Triumph Des Willins
Mar. 2nd, 2004 09:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lapsedmodernistoh my god vomit vomit puke vomit more
President planning NYC extravaganza
White House goal is unprecedented convention theater
“And now, direct from Ground Zero, heeeeeeere’s the president!”
Well, that’s not exactly how President Bush is likely to be introduced when he gives his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention on Sept. 2, but it might be something equally dramatic and theatrical.
According to sources privy to convention planners’ discussions, the 2004 GOP conclave at New York’s Madison Square Garden will be unlike any previous quadrennial gathering of either party. In fact, not all of the main events will be held at the Garden, sources involved in planning the Aug. 31-Sept. 2 convention said.
“The entire format and actual physical setup could be radically different,” one GOP insider commented. “They might not even have a podium, or maybe a rotating podium or even a stage that comes up from underground. It would be like a theater in the round, with off-site events that are part of the convention.”
The source, a veteran official of past GOP conventions, said the 50,000 delegates, dignitaries and guests would watch off-site events on giant TV screens. “Now, we’ll go to the deck of the USS Intrepid as the U.S. Marine Corps Band plays the National Anthem,” he said, pretending that he was playing the part of the convention chairman.
“Or, and this is a real possibility, we could see President Bush giving his acceptance speech at Ground Zero,” he added. “It’s clearly a venue they’re considering.”
Another GOP source said Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other Gotham officials pressed convention planners to come up with creative ideas to counter the negative publicity stemming from a proposal by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) to house delegates on a luxury cruise ship in New York Harbor.
DeLay’s proposal drew fire from many New Yorkers, including key Republicans, who felt it damaged the party’s image and would hurt the city’s hotel and restaurant industry.
A spokesperson for William Harris, the former Alabama GOP chairman who is chief executive of the convention, said yesterday that Harris didn’t want to discuss any details of the convention, including the possibility that some events would be held outside Madison Square Garden.
Harris told The New York Times Tuesday that he would like to hold some events in the city’s neighborhoods, “where his candidate could benefit by seeming to embrace the ethnic diversity that is New York.”
But with President Bush’s nomination assured, and little chance that Vice President Cheney will be replaced as his running mate, Karl Rove and the Republican National Committee are definitely looking for ways to generate some excitement to hold the attention of a worldwide TV audience and get the Bush-Cheney campaign off to a running start.
Too bad Leni Riefenstahl isn't around anymore, huh?
I hope he fucking recreates his aircarrier stunt. I hope he LANDS AN AIRPLANE AT GROUND ZERO. Perhaps the visual semiotics of such a stunt would hammer the literal connection that needs to be understood into the public consciousness. On second thought, a stage coming up from the underground is an even better idea. Like in opera, when Satan emerges from below, in a cloud of smoke. How far under the ground do you think they will construct the stage? Will it be at the level of the corpses that are still rotting there?
President planning NYC extravaganza
White House goal is unprecedented convention theater
“And now, direct from Ground Zero, heeeeeeere’s the president!”
Well, that’s not exactly how President Bush is likely to be introduced when he gives his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention on Sept. 2, but it might be something equally dramatic and theatrical.
According to sources privy to convention planners’ discussions, the 2004 GOP conclave at New York’s Madison Square Garden will be unlike any previous quadrennial gathering of either party. In fact, not all of the main events will be held at the Garden, sources involved in planning the Aug. 31-Sept. 2 convention said.
“The entire format and actual physical setup could be radically different,” one GOP insider commented. “They might not even have a podium, or maybe a rotating podium or even a stage that comes up from underground. It would be like a theater in the round, with off-site events that are part of the convention.”
The source, a veteran official of past GOP conventions, said the 50,000 delegates, dignitaries and guests would watch off-site events on giant TV screens. “Now, we’ll go to the deck of the USS Intrepid as the U.S. Marine Corps Band plays the National Anthem,” he said, pretending that he was playing the part of the convention chairman.
“Or, and this is a real possibility, we could see President Bush giving his acceptance speech at Ground Zero,” he added. “It’s clearly a venue they’re considering.”
Another GOP source said Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other Gotham officials pressed convention planners to come up with creative ideas to counter the negative publicity stemming from a proposal by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) to house delegates on a luxury cruise ship in New York Harbor.
DeLay’s proposal drew fire from many New Yorkers, including key Republicans, who felt it damaged the party’s image and would hurt the city’s hotel and restaurant industry.
A spokesperson for William Harris, the former Alabama GOP chairman who is chief executive of the convention, said yesterday that Harris didn’t want to discuss any details of the convention, including the possibility that some events would be held outside Madison Square Garden.
Harris told The New York Times Tuesday that he would like to hold some events in the city’s neighborhoods, “where his candidate could benefit by seeming to embrace the ethnic diversity that is New York.”
But with President Bush’s nomination assured, and little chance that Vice President Cheney will be replaced as his running mate, Karl Rove and the Republican National Committee are definitely looking for ways to generate some excitement to hold the attention of a worldwide TV audience and get the Bush-Cheney campaign off to a running start.
Too bad Leni Riefenstahl isn't around anymore, huh?
I hope he fucking recreates his aircarrier stunt. I hope he LANDS AN AIRPLANE AT GROUND ZERO. Perhaps the visual semiotics of such a stunt would hammer the literal connection that needs to be understood into the public consciousness. On second thought, a stage coming up from the underground is an even better idea. Like in opera, when Satan emerges from below, in a cloud of smoke. How far under the ground do you think they will construct the stage? Will it be at the level of the corpses that are still rotting there?
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no subject
Date: 2004-03-02 09:03 pm (UTC)...not to mention the security crack-down that nyc will be under. maybe it will rival miami during the ftaa conference. break out your riot gear.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-02 10:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-02 11:10 pm (UTC)granted, nyc has been through more than enough already, but what better opportunity than the rnc for a "cleansing" of those who are responsible for more damage to this country and world than basically anyone ever. i'd be (morbidly?) interested in the reaction the nation would have now and in the future to a bushwacking. i mean, how many visitors would a presidential "library" really have when it only legitimately consists of, like, 67 baseball cards, 11 half-finished coloring books, and a few xeroxed "national guard" pay stubs?
in any case, the recently-expanded "free speech" zone now consists of, but isn't limited to, only the states without vowels in their names. oh, and they'll definitely wait until after their big nyc party before declaring martial law. we wouldn't want to deprive the gop of a shin-dig at the expense of the taxpayers, would we?
no subject
Date: 2004-03-05 10:33 am (UTC)and don't you mean Faux news?
I still think we might have martial law in liew of election.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-05 04:01 pm (UTC)you may need to explain to him what a documentary is.
a to z
Date: 2004-03-02 10:48 pm (UTC)your logging my ip address for posterity?
i wonder if perry farrell will show up
Date: 2004-03-03 08:04 am (UTC)douglas (http://douglasc.blogspot.com)
incandescent w/anger?
Date: 2004-03-03 02:44 pm (UTC)