Protesters bring mixed messages outside Bush fund-raiser

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

http://pennlive.com/newsflash/pa/index.ssf?/base/news-10/1070389743313590.xml

By CHARLES SHEEHAN
The Associated Press
12/2/2003, 1:22 p.m. ET


PITTSBURGH (AP) — United Steelworkers of America president Leo Gerard used a bullhorn to address union workers protesting the possible lifting of steel tariffs, but was drowned out by the chants of anarchists and anti-war protesters who were among several hundred people gathered outside the hotel where President Bush appeared at a fund-raiser on Tuesday.

<snip>

Thick-bearded steelworkers chanted "Save Our Steel" but were drowned out by skimpier-bearded college students who shouted opposition to the war in Iraq.

"We've worked with labor groups, but this is probably one of the odder protests I've seen," said Tim Vining, executive director of the Thomas Merton Center, which protested the war and other social issues. "I think it shows that there is a broad dissatisfaction that has spread across a number of socio-economic borders."

The protesters booed people who paid thousands of dollars a plate to see Bush as they left the Westin Convention Center hotel.

<snip>

[Parche]

1. bush stinks

He is either on vacation or on a fundraiser

DOES THIS A-HOLE OF A PRESIDENT EVER WORK IN THE WHITEHOUSE????

[Fleshdancer]

2. He doesn't know the meaning of work

Twisting the words of the ever so wonderful Ann Richards, Bush was born with a silver spoon up his ass.

[salinen]

3. President Cheney

picked the perfect guy to run the RNC.

[drfemoe]

4. nose?

She also said he was born on third base and thinks he hit a triple.

[Military Brat]

11. Indeed. And then he stuck it up his nose

:evilgrin:

[grannylib]

15. balanced on the fulcrum of the family name/money

[ramapo]

13. Works hard at raising money

He was here in NJ yesterday. Got headlines for raising $1 million+.

Nobody blinks an eye at the obscene amounts of money pouring into political races. Indeed it seems to be celebrated. (Unless Clinton does it).

[burythehatchet]

27. Quite frankly

I'm more irritated when he IS in the White House...if ya know what I mean

[trotsky]

5. Misleading headline

It implies that the protestors disagreed about *. But nothing could be farther from the truth: people everywhere agree that he SUCKS!

[northernsoul]

6. it's just a matter of what you're more pissed off about

So many reasons to hate *, so little space on my placard.

[54anickel]

8. Naw, here's the part that justifies "Misleading"....

A group of about 25 students from Duquesne University were there to support Bush, but were jostled by the others.

:crazy:

[benfranklin1776]

9. Very true. On that subject there was complete agreement.

He is a uniter since opposition to Junior has brought together a wide and diverse group of people committed to his defeat.

[benfranklin1776]

7. Two thousand dollars a plate. Obscene.

But such is the state of our corrupt plutocracy these days. The laughable part is this fundraiser was coordinated by steel company executives. Junior is taking their money and then soon he will screw them by announcing the premature end of the steel tariffs. Junior is taking their money and then scuttling away as fast as he can.

[JNelson6563]

10. yes and no lubricant

I hope it hurts, they deserve it. Bastards.

Julie

[54anickel]

12. Wonder how many attended the fund-raiser? How many 2K plates were sold?

They give an approximate count of protesters but not of attendees. Didn't think of that until you mentioned this fundraiser was coordinated by the steel company execs.

[benfranklin1776]

18. It was projected to raise a million dollars.

Not being a plutocRAT I was not in attendance to do a head count. I am sure the corporate media will provide us with a figure soon. They get all starry eyed and swoony over his fund raising tallies.

[Vadem]

30. CNN said he raised $850,000.....

so that means 425 people @ $2000.00 per plate. Sickening! I wonder if they served hot dogs and beans as they did at another of his fundraisers, where the suckers were pissed at such fare for $2000.

[Military Brat]

16. How about a $2,000 a plate fundraiser to find the truth of 9/11?

Ha! In my dreams.

"bush the ripper" has the most screwed-up set of priorities I've seen since ... well, since ever.

[benfranklin1776]

19. That I would pay for gladly!

A much more worthy endeavor to be sure but neither he nor his administration would be in attendance at that one. Can't even get them to attend th 9/11 commission meetings or at least send over their documents.

[nickgutierrez]

17. Well, it won't be the execs that get screwed

They'll end up having to pay fewer employees as their jobs get shipped out of the country.

[Judi Lynn]

14. The imagery the reporter employs isn't TOO subtle, is it?

Thick bearded steelworkers:



HEY, it's a "Skimpier-bearded College Student!




In other words, if you're a protester, you're surely not mainstream,



and don't need to be taken seriously.

[nickgutierrez]

20. The Marginalization of Dissent

A popular tactic of Bush, Inc.

[benfranklin1776]

21. You noticed that too?

Somewhere Orwell is laughing and saying "can't say I didn't warn you!"

:puke:

[KoKo]

22. Exactly! Contrasted with "thin bearded students." writer is trying to

make this sound like some 60's anti war group lead by the "ususal kinds of suspects." :puke: on that article.

[Fleshdancer]

26. This is why I think protesters

should look as conservative as possible...really confuse the hell out of faux and the admin.

[tabasco]

23. Allegheny County, 4000+ recently filed mortgage foreclosures

I guess Bush didn't want to hear about that, what with the soaring economy and all. This sh*t-for-brains resident can forget about PA in 2004.

[PaDUer]

24. CNN just

showed pix of the protestors..

[xchrom]

25. what a skewed report

the steel workers = neanderthals and the rest are miscelaneous lefty fluff.
bushco are pigs and the media is mud they roll around in.

[VolcanoJen]

28. Buckeyes are paying close, close attention to this new policy shift.

It may cost Bush Ohio (and her phatty 21 - count 'em! - 21 electoral votes) in '04.

Bring 'em on, Chimpy. Bring 'em on.

[Snellius]

29. What happened to the "anarchists"?

"Anarachists" has been a loaded derogatory catchall for lazy or reactionary journalists for over a century. I guess some editor at AP picked up the editorializing. But there hasn't been a real anarachist in the U.S. in decades.

The original AP story called them "anarchists and anti-war protesters". The revised version calls them "anti-war protesters, civil rights and environmental activists". I guess the rebels suddenly found a cause.