Slackman: The Republicans Are Coming, but Will They Venture Ashore?

G.O.P. Option at Convention: Luxury Liner
(note: current title was changed from original quoted in subject line)
December 1, 2003
By MICHAEL SLACKMAN

It is being billed as the perfect place for celebrations during the Republican National Convention next summer, with shows, fine works of art, health clubs, bars, cafes, amazing views, luxury staterooms and restaurants serving cuisine from around the world. And it is just a short walk to Midtown.

But before its visitors can cross a New York City street, they will have to pass over a gangplank. The Norwegian Dawn, a 2,240-passenger luxury cruise liner, has 15 decks, 14 bars and lounges and babbling brooks. But even docked at a pier on the Hudson River, it is not New York City. And, to many critics, that is the point.

The House majority leader, Tom DeLay, would like the ship to serve as a floating entertainment center for Republican members of Congress, and their guests, when the convention comes to New York City next Aug. 30 to Sept. 2.

"Our floating hotel will provide members an opportunity to stay in one place, in a secure fashion," said a spokesman for Mr. DeLay, Jonathan Grella. He did not elaborate.

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Any New Yorker who doesn't get it by now, never will.

like there aren't any good hotels in New York?

this is very Marie Antoinette

The nobles feast in their castles while the peasants toil and starve outside. Are we in 21st Century America or 6th Century Rome? It's getting harder to tell.

Mr. Lynch Rescue himself, Jim Wilkinson.

From Naomi Klein's recent article, Heavy-handed Police and Propaganda Tactics Brought Baghdad to Miami

The Miami Model of dealing with dissent reaches far beyond a single meeting. On Sunday, the New York Times reported on a leaked FBI bulletin revealing "a co-ordinated, nationwide effort to collect intelligence" on the U.S. anti-war movement. The memorandum singles out perfectly lawful protest activities including non-violence training, videotaping of police actions and Internet organizing. Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, said that the document revealed that, "The FBI is dangerously targeting Americans who are engaged in nothing more than lawful protest and dissent. The line between terrorism and legitimate civil disobedience is blurred."

We can expect much more of these tactics on the homeland front. Just as civil liberties violations escalated when Washington lost control over the FTAA process, so will repression increase as the Bush crew faces the ultimate threat: losing control over the White House.

Already, Jim Wilkinson, director of strategic communications at U.S. Central Command in Doha, Qatar, (the operation that gave the world the Jessica Lynch rescue), has moved to New York to head up media operations for the Republican National Convention. "We're looking at embedding reporters," he told the New York Observer of his plans to use some of the Iraq tricks during the convention. "We're looking at new and interesting camera angles."

And they are pissed.

"before its visitors can cross a New York City street, they will have to pass over a gangplank"

The corollary seems fairly obvious: if you have a sign you'd like certain visitors to read, there is a place they'll pretty much have to go through. Could be the gangplank, could be the streets around the dock, could be the intersections around those streets.

Given enough interested people, it could damn well be all of the above. And NYC does have a lot of people.