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Bush
Accepts Nomination on Final Night of Convention Marked by
Historic Protests and Dissent
Pataki: "Saddam Hussein Was a...Walking-Talking Weapon
of Mass Destruction"
Relentless Protest: CODEPINK Activists Ejected From RNC Three
Nights in a Row
GOP Delegate on RNC Protest Arrests: "There Weren't
Any Were There?"
Father of Soldier Killed in Iraq Ejected From RNC For Holding
Sign Reading: "Bush Lied. My Son Died"
ACT-UP Activists Face Assault & Riot Charges for Protest
Inside RNC
Father of Arrested Protester: "My Son Has Been Disappeared
By This State
Amy Goodman Questions John McCain on the Smear Tactics of
Karl Rove & George Bush
Harlem Rallies Against Bush & GOP
Corpwatch's Pratap Chattergee Talks To Texas Senator Phil
Gramm About Banking & Wall Street
Indymedia and Al Jazeera Reporters Discuss the RNC Stories
Ignored by the Corporate U.S. Press
Bush Accepts Nomination on Final Night of Convention
Marked by Historic Protests and Dissent
President Bush accepted his party's nomination for another
term in the White House last night in Madison Square Garden.
The four-day Republican convention in New York was marked
by historic protests and acts of dissent on the streets. We
hear an excerpt of Bush's speech and speak with Sam Husseini
of the Institute for Public Accuracy about the President's
claims about Iraq.
President Bush accepted his party's nomination for another
term in the White House last night in Madison Square Garden.
His speech wrapped up the Republican National Convention and
kicked off a two-month race to the Nov. 2 election against
Democratic challenger John Kerry.
The four-day Republican convention in New York was marked
by historic protests and acts of dissent on the streets. On
Sunday, hundreds of thousands of protesters marched in the
largest demonstration ever at a political convention. Over
the course of the week, thousands of people took to the streets,
staging hundreds of rallies, direct actions and civil disobedience
against the Bush administration. Though the protests were
generally calm, arrests exceeded 1,700 for the week, a record
for a political convention.
Last night, President Bush used his hour-long, prime-time
address to defend his record over the last four years - particularly
his decision to invade Iraq. His speech began and ended with
references to the Sept. 11 attacks which have been referenced
in nearly every major speech of the convention.
He also promised to simplify the tax system, allow private
investments of Social Security funds and push policies that
would make it easier to own homes, though he offered few details.
He delivered his address on a circular platform specially-constructed
to place him closer to the delegates in the arena. Despite
the party's extensive orchestration efforts, the president
was twice interrupted by protesters as he delivered his speech.
- President Bush, accepting his party's nomination at Madison
Square Garden on September 2, 2004.
- Sam Husseini, Washington-based political analyst and
communications director for the Institute for Public Accuracy.
Pataki: "Saddam Hussein Was a...Walking-Talking
Weapon of Mass Destruction"
New York Governor George Pataki introduced President Bush
on the closing evening of the Republican National Convention.
We hear an excerpt of his address.
The other major speaker of the night was New York Governor
George Pataki who took the stage to introduce the president.
This is an excerpt of what Pataki had to say.
- Gov. George Pataki, speaking at the Republican National
Convention on September 2004.
Relentless Protest: CODEPINK Activists Ejected From
RNC Three Nights in a Row
Activists from CODEPINK: Women for Peace were ejected from
the RNC after disrupting the primetime addresses of speakers
at the convention's podium three nights in a row. We speak
CODEPINK co-founders Medea Benjamin and Gael Murphy. [includes
rush
transcript]
While much of the protest at the RNC took place outside
the Madison Square Garden, a surprising number of activists
managed to disrupt the proceedings inside. For the third night
in a row, activists from CODEPINK: Women for Peace were ejected
from the RNC after disrupting the primetime addresses of speakers
at the convention's podium. Last night during President Bush's
acceptance speech, he had to stop speaking twice after activists
held up antiwar signs before being dragged from the floor
of Madison Square Garden. Activist Jodie Evans revealed a
pink slip underneath her dress that read "Fire Bush!
Women Say Bring the Troops Home Now!" Earlier in the
evening, Jorge Medina, whose son Irving was killed in the
Iraq war was ejected for wearing a t-shirt with his son's
photo on it and the words "Bush Lied, My Son Died."
