Tickets to hear Cheney, at what price?

[Apparently, it's name, address, e-mail address, driver's license number, and 
oh, a loyalty pledge.  An article from the AP, two excerpts from the 
Albuquerque Journal. -x]



Some Democrats seeking Cheney tickets had to sign oath

By RICHARD BENKE
Associated Press Writer

 
 
 
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) -- Some Democrats who signed up to hear Vice President 
Dick Cheney speak here Saturday were refused tickets unless they signed a 
pledge to endorse President Bush.

The measure was a security step designed to avoid a disruption, which Bush 
campaign spokesman Dan Foley alleged Democrats were planning. Democratic Party 
officials denied it.

Several Democrats, at least, encountered the screening measures Thursday after 
calling from a line that self-identified as ACT, America Coming Together, an 
activist group that supports Kerry, Foley said. Others attempted to give false 
names and were denied tickets, he said.

Two men who had sought tickets reported they were required to give name, 
address, phone number, e-mail address and driver's license number, then were 
presented the pledge of endorsement when they arrived to pick up the tickets 
Thursday.

One of them, John Wade of Albuquerque, said he signed the pledge because he 
wanted the tickets but then changed his mind.

"I got to thinking this is not right," Wade said. "They're excluding people -- 
that's what has me so upset."

He returned the tickets and campaign workers returned his pledge.

Vietnam veteran Michael Ortiz y Pino said he refused to sign the pledge and was 
refused tickets.

Ortiz y Pino said he was asked if he associated with veterans, pro-life, gun 
rights or teacher groups.

Neither man wanted to give driver's license numbers but did so.

"I said why do you need that?" Ortiz y Pino said.

A campaign worker, he said, replied: "Secret Service stuff."

Kerry campaign spokesman Ruben Pulido Jr. said there had been no plan by the 
campaign to disrupt Cheney's event.

"I think that every American should have the right to see their vice president 
and hear from him firsthand what he plans to do for our country," Pulido said.

He also said the Kerry campaign had not attempted to screen Bush supporters out 
of Kerry's appearance at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque 
on July 9.

On that occasion, about a dozen Bush supporters wearing flip-flop beach sandals 
began chanting "Viva Bush" and waved their flip-flops over their heads. They 
contend Kerry has flip-flopped on the war.

The incident ended peacefully.

For Saturday's event, Foley, a New Mexico legislator, said the Cheney campaign 
didn't want supporters denied places that might be taken by detractors.

Some Democrats who are Bush supporters were welcomed without signing anything, 
he said.

The endorsement pledges, he said, were for screening purposes, not for any 
advertisement listing names of Democrats who support Bush.

Foley asked of the Kerry-Edwards campaign: "How many tickets did you give to 
Bush-Cheney supporters from New Mexico to hear Senator Kerry's speech tonight 
at the Democratic National Convention?"

Asked if Cheney might discuss a terrorism warning issued Thursday for New 
Mexico, Foley said he did not know.

Richard Fox, a political science instructor at a local community college, said 
attempts to screen political events is commonplace.

But he said: "This pledge or this 'loyalty oath' -- quote-unquote -- to me is 
unheard of."



Albuquerque Journal:

full: http://www.abqjournal.com/elex/205176elex07-31-04.htm

Darren White, Bernalillo County sheriff and Bernalillo County chair of the Bush-
Cheney '04 re-election effort, said the Bush pledge requirement is a symbol of 
the political reality of the times.
    White said the pledge made sense to weed out people who might shout Cheney 
down or otherwise disrupt his speech.
  [Republican National Committee Spokesperson Yier] Shi said the Bush pledge 
requirement is not a national policy of the RNC.


full: http://www.abqjournal.com/elex/204620elex07-30-04.htm

An endorsement form provided to the Journal by Random says: "I, (full name) ... 
do herby (sic) endorse George W. Bush for reelection of the United States." It 
later adds that, "In signing the above endorsement you are consenting to use 
and release of your name by Bush-Cheney as an endorser of President Bush."
    A Journal reporter, who is a registered Democrat, called to inquire about a 
ticket Thursday afternoon. He was asked for his name, address and driver's 
license number but was not told over the telephone that he would need to sign 
any endorsement form. He got the news after arriving at the Bush-Cheney office.
    Random and Wade said they were also not informed of the requirement until 
they showed up at the office.
    Another Journal employee, who is a registered Republican, visited the 
office Thursday morning and got a ticket without being asked to sign the form.
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