Ticket Replay: Protesters from '68 Democratic National Convention gather in Chicago to protest police reunion to celebrate those who thumped protesters 41 years ago and probably wouldn't mind doing it again if those balding hippies get too close

As the holidays unfold, The Ticket's thoughts turn to violent protests. No, just kidding. They turn to a little undeserved time off. So we're re-publishing some of our favorite or most-read items from 2009. This item originally appeared on June 26.

Ahh, nothing says good times in the Windy City like the thwack of a police baton on a demonstrator's head or the stinging smell of tear gas on a hot summer's night.

That was the scene in Chicago 41 summers ago when a very proud but soon very angry Mayor Richard J. Daley hosted his party's Democratic National Convention to show off his city that works.

The convention was held at the International Amphitheater on the city's South Side where the fragrance of thousands of frightened cattle about to be slaughtered wafted across the street from the famous Stockyards.

The silly idea in those turbulent times was to peacefully nominate Hubert H. Humphrey and his running mate (whose name was what, btw? Answer below) for a third consecutive Democratic White House.

But thousands of protesters -- anti-war, anti-establishment, anti-old-timers running everything,....

President Obama: 'I have never used Twitter'

More than 2.6 million people follow President Obama on Twitter -- or so they thought. The president told a youth audience in Shanghai on Sunday that he has never used Twitter.

The @BarackObama Twitter account was a wildly successful campaign tool in Obama's run-up to the presidency last year, which staffers used to promote their candidate. Since being elected, the account is believed to have been taken over by the Democratic National Committee.

“I have never used Twitter, but I’m an advocate of technology and not restricting Internet access," Obama said during the town hall. "My thumbs are too clumsy to type in things on the phone."

The latter statement elicited laughs from the crowd. Perhaps because Twitter is not solely a phone application. Or maybe some recall this photo (right) from the campaign showing Obama's professed tech-savviness.

But we should point out that Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Obama's opponent in the election, has somehow managed to write cohesive sentences on his  Twitter page here using his war-mangled fingers -- well, either that or a staffer relays his tweets for him.

Ahh! We don't know anymore!

Now knowing that the tweets don't actually come from Obama himself, followers have expressed disappointment. "I have never used" was a trending topic on Twitter this morning (meaning many people tweeted messages with the phrase) as users reacted to the news.

"Humbled," which was @BarackObama's one-word reaction to news of being selected as a Nobel Peace Prize winner, carries a lot less weight with the new knowledge. Who's humbled? Some rep at the DNC?

The White House maintains its own Twitter profile. The page, @WhiteHouse, has gained significant popularity of its own, with 1.5 million followers, in a relatively short amount of time.

But Obama -- err, whoever is typing messages under his guise -- still reaches a million more people.

-- Mark Milian

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Photo credit: Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times; Associated Press (Candidate Obama using his clumsy thumbs pretty deftly on his beloved BlackBerry).

So much Obama damage control that David Axelrod even talks to Fox News

Here's how desperate Obama administration spokesmen were Wednesday to fill the info void they'd created by hiding away during the previous night's bad news election returns:

David Axelrod, an ex-newspaper reporter but one of the lead Obama attackers against the Fox News Channel in recent weeks, actually granted an interview to the Fox News Channel. To Major Garrett.

Obama aides knew full well in advance that election night was not going to go well for them and the commentators would connect the dots back to Obama and VP Joe Biden because, well, that pair has been so actively campaigning and money-raising all over.  

So no administration spokesmen appeared during the evening news storm. They passed word ...

Town hall attacks on health care -- mob rule or democracy in action?

It's getting ugly out there.

Opponents of health care reform are disrupting town halls from coast to coast. As Ticket reported last week, protesters in Maryland hung a congressman in effigy. In Texas, anti-reformers held a sign showing a tombstone with Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett's name on it. And in Missouri, police arrested six people outside a health care forum with Democratic Rep. Russ Carnahan after protesters organized by the conservative St. Louis Tea Party clashed with pro-reform union workers.

Fighting back, the White House has set up a website -- whitehouse.gov/Reality Check -- and a new email address -- flag@whitehouse.gov -- so supporters can pass along rumors that seem, well, fishy. "Scary chain emails and videos are starting to percolate on the Internet, breathlessly claiming, for example, to 'uncover' the truth about the President’s health insurance reform positions," the White House blog said.

