Obamatron--The DNC Podium At The Pepsi Center

The "Pillar of Fire" at the Pepsi Center has been unveiled.

Barack Obama has already made an appearance:


(CompleteColorado.com)

Can't wait to see what they'll have at Invesco Field next Thursday night . . .

Top 10 Reasons Barack Obama Moved From The Pepsi Center To Invesco Field

By El Presidente and jgm of the Drunkablog (in no particular order):

1. The Pepsi Center could no longer contain Obama's rapidly expanding ego, which had already knocked out the nose-bleed seats in The Can.

2. Virgins should be sacrificed on grass, not hardwood.

3. Searchlights, large images on banners of the Party's chosen one, and chants of "Obama, Obama!" have much, much more impact outdoors.

4. The Mothership will have room to land at Invesco Field.

5. Two words: Urine cam.

6. Bigger crowd=more campaign crap sold.

7. It's easier to vent b.s. fumes from an open-air stadium than an enclosed one.

8. The Goodyear Blimp can cover the action.

9. Confused "nomination" with "coronation."

10. More people to BOW DOWN BEFORE YOUR MIGHTY WRATH!

Any we missed?

Click here for our complete (serious) DNC coverage.

Barack Obama At Invesco Field--History Or Fiasco?

That's a question that won't be definitively answered until at least after the DNC has been concluded, and most likely not until after the election itself.

But speculation is the stuff of which blogs are made . . .

Rampant backchannel speculation and vague sources (at least initially) talking about a possible venue switch of monumental proportions for Barack Obama's acceptance speech on August 28 were confirmed earlier today by Obama's campaign. Logistical, security, and fundraising questions that have so far hounded the city and the DNCC in recent weeks were dismissed in a Monday conference call with DNC chair Howard Dean and Obama campaign staff. Dean, Obama staffers, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and the U.S. Secret Service all believe they can pay for the event and tackle the logistical nightmare it represents--approximately $3 million extra. However, given the nearly 11th hour decision to change the venue (Coors Field was also briefly under consideration) and the DNCC's not exactly stellar record of performance, Denver residents and political observers (among others) will continue to call into question the city and host committee's ability to pull the event off smoothly. Traffic congestion and questions about the DNC's economic impact continue to be of concern to media types and regular Denver residents and businesses as well.

Then there's the MSM. Changing venues with so little lead time may cause the networks to give priority to the Invesco Field event and shortchange the rest of the convention schedule and Pepsi Center preparations in favor of focusing on the sheer Super Bowl-like spectacle that will likely be hyped over the next seven weeks. The MSM has already grumbled about accommodations during the convention (and threatening bad press), and were not pleased by the city's decision to place the Public Demonstration Zone in Parking Lot A of the Pepsi Center, right next to the media tents. If the DNC really does become more of a "coronation" of Obama--now that the path to the nomination has been cleared--then the more "mundane" convention events will be eschewed in favor of the main event. Media logistics and costs will no doubt dictate the final decision over prioritization of convention coverage.

DemConWatch (a lefty blog with good insider info) asserts that the real reason for the announcement Monday was to quell MSM complaints and ease concerns ahead of the rescheduled media walkthrough tomorrow that had been postponed last month, a rather reasonable supposition at this point, and more convincing than other, more political explanations. Convention preparations and Pepsi Center construction also, coincidentally, began Monday. They also have a few more media-related logistical questions for the Invesco Field shindig.

And the event itself? Will it rain on Obama's "super-sized arrogance"? Or will the open-air venue provide undeniably "stunning visuals" in spite of security concerns? Will the sight of tens of thousands of Americans screaming "Yes, we can" in unison be an inspiration and demonstrate the "change" that appears to be craved by the electorate, or a disquieting scene of unsavory "groupthink" and political theater that isn't very becoming in republic? At least one YouTuber has already invoked Godwin's Law (and taken a swipe at Recreate '68 in the process) with a very Nurembergian comparison. Of course it doesn't help that Obama promotes mandatory volunteerism, or a "civilian national security force."

