The Shitstorm of ’04: Day One

I was at work for most of the day, so anything major that happened on the streets I likely missed. But here’s what I did see:

People were chanting something incomprehensible on Seventh Ave. at around 6:30, I went up to a guy on the corner asking what the chant was, and he had no idea. Others, channeling Ludacris, chanted “Move Bush, Get Out The Way, Get Out The Way Bush, Get Out The Way.” Call it a sample, I guess.

MSNBC’s “Hardball,” as I may have mentioned, is broadcasting live from Herald Square, about two and a half blocks from my office, so I was able to watch it in person for about a half hour after work. Chris Matthews was there with panelists Christine Todd Whitman, Laura Ingraham, Howard Fineman, and Pat Buchanan, and I was also on hand for a Matthews interview with Elizabeth Dole. (I may have even been visible on TV; let me know if you saw me). Then, a few blocks away, I passed David Gergen on the street.

A few “Hardball” notes: Most of the crowd for the show was staunchly anti-Bush and booed every mention of his name. Ingraham is much, much better-looking in person than on TV; Whitman, alas, is not. And considering that Buchanan is the guy who almost single-handedly made me hate Republicans when I was 14, it was strange to see him in the flesh for the first time, during a Republican convention no less. Pat was on “Da Ali G Show” a few weeks ago; makes me wonder if the “Throw the Jew Down the Well” thing was his idea.

Meanwhile, this blog’s patron saint, Ron Silver,spoke tonight at the convention, even though he’s a social liberal, has been a Democrat for most of his life, and once played Alan Dershowitz in a movie. On the subject, Scott Galupo had this to say in the Washington Times:

The Republican entertainment lineup is even thinner in actors. The prize catch so far is Ron Silver, who may not even be the most popular middle-aged Jewish character actor named Ron. (He's neck and neck with Ron Leibman.)

Galupo’s analysis, while astute, omits any consideration of Ron Rifkin, Ron Perlman, Ron Eldard, or Ron Jeremy.

Speaking of which, if “Skin,” the show on which Silver played a pornographer, had lasted more than two episodes, there’s no way in hell he’d be allowed anywhere near the Republican convention.

Posted by Stephen Silver at August 30, 2004 09:18 PM