On the Hill, normally quiet during August, Democrats have set up a war room where members of Congress under attack can call for help. With protesters urging their supporters to disrupt the meetings -- “Become a part of the mob!” said a banner posted on the website of Fox talk-show host Sean Hannity. “Attend an Obama Care Townhall near you!” -- the Democratic National Committee is urging backers to skip the town halls and visit their representatives in their offices.

House Minority Leader John Boehner argues that the disruptions are evidence of "the widespread anger millions of Americans are feeling this summer toward Democrat-controlled Washington." "The Republican National Committee responded with an e-mail titled "THE MOB? Hey Democrats, They're Called The American People."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi seems to be having trouble deciding what she thinks of all this. As the Ticket has reported, last week she said the protesters were exercising their democratic rights. Asked if they represented grass-roots opposition, she dismissed their cause as "Astroturf."

But today, in an op-ed with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer in USA Today, she writes, "These disruptions are occurring because opponents are afraid not just of differing views — but of the facts themselves. Drowning out opposing views is simply un-American. Drowning out the facts is how we failed at this task for decades."

With President Obama scheduled to conduct his own town hall in New Hampshire tomorrow, let us know what you think -- is this democracy in action or mob rule?

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo credit: South Florida Tea Party

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With Michael Jackson still dead, Democrats launch major caucus-primary reforms

Despite the nation's pop paralysis over the death of sad singer Michael Jackson, the Democratic National Committee's Change Commission begins its complicated work tomorrow of reforming the procedures, timing and rules of that party's convention delegate selection process.

What comes from this series of meetings, that sprouted from the long bitter struggle last year between Barack Obama and a New York senator, could radically alter the way Democrats pick their presidential candidates for many elections starting in 2012.

As The Ticket reported here in March, it's a delicate delegate process because certain states -- we'll call them Iowa and New Hampshire -- believe they have a right handed down by Thomas Jefferson to go first in the selection process, which is deemed to make them more important. Or at least help fill the state's hotels and restaurants and empty the rental car lots during a normal winter's months when inbound flights to Des Moines often have vacant seats.

At the "suggestion" of its nominee at last summer's Democratic National Convention in Denver, delegates voted to establish a commission to examine everything including improving the caucus process, which can seem even longer than Iowa winters, reducing the number of unpledged delegates and quite possibly tinkering with the calendar window for the caucuses and primaries for the 2012 presidential election cycle.

Co-chairs of the Change Commission are Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri and Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina. There'll be a lot of talking starting Saturday at 9:30 Eastern in the Capitol Hilton. They'll start with history lessons and a speech by DNC Chair Tim Kaine, who isn't the governor of New Jersey despite VP Joe Biden's comments.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photo: Dick Whipple / Associated Press

Protesters from '68 Democratic National Convention gather in Chicago to protest police reunion to celebrate those who thumped protesters 41 years ago and probably wouldn't mind doing it again if those balding hippies get too close

Ahh, nothing says good times in the Windy City like the thwack of a police baton on a demonstrator's head or the stinging smell of tear gas on a hot summer's night.

That was the scene in Chicago 41 summers ago when a very proud but soon very angry Mayor Richard J. Daley hosted his party's Democratic National Convention to show off his city that works.

The convention was held at the International Amphitheater on the city's South Side where the fragrance of thousands of frightened cattle about to be slaughtered wafted across the street from the famous Stockyards.

The silly idea in those turbulent times was to peacefully nominate Hubert H. Humphrey and his running mate (whose name was what, btw? Answer below) for a third consecutive Democratic White House.

But thousands of protesters -- anti-war, anti-establishment, anti-old-timers running everything, anti-rules, anti-you-name-it -- also assembled there. And they were rowdy and dirty and foul-mouthed and had long hair and were looking for a fight.

And in the name of good, old-fashioned law and order, Daley's police corps gave it to them. Tear gas. Beatings. Arrests. Horses pushing demonstrators through store windows.

Daley called them "hippies" and he said the word as if he could taste them.

Barack Obama was far away in those days, having just celebrated his seventh birthday. It was so long ago that Joe Biden wasn't even a senator yet.