More details will be forthcoming in the next few weeks, as plans for staging, admission, media participation, and decorations/embellishments (flyovers, fireworks) are released--giving Denver a better idea of what will happening in the largest outdoor venue in Colorado, and fueling even more blogospheric discussion. There won't be a repeat of the emptiness that occurred at the LA Coliseum in 1960 (extremely unlikely), but the increased possibility of attending an "historic" event will likely bring even more Obama supporters to Denver in hopes of snagging a ticket to the event or simply being in the immediate area--to say "I was in Denver." At the very least, more media coverage (and an altered protest zone set up in the vicinity of Invesco Field) might draw an even more sizeable contingent of media-seeking protestors, some of whom might attempt to infiltrate the stadium, a possibility that was formerly closed due to the stringent admission requirements at the tightly controlled Pepsi Center. And be sure to look for more helicopter flyovers and blimp-cams covering the mass of vehicles--are they green?--and people shuffling into Invesco Field, as the MSM announcers repeat the capacity of the stadium at least 1000 times.

It seems apparent that, cynicism aside, both Obama and his campaign advisors have determined that a "public" acceptance speech and subsequent rally (still tightly controlled but much more expansive) will more helpfully propel the campaign's perceived momentum and build on the Obama brand of "change." Any possible logistical hassles or negative public backlash have been ruled out or determined to be of little consequence. A public swell of support and positive post-convention bounce are clearly expected and, depending on coordination and positioning, down-ticket benefits as well.

Obama's speech will likely tap into MLK's 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech that coincidentally took place on the same date, August 28. Direct comparisons to JFK's outdoor acceptance speech in 1960 also make use of the "change" element. It is interesting that a candidate so overtly in favor of "change" would so overtly channel two 1960's icons and their legacies. The question will be how closely the speech imitates or explicitly references those symbols and nostalgic memories, and how that imagery and rhetoric will play in the days and weeks following the DNC.

While this is still a recent development, it seems logical and even expected. As Obama gained traction and built momentum "breaking the mold" of Presidential aspirants, yet another predictable convention hardly seemed adequate. Convention protestor shenanigans aside, Obama's acceptance speech--for better or worse--will provide the iconic cap to a convention week Denver will not soon forget.

Obama Rally At Invesco Field Gaining Traction

**Update--rumors getting stronger:

The Associated Press, citing two unnamed "people in a position to know details of the idea," said the switch is under consideration.

Mayor John Hickenlooper said he hadn't heard the rumor directly from the Obama campaign, but added it would be "amazing" if it happened.

"It would be difficult, but not impossible," Hickenlooper said. "You would have to adapt. You would have to make sure you got the right people in the right places - if it's something the Obama campaign wants to do."

---

Not sure who the sources are, but backchannel whispers and blog speculation indicate that there is at least some planning and logistical inquiries being made:

Gridiron fans, move over. The Obama campaign hopes to turn the last evening of the Democratic National Convention in Denver on Aug. 28 into a giant rally of voters in a football stadium.

The unusual move, confirmed by two sources, would be an echo of John F. Kennedy's acceptance speech in 1960. Kennedy delivered his address before thousands of supporters at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Obama's big moment also would fall on the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, delivered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
. . .
Officials involved in planning the event said the challenge of filling the stadium didn't seem to be much of a worry for the Obamians, who attracted huge crowds during their primary campaign this spring. More worrisome, they said, were issues of logistics and security for all the Democratic dignitaries at the convention -- plus the possibility of afternoon thunderstorms in the open-air stadium.

The football stadium plan appears to be what officials had in mind when they said the Obama campaign and the Democratic National Committee might shorten the party convention to three days instead of four.

Obama campaign officials didn't respond to requests for confirmation. Shannon Gilson, a spokeswoman for the campaign, told the Denver Post via e-mail simply: "We think Thursday night in Denver will be very special."

The shortened convention rumor--from 4 days to 3--may have been nothing more than a reference to this type of event.

Not everyone relishes the thought of Invesco Field reverberating with political chants shouted in unison.

Ba-Rock Star? Obama Could Be A Mile High When He Accepts Nomination At Invesco Field

For the people:

Barack Obama's campaign is considering moving his nomination acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention from the Pepsi Center convention hall to Invesco Field at Mile High to accommodate the uncredentialed masses, sources say.

The move would mark a major departure from tradition, but would be in keeping with the candidate's desire to build a large grass-roots campaign focused on "change."

It also would leave behind the multi-million-dollar broadcast studios, media offices and high-tech podium and stage to be constructed at the Pepsi Center.

