Even Reagan allowed free speech. What about Bush/Cheney controlling what kinds of people attend speeches?

Question

White House Manual for Silencing Critics
By Matthew Rothschild
The Progressive

Monday 09 July 2007

So the truth comes out.

After a myriad of stories about people being excluded from events where the President is speaking, now we know that the White House had a policy manual on just how to do so.

Called the "Presidential Advance Manual," this 103-page document from the Office of Presidential Advance lays out the parameters for how to handle protesters at events.

"Always be prepared for demonstrators," says the document, which is dated October 2002 and which the ACLU released as part of a new lawsuit. (For a copy of the lawsuit or the document itself, go to www.aclu.org/freespeech/protest/silenced.html.)

In a section entitled "Preventing Demonstrators," the document says: "All Presidential events must be ticketed or accessed by a name list. This is the best method for preventing demonstrators. People who are obviously going to try to disrupt the event can be denied entrance at least to the VIP area between the stage and the main camera platform.... It is important to have your volunteers at a checkpoint before the Magnetometers in order to stop a demonstrator from getting into the event. Look for signs they may be carrying, and if need be, have volunteers check for folded cloth signs that demonstrators may be bringing."

It's not about physical protection that we're talking about here. It's about allowing people to express dissention toward public officials. People I know remember going to Reagan's talks and seeing people with signs expressing opposition to what he was doing. Reagan allowed that. Bush won't allow anyone to even wear a T-shirt in front of him that expresses something he doesn't want to see or hear. This is what we're talking about. Not safety, which is, of course very important.

Answer 1

This is not news to anyone who has been paying attention.

So, Bush likes to insulate himself and only hear from people who already share his point of view. That's sad and pathetic, but it's not illegal or unconstitutional.

Answer 2

Many people on his list question Bush on his policies. Listen to the speeches instead of reading an article from a "progressive".

Answer 3

The safety and protection of public officials has always been a concern, why do you think there is a secret service, you do remember John Kennedy Right...?

Answer 4

Disruptive demonstrations have always been a a tool for the socialist "left"