UnConventional
The 2008 Convention was different according to several Oklahoma delegation members including my daughter, Destiny Engle, for whom this was her 4th convention!
Having only spoken to members of Oklahoma's delegation, I can't say whether the experience was less than par for members from other states. It does seem that the leadership of state GOP Chair Gary Jones was central to the lessened quality experience for attendees.
Ordinarily, a national Party Convention would best be described as a big party, a Nominating Convention, and a reflection of the Party's political ideals. Reports given me suggest it was none of the above.
Everything started out as good as usual. Rep. Charles Key, Oklahoma's senior member of the State Legislature, said he was "eager" to be a part of the convention and that it was an "honor" to be selected. This was his attitude despite being the only sitting legislator relegated to Alternate status. It seems all members of the delegation shared his excitement.
Problems began before anyone made travel plans. At the Oklahoma state convention the Executive Committee slate was elected over the Liberty/Values Coalition slate. For the first time in Oklahoma GOP history, employees of the party were chosen as part of the Committee slate. At the close of the Convention the newly elected delegation met to decide who would serve on the various convention committees and who would be the Delegation Chair. Despite an explicit prohibition in Oklahoma Republican Rules, Gary Jones assumed he would be an unelected "Super Delegate" and further assumed the role of Delegation Chair without allowing legitimate Delegates to elect one. He then moved his own slate of Delegates to represent Oklahoma in the Convention committees, again without a proper election.
At the convention itself, the delegation was faced with all the security measures one would expect as they entered the facility, but members of the delegation that were originally supportive of Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) found themselves to be the target of further "security" measures including a second search of belongings. Continuing the abusive treatment, Convention Page's were instructed to surround "Paul" Delegates so as to "encourage" them to act supportive. McCain and Committee on Arrangements staff were sent with various color coded hats to cheerlead and press the crowd in supportive actions. Brady Wright (Delegate guest from Canadian County) reported that if anyone booed or otherwise spoke against any speaker's liberal statements, that they would be surrounded by staff members who would shout "USA" repeatedly. He further stated that this happened constantly throughout the convention intimidating delegates against speaking contrary to the "party line" of the presumed nominee.
Toby Pedford, 5th District Delegate, stated that the "entire convention was contrived and staged. The signs that had the "home made' look were made by staffers and were not genuine presentations of opinion." He expressed that the "Convention should be about doing the business of freedom, but a lot of it was the opposite." Wright found the convention to be "pandering to Latinos and every minority with the non-primetime speeches." He further stated that it is "sad to see that they feel they have to play the race game -- which itself looks racist." He continued by lamenting the content of many speeches. Wright suggested that it is absurd when Carly Fiorini, former CEO of Hewlitt Packard, said that "If you want to end childhood obesity, then John McCain is your man," or when another speaker said that John McCain's version of a cap and trade system would "not hurt the economy."
Panacea statements regarding the likely nominee are commonplace in national conventions, but Wright found the entire atmosphere to be "heavy handed." He said that "there was no business; it is disingenuous to call it a convention, it was a managed production -- a farce!" Wright was also dismayed that attendees had private property confiscated if it had any political implications and not the official materials of the campaign of McCain. He reported that "flyers on Real ID and materials in support of the re-election of other Republican candidates were confiscated." As to the security, he stated that "entering the convention had a 1984ish dystopian feel. I was more intimidated by the security than by the protesters, I understand security outside, but it didn't change inside the hall. They made me feel insecure, they were not there to make me safe in my person and property, they were there to suppress! More and more people are realizing that the Party has stopped championing the values that brought them into the GOP."
Rep. Key had kinder/gentler criticisms of the convention saying that while "the Twin Cities were very welcoming," he was "surprised that the Delegation did not have a greater role," as he "did not observe any significant business of the party (occurring)." He also bemoaned that the "Delegate meetings were never substantive." As to the historic absence of the sitting President, Key was told "the Bosses (Bush and Cheney) are not coming" due to the impending hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico and it was suggested that the Hurricane was the cause for the less party-like atmosphere at this convention.
It was the actions of forced unanimity that left Key with a bad taste saying that "the Party is not stronger after the convention and it came out less unified." He further commented that "we need to change how we decide who our nominee is. We need to go back to caucuses in Oklahoma. The winner take all system in Oklahoma is not good. I just like freedom; we need to elect Delegates on the basis of political philosophy and character. We need people committed to the founding principles. Delegates should be sent to make the best decision regarding who the best candidate for President and Vice President are. Delegates should not be forced to swear to be a rubber stamp."
Convention attendees who requested that their names not be released had stronger concerns. One spoke of the condescending statements of Jones toward the party employees Carissa Darling and Jay Mandracia who were expected to do his bidding as employees rather than as Delegates in their own right. One alleged incident included Jones threatening a female attendee in a Delegate meeting. In another, Jones reportedly expressed a degree of paranoia when he loudly called for Committee on Arrangements assistance because, "We are being attacked by Ron Paul people!" No "attack" or organized Ron Paul activity ever happened in the Oklahoma seating area.
Most serious of all was a report of Jones' efforts to intimidate one of the uncommitted Delegates who expressed his intention to vote for Ron Paul. Reports are that Jones attempted to contact the Delegate's military commander to press him to vote for McCain. The report continued that it was the insistence of Sen. Jim Inhofe that the Delegate not be intimidated and that "he should be allowed to vote for Paul" who is a "good guy" as was the reported comments from Inhofe.
By the time Oklahoma was permitted to announce its votes, it was no surprise that Jones arranged to have a vote himself, despite the Oklahoma Republican Rules that disallow him from voting. What was worse, Jones reportedly departed the Delegation seating area when he leaned that Oklahoma would have two votes for a candidate other than McCain and reports have been anonymously received that Jones allegedly arranged for the equipment malfunction which resulted in the prime time announcement of 41 votes for McCain, even though the actual count was 38 for McCain, 2 for Paul and Jones not having a vote at all.
All those interviewed praised the efforts of Sen. Inhofe and departing National Committeeman Lynn Windel for efforts of reconciliation and fairness.
The Republican Party was known at one time as committed to the "Rule of Law." It appears that Gary Jones treats the Party's rules as one would a Kleenex tissue and discarded them accordingly. In my opinion, he should be removed from his office and cannot be trusted in any further office.
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