« Dem Senate Candidate Wiviott Weighs In On Domenici's Embrace of Bush | Main | Reminder: Iraq Summer Take a Stand Events Tonight »
Monday, August 27, 2007
Scenes from Demonstration at Today's Domenici-Bush Lovefest in Los Ranchos NM
Demonstrators were on both sides of Rio Grande NW
Mounted police blocked the road to the site of the fundraiser
The photos above were taken by Terry Riley at the demonstration on Rio Grande NW in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque on August 27, 2007. Click for more photos from Terry. Bush flew into Albuquerque for a few hours and attended an expensive private fundraiser for Sen. Pete Domenici at the home of Los Ranchos' "Independent" Mayor Larry Abraham. The Albuquerque Journal and demonstrated estimated the crowd at more than 100 at its peak -- in the hot summer sun of New Mexico at mid-day. Albuquerque Code Pink was much in evidence. Although the demonstrators didn't get to see Bush arrive, they did manage to "greet" GOP bigwigs arriving in their vehicles. (Click on images for larger versions.)
According to the Albuquerque Journal the event raised more than $430,000 for Domenici and the state GOP, and that close to 200 people attended. The minimum donation was $1000 and photos with Bush went for $5000. One protester had this to say:
Air Force veteran George Boersig, 67, said he believes the war is about oil and money. Boersig, a member of the local Veterans for Peace group, carried a sign with a picture of Bush and the words, "Impeach Me: Clueless but Evil.'' "The only way to stop (the war) is to cut the funding. That's what we did in Vietnam and we need to do the same thing in Iraq and Afghanistan,'' Boersig said.
To counter Domenici's windfall from Bush's fundraiser, visit BEAT BACK BUSH NEW MEXICO and donate a few bucks to the cause.
Watch your tax dollars go down the drain in this Albuquerque Tribune raw video as Bush's motorcade full of "security" heads to the fundraiser for Domenici on a cleared Rio Grande Boulevard this morning. As the host of the fundraiser -- Los Ranchos' "Independent" Mayor Larry Abraham -- has said, the village of Los Ranchos won't pay a penny for the extra cops and other security -- residents of Albuquerque, Bernalillo County and other places will, by providing the extra details.
Here are videos of the protests and more from KRQE News 13 and KOAT 7 News.
Tragedy in the Motorcade
Very sadly, one Rio Rancho police officer riding a motorcycle in Bush's motorcade paid with his life. He crashed into a tree near I-26 as Bush was on the way back to the Sunport. Germaine F. Casey, 40, left a wife and two children behind with his passing.
More from demonstration and Bush visit to Albuquerque:
- Story and photos of Terry Riley and Bruce Barnaby from the Albuquerque Tribune
- Reuters photos here and here
- Yahoo News Photos
- Albuquerque Code Pink photos:
If anyone else has photos or videos from the day, I'd be happy to post or link to them.
To counter Domenici's windfall from Bush's fundraiser, visit BEAT BACK BUSH NEW MEXICO and donate a few bucks to the cause.
August 27, 2007 at 11:04 PM in 2008 NM Senate Race, Beat Back Bush New Mexico, Iraq War, Local Politics, NM-01 Congressional Seat 2008, Peace, Visuals | Permalink
Comments
Gotta love the ABQ Journal's front-page visuals of the day's events - one smaller image of a crowd so unruly that it requires horse patrols and carrying angry profane signs mixed with pink flowered hippy-esque peace symbols - the other, larger, image is one of a simple group of innocent, practically amish children and their mothers waving U.S. flags and holding a sign with hearts and stars reading "God Bless George Bush - We pray for you!"
I'm with you Dems, but for crying out loud, we're getting slaughtered in the messaging battle to the masses.
Posted by: I'm with you Dems, but... | Aug 28, 2007 9:17:39 AM
If you looked at the photos in the post and its links you'd see that the crowd of demonstrators wasn't "unruly" at all. The horses weren't necessary either, but it's a good way to take money from taxpayers for unnecessary "security." I was at the demonstration and it was very controlled, reasonable and law abiding. Only the Journal would like you to think otherwise.
I saw the photos on the front page of todays Journal too and came away with a different view. The "innocent" group of mostly children you mentioned were all dressed in drab uniforms of some sort with a huge sign. They looked like something out of George Orwell or a cult, not America. According to the article they were "allowed" by the Secret Service to be there based on who knows what criteria while the other group of entirely peaceful people were made to stay down the road.
The US Constitution guarantees the right to free assembly for ALL citizens, not just those that you or anyone else thinks is "innocent" or who holds signs "blessing" the president. It's not a matter of "messaging" it's a matter of free speech and assembly that is being denied to one group while given to another based solely on the whims of the president's men. This is anti-American.
As a matter of fact, the Journal's coverage of news is frequently anti-American too in that it twists and distorts the truth and sets up their front page as you describe for maximum political exposure of right wingers. Give me a break.
By this time anyone with a working brain knows that Bush and the right wingers who support him and work with him are on a mission to trash our Constitution, Bill of Rights, many laws, the privacy of citizens, our environment and the checks and balances to executive power. They have lied, broken laws, stolen, started a unilateral war and occupation, politicized almost every agency in the U.S. government and destroyed the reputation and fair operation of the Justice Department. Who in their right mind would be blessing Bush and his cronies and praying for them with happy little hearts floating on the sign?
Posted by: | Aug 28, 2007 9:53:45 AM
All true so its very sad to read this from the AP about the only daily newspaper in Albuquerque that isn't printing press releases for the Republicans:
The Albuquerque Tribune, the city's afternoon paper, has been put up for sale, and its owner, The E.W. Scripps Company, said it intends to close the paper if a buyer is not found.
Scripps notified The Tribune's 46 editorial employees of its decision Tuesday morning and told them Scripps will discontinue publication if a qualified buyer is not found within a reasonable, but unspecified, period of time.
"The Albuquerque Tribune, with its outstanding reputation for journalistic excellence, has been enlightening readers in New Mexico for more than 80 years," said Rich Boehne, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Scripps, who met with Tribune staff members. "Unfortunately, readers in Albuquerque, as in nearly all cities across America, are choosing other media alternatives to afternoon newspapers."
Posted by: Tribune Reader | Aug 28, 2007 10:08:56 AM
I agree with everything you have to say, "I was there." You, me and the several hundred readers of this blog know exactly what went on. My point was to bring attention to the ABQ Urinal's own portrayal - that which about 300,000 people read this morning.
Posted by: I'm with you Dems, but... | Aug 28, 2007 10:43:29 AM
Sorry "I'm with you." I misunderstood and I certainly agree with what you just said!
Posted by: | Aug 28, 2007 12:16:05 PM
