming Together, a
527 organization that supports the Democratic Party, to disrupt the New
Mexico rally. The 527 groups are so named for the provision in the tax
code that applies to tax-exempt political organizations that operate
outside party and candidate organizations.
RNC spokesman Yier Shi said RNC campaign rallies are not official
visits, but party events designed to energize the Republican base . He
said everyone is welcome at the rallies as long as they support
President Bush.
Shi said similar forms are used at other reelection and fund-raising
rallies sponsored by the RNC.
He added that the decision was made to use the forms at the New Mexico
rally after the local RNC office received ''suspicious calls" about the
event before it was advertised. He said the caller identification
indicated some numbers were from cellphones of members of America
Coming Together.
''I think the Democrats are just disappointed we thwarted their plans
to disrupt our event," he said.
Geri Prado, New Mexico coordinator for America Coming Together, denies
her group planned to disrupt Cheney's speech.
The form Wade was asked to sign had a disclaimer saying no public funds
were used to produce it.
Wade said he filled out the form, was given two tickets, but had second
thoughts about signing an endorsement he didn't believe in. Wade said
he explained his misgivings to a supervisor, and the form was quickly
located. The supervisor wrote ''Do Not Use" on the form, but Wade
insisted it be given to him. In the end, Wade said, he offered to give
back his tickets in exchange for the endorsement, which he did.
''Sure I'm a Democrat and I'll go head to head with you one on one, but
I would never disrupt a speech by the vice president," Wade says.
Bush-Cheney spokesman Danny Diaz said that RNC rallies are separate
from Bush-Cheney events and that he does not know of any endorsement
forms being requested of people attending Bush-Cheney-sponsored events.
But he says said he understands why the RNC would require such forms at
the campaign events.
''They want to make sure people can hear the president and vice
president's vision for the next four years," he said. ''There are
thousands of volunteers who sacrifice and work hard on the campaign and
who deserve to see and hear their president without being disrupted and
disrespected."
The campaign of John F. Kerry, the Democratic nominee, has had to deal
with Republican hecklers at events. The Kerry-Edwards communications
director for New Mexico, Ruben Pulido, said that when Kerry visited New
Mexico on July 10, several Bush supporters shouted ''Viva Bush" and
waved flip-flops.
October 18, 2004
The Bush Campaign Playbook: Step One - Filter Democracy
At campaign stops across the country, the Bush-Cheney campaign has
practiced a Republicans-only policy, barring individuals that disagree
with the President from public campaign events. The Republican National
Committee has even required event-attendees to sign endorsement forms
that pledge their support for the re-election of Bush.
Whether you're a World War II veteran, a pro-choice independent, a
grieving mother, a FEMA worker, or even a high school student, if you
question Bush's leadership or don't belong to his political party,
you don't have the right to see your president, ask him questions and
understand where he stands on the issues. What follows is a sampling of
stories, from across the country, of individuals banned from Bush's
campaign events.
THE BUSH CAMPAIGN'S COORDINATED EFFORT TO DENY ACCESS
Republican National Committee Requires Voters To Sign Loyalty Oaths
Rally-Attendees In New Mexico Were Required To Sign Endorsement Forms
Before Entering Bush-Cheney Rallies. The Republican National Committee
is requiring voters to sign endorsement forms before they attend
campaign rallies featuring Vice President Cheney or President Bush.
