AQ blows up Madrid trains... and Repubs want convention over Penn Station?

A terrorist group related to Al Qaeda has blown up trains in Madrid...

Yesterday the US govt issued a terror alert saying that terrorists might attempt to blow up US trains or buses...

And the Republicans want to hold their convention in Madison Square Garden, which sits right on top of one of the busiest Amtrak/subway stations in America: Penn Station.

"The city does not plan to shut down Penn Station during the Republican National Convention, but it ``wouldn't be the world's worst thing'' if the terminal were closed for a few hours, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-3931873,00.html

Al Qaeda's their sister organization.

and leave NYC alone! I'm disgusted that they'll be in New York, wish they'd decided on the cruise ship option like DeLay wanted.

Or better yet move to some right wing city where they'll be appreciated.

But there isn't any time. These venues are booked way in advance.

I'm not even slightly comfortable with the mix of rush hour subway riders, conventioneers, summer tourists, protestors, cops, and the regular armed National Guard troops who have been patrolling Penn Station since 9/11.

The possibility of a nasty mistake is just looming.

Let's make damn sure it doesn't start with us.

blackwater-USA should NOT be training our troops....if blackwater is allowed to continue, MORE of our troops will end up with their burnt corpses hanging from bridges...


blackwater-USA upcoming advertisement: we train US Military troops to be as successful as our own 'elite' special ops...see photo above, showing what our training programs can do for United States troops....our 'elite' special ops drive right into trouble, and we can train others to do the same...we currently provide this type of protection to many American visitors in Iraq....you too can hang from bridges with our specially trained 'elite' security special ops...hey, we protect paul bremer and other Americans...what more could you ask for? send us more U.S. Government war-profiteering contracts...we give American taxpayers the best in international spectacles, creating riots and gawking everywhere...

Do you think the nation would rally around Shrub again and seal the re-election?

Or do you think Bushco would be blamed for the attacks - one, for even having there convention there and so close to 9/11, two, simply for allowing NYC to get attacked again? If blamed, this would seal the defeat.

AND they're even closing the interstate, too. No kidding. Super-Republican Mitt Romney is the governor. He says the Secret Service is doing it. If you know Boston at all, closing North Station (the big subway stop at the Fleet Center) AND the interstate...how the hell are they expected anyone to get around, never mind delegates? It is going to be a freaking nightmare. I was in town Friday and Saturday, and Bostonians are basically planning on leaving the city during the convention.

So what's the deal? Are trains a safety concern or aren't they? It seems to me like the SS and the Romney are colluding to make the dem convention as miserable as possible. Otherwise, if the SS was really concerned about safety, they'd be closing the train station in NYC, too.

The people of New Hampshire and Iowa have spoken, the networks have played Dean's scream a zillion times, and Kerry is the nominee.

Why do we go through this charade of a convention anyways?

Big waste of time and money and an anti-democratic process if you ask me.

so everyone can laugh at Dean.

and were more interested in the PR value of a ceremony at Ground Zero than whether it made sense to be in NY.

Anyway, by the time it gets here, I can see midtown being locked down for fears of terrists and protestors. Actually, I think they fear the protestors being seen more than terrists.

Everyone in New York or the surrounding area knows what Penn Station is. Amtrak, the Long Island Railroad, and New Jersey Transit bring their trains in there, and there is almost no other place to go. PATH trains, the bus terminal, Hoboken ferries, or taking the subway in from Queens or Brooklyn just ain't gonna cut it. Maybe take the ferry from Long Island to Connecticut and take Metro North down? Find a way to Staten Island and take the SI ferry?

It's like Boston-- just take the week off and blow town.