Journal sm62704's Journal: Stupid Secret Security Service 6
It was a peaceful, pleasant weekend. I discovered an error in my bank balance which made me too broke to do any drinking.
Shit.
I pulled weeds and watched movies with Charlie, instead. She hadn't seen LOTR or read the books, and my daughter had bought copies of the extended versions of the movies for me. Charlie and I watched them all, and a few other movies, too.
Others in Springfield didn't have such a pleasant weekend, as Obama was in town.
The ones who went to the Old State Capitol Plaza to hear our Senator and possible next President speak were the unfortunate ones, because the Secret Service banned water bottles "because they were concerned the bottles could be used as "projectiles" and thrown at Obama, Biden and other dignitaries on stage".
Your tax dollars at work - paying cowards who would rather have people sent to the hospital rather than risk a plastic bottle full of water being thrown at them. Fifteen people left the venue in ambulances. I'm sure that if it had been McCain or Bob Barr (if he is in fact protected by the Secret Service at all) the insane stupidity would have been the same. From the local paper:
Springfield Police Deputy Chief Clay Dowis said the number of people passing out from the heat was a great concern for police. Many officers found themselves helping heat-weary people to the perimeter to cool off.
A Springfield police officer carried the sick toddler out of the plaza to get the child help for apparent heat-related illness. They helped numerous other people out to find shade and tried to get water to others.
"An awful lot of my policemen took off their policemen hats and put on their paramedics hats," Dowis said.
Secret Service agents did not allow water bottles into the staging area because they were concerned the bottles could be used as "projectiles" and thrown at Obama, Biden and other dignitaries on stage.
A public works truck was set up at the public entrance at Seventh and Washington streets to collect water bottles because agents manning the security checkpoint there were making people abandon their bottles.
Apparently, no other arrangements had been made for getting water to the crowd.
No water could be found inside the perimeter of the Old State Capitol, and few crowd members were willing to leave to go search for a cool drink.
Many of them had been waiting six to nine hours to see Obama and were unwilling to give up their viewing spots.
Police arranged for a fire hydrant at Sixth and Washington to be opened up so people could catch some of the gushing water to cool themselves off with. Many people were wetting paper towels at the portable sinks near the portable toilets and using the towels to cool down their heads and necks.
Downtown Springfield Inc. had three tables around the plaza area where they were selling water for $2. They poured cold bottled water into paper Pepsi cups to satisfy the Secret Service agents.
It was unclear Saturday why no arrangements had been+ made to make free water accessible to the thousands of visitors who crammed into the plaza area for the announcement.
St. John's Hospital spokesman Brian Reardon said about 12 people were treated there for heat stroke or heat exhaustion. A nursing supervisor at Memorial Medical Center said five people were treated also.
It's Illinois in August and people aren't allowed water. Did this type of irresponsible insanity happen at Presidential candidate speeches before 9-11? When will "my" (actually the corporations') government's disregard for the health and safety of the populace for the benefit of the elite end?
This just makes me sick. Nobody got heat exhaustion or heat stroke in the Shire at Bilbo's eleventy-first birthday party!
Update (today)
I've often said that Pat Robertson has converted more Christians to athiesm than all the athiests at slashdot combined. Likewise, Jesse Jackson should STFU if he wants Obama to be President or he'll wind up converting Obama supporters to supporting someone else. From POLITICO via Yahoo's News (News for yahoos, stiffs that mutter:)
"Barack Obama has the capacity to hit," Jackson said a breakfast panel just before the opening of the Democratic National Convention. "But he is in the situation where he can't hit back, which Jackie Robinson could not do.
... He had to be able to run the bases, even though the crowd was jeering the first African-American on the field."
I suspect that Jesse Jackson is smoking crack, or some cracker whacked him upside the head, because my developmentally disabled daughter is smarter than that. Nobody but NOBODY has jeered Jackson for being a black man playing a white man's sport (in this case the sport being politics).
Jessie Jackson is a racist, and if Obama wants to win he should disassociate himself from this mean spirited, racist asswipe.
Here's a clue, kiddies: Anybody of any color who obsesses about race is a racist.
Jackson, son of the civil rights leader, said Obama is in the same situation: "He has to keep smiling, because no one wants an angry African-American man in the White House."
First, we don't want an African-American in the white house, we want an American and we don't give a rat's ass what color or ethnicity he is. Well, nobody but racists, anyway. We give a rat's ass about whether or not the man can do the job. Sadly, IMO, none of the five candidates are fit for the office.
Second, we don't want an angy man of ANY ethnicity in the white house. Jesus Christ, the man has his finger on the nuclear trigger, for God's sake!
Jesse, put that crack pipe and Black Panther book down and actually READ that bible you carry around. Your racist rhetoric is tiresome; Jesus would not like your attitude, Reverend.
Update 8/27/8
The SJR says that "Springfield authorities now estimate 150 people were treated for heat-related illnesses after crowding onto the plaza to watch Obama and his putative Democratic running mate, U.S. Sen. Joe Biden, in near-90-degree weather Saturday afternoon."
Mayor Tim Davlin, a Democrat, on Tuesday urged people not to "dwell on the negatives" of the event.
"I hate for the local press to make this such a negative thing," he said.
Davlin said people in the crowd were there "on their own free will, and they could have walked away, and I think what they decided was they'd rather take the heat than lose their position and being able to see something really historical happen."
Oops, that wikipedia entry is on Mayor Quimby. Here is Mayor Dav... hey, it's the same guy!
'nother update
It seems Wikipedia has an article about Springfield's Mayor (the 3d cartoon ciity, not the 2d one). There's a picture of him there from Saturday's... hey, isn't that Mr. Burns in the crowd? Have a close look at that photo and you'll see quite a few cartoon characters.
Update 8/28/8
There's a picture of the real Mr. Burns in today's paper.
Not hundred eleventieth (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
DOH! And I just watched the movie, too. I don't do Mondays very well; I'll fix it, thanks.
Elitist (Score:3, Insightful)
It just goes to show how elitist and out of touch with the populace Obama is. Or something like that. ;)
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah, but like I said, the water thing wasn't a stain on Obama; if McCain had been there, it would have been no different, would it?
AFAICT all five candidates are elitists. But like a Jon Stewart (I think) said "Elitist? He wants to run the government of the most powerful nation in the world!"
Re: (Score:2)
AFAICT all five candidates are elitists. But like a Jon Stewart (I think) said "Elitist? He wants to run the government of the most powerful nation in the world!"
There is a world of difference between "elite" and "elitist". Democrats will lose in November unless they look past their Ivy League educations and pick up a bloody dictionary.
Pity the Americans (Score:2)