As reported by TPM, someone attending the Republican National Convention hurled nuts at a black crew person for CNN and said this: “This is how we feed animals.”
If true: Barbaric, unheard of, unfathomable.
CNN has confirmed an incident, telling TPM: “CNN can confirm there was an incident directed at an employee inside the Tampa Bay Times Forum earlier this afternoon. CNN worked with convention officials to address this matter and will have no further comment.”
Based on the limited details thus far, the episode will have at least a full day in the news cycle. There’ll be the quest to find both the employee against whom the incident was directed as well as the person who directed the incident. There’ll be a search for other witnesses as well. If those details drip and drip and drip, the event could pose a distraction for the goings-on, though we have no idea who did it and what connection the person may have to the convention.
A Troubling Chant on the Convention Floor
By Jack Hitt
An unscripted moment happened late this afternoon that caused the assembled mainstream media to turn away in the hope that it would disappear. As I was standing in line for a sandwich next to an Italian and a Puerto Rican correspondent, a controversy was unfolding on the floor. The RonPaulites, whose furious devotion to a single idea have made them the Ellen Jamesians of the right, were protesting a decision by RNC officials not to seat members of the Maine delegation, which was split between Paul and Romney supporters following rule changes made just prior to the convention. There were energetic shouts of “Aye!” and “Nay!” as a Puerto Rican party functionary—Zoraida Fonalledas, the chairwoman of the Committee on Permanent Organization—took her turn at the main-stage lectern. As she began speaking in her accented English, some in the crowd started shouting “U.S.A.! U.S.A.!”
The chanting carried on for nearly a minute while most of the other delegates and the media stood by in stunned silence. The Puerto Rican correspondent turned to me and asked, “Is this happening?” I said I honestly didn’t know what was happening—it was astonishing to see all the brittle work of narrative construction that is a modern political convention suddenly crack before our eyes.
Honestly if the dude was ejected from the convention for his behavior that seems like a fitting punishment for the crime.
Men often oppose a thing merely because they have had no agency in planning it, or because it may have been planned by those whom they dislike.
-Alexander Hamilton
Enki wrote:Honestly if the dude was ejected from the convention for his behavior that seems like a fitting punishment for the crime.
But then people do the same as the one accused.
Look, the dude did something rude. He didn't do something criminal. It is extremely rude, offensive even. But it's not criminal.
Men often oppose a thing merely because they have had no agency in planning it, or because it may have been planned by those whom they dislike.
-Alexander Hamilton
Enki wrote:Honestly if the dude was ejected from the convention for his behavior that seems like a fitting punishment for the crime.
But then people do the same as the one accused.
Look, the dude did something rude. He didn't do something criminal. It is extremely rude, offensive even. But it's not criminal.
Indeed and of course! But my point is that at an higher and higher rate Americans seem to want to exclude and eject each other from reality all together in the political public square. An extreme dirty lavender hole like this guy thusly also feels freeer to vent his repulsion for another human being.
There was this article, can't remember somebody here posted a link maybe. How a few decades ago Republicans and Democrats still felt to be brotherly Americans. A sense of family. Now things are defracting, polarizing, really hateful sentiments kicking in.
It's a profound crime politically - or at least self-murder. Turning a poll-bumping cake walk into (another) presentational fiasco.
There are probably enough media cycles remaining for these gaffs to vanish before polling day, but it isn't very edifying. A couple of weeks ago I was pretty much convinced that all Mr. Moroni had to do to romp home was adopt the Charlton Heston "From my cold, dead hands" podium face and declaim platitudes from an autocue.
I agree that ejecting the guy and condemning his behavior is sufficient. It's not illegal to be a piece of lavender, and what else can the RNC organizers really do?
However I don't think there will be any serious political ramifications for any of this. The majority of the GOP base tacitly accepts this kind of stuff, and everybody knows it. I understand that many people don't want to admit this publicly, but its the unspoken truth behind all of the dog-whistle racism from various candidates and speakers at the convention and throughout the campaign, and the subtext to all the "jokes" about birth certificates and comments about shared Anglo-Saxon heritage.
So you've got %45 of America willing to accept all that, another %45 opposed, and then independents, who are typically too interested in some kind of libertariansim, goldbuggery, or other monomania to care about "PC" issues.
CNN and the woman who was insulted are keeping pretty quiet on the matter too. No crying or freaking out or beer summits. Brushing it off with a "what an asshole" and getting on with your day isn't the worst response you could have.
I don't know. It's prime marshalling fodder for the Dems when it comes to getting their vote out on polling day - crucial in a neck and neck race.
It also doesn't speak well of the Rep's party machine if they can't anoint their chosen ones in front of the congregation without a steady stream of well-wishers pissing in the font.
