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McCain town hall in Denver: no strings

Liberal activists say they got seats for Friday event

Rocky Mountain News

Published April 30, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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Several members of a liberal activist group said Wednesday they appear to have gotten seats to Sen. John McCain's town hall meeting Friday in Denver despite their earlier concerns that the audience was being screened.

McCain, the presumptive presidential nominee of the Republican Party, is holding the meeting at the Robert E. Loup Jewish Community Center.

On Tuesday, ProgressNow Action sent out an e-mail urging people to attend the event.

"The mainstream media has basically given McCain a free ride so far by not asking him tough questions," wrote Michael Huttner, president of ProgressNow. "So it's important for citizens to ask those questions ourselves."

The group became concerned, however, when the McCain campaign switched from an online reservation system to one that required people to RSVP by telephone.

Alan Franklin, a ProgressNow member, made reservations first online and then called to make sure he and his wife and a friend were on the list.

Franklin discovered that the online system had been taken down. When he asked why, he said he was told there was a concern about "some group."

However, the person taking the call confirmed his reservations.

Ryan Lynch, the person answering the phone Wednesday, said there was no attempt being made to screen the audience.

As of 3 p.m. only a few seats remained for the event, Lynch said.

He added that the campaign was screening volunteers who work the event, but that was at the request of the Secret Service.

Among the people for whom Franklin made reservations was Leslie Weise, who was one of three people ejected from a speech that George Bush gave on March 21, 2001, at the Wings Over the Rockies Museum.

Weiss and Alex Young later sued several government officials, alleging that their free speech freedoms were violated.

They said they were told the ejection was based upon a "No More Blood for Oil" bumper sticker on their car.

Franklin said he was asked for his e-mail address and phone number, but not for information traditionally used for background checks, such as a date of birth. He was told to arrive early, which he plans to do.

"I'm looking forward to it."

If you go

* Who: John McCain

* What: A town hall meeting on health care.

* Where: Robert E. Loup Jewish Community Center, 350 S. Dahlia St., Denver.

* When: Doors open at 8 a.m. Friday.

* Of note: Seating is limited. You must call 303-830-6707 to RSVP.

Comments

  • April 30, 2008

    10:34 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    samsmargolis writes:

    "Several members of a liberal activist group said Wednesday they appear to have gotten seats to Sen. John McCain's town hall meeting"...

    Standby for politically-correct, carbon-free, globally-tepid, government-owes-me, interactive street theatre (protests) from these noclasswipes. Local media to focus on the protest and not on the message - same ol', same ol'.....

  • April 30, 2008

    10:52 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    angka writes:

    No no, here's hoping the media does focus on McCain's re-arranging the deck chairs on the sinking ship of our health care system.

    McCain=Bush warmed over, and maybe he'll have his own Denver Three to boot! Probably not, though, my guess is the organizers won't give them any trouble now...

  • April 30, 2008

    12:32 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    GeeTee writes:

    John McCain is NOT George Bush. I believe he will take on all comers and answer their questions with respect to their opinions and freedom of speech. I hope they treat McCain with the same respect. Shouting slogans at someone one disagrees with is NOT a valid protest, nor does it help solve America's many problems.

    Why not try to engage the McCain in discussion that can lead to progress -- being against something without suggesting a VIABLE alternative is just empty sloganeering.

    McCain is certainly flawed, but he is a genuine American hero through his military service and history of "reaching across the aisle" in the Senate to do what is best for America.

  • April 30, 2008

    6:21 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    curiousstranger writes:

    Hey look, he's not wearing a flag pin in that photo.