"No decision has been made in regards to this," wrote Matthew Chandler, the Colorado press secretary for the Obama campaign.

Denver's convention host committee declined to comment on the possibility, first mentioned on the blog demconwatchblog.com.

No small "change" indeed--added security and logistics costs, possible schedule conflict rearrangements, media readjustment, DNCC coordination nightmare, etc. But what a way to bring even more people to Denver in hopes of attending Obama's acceptance speech--to view the "historic" moment that it represents.

Heck, even a few bloggers (ahem) might be allowed in now!

DemConWatch has more on the speculation.

Denver: DNC Protest Area To Have "Wire Mesh Fence"

To keep the moonbats at bay, the Democratic National Convention security plan includes a "wire mesh fence" of an undisclosed height to surround the protestors over in Lot A at the Pepsi Center.

Essentially another of those non-update updates that releases a crumb of information--followed by more whining from Glenn Spagnuolo of Recreate '68:

City officials released a few more details Monday for groups that want to protest outside the Pepsi Center during the Democratic National Convention, including the fact a wire mesh fence will be used to mark the protest area.

But other key components — including what portion of the parking lot will be designated for protest groups and how high the fence will be — were not disclosed. However, the city said it didn't plan on topping the wire mesh fence.

And then there was the issue of the marching route for protest groups and how far away it would be from the Pepsi Center during the convention Aug. 25-28.

Apparently, it was far enough to bring howls of protest from some of the protest groups.

"New York City let us march right in front of Madison Square Garden. I could put my foot on the first step," said Glenn Spagnuolo of Recreate 68. "If New York can let 600,000 people march in front of Madison Square Garden, then they should let 25,000 people march in front of the Pepsi Center."

But city officials assured protest groups that delegates going to and from the Pepsi Center during the convention would be within earshot of protestors and that there would be plenty of other chances for protestors to speak out throughout the city.

Not enough, apparently.

**Update--more details, via the Post:

There will be "wire mesh fencing" but the city "does not anticipate topping the fence," which was a major point of dispute at the 2004 convention in Boston, where razor wire topped the protest area.

More details below from the city of Denver's statement...

- Permits are not required to enter or use the public viewing area.

- Persons using the public viewing area will be protected from unreasonable search and seizure, or conversely may be subject to search and seizure, under Constitutional standards.

- No one will be allowed to obstruct the public viewing area in a way that would prevent free use of the area by others.

- The public viewing area will be open to the public, subject to laws that apply to public areas, including juvenile curfew laws and laws that govern overnight camping in parks and on any public right-of-way.

No worries. The moonbats will camping everywhere else.

Drunkablog--unfailingly--has a roundup and photos of the to-be-enmeshed Lot A, where the animals in a zoo moonbats will be "contained" within "earshot" of the delegates at the Pepsi Center.

Unknown DNC Security Plans Near Pepsi Center Could Snarl Traffic, Shut Down Transit

With less than three months until the Democratic National Convention, security plans for the area surrounding the Pepsi Center remain a point of contention, and do not appear to be resolved anytime soon, at least in regards to traffic congestion and potential closures:

Security requirements for the Democratic National Convention may result in closing or restricting light-rail service and traffic on streets surrounding the Pepsi Center.

But less than 12 weeks away from the opening gavel in Denver, security planners aren't ready to tell downtown commuters, businesses and residents what to expect.

"It's going to be closer to the time of the convention," said Malcolm Wiley, the U.S. Secret Service's spokesman for the event.

At this point before the last Democratic convention in Boston, transit and road closure plans already had been publicized for a month and a half.

Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper insists the city will be "open for business," but the main thoroughfares and light rail lines in that part of Downtown Denver could be out of commission for the duration of the convention:

If the Secret Service requires the C and E lines to shut down, those riders could transfer at Broadway, Alameda or Osage stations to other lines. If it permits the C and E trains to operate but not stop at the Pepsi Center station, there would be little impact.

If traffic is kept off Speer Boulevard or Auraria Parkway, similar to I-93 in Boston, it could be only for the 4 p.m.-to-midnight period when the main convention sessions are held.

Speer carries about 49,000 vehicles a day at Wewatta Street, next to the arena. Auraria carries 28,500, according to the latest Denver traffic counts.

As soon as the security personnel release information, we will of course relay that on the blog.

Stay tuned.