When Vice President Dick Cheney spoke on July 31st to a crowd of 2,000
in Rio Rancho, NM, voters were required to sign an endorsement form in
order to receive a ticket to hear Cheney "Whose vice president is
he?" asked a 72-year-old John Wade. "I just wanted to hear what my
vice president had to say, and they make me sign a loyalty oath." The
form's endorsement begins, "I, ___," requiring individuals to
state their name, position, hometown and state, "do hereby endorse
George W. Bush for re-election of the United States." Attendees then
date and sign the form. A disclaimer box underneath the signature line
states, "In signing the above endorsement you are consenting to use
and release of your name by Bush-Cheney as an endorser of President
Bush." [Boston Globe, 8/9/04]
RNC Falsely Claimed That Bush-Cheney Events Do Not Require Endorsement
Forms. An RNC spokesman, Danny Diaz, claimed that RNC rallies are
separate from Bush-Cheney campaign events and that the Bush-Cheney
campaign does not require endorsement forms from attendees. Diaz
justified the policy saying, "They want to make sure people can hear
the president and vice president's vision for the next four years,"
he said. "There are thousands of volunteers who sacrifice and work
hard on the campaign and who deserve to see and hear their president
without being disrupted and disrespected." However, Democrats and
Independents have been turned away at Bush-Cheney rallies in Minnesota,
Iowa, Nevada and West Virginia. [Boston Globe, 8/9/04; AP, 7/10/04;
Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 6/19/04; Telegraph Herald, 5/4/04; Reno
Gazette-Journal, 6/19/04]
Secret Service Colludes In Keeping Events Bush-Friendly
The Secret Service Has Banned Anti-Bush Protesters Since September
2001. The Secret Service has actively barred individuals from
protesting President Bush since he took office in early 2001.
Individuals across the country have been banned from displaying
anti-Bush messages at dozens of appearances. The ACLU filed a suit
against the Secret Service in September 2003, seeking an injunction
against the Bush administration from sequestering protestors at the
president's public appearances. Most recently in West Virginia, a
FEMA worker and her husband were arrested for wearing anti-Bush
t-shirts at a public appearance billed by Bush as a presidential visit.
The couple were forcibly removed from the event and arrested. Witold
Walczak, a lawyer who has filed suit against the Secret Service for the
ACLU, said that since the event was a presidential visit, it made it
"an even more glaring violation of the First Amendment."
[Charleston Gazette, 7/14/04; Cox News Service, 9/23/03]
Internal Secret Service Memo From September 2002 Said Protestors Could
Not Be Treated Differently. The Secret Service had an internal memo
dated September 2002, saying that agents could not treat protestors
differently or worse than anyone else at a presidential appearance.
[Charleston Gazette, 7/14/04]
ACLU Case Against Secret Service Segregating Protestors At Bush Events
Was Thrown Out. The Secret Service had been telling local police that
they should be segregating anyone displaying anti-administration
messages in areas out of sight and earshot of President Bush. However,
when the ACLU filed a suit against the Secret Service, they agreed with
the ACLU and said that they should not be separating protestors.
Because they agreed with the ACLU, the judge threw out the case. Since
that case was filed, the ACLU has reported only two incidences of a
"no-protest zone" in Little Rock, AK and Knoxville, TN. [Charleston
Gazette, 7/14/04]
Bush-Cheney Campaign Racially Profiles Journalists
Cheney Campaign Worker Demanded To Know Race of Asian American
Newspaper Photographer. A Cheney campaign worker called the Arizona
Daily Star to check the name, date of birth, social security number and
race of a photographer assigned to cover a political event that the
Vice President would attend in Tucson. The paper, which had never been
questioned on the race of a journalist before, refused to answer the
question. The Asian American Journalist Association's [AAJA]national
officers issued a statement saying that "the demand bordered on
racial profiling." Abe Kwok, AAJA vice president for print, said he
was "troubled at published reports that the inquiry of race as made
of some journalists and not others." A Bush-Cheney campaign spokesman
said the request came from the Secret Service, but reporters and
photographers are usually asked to provide only name, date of birth and
Social Security number when requesting access to political events. The
paper was told that the journalist's race was "necessary to allow
