Retired
USCG commander Pat Eisenhart attended the RNC in support of Ron Paul. He
is the only Ron Paul supporter who made the Republican delegate election in
Maine. He and his wife attended the Republic National Convention. You may
feel ill, and like me, even furious, as you read his report of what happened at
the RNC:
Just thought I would share with you what’s really going on here at the Republican National Convention.
Fox News reported that the Convention was packed. Not true! There were thousands of empty seats at the convention. Fox News reported that protesters attacked us delegates. Not true! There were fifteen-foot high metal fences 1000 yards away that prevented us from even seeing the protesters.
There is probably a larger contingent of military and police here than there are delegates and alternates. Buses, each with armed law enforcement officials, took us from the hotel to the convention each day. Upon arrival we went through two levels of electronic security, just like at an airport.
Once we arrived on the convention floor, they had security guards every ten feet facing the rows of delegates. No delegate was allowed to speak throughout the convention.
Periodically the security guards told the delegates to rise and cheer. Prior to the convention, delegates were told no banners or signs would be allowed. At the opening of the convention, the floor was flooded with McCain banners.
At different times, there were large contingents of men with McCain baseball caps at the entranceway out of site at the entrances to the aisles. When Joe Lieberman or one of the other McCain celebrities were introduced, the young men with red baseball caps were released and sent down the aisles to instruct us to cheer and then they returned to the back of the convention floor to await the next cue to fill the aisle and make it appear that the convention hall was full.
Neither the platform committee nor any speaker spoke about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan or the sad state of the economy. As televised on C-Span, no more than 20 minutes were devoted to any platform item.
No platform resolution submitted by a Ron Paul delegate was approved.
No Ron Paul delegate was selected to serve on either the Platform or Rules committee.
No delegate/alternate had an opportunity to read the rules because they were not made available until the start of the convention.
Thus, the opportunity to offer floor amendments was impossible. As a Ron Paul delegate, I was made to feel like a turd in a punch bowl.....may have something to do with the large Ron Paul button I was wearing and my refusal to stand amidst all the cheering for folks like Joe Lieberman.
When asked by the Maine delegation whip if I would vote for John McCain, I told them I would be voting for Ron Paul. His reply was the Maine delegation would not announce 20 votes for John McCain and 1 for Ron Paul. Rather they would just announce 20 votes for McCain. Apparently, he felt that uttering Ron Paul’s name would be giving Ron Paul too much publicity.
More than one delegate shared my view that control over the delegates’ speech and movements along with the ever-present police seemed somewhat totalitarian and intimidating.
Were it not for the wonderful hospitality of the legion of Minneapolis and St. Paul volunteers and staff who catered to our every whim, this would have been a pretty dismal experience.
Additionally, we have made several new friends across the country amidst Ron Paul and the Maine delegation.
When we get back, we will need a little rest before we consider what future contribution we might make to get our beloved country back on track.
In closing, I would like to say a special thank to David Santoro, Gayle Finkbeiner, Michael Jose, and my lifelong friend who helped us defray the expense of this adventure at the Republican National Convention."
Regards,
Pat and Cecile