Democratic National Convention Countdown, No. 82

Democratic National Convention Daily Digest and Open Thread
Wednesday June 4, 2008--No. 82

MSM:

Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper--what to expect during the DNC:

* While there will be some additional screening procedures and security measures in some locations, all downtown residents will be able to access their homes and parking garages. Downtown businesses will be able to remain open with access to employees and customers.

* When people talk about a "security perimeter," what they are really talking about are areas around the Pepsi Center that may require additional screening or security measures. Those areas will be finalized and announced closer to the Convention, but please know that our intention is to minimize any impacts on roadways, businesses and residences. More updates will be provided to businesses and residents near the Pepsi Center - and the general public - over the coming weeks.

* While there will be some modest traffic impacts in the downtown area during the Convention, it will not tie up the downtown. Downtown workers should not have difficulties getting to or leaving work, particularly since the main hours of Pepsi Center activity (4 p.m. to 9 p.m.) do not correspond with standard morning or evening commute times. The bottom line is: Downtown will be accessible.

---

DNCC host committee cancels state delegation parties scheduled around Denver--host comittee's ability to fundraise and bring revenue to city questioned (canceled parties means local service providers lose business)--host committee announces single event to replace individual state delegate parties, commemorating the recovery efforts of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Training company chosen for DNC volunteers.

Company providing DNC gear gets their Roosevelts mixed up--Teddy shows up, not Franklin D.

Blogs:

Drunkablog--Recreate '68 to share Civic Center park with Iranian photo exhibit, as groups agree to joint occupancy August 25 and 26.

---

All previous Daily Digests can be found here.

Dems' Denver DNC Could Backfire, Turn State Red; City Can't Handle DNC; Protestors "Duty Bound" To Destroy Democrats If Obama Not The Nominee

The great irony is that the choice of Denver was a political calculation to show a state that had turned (in the minds of the party bosses) from red to blue. The end result will likely be to to turn the state back to red...."--Campaign Spot

"It won’t be the chaotic street protest and battle with the cops that occurred in ’68: we’ve learned too much from that. It will be organized, Gandhian in its adherence to discipline and nonviolence, and more massive than anything maybe ever seen in the United States’ long history of social movements. If the party leaders choose to destroy democracy by denying the fair-and-square winner the nomination, democracy will then be duty bound to destroy the party"--Campaign Spot

First, the city's ability to handle the DNC is in question, says one observer from the Campaign Spot at NRO (h/t Ben DeGrow):

Regardless of whether the convention turns into a repeat of 1968, with filthy hippie war protesters camping out on the state capitol grounds and the large public park in front of the city and county buildings across Broadway Blvd. (which are, incidently [sic], only about two blocks away from the Pepsi Center and big hotels the delegates will be staying at)[--more like a mile, ed.], the whole experience promises to be a circus and a fiasco the city of Denver has never seen in its history. The flawed nominating process this year will play no small role in this. That is assuming it doesn't turn into Los Angeles 2000 for the Democrats, in which case it will be something far worse for both the city (and its Democrat mayor) and the state (with a new, supposedly law and order Democrat Governor). Denver is not equipped to handle any convention scenario other than a coronation, and certainly not the most (potentially) contentious national convention in 40 years.
. . .
Having lived in Denver, Seattle, and Los Angeles, I assure you Denver is a lot more like Seattle than it is Los Angeles. Perhaps the law enforcement officials and Democrat officeholders in Denver will rise to the occassion and find the magic formula to keep the city from breaking under the critical mass of the crush of media, Democrat delegates, liberal celebrities, left-wing activists, unions, and the teeming hordes of war protestors, but I would bet not.

At the end of the day, not only did the DNC make a hash of their nominating process, but they also chose a city that will be ill-equipped to deal with the convention circus to officially nominate the eventual candidate. Even the newly returning students for the fall semester from Boulder, Fort Collins, and the other assorted colleges in the area will be enough street activists in Denver to give the locals headaches that week.

The great irony is that the choice of Denver was a political calculation to show a state that had turned (in the minds of the party bosses) from red to blue. The end result will likely be to to turn the state back to red....

Read it all.

Denver Democrats and other civic leaders assured both the DNC planners and the citizens of Denver that the city was capable of handling a large gathering of political activists, party delegates, and national and international media.

