I’ll be covering the Democratic National Convention like all the other cool bloggers.
The flight in was adventurous to say the least. All my luggage went to Tampa (fortunately I had the notebook computer with me). There was nearly a fight between the passengers and 30 Arab men who were loitering at the front of the plane. I exchanged knowing glances with the 83-year-old granny sitting next to me for two hours.
Once on the ground, it took me three hours to reach the hotel–where they had lost my reservations. So I slept in the park. I nearly had to fight my way into the free-speech stockade because I lost my admission ticket. While protesting, I got tired of a reporter from www.demslovebinladen.com asking me questions, so I told him to “shove it.”
While standing in line to use the restroom I dropped my extra battery, so blogging will be limited to 20 minutes per day. But hey, isn’t it great to blog about all these news stories on convention blogging?
Ha.
Okay, so I’m not really in Boston, and I’ll be covering the convention from the TV, not the Fleet Center. But we playing along at home can still have some fun, right?
July 2004
Tour de Tennessee
Yesterday I read an account of the Tour de France’s legendary L’Alpe d’Huez ascent. So in a moment of insanity inspiration, I decided to simulate the experience in what I’ll call the L’Tellico d’Cherohala.
I loaded up the bicycle, drove down to Tellico Plains, TN, and cycled up the Cherohala Skyway to the North Carolina state line.
I’d say my experience yesterday is comparable to that of the Tour’s riders. Except the only record I set is measured in pain. And rather than a million fans, I only had the occasional pickup truck or motorcycle whizzing by with the driver wondering, “What the hell is that guy doing here?” Oh, and I don’t suspect Tour de France riders do any walking, either.
Anyway, I’ve got pictures of the excursion here.
Top Priority
The big news today is the release of the 9/11 Commission report. My sense (without having read a word of it) is that it sacrifices some of the real story in order not to ruffle too many feathers and be viewed as “partisan.” After all, the commission does consist of fomer government insiders.
I was watching some of the press conference earlier. Commission chair Kean offered an interesting factoid. He said that looking back to what the two candidates said during the 2000 campaign, the commission could find only one reference to terrorism. What makes that even more remarkable is that we had the Cole bombing in October. So yes, as the politicians say, terrorism was obviously an top priority before 9/11. And the press was asleep to. Or rather they were out hunting for Chandra Levy.
Major Political Shakeup
Kucinich endorses Kerry.
Apparently he was still in the race, though no one knew it.
Volunteer Tailgate Party
. . . is up at Big Orange Michael.
No Inkling
President Bush yesterday:
Let me say one other thing about the 9/11. I told the commissioners right here in the Oval Office that had we had any inkling, whatsoever, that terrorists were about to attack our country, we would have moved heaven and Earth to protect America.
Yes, it would have been something if the president had some clue that terrorists were about to strike the United States. Imagine how things might have been different had the president received some warning like this:
Oh wait, he actually did. But I guess he was too busy moving brush at the ranch at the time to move any “heaven and Earth.” Or do anything whatsoever.
You’d think the White House journalists might grow weary of this sometime, but I suppose its all part of the game now. Besides, the news channels were all worked up tonight about the “stunning,” “chilling” video which offers the shocking revelation that 9/11 hijackers did indeed make it through the airport security checkpoints and onto the planes. I guess old stories magically become “news” if there’s matching video.