PROTEST

Security Has Its Eye On Wayward Paul Supporters

by Christian Bourge

Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2008


Republican National Convention officials are preparing for any potential floor disruptions, with particular concerns about the possibility of disgruntled protests from delegates for GOP presidential also-ran Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, according to GOP sources.

The sources stressed they are preparing for any floor problems, not just from a few "anarchist"-minded Paul supporters who are difficult to reason with. But other convention attendees, who declined to be named, said that a small minority of Paul delegates have not been shy about their intentions for mischief.

"I don't want to overstate the issue, as most of them won't be a problem and certainly our hope is none of them are a problem." said one GOP source. "But if you go about town and run into them, they aren't shy about their intentions."

Neither the Republican National Convention officials nor John McCain's campaign returned requests to comment for this story on the record, but a spokesman for the Paul campaign acknowledged the potential for some of the 260 delegates they consider to be backing the lawmaker to cause problems. A small minority has said they are in favor of disrupting floor proceedings. Nevertheless, the spokesman stressed that if any problems occur, they have nothing to do with Paul or his staff.

"We've been encouraging our supporters to have an active, positive and respectful presence at the convention," said Paul's spokesman. "That has been our position the entire time and that is what we expect and hope will happen. There are some of the delegates that are sympathetic to Dr. Paul that feel they have been treated unfairly. At the same time, we don't feel it is appropriate to be disrespectful."

Unlike the members of the liberal, anti-war group Code Pink, who snuck onto the Republicans convention floor in New York in 2004 using media credentials and were promptly removed when they started protesting, the Paul delegates have a right to be at the event under convention rules.

However, the convention is operating under the floor rules of the House of Representatives, and designated sergeant-at-arms officials have been empowered to yank the credentials of anyone who violates the "breaches of decorum" standard established in those rules.

If a band of Paul delegates becomes disruptive, sources said, the problem is in the political inclinations of some Paul supporters, many of whom are not mainstream Republicans. Nevertheless, one convention official said, it was important to realize that even if any delegates step out of line and cause problems on the floor, they are out step with the vast majority of Republicans at the event, who understand the need for unity going forward into November.

"That's the real story, everyone coming together behind McCain," said the official.

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