What it didn't bargain for was the potential for a contentious, attention-amplifying, possibly brokered convention, or the onslaught of local and national protest groups, at least not to the level that perhaps my be encountered come August.

Denver's urban center is compact, but not as high density as the larger cities listed above. There is the clear potential for traffic bottlenecks, as I-25 and Speer/Colfax are closed, even temporarily and even if the convention was merely a coronation of the eventual party nominee. This doesn't account for the security zone established around the Pepsi Center, the various activist groups inhabiting the city's parks, and the general mayhem that might ensue should groups like Recreate '68 or the anarchists actually carry out their plans to effectively shut the city down.

Locals are already planning on avoiding Denver like the plague, scurrying to the area foothills, joining their friends in the suburbs, or taking a vacation. CU-Denver, where I am currently enrolled pursuing MBA/MS-Marketing degrees and which is located directly across from the Pepsi Center, will be completely shuttered for the entire week.

There was no city-wide referendum on bringing the Democratic National Convention to Denver, only promises made that we richly deserved it because of the state's trend to "purple," and its geographical potential to attract votes in the Mountain West. Those who aren't fleeing that week will be monitoring the situation up close--observing and documenting the moonbat protestors' excesses, fact-checking the city on costs/cleanup/damages, and keeping track of the MSM and international media's reaction to our great city.

---

As if all that wasn't enough . . .

If Barack Obama doesn't get the nod at the DNC, then Democrats and activists--outside of the moonbats above--will march on Denver:

Call it Plan Jericho: Like Joshua of the Old Testament and his troops who circled the halls of the city, marched around it silently for six days, on the seventh day marched around it seven times more and then, on cue, sounded a horn to end the silence and shout all at once, toppled the walls, entered the city, and “killed” (the Bible says so literally, but this time it will be politically, not mortally) every man, woman and superdelegate – including any imposter they might “nominate” by imposition – that did not participate in the certain walk-out protest that will occur under their scenario and instead chooses to remain inside the hall.

It won’t be the chaotic street protest and battle with the cops that occurred in ’68: we’ve learned too much from that. It will be organized, Gandhian in its adherence to discipline and nonviolence, and more massive than anything maybe ever seen in the United States’ long history of social movements. If the party leaders choose to destroy democracy by denying the fair-and-square winner the nomination, democracy will then be duty bound to destroy the party.

The narrative of this campaign has created an opening for the triumph of a radical, non-electoral, political narrative if the electoral path becomes blocked by a handful of insiders that think they know better than us. The big news is that, for the first time in decades, a black-white alliance from the street will be possible: Montgomery 1955 meets Seattle 1999 in Denver 2008.

Just what Denver needs--More angry people.

Slightly off topic--why Colorado may be a tough state to poll.

Pepsi Center Goes Green For Democratic National Convention

Pepsi Center going green, and not just for St. Patrick's Day (video):

Governor Bill Ritter was on hand at the Pepsi Center as he and other officials got into the St. Patrick's Day spirit with a very green announcement on Monday.

Ritter announced that the Pepsi Center is the first arena in the country to go 100 percent green. And it had nothing to do with new paint, rather it's about reducing the Pepsi Center's environmental footprint to zero.

New solar panels are being installed, according to officials.

Ritter also unveiled renewable energy and recycling programs for the Democratic National Convention, which will be hosted at the Pepsi Center.

Ritter's announcement Monday morning is part of an ongoing effort by city and convention officials to be environmentally friendly during the four-day August event. A spokesman for Kroenke Sports, the company that owns the Pepsi Center, says it will be the first sports arena in the country to operate completely on renewable energy through the wind energy they bought.

Nuggets coach George Karl, Kroenke Sports vice president Dave Jolette and officials with the regional Environmental Protection Agency attended the event.

Officials with the Pepsi Center also plan to announce a new major Play Clean fan recycling and energy conservation initiative.

Part of this initiative includes new recycling bins, a hybrid-only parking area and a "no idling zone" outside the arena, officials say.

There will still be plenty of smug, however.

Disrupt The Democratic National Convention! Anti-DNC Anarchists "Unconventional Action" Releases Tentative Schedule

Targeting Democrat delegates, hotels, banks, military recruitment centers, and governmental and police offices
. . . Slapstick exclusive--developing--scroll for updates . . .