the Secret Service to distinguish her from someone else who might have
the same name." "It was a very lame excuse," said Terry Hayt, the
paper's managing editor. [PR Newswire, 8/3/04, Newsday, 8/3/04;
Arizona Daily Star, 7/31/04]
INDIVIDUALS THREATENED, THROWN OUT OF BUSH EVENTS
Grieving Gold Star Mom Was Handcuffed At Laura Bush Event
A Gold Star Mom Woman, Who Lost Her Son In Iraq, Is Forcibly Removed
From Bush-Cheney Event. Sue Niederer of Hopewell, NJ, a gold star
mother, was handcufed and arrested for speaking out about the war inIraq at a campaign event with Laura Bush. Niederer wore a t-shirt with
the worlds "President Bush You Killed My Son" and brought a framed
picture of him with her to the event. She interrupted Bush's speech,
demanding to know why her son, 24-year old Army First Lt. Seth Dvorin,
had to die because of Bush's misguided policy in Iraq. Secret service
and local police handcuffed Niederer and detained her in the back of a
police van. Laura Bush continued to speak, making many references to
the September 11th attacks. "Too many people here had a loved one
that went to work in New York that day," Bush said. "It's for our
country, it's for our children, our grandchildren that we do the hard
work of confronting terror." [AP, 9/16/04]
High School Students Threatened At Bush Campaign Event: "A Sniper"
Could "Take Him Out"
John Sachs, an 18-year old high school senior went to see Bush in
Clive, IA. Sachs got a ticket to the event from school and wanted to
ask the president about whether there would be a draft, about the war
in Iraq, Social Security and Medicare. At the event, a campaign staffer
pulled Sachs aside and made him remove his button that read:
'Bush-Cheney '04: Leave No Billionaire Behind.' "The staffer
quizzed him about whether he was a Bush supporter, asked him why he was
there and what questions he would be asking the president. 'Then he
came back and said, 'If you protest, it won't be me taking you out. It
will be a sniper,' Sachs said. 'He said it in such a serious tone it
scared the crap out of me.'" [Des Moines Register, 10/16/04]
Woman In West Virginia Was Fired For Protesting At Bush Event
FEMA Worker Was Lead Away In Handcuffs For Wearing Anti-Bush T-Shirt At
A Presidential Visit, Then Ordered From Her Post In West Virginia.
Nicole Rank and her husband were lead away in handcuffs during the
President's July 4th visit to Charleston, WV for wearing t-shirts
that said, "Love America, Hate Bush." The couple was ticketed,
released and given summonses to appear in court. Rank, who was working
in West Virginia for the Federal Emergency Management Association, was
taken off her assignment and sent home by the federal coordinating
office for FEMA. FEMA officials refused to say whether she had been
fired from her job, but her husband later revealed that she had been
fired. The event was billed as an official presidential visit and not a
campaign stop, but Bush-Cheney campaign buttons were sold on the
grounds of the Capitol. All those given access to the event had applied
for tickets ahead of time, and were given a list of prohibited items
that did not include political t-shirts, buttons or lapel pins. Those
wearing pro-Bush t-shirts were left alone. [The Charleston Gazette,
7/9/04, 7/8/04]
West Virginia man who heckled President Bush at a political rally was
fired from job. Glen Hiller, a graphic designer, expressed his
disagreement with President Bush at a Hedgesville High School rally.
When he returned to work the next day at Octavo Designs, he was told he
had embarrassed a client and was dismissed. "All I did was show up
and voice my opinion," Hiller said. [AP, 8/21/04]
Pro-Choice T-Shirt Grounds For Removal At Bush-Cheney Events
Family of Three Was Kicked Out Of Bush Event For Bringing A Pro-Choice
T-Shirt. The Millers, a family of three - husband, wife and daughter
- were removed from a Bush-Cheney campaign event because the wife,
Barbara Miller, brought a pro-choice t-shirt with her. A campaign
worker confiscated the t-shirt informing the family that "We don't
accept any pro-choice, non-Republican paraphernalia." The campaign
worker returned an hour later with another worker and a security guard
and accused the Millers of "smuggling t-shirts." Barbara Miller,
who brought the t-shirt because she was cold and had not considered the
implications of its pro-choice logo, reports that a guard grabbed their
three tickets from her hand and ripped them up "violently and told
her, 'They're no good anymore.'" A Bush campaign spokeswoman,
Jennifer Millerwise, defended the right of the campaign to ask
individuals who intend to "disrupt campaign events" to leave.
