[prairiebreeze]

"I think if Bush had come into office and essentially followed the compassionate, conservative middle-of-the-road policies he promised in his campaign, I don't think there would be quite this degree of anger and hostility and overt opposition,"

And the Taliban and Saddam would still be providing safe haven to their terrosist minions....sheesh what a looney. Sounds like one big reason to never live in or visit Portland.

Prairie

[Khurkris]

I tell you what...(a la' Hank Hill)

I like those water canon trucks. Spray 'em down and soak 'em out. Don't have trucks...then just use the fire hoses. Works great!

[caisson71]

Isn't Portland a refuge for terrorists in the US? In fact, doesn't the mayor and police chief give them protection from the feds?

[rogue yam]

“Little Beirut” is kinda nice, but it will always be “Puddletown” to me.

Nice enough place, though. Except for all the idiot lefties, that is.

But confrontations with a few noisy, chanting protesters who challenge police lines typically draw widespread television coverage that paints a distorted picture about the tens of thousands of people who have marched or demonstrated peacefully against administration policies over the years, Hastings said.

So what means this “challenge police lines” and why isn’t it put in quotes? It’s as if the author thinks that he’s making some sort of factual observation rather than peddling a commie line. In fact, what the protesters do is disobey lawful police orders, illegally block traffic, vandalize property, and physically attack police. All of this is done in a way intended to threaten the security of the President. When this happens it is news. Covering the news does not “paint a distorted picture” about those who are not part of the story. This putz wants the story of lawbreakers threatening the President ignored as a service to his political agenda.

It is the sheer numbers of those demonstrators that lends weight to criticism of those policies, he said.

Numbers count on election day. Period. Besides, how would this yo-yo feel if the media spent all of their time covering the overwhelming majority of Portlanders who just went on about their business on the days of these protests. That’s where the real numbers are.

Mayor Vera Katz agrees the city's image has been distorted by media coverage that has focused on confrontations rather than the issues that attract demonstrators to protest rallies.

So according to the mayor it’s the media’s job to spread idiotic commie propaganda and ignore dangerous, expensive lawbreakers? I’m starting to think that this fish is rotting from the head.