"Unconventional Action will target a variety of the 1,500 proposed fundraisers, countless delegate hotels, and designated institutions perpetuating global injustice. Using space reclamation, street theatre, direct confrontation, positive action, and a broad array of other tactics, we will force the national media to question the Democratic Party’s failures, hold Democratic candidates accountable for their abuses of power, and engage in direct actions that reflect our ultimate goals of joy and liberation through creativity and confrontation"



The Anarchists have listed their targets beyond the Pepsi Center, including hotels, banks, military recruitment centers, and governmental and police offices (click to enlarge):





The plan--developed in association with local groups like Recreate '68:

Anarchists and Anti-Authoritarians: join us in Denver, Colorado, August 24th-28th as we engage in coordinated Direct Actions against the Democratic National Convention, its corporate sponsors, and the military/police occupation of public space. Respecting diverse tactics and the autonomy of affinity groups and individuals, Unconventional Action has created the following framework to maximize our impact as we disrupt the DNC.

Unconventional Action’s strategy at the Democratic National Convention will hold the Democratic Party accountable for promoting unjust policies: environmental degradation, the enforcement of arbitrary borders, attacks on the poor, complacency in war, and racist policing. We will expose to the nation that the Democrats and Republicans are two sides of the same coin, both parties funded by the same corporations and upholding the same unjust political system which fails to meet the needs of the vast majority of people. Anarchists and Anti-Authoritarians are urged to engage in a broad variety of tactics to disrupt fundraising events and prevent Democratic delegates from voting for no-choice candidates. Unconventional Action will honor and support autonomous actions while coordinating a highly publicized assault on the pageantry, violence, and abuses of the Democrats and the two-party capitalist system.

Unconventional Action will target a variety of the 1,500 proposed fundraisers, countless delegate hotels, and designated institutions perpetuating global injustice. Using space reclamation, street theatre, direct confrontation, positive action, and a broad array of other tactics, we will force the national media to question the Democratic Party’s failures, hold Democratic candidates accountable for their abuses of power, and engage in direct actions that reflect our ultimate goals of joy and liberation through creativity and confrontation.

The tentative schedule:

**SUNDAY AUG 24: Anti-War Occupation Day

AM: All are encouraged to participate in an Anti-War/Anti-Occupation March and related actions.

PM: Directly following the march, Unconventional Action Denver will plan for a low to medium risk reclamation of space somewhere in the city, as yet to be determined. This action will be widely publicized, although the location may be revealed only in the lead up week or two, and will be designed to show our strength and ability to create our own systems of organization. After our reclamation, we will PARTY ALL NIGHT LONG!!! From this party, affinity groups will be encouraged to depart and engage in autonomous actions targeting those who profit from wars and our oversized military.

**MONDAY AUG 25: Free Political Prisoners/Human Rights Day

AM: Participate in a Free Peltier/All Political Prisoners march ending at the
capitol across from civic center park. Because Peltier has a vital hearing
later in the week that could free him from his long illegal imprisonment,
Unconventional Denver encourages all to attend this march.

PM: SHUTDOWN THE FUNDRAISERS!!! The DNC/Democrats are hosting a giant party to raise as much money as they can. On this night, we will interrupt this flow of capital and disrupt the fundraisers. Our theme: no business as usual. The Democrats and their corporate backers will be unable to continue their celebrations of environmental, economic, and social destruction, political corruption, and failed policy. UD will provide more information about events/locations.

**TUESDAY AUG 26: Environmental Issues/ No Global Warming Day

AM: STOP THE VOTE!!! WE VOTE NO!! Tuesday is the day when all the delegates put in their vote for who will represent the Democrats in the election, BUT THEY ONLY HAVE UNTIL 6PM TO VOTE and it is a long, arduous process. We encourage people to focus on ways to stop the delegates from getting to the Pepsi center to vote. Our targets: hotels, intersections, and transportation systems. Special attention will be given to keeping the so called “super-delegates” (what funny comic book characters they would be…) from being able to attend the vote. ALL TACTICS WELCOME AND ENCOURAGED!!! Come prepared with a plan and
ready to make a stand with your affinity group and friends.

PM: Tonight, we’ll target fundraisers of corporations profiting from and
furthering global warming. We will also shut down actual sources of
environmental degradation and greenhouse gas emissions. Get creative and use a diversity of tactics.