"These events are put on ... for people of an open mind who are
interested in hearing [Bush's] positive message and his vision for a
future," she said. Theresa Miller, the daughter, said that was what she
was there to do. "I'm not an American? I can't see my president?"
she asked. [Saginaw News, 8/6/04]
Teachers Who Believe In Civil Liberties Are Kicked Out of Bush Event
School Teachers Are Threatened With Arrest For Wearing "Protect Our
Civil Liberties." In Medford, OR, three school teachers "were
threatened with arrest and escorted from the event after they showed up
wearing T-shirts with the slogan 'Protect our civil liberties.' All
three said they applied for and received valid tickets from Republican
headquarters in Medford," the Associated Press reported. "The women
said they did not intend to protest. "I wanted to see if I would be
able to make a statement that I feel is important, but not offensive,
in a rally for my president," said Janet Voorhies, 48, a teacher in
training. "We chose this phrase specifically because we didn't think
it would be offensive or degrading or obscene," said Tania Tong, 34, a
special education teacher." Republican officials attempted to
distance themselves from the event. A Bush campaign spokesman, Tracey
Schmitt, said: "It is not the position of the campaign that wearing a
T-shirt that says protect civil liberties is enough to conclude someone
is disruptive." [AP, 10/14/04; Oregonian, 10/16/04]
Woman In Alabama Fired For Kerry Sticker On Car
Alabama woman lost job for sporting Kerry sticker on car. Lynne
Gobbell, of Moulton, AL, lost her job after her boss demanded she
remove the Kerry-Edwards bumper sticker from her car. "The manager
told her to go back to work, but he came back a few minutes later and
said, 'I reckon you're fired. You could either work for him or John
Kerry,' Gobbell said." 'It upset me and made me mad that he could
put a letter in my check expressing his (political) opinion, but I
can't put something on my car expressing mine.' " [Decatur Daily
News, 9/12/04; AP, 9/15/04]
Man in Maryland Fired For Hosting Pro-Kerry Message Board
An alternate delegate to the Democratic National Convention forced out
of job for support of Kerry. Ono Ekeh was dismissed from his position
at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for organization's
computers in moderating a 'Catholics for Kerry' message board. He
made 31 of the message board's 401 posts between late August 2003 and
February 2004. "U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops spokesman Bill
Ryan said the organization would not fire anyone merely for supporting
a particular political candidate, but declined to comment on the Ekeh
matter." [Capital News Service, 7/23/04; Knight Rider, 7/30/04]
College Newspapers Denied Access To Bush Campaign Appearance
College Newspapers' Reporters And Photographers Told That They Should
Be In School Instead Of Trying To Report About Presidential Visit.
Reporters and photographers from the Des Moines Area Community College
[DMACC] and Iowa State University newspapers were denied access to see
the President in Des Moines. The students were not included on the list
of approved media when they arrived, despite faxing their request for
credentials well ahead of the event's press deadline. Mike Allsup, a
student reporter from the DMACC Chronicle, said that the "White House
advance staff told him his time would be better spent in school. 'It
really is not fair that we represent 14,000 students at my college and
I'm disregarded and sent away.'" "A news crew from WQAD
television in Moline, IL was not on the approved media list but allowed
into the event," alleged Iowa State Daily photography editor Eric
Rowley. [Des Moines Register, 4/16/04]
INCIDENTS FROM ACROSS THE STATES
Seating For Republicans Only: Minnesota
Campaign Staff Prevent Democrats And Independents From Attending July
13th Bush-Cheney Rally In Duluth, MN. Bush-Cheney campaign staff,
trying to ensure a friendly crowd for Bush's rally in Duluth, would
not hand out tickets to Democrats or Independents, if they admitted
that they weren't sure they were voting for Bush. Many residents were
angered that only Republicans would be given the opportunity to attend
the Bush-Cheney rally. A Duluth resident, Jan Witte, questioned who
Bush really represented. "He's my president too... I just thought I
should be able to hear him speak." [AP, 7/10/04]
ACT Campaign Worker Told That Only Bush Backers Could Hear The First
Lady Speak. Meighan Mills Stone, a spokeswoman for Americans Coming
Together, a 527 working to defeat Bush, tried to attend a campaign
event of about 1,700 Republican-faithful to hear Laura Bush in St.
