Helen Thomas on Bad Treatment of Protestors on the Campaign Trail

[BlueNomad]

INSIGHT

Protesters not welcome at campaign events
By Helen Thomas
Hearst Newspapers
09-26-2004

WASHINGTON — George W. Bush is supposed to be president of all the people — but apparently not on the campaign trail.
At Bush-Cheney campaign rallies around the nation, the only people welcome to attend are Bush supporters, volunteers and undecided voters who lean toward Bush politically.

One of the most flagrant cases recently occurred in Hamilton, N.J., when Sue Niederer of Hopewell, N.J., attended a Bush rally at a firehouse while wearing a T-shirt embossed with the words: “President Bush You Killed My Son.”....

Bush supporters rose to the occasion by out-shouting Niederer. Local police handcuffed and escorted her from the rally; she was charged with trespassing and put in the back of a police van but later released...

The first lady would have shown some class by telling the campaign aides to let her be. I’ve seen many first ladies in the past deal with protesters, including Lady Bird Johnson and Pat Nixon during the height of the Vietnam War. Their political gatherings were not sanitized and screened for non-believers...

<http://www.annistonstar.com/opinion/2004/as-insight-0926-0-4i24p4322.htm>

[Malva Zebrina]

1. Thank you dear Helen

I love you. It is obvious that Laura Bush has no class at all, and never has had any, so how could she show any? I do not feel sorry for this rich woman who is not possessed of class, who , in her late fifties, has failed to develop further than a botoxed Barbie doll display item for George Bush.

[goclark]

2. Love You Helen,give um hell!

[sonias]

3. Phoniest President Ever

Also the worst president ever.

Love Helen Thomas. She remembers when we had a country, where free speech was protected by the government.

Sonia

[flordehinojos]

4. dear helen thomas, one more time you are 'PIERCING' him softly with your

with your words. Not that bush is pierceable or flexible ... but your words should gently PIERCE the hearts of many hardened republicans as they ponder whether rallies are events for the public to gather INFORMATION on a candidate, or events for a CANDIDATE TO GATHER FAWNING from an uninformed public!