**WEDNESDAY AUG 27: No Borders Day

AM: A NO BORDERS march will be planned by other groups. Unconventional Action hopes to see no actions during the time of this march that compromise the safety of march participants. Our goal is to ensure that the march is safe for all people, regardless of documentation status.

AFTERNOON/PM: At the People’s Feast we will share food around Denver with as many people as we can, especially those negatively affected by the DNC’s presence in town. Focus on food liberation. Do the delegates really need that much food?

PM: Concrete decentralized actions. Guerrilla gardening, free school/workshops, gentrification reclamation, informational bike rides, helping negatively impacted communities, impromptu dance parties, and anything else you creative people out there can think of. Thematically, we call for people to engage in actions targeting corporations and individuals profiting from the criminalization of immigration and contractors in Denver working on the border-fence.

**THURSDAY AUG 28: End Racism/Imperialism Day

AM-PM: Today we will engage in visually stunning, media attracting actions targeting the Democrats’ complicity in racism in Denver and nationally through gentrification, police brutality, criminal injustice, the prison industrial complex, etc. We will target institutions and corporations that bring US imperialism and racism to the rest of the world and inflict it upon us.

Late PM-Friday AM: Tonight we will party, sleep, and support our comrades before heading to Minneapolis to disrupt the RNC…

There are also plans for St. Paul, though still in the early planning stage:

On the penultimate day of the pReNC, a national planning consulta a year in advance of the Republican National Convention, over a hundred anti-authoritarians from around the country gathered to distill a formal strategy for disrupting the convention. Smaller working groups focused on nationwide communications, food/medical/legal infrastructure, media, coalition building, and action planning. Pouring over maps, timetables, and photographs of the city, the action working group hammered out this plan.

On the first day of the convention, participants will employ a three-tiered direct action strategy to disrupt the RNC. The tiers are organized in order of priority according to the number of participants; if a small number of participants show up, only the first tier will be carried out, but if the numbers are on hand, all three tiers will be in effect.

Tier One: Establish 15-20 blockades, utilizing a diversity of tactics, creating an inner and outer ring around St. Paul’s Excel Center, where the RNC is to take place.

Tier Two: Immobilize the delegates’ transportation infrastructure, including the busses that are to convey them.

Tier Three: Block the five western bridges connecting the Twin Cities.

Those plugging into this strategy will be free to shape their actions as they see fit, using the tactics they consider appropriate. As the specific blockade sites are established, there may be a system of delegating some sites as “red zones” (prepared for self-defense), “yellow zones” (peaceful but assertive), and “green zones” (aiming to avoid any risk of arrest) so as to accommodate a wide variety of creative tactics and involve individuals with differing needs and talents.

Over the coming months, locals will identify the most strategic blockade sites and will be available to answer questions about the terrain. If you want to participate, get your comrades together, discuss your capabilities, look over maps, and start thinking about which sites you might cover. It will soon be time for groups to adopt specific intersections, streets, on-ramps, and bridges as their own.

The nationwide communications working group is calling for local and regional groups to organize their own planning consultas over the next months, so as to be ready to reconvene in Minneapolis in summer 2008. They are also calling for a series of local actions against oppression and electoral politics leading up to and building momentum and experience for the RNC and DNC.

CRASH THE CONVENTIONS!
strategy endorsed by

ACTIVATE (Grand Rapids, MI Students for a Democratic Society - SDS) ♦ Anarchist Black Cross Para-Legal Services (twitchon@hotmail.com) ♦ Animas SDS (Colorado) ♦ Anti-Authoritarians Anonymous (Milwaukee) ♦ Asheville Rising Tide ♦ Athens, OH SDS ♦ Attentat Collective ♦ Bash Back! ♦ Brainerd Anarchists (georgewchrist@hushmail.com) ♦ Chicago Anarchist Black Cross (PO Box 1544, Chicago, IL 60690) ♦ CrimethInc. Far East ♦ Delaware SDS ♦ End to Apathy ♦ Frederick Progressive Action Coalition ♦ HammerHard MediaWorks ♦ Industrial Workers of the World - NYC GMB Branch ♦ International Solidarity Movement - Chicago Chapter ♦ Iowa Organizing Against the RNC ♦ MKE to RNC ♦ Milwaukee Anarchist Black Cross ♦ Milwaukee Anti-Racist Action ♦ NC State SDS ♦ Northeast Anarchist Network ♦ Northwest Indiana Anarchist Black Cross (PO Box 1511, Portage, IN 46368) ♦ People's Networking Convention Organizing Committee ♦ Potomac Earth First! ♦ Queer Action Network ♦ Rising Tide North America ♦ RNC Welcoming Committee ♦ Rolling Thunder magazine ♦ Sabot Infosquat ♦ Shepherdstown Progressive Action Committee ♦ Tacoma SDS - UPS Chapte ♦ Talking Tree Infoshop ♦ Tuscarora High SDS ♦ UA Central NC ♦ UA in the Bay ♦ UCLA SDS ♦ Unconventional Denver

