Post | 08/21/2008 12:00 pm

Clinton's 'Whip Team' to Keep Obama Protesters Subdued

By The Staff at wowOwow.com
Photo by Barbara Kinney/Flickr.com

Hillary Clinton is going to make sure her supporters don’t cause too much of an embarrassment to Barack Obama at the Democratic conventions next week.

Politico.com reports that Clinton’s staff is creating a 40-member "whip team" for the events in Denver to ensure her die-hard fans don’t partake in any anti-Obama demonstrations during the floor vote on her nomination. Obama and Clinton recently announced that, as a sign of party unity, her name would be formally placed in the nomination to ensure that her delegates were heard.

"If people get down there on the floor and want to start blowing kazoos and making a scene we want to make sure we’ve got people who stand in front of them with Obama signs," a person involved in the planning told Politico.com. "Is it typical for a losing candidate to have their own whip team? No. But it’s also not usual for a losing candidate to get 18 million votes either.”

Clinton spokeswoman Kathleen Strand said the whip team would not try to convince delegates to vote for the New York senator, but would hand out Clinton signs to supporters if they want them. “We have been and are working closely with the Obama campaign to make sure we have an exciting and unified convention," Strand said.

But MSNBC wonders if the presence of the whip team won’t make matters worse and encourage seriously disruptive protests. The Associated Press is reporting on preparations being made to restrain and hold such protesters, saying police have scrapped plans to top the holding cells in place with razor wire after some groups started comparing the site to the detention facility for suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Denver city officials don’t anticipate mass arrests, but just in case, they opened a city warehouse as the "Temporary Arrestee Processing Center" — complete with chain-linked cells — to allay fears that those arrested could spend long hours waiting. The center is located a couple of miles from the Pepsi Center, where the convention will take place. The cells will be topped with chain-link fencing. Protesters’ nicknamed the holding area as "Gitmo on the Platte," named after the South Platte River, which is nearby.

  

53 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Diana T

I hate to see division. Period. In this era our country ls going through, a divided house is destructive. Suck it up and work for the common good of our Nation.

By Diana T on 08/21/2008 11:16 am
Frank Peterson

This may prove to be the most interesting convetion since 1968—the “whip team” What an unfortunate name .

By Frank Peterson on 08/21/2008 11:22 am
K O

Hi Frank,
A ‘whip’ is a political role that ensures control of the decision-making process in a parliamentary legislature. Whips are ‘sargeants at arms’ who induce and punish party members, usually ensuring attendance for an important vote. In this case, it seems, their job is to prevent unwanted disruption.
Nothing to do with that weapon Catwoman sports.

By K O on 08/21/2008 12:33 pm
Frank Peterson

Thanks so much—I knew that and my back hurting like hell I didn’t make the connection duh! :-)

By Frank Peterson on 08/21/2008 12:40 pm
amy lamb-hall

Put Hillary on the ticket as Veep and crisis solved.Wonder if Obama has looked at any polls, all the ones I have seen want Hillary.I hope we are not stuck with Sen. Biden no offense, but I want change. I am a 38 year old white woman from rural SC and I am in the conservative bible belt, but putting another white guy in a suit as the 2nd does not do it for me. I want Hillary and thats that.

By amy lamb-hall on 08/21/2008 11:43 am
My Alias

some of want a hullabaloo - it’s what democracy is all about

By My Alias on 08/21/2008 11:58 am
Lorraine Bates

Well, if you create a problem, at least have the decency to propose a solution, I guess.

By Lorraine Bates on 08/21/2008 12:07 pm
EKA loves Santa

Frank has it right, this will rival the 68 convention in Chicago. And “whip” is such a bad term to use, how about “positive reaction encouragement” team - Pre-team, rhymes with Pre-Teen, which is how they are behaving.

By EKA loves Santa on 08/21/2008 12:25 pm
Star Lawrence

Whip team—-ooo, kinky!

By Star Lawrence on 08/21/2008 12:44 pm
Marjorie C.

LOL. This should earn Obama a lot of votes.

By Marjorie C. on 08/21/2008 4:14 pm
Star Lawrence

The presumptive already has a “dentention” area planned—they are giving tours. Reminds me of the pens they put us in in the seventies at DC Stadium. The CS, the pepper gas, putting vaseline on your face before a demo, ah, memories. Are all the fun times really behind us?

By Star Lawrence on 08/21/2008 12:46 pm
Lorraine Bates

Ah, Star, I believe it says DENVER OFFICIALS have a detention area planned, not the presumptive nominee.

By Lorraine Bates on 08/21/2008 5:45 pm
Star Lawrence

Actually not the way I heard it—but you may be right. Does anyone know?

By Star Lawrence on 08/22/2008 12:05 pm
Lorraine Bates

This is what it says, in the paragraph above - the original post:

“Denver city officials don’t anticipate mass arrests, but just in case, they opened a city warehouse as the “Temporary Arrestee Processing Center” — complete with chain-linked cells — to allay fears that those arrested could spend long hours waiting. ”

Everyone knows. It’s Denver, policing their own city, as it should be.

By Lorraine Bates on 08/23/2008 1:59 am
Lorraine Bates

Everyone knows - it’s in the original post for this thread, above:

“Denver city officials don’t anticipate mass arrests, but just in case, they opened a city warehouse as the “Temporary Arrestee Processing Center” — complete with chain-linked cells — to allay fears that those arrested could spend long hours waiting. ”

By Lorraine Bates on 08/23/2008 2:00 am
Previous ArticleNext Article
Increasing Independence of Pakistan's Women Has a Price61-Year-Old Becomes Oldest Japanese Surrogate Mom