NEW YORK – More than 100,000 demonstrators marched past a heavily fortified Republican convention hall Sunday, chanting denunciations of the administration and the war in Iraq as delegates flocked to the city to nominate President Bush for four more years in the White House.
Vice President Dick Cheney campaigned his way into the convention city three days ahead of the president. The president was in West Virginia, accusing Democratic rival Sen. John Kerry of changing his stand on coal industry issues that are vital to the state’s economy.
“Be careful of somebody whose position shifts in the wind,” Bush said.
Polls show the war in Iraq has become increasingly unpopular in recent months, and the throng of protesters filling 20 city blocks on a steamy Manhattan afternoon underscored that. “No More Bush,” and “No More Years,” were two of the more popular chants. “Bush Lies, Who Dies?” read some of the signs.
Police gave no official crowd estimate of the day’s protest. One official put the size at 120,000, although it took nearly five hours for the procession to pass Madison Square Garden. Organizers claimed they had turned out roughly 500,000 protesters. In all, about 200 arrests were reported, with no major outbursts of violence.
Delegates meet at Madison Square beginning today to nominate Bush and Cheney for second terms.
After months of appealing to his conservative supporters, Bush and his convention planners scripted a program pitched toward the political middle, independents and wavering Democrats.
On tonight’s program, Sen. John McCain of Arizona has widespread appeal among independents that stems in part from his own presidential campaign in 2000 and his drive for campaign finance reform. He and former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani oppose the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriages that Bush has made a centerpiece of his campaign and is prominent in the Republican platform.
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks Tuesday night. Maverick Democratic Sen. Zell Miller of Georgia delivers the keynote address on Wednesday.
Cheney speaks Wednesday and Bush addresses the delegates and a nationwide television audience Thursday. Aides have said he will use the speech to lay out an agenda for a second term.
Republican officials also say they intend to use the four-day convention to build support for Bush’s handling of the war on terror and the war in Iraq as well as to undermine Kerry’s claim as a suitable replacement.
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