Paul, MN. Stone had received tickets ahead of time from the Bush-Cheney
campaign. Stone had her tickets confiscated in line and was told that
the event was for Bush backers only. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press,
6/19/04]
Tim Walz, a 23 year National Guard veteran wanted to hear his
commander-in-chief. He was allowed into the quarry event after the two
young men he was escorting were told to leave the event because one of
the young men had a Kerry sticker in his wallet. When Walz objected he
was first told to leave as well. Then, a Bush official asked if he
supported the President. When he said he did not, the Bush official
told him he had to leave as well and he was threatened with arrest.
When he informed the official that he had just returned from overseas,
the official begrudgingly allowed him to stay with the admonition that
the Secret Service would be watching him. [Minneapolis-St. Paul Star
Tribune, 8/13/04]
Two young high school students turned away from Bush rally in Mankato,
Minnesota. The young men were denied tickets for making unfavorable
comments while waiting in line for three hours. They were then given
tickets, but when they got off the shuttle bus at the event, they were
denied entry. A Mankato West High School teacher who defended the boys
was also prevented from going in and threatened with arrest upon being
ordered to leave. [Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune, 8/13/04]
Seating for Republicans Only: Michigan
A school teacher's ticket is torn up and she is barred from entry into
Bush event for wearing Kerry-Edwards sticker on blouse. "But Ralph
Soffredine, a Traverse City commissioner, school board member and
former police chief who worked security at the front gate, said it is
part of the Bush campaign policy." The fifty-five year old wanted the
experience of seeing a president and hearing him speak, but instead
left wondering this is truly a democracy. [Traverse City Record-Eagle,
8/17/04]
"if you are an undecided voter or an independent, you might have to
make the case that you are willing to support Bush." The Ottawa
County Republicans handed out tickets after first asking for ID and if
people were Republicans or open to the President's ideas. [The Grand
Rapids Press, 9/11/04]
Seating for Republicans Only: Wisconsin
Party workers made sure the audience was made up of Bush supporters.
Individuals seeking tickets were brought in either individually or with
another person and asked if they were Republicans. If they said
"no" they were then asked if they had an open-minded approach to
the coming election. A state spokesman confirmed that the campaign was
primarily trying to reward past supporters. [The Chippewa Herald,
8/17/04]
Wisconsin elected official ejected from Bush event. Outagamie County
Supervisor Jayson Nelson was removed from the VIP list for the event
for 'inappropriate attire'. He had a Kerry t-shirt fully hidden
under his button down shirt. He was ordered out of line and told to
take off his outer shirt revealing the Kerry t-shirt. At that point a
female election worker called police over, exclaiming "Look at his
shirt! Look at his shirt!" The police told him he must leave and
directed him to the Secret Service. The Secret Service informed him he
had broken no laws, that the same would happen at a Kerry event and
that he still must leave. [The Post Crescent, 7/18/04]
Seating For Republicans Only: Iowa
A World War Two Veteran Didn't Qualify To Hear The President. Bill
Ward, a veteran of World War II, got into line at 7:30 am to get
tickets to see Bush in Dubuque, IA. He waited in line for an hour, and
when it finally came time to show his identification campaign staff
asked him if he had voted for Bush in 2000. "I didn't vote for him
then and I won't vote for him now," declared Ward. Ward identified
himself to the campaign workers as a World War II vet who served in
France and Germany. Critical of the war in Iraq, Ward said, "The only
thing I wanted to do was get down to the riverfront and ask Bush some
questions." Ward recalled, "They asked some girl to escort me out
and I told them I don't need to be escorted out. I'm a veteran of
World War II." [Telegraph Herald, 5/4/04]
19-Year Old Political Science Major Need Not Apply. Matt Trewartha, a
19-year old political science major was excited to see hear the
President during his campaign stop in Dubuque, IA. However, after
waiting in line for more than an hour, Matt was turned away empty
handed. He writes in an editorial in the Telegraph Herald, "When I
finally reached the [campaign] office, I was pulled aside by a campaign
official and told that I would not be given the four tickets that I
desired because of a comment I had made in line about not being a
Republican. After a lengthy discussion and my promise to be respectful,
I was turned away empty handed. I though this was a public event with
the community as the guest, but the man told me that they were
selecting the guests." [Opinion, Telegraph Herald, 5/11/04]
Seating For Republicans Only: Nevada
Campaign Staff Rips Up The Tickets Of Three Teenagers. In Reno, Nevada,
Bush's campaign workers stalked the line of attendees to a Bush rally
to ensure that only his supporters were allowed inside. "Three Reno
teenagers had tickets pulled out of their hands and ripped to pieces by
a campaign staff member after someone in line pointed out an anti-Bush
sticker on one of the teens' shirts." 17-year old Jonathan Daniel
tried to assure staff that he wouldn't make trouble and only wanted
to hear the president on the issues. The campaign would not be swayed.
