CONVENTION NOTEBOOK

Fair-Weather Friends, Policing The Police, And A Terrific Audience

Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2008


Give And Take

Included in many of the "goody bags" given to delegates and others at the Republican National Convention are handy collapsible umbrellas, useful for St. Paul's changeable weather. Just don't try to bring them into the Xcel Energy Center.

Security officials have confiscated hundreds of umbrellas from those entering the convention venue, dumping them into huge barrels at the checkpoints. Umbrella owners were told they could fish through the barrels after the convention was over if they really wanted to get them back. Not surprisingly, few appeared to take them up on it.

Convention spokeswoman Joanna Burgos saw no irony in the "one hand giveth; the other taketh away" situation. She said corporate sponsors were able to place lots of different things into the bags; the umbrellas were a gift from an insurance company.

"Nowhere does it say they need to bring the goody bags into the convention," Burgos said. "Delegates did receive a number of items of information on what to bring and what not to bring."

Darrin Blackford, spokesman for the Secret Service, said the umbrella ban was prompted by the possibility that they could be used to conceal weapons and the reality that examining each would have led to huge lines at the security gates.

"Each umbrella would have to be examined individually," he said. "There are ways to make umbrellas into a weapon by concealing something in the tip."

James Bond would be proud.

- by Elaine S. Povich

A Triumphant Showing

Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog, has officially pooped on the Republican National Convention. The irreverent hand puppet crashed one of the many late-night gatherings in the Twin Cities Tuesday night -- courtesy of writer and creator Robert Smigel.

"This was the only place that let me in," Smigel said after Triumph's unscheduled 45-minute appearance at an undisclosed affair. The event included interviews with guests and a singing tribute to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin -- "Sarahbration" -- to the tune of the Kool and the Gang classic that had even Smigel hunched behind a podium on stage puppeteering Triumph -- cracking up.

The 48-year-old veteran of "Saturday Night Live" taped a spot that will be shown either Thursday or Friday on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien."

He decided to hit the Republican convention instead of mingling with Democrats in Denver because "I had to figure the Republicans were the underdogs and so they'd be funnier." He added that Republicans have "a better sense of humor" about themselves, but conceded that there are probably still many who might be "appalled" by Triumph's antics.

Smigel said he may not return to "SNL" next season to continue his "TV Funhouse" cartoon segments in the face of show's budgetary cutbacks. "I'm just lucky I was able to do it for 11 years," he said.

-- by Darren Goode

Smile, Officer

Activists and independent reporters are using hand-held cameras and streaming Internet video to document the police response to protests outside the convention in real time.

One group, St. Paul-based theuptake.org, has deployed a crew inside and outside the convention center with Nokia hand-held cameras that record video and audio. By using a free video application, members of the group can stream their content live directly over the Internet.

The group has documented police using strong-armed tactics on protesters and reporters, including tear gas, pepper spray and concussion grenades. Activists say such content might be used as evidence if they decide to sue the city.

So realize that if you see somebody pointing a hand-held camera phone at you, your actions and words might be sent live to the rest of the world.

-- by Chris Strohm

Raging Against Machine

Protest organizers are vowing to maintain their presence throughout the GOP convention, with the last big march and rally set for Thursday afternoon.

Several protests have resulted in pitched battles with police in the streets of St. Paul. One impromptu march erupted Tuesday evening after police prevented the band Rage Against the Machine from playing a free concert at the state Capitol. Police said the band was not on the original permit for the march.

Activists also have started to organize protests in downtown Minneapolis, where the bulk of parties and gatherings for lawmakers, delegates and lobbyists are occurring.

The last, large protest during the convention -- called "No Peace for the War-Makers" -- will be held Thursday afternoon. Protesters will gather at the Capitol and march to the Xcel Energy Center.

As of this morning, police said 294 arrests had been made since the start of the convention.

-- by Chris Strohm

GOP Pulls Senate Ads In N.M.

The Republicans' Senate campaign arm Tuesday called off television ads that were to air in New Mexico in the run-up to Election Day -- an indication that it is leaving the GOP candidate there to fend for himself as the party braces for losses.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee's decision to cancel the New Mexico spots reflects its priorities during a tough year for the GOP, with the party lagging badly in fundraising and resigned to losing seats in the Senate.

The NRSC would not comment on the change of plans, but TV station managers in the state told the Associated Press that they had gotten initial word of the cancellation last week.

Democrats are favored to win the seat held by retiring Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., as the Democratic nominee, Rep. Tom Udall, leads his opponent, GOP Rep. Steve Pearce, in fundraising and public opinion polls.

Most independent analysts see a pickup of four to seven seats nationwide for the Democrats this fall, and some party strategists are even hopeful that the Democrats -- who now have a 51-49 edge in the Senate -- could gain enough seats for a filibuster-proof 60-vote margin.

Meanwhile, the NRSC Tuesday launched its first ads of the campaign season in New Hampshire and North Carolina, where GOP Sens. John Sununu and Elizabeth Dole, respectively, are considered at risk.

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