The Westword spent some time with the anarchists in January as they cased Denver for their planned activities:

But this tour group consists of anarchists from around the country, and this guided trip of the Mile High City is designed to help them plan how to disrupt the DNC come August.
. . .
This excursion is just part of a weekend-long planning conference put together by local members of Unconventional Action, a nationwide outfit of self-proclaimed anarchists and anti-authoritarians who've made it their mission to disturb the pomp and circumstance surrounding the political conventions this year. Unlike protest groups that gear their actions toward influencing the Democratic and Republican platforms, anarchists say they'd like to take down the entire two-party political system that "piloted us into unwinnable wars, ecological catastrophes and grievous imbalances of wealth and power," according to an Unconventional Action strategies newsletter.

Though you might assume that being an anarchist is all about confronting fascists and smashing capitalism, it's also about meetings. Very long meetings. So far, regional "consultas" have been held in North Carolina, Minneapolis, New York and Maryland. The Denver gathering began on January 19, the morning of the tour, with a general anti-DNC meeting organized by the protest-organizing group Recreate 68 ("Taking It to the Streets," October 25, 2007). Some seventy proud leftists crammed into the basement of a Lincoln Park church, enduring more than two hours of speeches and privately speculating as to who among them might be undercover cops or federal agents (a tip-off: Their mustaches were un-ironic).

The also have a magazine (click to enlarge):

Colorado Weekend News Roundup--030808

What a kick--Rep. Douglas Bruce's prospective primary opponent picks up endorsements, plans to raise $50000 to unseat the unpopular legislator, and then proceeds to win top-line designation on August's primary ballot, 57-43%, in the El Paso County General Assembly.

Just in time for the Democrat National Convention--ACLU lawsuit changes rules for rallies and protests at the Colorado state Capitol.

Speaking of the DNC--The City of Denver and Mayor "Teflon" John Hickenlooper plan "democracy" film contest--"cinemocracy"--in honor of the Democrats' August convention and for those who aren't able to get into the Pepsi Center. Also coming will be "Dialogue City," "a participatory arts festival to bring people downtown."

DIA Wi-Fi keeps lid on "provocative" content--and by provocative we mean almost everything, including the magazines available from the airport vendors.

Outgoing CU President Hank Brown points out the painfully--yet understatedly--obvious: CU perceived as aloof by Colorado residents, with a tendency toward looking "inwardly".

Despite being the GOP nominee and gaining the endorsement of Colorado's Republican heavyweights, John McCain will have an uphill battle convincing some Colorado conservatives not to sit on their hands come November.

The Few--The Proud--The Marines: New Ad, Silent Drill Team

Check out the new ad for the Marine Corps (via Instapundit):



Saw this video last year, the Marine Corps' Silent Drill Team at Denver's Pepsi Center (with over 2 million views, h/t Ace):

Beyonce Concert To Honor Returning Fort Carson Soldiers

Nice to see a performing artist honor rather than attack our troops:

Pop superstar Beyonce will honor five Fort Carson soldiers for their Iraq service during her concert tonight at the Pepsi Center.

The 25-year-old singer's recognition of the soldiers is part of the Army's Operation Tribute to Freedom program, which honors returning soldiers for their service in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Among the soldiers to be singled out at "The Beyonce Experience" concert before a crowd of more than 19,000 people will be Spc. Maurice Boozer. He served in Iraq with the 59th Quartermaster Company, ensuring units had fuel to keep vital equipment and vehicles running.

Boozer and his unit were credited with pumping more than 10 billion gallons of flammable fuel to combat units — treacherous duty in a war zone fraught with suicide bombers and hidden roadside explosives.