Daniel protested, "I believe it's my right as an American to hear
where he is leading our country." [Reno Gazette-Journal, 6/19/04]
Seating For Republicans Only: Arizona
Bush Spokesman Says Woman Should "Come To Her Senses" and Support
Bush If She Wants To See Him. Sue Walitsky, communications director for
the Kerry-Edwards campaign in Arizona, had a valid ticket to see Bush
speak at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, AZ, but the
Bush-Cheney campaign refused her admittance with no explanation.
Walitsky said that she wore no Kerry button and did not bring any Kerry
campaign chum that would have upset Bush supporters. Danny Diaz, a
spokesman for the Bush campaign said, "If she's willing to come to
her senses and support him, we'll be happy to welcome her in."
Walitsky said that the Kerry campaign allows everyone with valid
tickets, regardless of political affiliation, to attend Kerry campaign
events. [Arizona Republic, 8/11/04]
March 30, 2005
Kicked Out of Bush Speech - For Liberal Bumper Stickers
Three people who tried to attend President Bush's "town hall" meeting
in Denver, Colorado, were forcibly removed. Why? Because they had
bumper stickers on their cars supporting liberal causes. How horrible!
Why weren't they shipped immediately to Guantanamo?
KCTV 5 reports:
The three said they had obtained tickets through the office of Rep.
Bob Beauprez, R-Colo., had passed through security and were preparing
to take their seats when they were approached by what they thought was
a Secret Service agent who asked them to leave. ... "The Secret Service
had nothing to do with that," said Lon Garner, special agent in charge
of the Secret Service district office in Denver. "We are very sensitive
to the First Amendment and general assembly rights as protected by the
Constitution."
"They hadn't done anything wrong. They weren't dressed
inappropriately, they didn't' say anything inappropriate," Recht said.
"They were kicked out of this venue and not allowed to hear what the
president had to say based solely on this political bumper sticker. The
very essence of the First Amendment is that you can't be punished for
the speech you make, the statements you make," Recht said.
[A] group called Americans United to Protect Social Security said
there have been at least two additional instances where people who have
done nothing wrong have been removed or barred from a Bush event
beforehand. One instance happened in February in Fargo North Dakota,
where a "black list" of people banned from getting tickets was obtained
and published by the Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. The White House and the
Republican Party denied such a list existed and Gov. John Hoeven's
staff said nobody was denied tickets.
Daily Kos has a report from one of those who were affected:
The Secret Service revealed that we were "ID'ed" when local
Republican staffers saw a bumper sticker on the car we drove which said
"No More Blood For Oil." Evidently, the free speech expressed on one
bumper sticker is cause enough to eject three citizens from a
presidential event. (Similarly, someone was ejected from Bush's Social
Security privatization event in Arizona the same day simply for wearing
a Democratic t-shirt.)
The Secret Service also revealed that ticket distribution and
staffing of the Social Security event was run by the local Republican
Party. They wanted us to be clear that it was a Republican staffer -
not the Secret Service - who kicked us out of the presidential event.
But this revealed something else that should be startling to all
Americans.
After allowing taxpayers to finance his privatization events (let's
call them what they really are after all,) and after using the White
House communications apparatus to set them up, Bush is privatizing the
ticket distribution and security staffing at his events to the
Republican Party. The losers are not just taxpayers, but anyone who
values the First Amendment. Under the banner of a "private event" the
Republican Party is excluding citizens from seeing their president
because of the lone sin of expressing the wrong idea on a bumper
sticker or t-shirt. The question for Americans is - will we allow our
freedom to be privatized?