When the protesters disrupted Bush's speech, delegates and
others in the convention would begin chanting "Four More
Years" in an effort to drown them out. This tactic seems
to have been a coordinated response from the Republicans.
Twice last night as Bush was speaking, the chant began for
no clear reason. Moments later, Secret Service Agents could
be seen dragging a demonstrator from the convention.
Earlier in the week, CODEPINK founder Medea Benjamin came
within 30 feet of Vice President Dick Cheney as he sat in
his box. She unfurled a pink banner that read "Be Pro-Life:
Stop the Killing in Iraq." She also managed to ask Cheney,
"How much money have you made in Iraq today?" She
was picked up by Secret Service agents and dragged from the
floor and down a staircase. That same night, Fernando Suarez
del Solar was also ejected from the convention. His son Jesus
was killed in Iraq in March 2003. He stood near the Texas
delegation and held up a sign that read "Bush Lied. My
Son Died."
The following night, as Dick Cheney was giving his prime-time
address, CODEPINK activists Gael Murphy and Tiffany Burns
unfurled a banner that read, "Cheney and Halliburton,
Making a Killing in Iraq." We are joined now by a few
of the people who managed to disrupt the RNC from the inside.
- Gael Murphy, longtime peace activist and co-founder of
CODEPINK: Women For Peace.
GOP Delegate on RNC Protest Arrests: "There
Weren't Any Were There?"
We speak with a few of the Republican delegates leaving
Madison Square Garden last night after President Bush accepted
his party's nomination to run for a second term. [includes
rush
transcript]
Father of Soldier Killed in Iraq Ejected From RNC
For Holding Sign Reading: "Bush Lied. My Son Died"
We speak with Fernando Suarez del Solar, whose son Jesus,
was one of the first U.S. servicemen killed in Iraq. He was
ejected from the convention for holding up a sign that read
"Bush Lied. My Son Died." [includes rush
transcript]
- Fernando Suarez del Solar, father of Marine Lance Cpl
Jesus Suarez, one of the first U.S. servicemen killed in
Iraq on March 27, 2003.
ACT-UP Activists Face Assault & Riot Charges
for Protest Inside RNC
11 members of the AIDS group infiltrated a talk by Andrew
Card on Wednesday. The non-violent action led to mayhem on
the floor of the Republican Youth Convention. Video has emerged
showing a Republican knocking down an ACT UP activist and
then kicking her repeatedly. No charges have been filed against
him instead the victim and 10 other activists face years in
jail for staging what was supposed to be a non-violent action.
We talk to one of the arrestees. [includes rush
transcript]
Eleven AIDS activists from the ACT UP group were arrested
Wednesday after they breached the Madison Square Garden convention
hall and briefly interrupted a speech by White House Chief
of Staff Andrew Card to young Republicans. They have now been
charged with assault and inciting a riot.
But a report on Channel 7 WABC raises questions whether the
activists themselves were the victims of assault. This is
how WABC reported the incident on Wednesday.
- Channel 7 Report on ACT-UP Protest
- Kris Hermes, member of ACT UP Philadelphia. He was one
of eleven members of ACT UP to be arrested for disrupting
a presentation by White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card
during the Republican Youth Convention on Wednesday. The
11 are facing charges of assault and inciting a riot.
Father of Arrested Protester: "My Son Has Been
Disappeared By This State
A New York judge finds the city in contempt of court for
failing to meet that state-mandated deadline for releasing
arrested protesters. We hear a father of an arrested protester
speaking outside the criminal courthouse and we speak with
Donna Lieberman, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties
Union. [includes rush
transcript]
Over 1,700 people have been arrested in convention-related
protests over the past week, 1,100 of them in just one day.
The vast majority of them were jailed in Pier 57, a three-story,
block-long pier that has been converted to a temporary holding
pen.
Yesterday, a New York Supreme Court judge ordered the release
of all convention protesters held for more than 24 hours without
being arraigned. The judge also found the city in contempt
of court for failing to meet that state-mandated deadline.
A hearing is set for next week to determine the penalty, which
could reach $1,000 for each illegally detained protester.
