@RNC: Gustav spares NOLA, GOP kicks off with Bush, Lieberman speeches while BlogHers debate Palin
by Lisa Stone

Now that Hurricane Gustav has spared New Orleans the Category 5 thrashing many feared, the GOP convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul is moving beyond Monday's stripped-down program to a real kick-off Tuesday night.

Tonight's line-up will feature a speech delivered via video by President George Bush, whose Monday night address was canceled due to the storm while Laura Bush and Cindy McCain stepped in. Also speaking will be Democratic senator and former vice president candidate Joe Lieberman, who is supporting presumptive GOP nominee John McCain over Democratic nominee Barack Obama. Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson also will speak. While Backyard Conservative attends the event with videographer Leah Peterson, BlogHer will host a live-blog tonight by Chilihead.

The RNC held some programs Monday, including this leadership summit for young women videoblogged by Backyard Conservative for BlogHer. In addition, CNN reports that nearly 300 protesters were arrested after a march by about 5,000 people.

Other than Blogger Nice Deb, who is not a fan of protests, you wouldn't know about the protests from reading too many political blogs by women. Most are still talking about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who is Sen. McCain's pick for vice president. On Monday Palin confirmed that her 17-year-old daughter is pregnant. In the past 24 hours, that discussion has evolved into an emotional conversation in the BlogHersphere about her personal decision to seek and hold elected office while being a mother of five children -- while other BlogHers question other peoples' willingness to judge Palin's decisions and still others ask everyone to return to the policy issues facing the country's next president. I cannot possibly summarize these conversations and still do them justice. Instead, I recommend these related links:

  • Mary Katharine Ham: Bristol's blessing and political pitfalls
  • Elanas: Second -- make that third -- thoughts about Sarah Palin (and news of her pregnant daughter)
  • The American Princess: Over for Obama on abortion
  • Rightwingsparkle: Thank God there are still Democrats like this left
  • Thepenpusher: Loving mother or appalling ambition?
  • Diane MacEachern: Sarah Palin needs to bow out of the Veepstakes before she destroys McCain
  • Scrapbookingwithwords: Everybody's talking about...
  • Little Miss Attila: Obama: 'Back the f*** off of Bristol and Levi

    Just a quick reminder about BlogHer's editorial and community guidelines. What's important for BlogHer.com's quality as a community journalism hub and a terrific place for civil disagreement about politics and public policy in this election is that we make sure that we stick to the facts as reported.

    All members of BlogHer.com are held to BlogHer's community guidelines. Here's the key item to keep in mind with a story like this one, which involves a minor who has been placed in the public spotlight by a prominent family member:

    "We define unacceptable content as anything included or linked that is ... Libelous, defamatory, knowingly false or misrepresents another person"

    So while you'll see members and our contributing editors ask questions, you won't see us wildly conjecture on the site, nor will we tolerate posts that do so. Doing so devalues BlogHer as a non-partisan news source and discussion forum.

    Thanks - see you back here for tonight's live blog!

    • Submitted by Lisa Stone (view blog) on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 10:16

    Comments

     

    Take a Break from Baby Gate and Follow the
    Protest Stories

    I am beginning to think Governor Palin is just there to keep us all
    so focused on scandal, we don't notice what is happening to our
    democracy.

    On the streets of the Twin Cities yesterday, over 300 people were arrested including a number of journalists such as Democracy Now anchor Amy Goodman.   

    We can talk about Palin all we want, next week.  For now, let's keep our eye on breaking news and broken amendments.

     

     

    Tacoma Mama

    Submitted by Tacomamama on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 09:30
     

    Protestors

    Why aren't more bloggers writing about the protestors?  Because they don't deserve any recognition.  While I am all about freedom of speech, there's no need to be an idiot.  Seriously, what kind of point are you making by breaking the windows of a Macy's?

    As a military wife who has survived six deployments in six years, protestors against the war who act like this seriously make my blood boil.  Instead of spending the energy protesting, how about putting together care packages or raising money for phone cards to send to our troops?  Acting like a jerk in the streets and getting arrested isn't going to make the war stop.  How about supporting our troops, since they are the ones in harm's way, and doing some productive with your life?