What is with the Bush regime? Are they really that afraid of what they
will hear from real citizens at these events that they can't bear the
thought of non-Republicans attending? Do they really have to control
every possible level of detail, even down to the political orientation
of who listens to Bush speak? Are they really that interested in a
one-party society?
Bush, the uniter... as long as you already happen to agree with him.
Bush-backers-only policy riles voters at RNC rallies
By Steve Larese, Globe Correspondent | August 9, 2004
RIO RANCHO, N.M. -- A Republican National Committee practice of having
people sign a form endorsing President Bush or pledging to vote for him
in November before being issued tickets for RNC-sponsored rallies is
raising concern among voters.
ADVERTISEMENT
When Vice President Dick Cheney spoke July 31 to a crowd of 2,000 in
Rio Rancho, a city of 45,000 near Albuquerque, several people who
showed up at the event complained about being asked to sign endorsement
forms in order to receive a ticket to hear Cheney.
''Whose vice president is he?" said 72-year-old retiree John Wade of
Albuquerque, who was asked to sign the form when he picked up his
tickets. ''I just wanted to hear what my vice president had to say, and
they make me sign a loyalty oath."
Nick Lucy, a 64-year-old veteran and Democrat, said he was turned away
from a May 7 rally in Dubuque, Iowa, at which President Bush spoke even
though he had a ticket given to him by a local Republican leader. Lucy,
who was not asked to sign a form, said he has seen every president
since Ronald Reagan, but he was denied access because he is not a
registered Republican. He is a Democrat and a past commander of the
American Legion in Dubuque who plays taps at veterans' funerals.
''They asked the police to escort me out of there," Lucy said. ''I
wasn't going to disrupt anything, but I probably wasn't going to clap a
lot, either. Every rally the president goes to everyone is cheering for
him because they're handpicked."
Republicans contend they foiled a plot by America Coming Together, a
527 organization that supports the Democratic Party, to disrupt the New
Mexico rally. The 527 groups are so named for the provision in the tax
code that applies to tax-exempt political organizations that operate
outside party and candidate organizations.
RNC spokesman Yier Shi said RNC campaign rallies are not official
visits, but party events designed to energize the Republican base . He
said everyone is welcome at the rallies as long as they support
President Bush.
Shi said similar forms are used at other reelection and fund-raising
rallies sponsored by the RNC.
He added that the decision was made to use the forms at the New Mexico
rally after the local RNC office received ''suspicious calls" about the
event before it was advertised. He said the caller identification
indicated some numbers were from cellphones of members of America
Coming Together.
''I think the Democrats are just disappointed we thwarted their plans
to disrupt our event," he said.
Geri Prado, New Mexico coordinator for America Coming Together, denies
her group planned to disrupt Cheney's speech.
The form Wade was asked to sign had a disclaimer saying no public funds
were used to produce it.
Wade said he filled out the form, was given two tickets, but had second
thoughts about signing an endorsement he didn't believe in. Wade said
he explained his misgivings to a supervisor, and the form was quickly
located. The supervisor wrote ''Do Not Use" on the form, but Wade
insisted it be given to him. In the end, Wade said, he offered to give
back his tickets in exchange for the endorsement, which he did.
''Sure I'm a Democrat and I'll go head to head with you one on one, but
I would never disrupt a speech by the vice president," Wade says.
Bush-Cheney spokesman Danny Diaz said that RNC rallies are separate
from Bush-Cheney events and that he does not know of any endorsement
forms being requested of people attending Bush-Cheney-sponsored events.
But he says said he understands why the RNC would require such forms at
the campaign events.
''They want to make sure people can hear the president and vice
president's vision for the next four years," he said. ''There are
thousands of volunteers who sacrifice and work hard on the campaign and
who deserve to see and hear their president without being disrupted and
disrespected."
The campaign of John F. Kerry, the Democratic nominee, has had to deal
with Republican hecklers at events. The Kerry-Edwards communications
director for New Mexico, Ruben Pulido, said that when Kerry visited New
Mexico on July 10, several Bush supporters shouted ''Viva Bush" and
waved flip-flops.