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Protest Update: The Crystal Ball Can’t Get No Love

Two incidents in the past few days have prompted the Crystal Ball to speak out about the protesters, or, if you will, protest the protesters. During the United for Peace and Justice rally on Sunday, as your Crystal Ball was exiting Madison Square Garden to grab a slice and take in all the city has to offer, the crowd on Seventh Ave. gave a resounding “boo!” Our jokes are hackneyed, indeed, but the Crystal Ball highly doubts that the gaggle of disapproving protesters could tell that we are in fact, the Crystal Ball.

The second incident occurred just last night, as the Crystal Ball was making its way from the convention hall to our hotel–with a quick stop for ice cream, of course. Two young ladies yelled “Republicans: Go home!” While a member of the CB team had some choice words for the young New Yorkers, perhaps now is a good time to reaffirm our commitment to non-partisan analysis. The Crystal Ball is neither Republican or Democrat, nor Green, nor Libertarian. The only ideological stance we stake is that the future of American democracy depends on actively engaging young people, and of course, that politics is a good thing.

Media Update: The Crystal Ball Can’t Get No Love

Unlike at the Democratic National Convention in Boston last month, the Republicans have opted not to provide complimentary Internet access to media organizations working in the Media Filing Center at Madison Square Garden. The only means to surf the ‘net is to use one of the hotel-style pay phones in the filing center–and much of the time they don’t work. So please accept our sincerest apologies if the Crystal Ball is a bit…slow…in…getting…updated. And the Republicans wonder why there is a liberal bias! (Of course we are kidding, but seriously, don’t the media operations folks know how addicted we are to the Internet?!?)

Credential Update: Michael Moore Can’t Get No Love

“Fahrenheit 9/11” Director Michael Moore has been hired by USA Today to cover the Republican National Convention and write four editorials for the national daily this week. Of course party officials and delegates are none too happy about this. John McCain let him have it last night: “And certainly not a disingenuous film maker who would have us believe that Saddam’s Iraq was an oasis of peace when in fact it was a place of indescribable cruelty, torture chambers, mass graves and prisons that destroyed the lives of the small children held inside their walls.”

This comment elicited just enough booing to cause Moore to raise his hands in the traditional motion, asking for the crowd to “bring it on.” Being the successful orator he is, McCain then repeated the line. While it made for some excellent entertainment, one cannot help but speculate: Wasn’t McCain playing into the hands of Moore? No doubt the Senator and his speechwriters knew the director was in attendance, and no doubt they knew he would love the attention. So why give him the satisfaction?