I was curious how they reacted to Moore at the RNC

Galvatron · Post by **Galvatron** » 2004-09-04 01:30pm

Not very well, it turns out...

Press Gallery: Security Guards Caused Moore Disruption

NEW YORK Security guards at the Republican National Convention overreacted when USA Today guest columnist Michael Moore entered Madison Square Garden Monday night and were responsible for a disruption that made it difficult for several members of the press, including Moore, to cover the proceedings, said the U.S. House Daily Press Gallery, which oversees press credentials for the convention.

The gallery conducted a review of the Monday incident, which it calls the worst case of police media control since the 1968 Chicago convention.

"It was heavy-handed. They were very highly over-reactive," said Jerry Gallegos, superintendent of the gallery. "That is what made the whole situation far worse than it needed to be."

Moore, who entered the building at about 9 p.m., was stopped several times as he made his way through the convention to a press table, where guards surrounded him. Security guards then blocked access to several rows of press tables for an hour while he remained in the building.

Gallegos, who has overseen daily press credentials for each political convention since 1972, said the guards and New York City police had no authority to stop access for Moore, or close off a press area without proper cause. "Not since 1968 in Chicago did police get this involved in media access," Gallegos told E&P Thursday. "When you have the police force telling individuals what access they are going to have, and it is not based on a safety issue, that is scary."

USA Today editors also criticized security, saying the disruption would not have occurred if they had not overreacted. "They denied reporters who had proper credentials from entering the hall, they blocked the aisles, they prevented reporters from getting to their work stations without proper cause," said Owen Ullmann, deputy editorial page editor for USA Today. "It was an overreaction by security of Moore's presence in the hall."

Gallegos said the problems began Monday night when several USA Today employees brought Moore to the Garden press entrance and attempted to give him a press pass that would provide him access into the Garden. He said guards at the entrance would not allow Moore to use the pass, saying it was non-transferable, and instead began escorting Moore into the arena.

"Those passes have always been transferable," Gallegos stressed. "They have to be because you have to have a means of accommodating the press."

Security officials than took Moore through the halls and to a very visible area inside the arena, which includes several rows of press tables just two sections above the convention floor. He was so close, he later drew boos from the crowd following a verbal critique from Sen. John McCain during his speech.

"Moore had intended to be put up in a section where he would not be noticed," Gallegos said. "Security took him to the wrong location and when the media scrum began, police ordered that area shut down and no press could go in or out.

"They should have come to us first and allowed us to do our job," Gallegos continued. "I would not have allowed them to conduct themselves in that way if I had been there."

Gallegos said USA Today had attempted to work with convention organizers early on to allow Moore to be in the building, but in a less-visible way. "USA Today had talked to the Republican Party weeks ago about any disruption Michael Moore might cause. They had an assurance with the party that they would take care of Moore and they would handle this."

On Tuesday, USA Today editors said Moore had chosen on his own not to return to the convention, but would be continuing to write his column, which has run each day since Tuesday and is set to continue through Friday. Moore sent an e-mail to E&P Tuesday saying he had not decided to stay away and might return.

The Associated Press reported that Moore had returned to the convention on Wednesday night, but had spent his time there going "from skybox to skybox" as a guest of broadcast outlets.

Ullmann of USA Today said the paper has had no problems with Moore's work and found him "great at meeting deadlines and being edited."

With President Bush's acceptance speech slated for Thursday night, Gallegos expressed concern that if the press areas get crowded, security guards and police in the arena might overreact again. "It could be a very bad situation if police feel the need to limit access or close access," he said. "We expect it to be very full."

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-09-04 04:07pm

The question I'd like to know is, did anyone know that Moore was being sent as a stunt correspondent? Because if they weren't one can certainly understand why is it they would treat him like a trouble maker.

Marksist · Post by **Marksist** » 2004-09-04 04:13pm

The question I'd like to know is, did anyone know that Moore was being sent as a stunt correspondent? Because if they weren't one can certainly understand why is it they would treat him like a trouble maker.

If he had all the proper press credentials, I'm sure they must have known. And USA Today's hiring of Ann Coulter to report on the DNC, and Micheal Moore to report on the RNC was made public, and was a big story months ago IIRC.

Post by **Edi** » 2004-09-04 04:28pm

Stormbringer wrote:The question I'd like to know is, did anyone know that Moore was being sent as a stunt correspondent? Because if they weren't one can certainly understand why is it they would treat him like a trouble maker.

Doesn't matter, because the actions of the police and the security guards indicate incompetence. In a situation like that, you hold the suspect up while you get confirmation from someone higher up in relevant authority, as high as it needs to go, and here the superintendent of the press gallery would be a very relevant authority. Not his or Moorre's fault the goons were fucking incompetents.

Edi

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2004-09-04 05:31pm

"I can't be held responsible for what my goons are ordered to do!"

Stravo · Post by **Stravo** » 2004-09-04 05:41pm

For the party of personal responsibility Bush sure has trouble taking responsibility for ANYTHING.

War in Iraq - Bad Intel, he had the POTENTIAL to make WMD's right? (Actual point taken by his campaign advisor) The Russians lied, the British intel screwed up, anyone but me damnit.

Economy - 9/11 people. How could we have a good economy with 9/11. Oh, you mean BEFORE 9/11, well...we inherited that recession, fucking Clinton man.

Negtaive ads - C'mon people, you know how those rich Vietnam veterans are. Always getting their danders in a duff. Not me though.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-09-04 05:41pm

Edi wrote:Doesn't matter, because the actions of the police and the security guards indicate incompetence. In a situation like that, you hold the suspect up while you get confirmation from someone higher up in relevant authority, as high as it needs to go, and here the superintendent of the press gallery would be a very relevant authority.

They're Rent-a-Cops; briliance isn't usually their stock in trade. They stopped him for a while and kept a close eye on him for an hour. Sounds to me like some dimwitted rent-a-cops didn't know he was coming (I doubt they have a guest list) and so they overreacted.

Edi wrote:Not his or Moorre's fault the goons were fucking incompetents.

Frankly, I think that trying to paint this as a blatant attempt at intimidation and thuggery is a bit out of line. The fact that they repeat that the guards overreacted any number of times should clue people into that.

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2004-09-05 10:46pm

You know, in a parallel universe, a more competent Republican party has no trouble from Mr. Moore, for the simple fact that they never acknowledged he existed. He has faded into obscurity like every other fat, angry man in history.