skippy the bush kangaroo: feel the joe-nertia!

Monday, July 31, 2006

feel the joe-nertia!

from the new haven independent, things aren't going all that well for joe lieberman's state-wide bus tour:

joe lieberman failed to attract even a dozen genuine neighborhood supporters to an anemic reelection campaign rally in his new haven hometown's dixwell section monday. but the pictured policeman and his supervisor showed the beleaguered u.s. senator some love by trying to intimidate teenagers out of allowing an anti-joe display…

the most interesting moment of the event took place before lamont arrived, at the home of mckinnie's next door neighbor, whom mckinnie identified as "jonelle." mckinnie had previously convinced jonelle to support lamont and place a lamont sign on her front lawn. seeing that sign, two lamont supporters -- local activist edward anderson and influential national blogger matt stoller of mydd.com -- asked for permission to park the pictured flatbed display (of the famous bush-lieberman kiss) in the driveway. jonelle wasn't home; her teenaged daughters said yes. the driveway is a bit away from the rally site, but remotely visible.

but when anderson and stoller parked, officer herb sharp (pictured) ordered them to move. they told him they had permission from the tenants. he said they still had to move. a reporter -- me -- happened to be watching and taking photos. sharp ordered me to leave the area. he claimed (falsely) that i was in his way. (i was standing behind him.) he said i was "interfering." when i refused, he told me to speak to his supervisor, sgt. anthony duff. duff came forward and denied that sharp had told me to leave, only to stay out of his way. sharp proceeded to knock on the door of the home and speak to two teen-aged girls. their mom wasn't home. one of the girls went to take away the lamont sign from the front yard.

i asked sgt. duff why the display couldn't remain parked in the yard. he responded that the police had previously worked out security arrangements with the public-housing complex's management. (the area was festooned with joe lieberman campaign signs, including some held by members of sgt. duff's family.) "our job here is to keep the peace," duff sasid. why can't tenants allow someone to park in their driveway? "there are teenagers here. the head of the household isn't here," he responded. one of the teen-agers called her mom. her mom said yes, she was happy to have the pro-lamonters' display in her driveway.

duff relented. the display stayed in the driveway. one of the teens returned the lamont sign to the front yard. "we're ned lamont people," she said. she preferred not to give her name for publication.

posted by skippy at 11:14 PM |