    Submitted by ArmyWife529 on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 09:54
     

    Not all are breaking windows

    What about all of the protestors who are out there protesting for peace and aren't breaking windows? Again, here we go with the generalizations and selective reporting...

    There are actually quite a few folks peacefully protesting. And protesting has been one of the most important ways of engaging in this here democracy of ours. You don't have to agree with the protestors' views to realize how empowering it is to participate in a group that holds the same values near and dear. And yes, I agree that there are other ways to protest and make a difference in this country. Folks should also call their politicans as a way of protesting, but from someone who has done it and continues to do it, that solo act just isn't as gratifying as standing up, publicly, for our rights. It just may be one of the most productive "things" we can do as citizens.

    I hope your husband and his fellow troops come home soon and safely to you and their families.

     

     

    Notions of Identity

    Submitted by Laracolvin on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 10:06
     

    The anarchists breaking

    The anarchists are breaking windows and tipping newspaper boxes, I'm not hearing much about the more peaceful protestors.

    The anarchists are unaffiliated with either the Democrats or Republicans, so I'm not interested in blogging about them.  I find their tactics appalling.

    Are there any anarchists at Blogher who would like to explain the violence involved in their protests?

     

    p.s.  Donna Brazille was hit by pepper spray as she walked to the Xcel Center.  It sounds like security is getting a bit overzealous as well.  No reports of Ms. Brazile tipping over newspaper kiosks.

    Submitted by miteegirl on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 10:24
     

    Jumping Straight to the Conclusion...

    ...that only anarchists are facing a crackdown, even as you cite the example of Donna Brazile.

    I don't love anarchists either, there was a ridiculous "shut down downtown Tacoma" (um, it's been shut down since 1972, we're just getting it started up again)  protest planned here last Summer of which I was a very vocal opponent.   However, when I hear about legitimate journalists slammed against a wall and summarily arrested I don't think we're just talking about anarchists.

     

    Tacoma Mama

    Submitted by Tacomamama on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 10:27
     

    Donna Brazile is NOT an

    Donna Brazile is NOT an anarchist.  The link I included made it sound like security is getting overzealous and it is terrible that bystanders have been affected.

    The media and the police in St Paul are reporting on the violence of the anarchists.  I didn't make that up or jump to conclusions.  

    My intention was to point out that these were not Democratic protestors resorting to violence.

    Submitted by miteegirl on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 12:03
     

    That was my point

    That Donna Brazile is not an anarchist. (Neither is Amy Goodman)  Reports that media are being kept away makes it difficult to judge the veracity of the reporting.

     

    Tacoma Mama

    Submitted by Tacomamama on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 12:53
     

    The First Amendment Matters to Me

    a)  Major protests are newsworthy regardless of our opinion of the issues and should be covered by main stream media as well as (and especially by) the political blogosphere.

    b)  The right to peaceably assemble for the purpose of political speach, as well as the right of the press to cover it, is protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, any interference with those rights should be 1) news and 2)  offensive to Americans

    c)  One can support the troops and 1) oppose the war and/or 2) oppose violation of First Amendment rights

    I honor the sacrifice our troops are making and I hope your spouse stays out of harm's way.  We live in a military community and have many friends deployed/facing deployment.  The war is very real to us here, a few miles from Ft. Lewis.

     

     

    Tacoma Mama

    Submitted by Tacomamama on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 10:23
     

    Joe Lieberman is not a Democrat

    I just wanted to clarify in this post that Joe Lieberman is not a Democrat. During his re-election bid in 2006 he lost the Democratic Party primary bid. He then ran in the general election as a third-party candidate under the label "Connecticut for Lieberman." He is officially listed now as an Independent Democrat. I say this in reference to the sentence:

    "Also speaking will be Democratic senator and former vice president
    candidate Joe Lieberman, who is supporting presumptive GOP nominee John
    McCain over Democratic nominee Barack Obama."

    A Democrat was not at the convention last night supporting McCain over Obama, a former Democrat was.

    Following Lieberman over the years, it is not surprising that he spoke last night at the convention. The war in Iraq has not only transformed his politics, which have become much more conservative, but have also cost him his membership in Democratic party.

     

    Submitted by katedaniels on Wed, 09/03/2008 - 12:08
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