"One's a born liar and the other's convicted."
– Yankees Manager Billy Martin, on Reggie Jackson and George Steinbrenner
Some things are obvious, but it's nice to get confirmation, all the same.
We know about the stage management of Pres. George Bush's public apperances — from the Mission Accomplished flight suit to denying high school kids entry to a rally. Now an official document, the "Presidential Advance Manual," confirms there's a process for stifling dissent in the vicinity of the cocoon president.
Most of the content has been redacted from the 103-page manual [pdf] obtained by the ACLU, and it's unclear why. Perhaps it's because the rest of the instructions aren't germane to a lawsuit filed on behalf of two people arrested for refusing to cover anti-Bush T-shirts at a speech in West Virginia. Another suit has been filed on behalf of two Denver residents who were booted from a Bush speech for a bumpersticker on their car.
Slate paraphrases what's there, but you really should read full passages to get the genuine flavor [hat tip to Joe Loveland]:
“The formation of ‘rally squads’ is a common way to prepare for demonstrators by countering their message. This tactic involves utilizing small groups of volunteers to spread favorable messages using large hand-held signs, placards or perhaps a long sheet banner, and placing them in strategic areas around the site. These squads should be instructed always to look for demonstrators. The rally squads’ task is to use their signs and banners as shields between the demonstrators and the main press platform. If the demonstrators are yelling, rally squads can begin and lead supportive chants to drawn out protestors (USA!, USA!, USA!). As a last resort, security should remove demonstrators from the event site. The rally squads can include, but are not limited to, college/young Republican organizations, local athletic teams and fraternities/sororities …”
Heaven forbid the president or the rest of America should catch a glimpse of dissenting citizens.
In 1932, Herbert Hoover was embarrassed by the Bonus Army that congregated outside Washington DC in "Hooverville." Veterans thrown out of work by the Depression appealed for immediate payment of WWI bonuses that were being spread out over many years. A bill to do that was stalled in the Senate, and Hoover opposed its passage.
Hoover authorized federal troops, led by George S. Patton and Douglas MacArthur, to move out the protesters. Several vets were killed, many injured and Hooverville was put to the torch. The sight of the Army being deployed against American citizens was shocking, and the action contributed to Hoover's political demise. (He later tried to spin the Bonus Army as being instigated by communists, convicts and Democrats.)
The current president has more astute PR counsel and uses frat boys and right-to-lifers instead of soliders, but his spirit is pure Hoover.