And so naturally, Chicago being Chicago, today in Obama's adopted hometown the aging city policemen who were on duty that violent week and their contemporary colleagues are gathering for a fun reunion for old time's sake at the Fraternal Order of Police Hall out on West Washington.

And you'll never guess what else?

The aging, long-haired protesters who so angered the father of today's Chicago mayor (Richard M. Daley) are also gathering in that city now to -- wait for it -- protest the officers celebrating the reunion for beating up the same folks who were protesting back then.

The protesters protesting the police who beat the protesters held a news conference this week to denounce what they call provocative language used by the police who say they're celebrating officers "for their contributions toward maintaining law and order -- and for taking a stand against Anarchy."

The protesters' news conference this week had folks from the old National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam and relatives of Black Panthers. Lots of old faces were there; and we do mean old.

Even Don Rose was there, a committee spokesman, oh, those many years ago. And he's sure got a whole lot less hair now.

The whole gang of protesters is gonna gather this evening at Union Park and then, you guessed it, they're gonna march out to confront the police at the reunion celebrating their last confrontation last century.

It should be a great time sharing old memories.

Hopefully, someone remembers to bring the tear gas and bags of human excrement so they can have something familiar to throw at each other again just like the old days.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photo credits: Associated Press (Angry Mayor Richard J. Daley scowls at the podium of the Democratic National Convention in 1968).

Trivia Answer: Hubert Humphrey's 1968 vice president running mate was Sen. Edmund Muskie of Maine.

Under Obama, Democrats plan a summer Western offensive

Back in early 2005 — when President Bush had a pile of political capital and Barack Obama was a rookie senator learning his way around the Hart Office Building — a group of forward-looking Democrats set their sights on the West.

John Kerry’s loss in 2004 was a disappointment, of course. But there were bright spots for them, as Democrats made significant inroads in the land of Reagan and Goldwater, gaining House and Senate seats and electing nearly three dozen state lawmakers across the region.

With an eye on 2008, party strategists set to work building on that progress, mindful of two trends running their way: the region’s growing suburbanization and the rising influence of Latino voters. Democrats placed their national convention in Denver (although that was largely symbolic) and, more significantly, granted Nevada one of the coveted early spots on its presidential calendar.

The moves, along with the dispatch of a ton of money and organizing talent, clearly paid off.

Once Obama cinched the nomination — after battling then Sen. Hillary Clinton to a draw in Nevada — he campaigned harder in the Rocky Mountain region than any Democrat in memory. His reward was....

The forgotten story behind Obama's appointment of Jim Leach

Democratic President Obama chose former Congressman Jim Leach of Iowa the other day as the new chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Leach was a veteran Republican representative who previously supported George W. Bush while serving 30 years in the House. Most recently, the 66-year-old has been teaching at Princeton, his alma mater.

The Obama move was widely hailed as another bipartisan broadening measure by the new president. But a closer look, via this C-SPAN video, reveals a bit more to the story.

Republican Leach is to Democrat Obama as longtime Democrat-nominal independent Joe Lieberman is to Republican John McCain.

Leach actually endorsed Obama before the GOP nominated its candidate last year. Leach spoke for eight minutes at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, talking critically about the Republican Party, as Lieberman did the next week about his old party during the GOP gathering in St. Paul.

Leach lavished praise on Obama as a "transcending candidate" with a "clarion call for renewal." He also praised former Vice President Al Gore, who'd chosen Lieberman as his 2000 running mate.

It's understandable that few would remember this close political tie between appointer and appointee. Judging by the chattering convention audience's reaction on the video, not many of them were listening either.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photo: Associated Press

Ralph Nader shakes up Virginia governor's race with charge that Terry McAuliffe once tried to bribe him

Terry McAuliffe, the money man of the Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaigns, is running for governor of Virginia. Yes the behind-the-scenes back-slapper is looking to move out front.

With two other competitive candidates in the Democratic primary, McAuliffe has borrowed a page from Barack Obama's playbook, organizing a massive grassroots effort, campaigning (as seen above) with backing from will.i.am, stumping as an agent of change, someone who can "shake up" politics and business in the Old Dominion.

Now comes Ralph Nader, the bad boy of Democratic politics, to shake up McAuliffe.