Detainees began trickling out of 100 Centre Street Wednesday
night where scores of supporters greeted them. But many of
those outside waited in vain as their friends and loved ones
remained in jail. Yesterday afternoon, parents of detained
protesters held an impromptu press conference outside the
criminal court house. This is what one father had to say.
- Tim Duncan, father of jailed protester speaking in New
York City, September 2, 2004.
- Donna Lieberman, attorney with the American Civil Liberties
Union.
Amy Goodman Questions John McCain on the Smear Tactics
of Karl Rove & George Bush
We ask the Senator from Arizona about the South Carolina
primary race in 2000 during which Karl Rove led a vicious
attack on McCain and his family. Many see similarities between
the attack on McCain and the attacks on Kerry.
At the Republican Convention yesterday, I ran into Arizona
Senator John McCain. Four years ago, McCain and Bush were
bitter rivals in the race for the 2000 Republican presidential
nomination. Today, he has emerged as one of President Bush's
most influential supporters. I caught up with him in the halls
of Madison Square Garden.
Harlem Rallies Against Bush & GOP
The anti-Republican National Convention protests continued
for a seventh day on Thursday. We hear from speakers Partha
Banerjee, Monami Malik and others.
The Republican National Convention has wrapped up and so
too have the mass protests that have rocked the city for a
week. More than 1700 people were arrested, the largest number
of arrests ever at a political convention. Beginning early
yesterday, the protests continued as 20 AIDS activists were
arrested for staging a protest in Manhattan"s Grand Central
Station. A small group of protesters followed Bush through
the day as he made his way from the Waldorf Hotel to a New
York Church to Madison Square Garden. In the evening there
were a number of rallies, culminating in a street demonstration
just outside the convention.
One of the largest events of the day yesterday took place
in Harlem. It was a rally organized by Artists and Activists
United for Peace. It"s focus was on many of the issues
of great concern to many in Harlem--jobs, housing, healthcare,
reparations and police brutality. Democracy Now! producer
John Hamilton was there and prepared this montage.
- Sounds and Voices of the rally in Harlem.
Some of the voices from yesterday's rally in Harlem. Among
the many speakers at the rally was activist Partha Banerjee
of New Immigrant Community Empowerment.
- Partha Banerjee of New Immigrant Community Empowerment
speaking at the rally in Harlem.
Corpwatch's Pratap Chattergee Talks To Texas Senator
Phil Gramm About Banking & Wall Street
A group of Wall Street bankers and insurance companies,
threw a brunch party for the Senate Banking Committee and
the House Financial Services Committee at an upscale restaurant
in Central Park. Among the many political guests was former
Texas Senator Phil Gramm, who has been one of the biggest
congressional advocates for the financial services industry.
Indymedia and Al Jazeera Reporters Discuss the RNC
Stories Ignored by the Corporate U.S. Press
We talk to Arun Gupta of NYC Indymedia and Abderrahim Foukara,
New York correspondent for Al Jazeera.
This election year has brought a number of milestones in
US politics. Most visible is the fact that dissent has returned
to the mainstream of US culture for the first time in decades.
The invasion and ongoing occupation of Iraq and the so-called
war on terror have spurred many Americans who have never protested
to take to the streets. More than 1,700 people were arrested
this week protesting at the Republican national Convention.
That's a record at a political convention in this country.
Another milestone is the sheer number of journalists covering
the political conventions. In Boston alone, there were some
15,000 journalists. But despite the huge presence of the media,
the coverage was hardly comprehensive. In fact the most extensive
coverage of the conventions and the protests came not from
the US networks, but from hundreds of independent journalists
working out of the New York Independent Media Center. We are
joined now by one of the organizers of the IMC here in New
York.
Their offices were bombed twice in Afghanistan. Their Baghdad
correspondent was killed In Iraq. Their reporter was arrested
en route to a summit in Crawford. Their New York correspondents
were thrown off the floors of the New York Stock Exchange
and NASDAQ.
We're talking about al-Jazeera, the Arabic satellite television
station based in Qatar.
Al Jazeera's programming has been seen as controversial by
some in Washington ever since it began broadcasting seven
years ago. The network has since grown into a CNN of the Arabic
world reaching up to 55 million viewers.
Now, they're planning to launch an English-language news
channel.
- Abderrahim Foukara, New York correspondent for Al
Jazeera.
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
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