VICTOR JOECKS: DNC protected by walls, cops and IDs
When Democrats want to be safe, they implement Republican policies. Just look at the Democratic National Convention this week in Chicago.
Conventions have become tightly scripted TV events. Parties rehearse and choreograph even the smallest details. It’s a chance to create a political narrative that could determine who wins the presidential election.
That’s especially true for Kamala Harris. Her 2020 presidential run ended pitifully. The Biden-Harris administration produced runaway inflation, global instability and massive debt. Her record as border czar was so pathetic that the national mainstream media is pretending she was never border czar.
Even so, the most interesting thing in Chicago is happening outside the convention. Tens of thousands of leftist protesters have descended on the city. The most prominent motivation for marching is to attack Israel, but one gets the sense that for many a cause isn’t as important as causing mayhem.
As Alfred Pennyworth, the butler, said in “The Dark Knight,” “Some men aren’t looking for anything logical, like money. They can’t be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.”
This poses a major political threat to Harris and Democrats. Donald Trump’s campaign has already launched potent attacks against Harris for seeking to bail out those arrested during the 2020 BLM riots. Her vice presidential pick, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, delayed calling in the National Guard as Minneapolis burned. Having a riot outside their convention would be a disaster. It would cement in the public’s mind that Democrats can’t keep the peace. The parallels between that and the 1968 riots at the DNC in Chicago would be unavoidable even for the liberal media.
It would be especially problematic for Democrats if protesters gained access to the United Center. They could cause a major disruption during Harris’ acceptance speech. That would be a PR nightmare, especially because the public still doesn’t know much about Harris. It could even doom her presidential ambitions.
The stakes don’t get higher, so Democrats and city officials have embraced the tactics that they’ve long attacked Republicans for. Police built a wall to keep demonstrators away from the convention. No need to address root causes here. Even when breached, physical barriers limit the number of illegal entrants to a manageable level.
That happened Monday when some protesters broke through portions of the security fence. Large numbers of police moved in and made arrests. When their safety is on the line, Democrat elites have no interest in defunding the police. One suspects Harris won’t be promoting a bail fund for these law-breakers.
To gain access to the inner perimeter, there are checkpoints to check a person’s credentials and tickets. Here’s how it works for the press. “To enter the convention complex, all media must display a DNCC-issued credential,” the DNC website states.
In other words, Democrats demand ID to get into the DNC but claim it’s racist to require photo ID to vote.
If only Democrats cared about protecting the country as much as they care about protecting the DNC.
Contact Victor Joecks at vjoecks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4698. Follow @victorjoecks on X.