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So far, the people in charge of making sure that there are no normal querulous American citizens present at President George W. Bush's visits have had a pretty easy job of it.
The president has been touring the country (60 stops
in 60 days
) at our expense to promote changes in the
Social Security system, and he speaks at town
meetings.
At one such event in Arizona, a student was
barred from entering because he wore a Young Democrats
T-shirt -- something simple to spot.
In North Dakota in early February, the local GOP machine compiled a list of 42 people who could not be given tickets to the presidential appearance. That might sound more difficult than just inspecting T-shirts, but with a few days' notice, any right-thinking political activist could compile a list of locals who might ask embarrassing questions if they were allowed inside.
And they had an easy time of it in Colorado when Bush
spoke at the Wings Over the Rockies Museum in Denver on
March 21. It was a dead giveaway, for the potential
disruptors arrived in a car with a bumper sticker that said
No More Blood for Oil.
Apparently, Bush supporters
believe that Blood for Oil is a Good Deal for
America,
and thus anyone who says otherwise is an
opponent who might ask the wrong kind of questions.
The three people in that car were asked to leave by a man they thought was a Secret Service agent, since he wore an earpiece and a dark blue suit. It now appears that this was just an overzealous volunteer who wanted to be sure that the presidential visit went smoothly.
It's hard to understand why they're so worried about
this. The President certainly has enough campaign skill to
handle the occasional heckler. Even if he gets a
substantive question, he should be able to parry it, as he
did at other stops in March, with some inscrutable
statement like If they pre-decease or die early, there's
an asset base to be able to pass on to a loved one,
or
In terms of timetables, as quickly as possible whatever
that means.
Nonetheless, there are people who see it as their duty to make sure that only the right kind of people attend public political events.
And so far, the wrong kind have made it easy for them with opposition-party T-shirts and pacifistic bumper stickers. But even if the potential presidential questioners give up on those, it shouldn't be that hard to spot them.
After all, how many Republicans drive Volvos? And how many Democrats wouldn't be caught dead in a Hummer? A simple parking-lot entry screening might miss a few misfits, but it should be faster and easier than having to read all the bumper stickers.
And if those potential troublemakers try to get around
that by walking, bicycling, or taking the bus to the event
-- well, that's a dead giveaway that they're not performing
their patriotic duty to burn every available drop of oil,
and thus cannot be trusted to remain silent at a town
meeting.
Instituting a dress code for Presidential speeches is another easy step. Allow men in suits and women with perms, along with well-groomed teens. To be safe, make sure the cost of the required raiments runs into four figures, and that should keep the rabble away.
There is, of course, another way for the President to communicate directly with citizens, and vice-versa.
I doubt that I agree with our senior senator, Wayne Allard, on much of anything political. But he's held more than 700 town meetings since taking office, in every one of our 64 counties. All people are welcome, no matter what they drive or wear. I know that, because I've been to several of them.
Allard does get a few softball questions lobbed by the local Republicans, but he also gets hard questions from other folks, and he handles them all. He explains where he stands and why, and he does listen to us common folk -- after one tour, he decided to oppose recreation-access fees for public lands.
Allard is among those who do not believe that people should be removed on account of a bumper sticker. President Bush and his fans could do a lot worse than to follow Allard's example.
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