The Stage Is Set in New York

This week our lead story will be dedicated to Republican National Convention coverage from New York. The stage is set as thousands of delegates have descended on the Big Apple.

If you are curious about the Republican delegates from your state, check out the delegate profiles and diaries on the official convention web site. Also, the RNC bloggers are on a roll and ready to provide backstage coverage. The official themes of the RNC are courage of a nation, compassion of the American people, land of opportunity, and build a safer world and a more hopeful America. President Bush will make his speech on Thursday to officially accept the Republican nomination for President.

Pre-controversy has been focused on the protesters.MOB (Mothers Opposing Bush) marched across the Brooklyn Bridge Friday launching the first protest of the week in a kinder-fest of children, parents, and red white and blue balloons. The Critical Mass Ride (a bike protest) resulted in 264 arrests due largely to police blockades and plastic nets used to break up the crowd. The largest group, United For Peace and Justice obtained the right to march, but not to rally in Central Park. All sorts of people are calling for all sorts of protests including sick-outs on Broadway, traffic slow downs, and creative costuming. Peaceful Protesters have a wide range of events including "Take A Republican To Lunch" and a "Sleeping With The Enemy" bar gathering. NYC police are expecting an average of 1000 arrests a day and have commandeered Chelsea Pier 57, a block long building that will be holding pen central for detainees.

GOP leaders have said that Democrats are behind the protests, but the Dems adamently deny coordinating or supporting any such actions. "Let me be crystal clear — we have nothing to do with the demonstrations," Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe said. "The Republicans know that. Their strategy is to see if they can link us to a bunch of lawbreakers."

So, send 5,000 conservative delegates to an 80% Democrat community of millions, import 500,000 protesters, add 10,000 police and a few thousand more Secret Service and assorted domestic security forces, stir for four days and viola! Who knows what is going to come out of the pressure cooker. Let's just hope it goes down smoothly.