A onetime car safety advocate and perennial presidential candidate, Nader is widely viewed as the spoiler who robbed Al Gore of the controversial 2000 election eventually decided for George W. Bush by drawing votes away from the Democratic vice president in Florida.

Now, Nader is telling reporters that in 2004, when McAuliffe was the Democratic National Committee chairman, he offered presidential candidate Nader an unspecified amount of money to spend in 31 states if he promised to stay out of 19 battleground states where he could potentially hurt Democrat John Kerry.

Although McAuliffe's staff has not denied the allegation, it's clearly are not happy about this.

"It looks like Ralph Nader misses seeing his name in the press," said spokeswoman Elisabeth Smith. "Terry's focused on talking with Virginians about jobs, not feeding Ralph Nader's ego."

Nader made the charge in an interview with the Washington Post, calling to verify the allegation, which was made in a recent book by Theresa Amato, who was Nader's national campaign manager in 2000 and 2004, called "Grand Illusion: The Myth of Voter Choice in a Two-Party Tyranny."

Nader not only confirmed it, he made clear he thinks the former DNC chairman and Syracuse, N.Y., native now running for Virginia's governor is unfit for office. Nader's actual words: “Terry McAuliffe is slipperier than an eel in olive oil.”

With the primary election on June 9, it's not clear how much such an allegation will hurt among the Democratic base, who regard Nader with all the warmth of a skunk at a family reunion.

-- Johanna Neuman

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Photo credit: Bill Tiernan / Associated Press

What you didn't see at the historic Obama economic bill signing

Lost in the heady professed optimism of the president signing the $787.2-billion stimulus bill today -- the largest spending bill in the nation's history -- was some appreciation for its extremely savvy staging and planning. Much of it unseen by Americans, yet silently polishing the image of the moment and its lasting effect. Some quick catchup ball for Obama's team after losing early weeks of the political propaganda offensive over the measure.

But first, the place:  Not Washington.  Presidential bill signings are old hat there. They're big, big news out in the country. Denver's not only a good choice for its alternative energy focus, but it recalls Obama's emotional convention triumph last summer. Being in Denver forced all the media big guns outside the Beltway and thus, effectively, denied them to the minority Republicans back in D.C. And it showed Obama out where most of us live -- for three days this week and four last.

Additionally, Obama's political advisor, David Axelrod, wants to keep the once-solidly Republican Rocky Mountain region in play as swing states.  Even if he doesn't win them all, he forces the GOP to play D on its homefield. Only 21 months until the next congressional elections, sooner for the campaign launches and fundraising.

Second, the stage: Not the raucous rally theater-in-the-round with precisely programmed ethnic and racial faces behind the president (and don't forget a male and female soldier in uniform). But still regular people in plain view, crowding the sides. So eager. The president, looking presidential, introduced by not another overly familiar Washington crony's face but by a private company president (and this one says he'll be hiring because of the legislation).

Third, the president signs the bill at a simple table. But look! No surrounding, jostling packs of tired-looking pols trying to crowd into the historic photo and grab a free pen. Just him. The president. With VP Biden off to the side, out of most photos. Obama decisively signing his trademark big B and O, even if upside-down-left-handed.

Fourth, the timing: While everyone's watching Denver and the excited citizens there near their president, the White House releases word that Obama has ordered more U.S. troops -- about 17,000 strong -- into Afghanistan, not a popular step, according to recent polls.  Especially on the Democratic left, which launched little-noticed protest e-mails this afternoon.

But it's one couched in a printed news release (no video to compete on-air with the signing -- scroll down for the full statement text and the Republicans' positive response) as part of the promised Iraq pulldown. That story will not be No. 1 on TV tonight or tomorrow.  Not accidental timing.

Fifth, what's next?  Arizona on Wednesday to talk about the hard-hit housing market. John McCain's home turf.  Shows the president even cares about states with two Republican senators.  Oh, btw, McCain is up for reelection next year.

Sixth, the Republicans are left talking the usual yada-yada some 2,000 miles away back in D.C., but they can only point to the awful deficit things that might happen down the road because of all this spending. The Obama communications team, armed with its oft-repeated, well-practiced theme of Main Street urgency, unveils websites for everyone that show the "estimated effect" of new jobs state by state and, in case anyone from Capitol Hill is watching, also for each congressional district.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photo credit: Rick Wilking / Reuters