Pictures from the frontlines of the Democratic National Convention

Monday, August 14, 2000

Media "gimme bags" piled up to the ceiling.

Police outside the Staples Center, ready for action.

Images of Democratic idealism, brought to you by Apple.

According to this notice outside the convention, "signs or placards" are not allowed inside. I'll keep an eye on the delegates and try to make sure they obey the rules!

The conservative "Blue Dog" Democrats held a fundraiser at an amusement park on the Santa Monica pier.

Luckovich inside the park. He's holding a "special edition" box of Macaroni and Cheese, which has been included in the media gimme bags at the last few conventions -- but not at this one, because Kraft is a Phillip Morris company and the DNC is not accepting tobacco donations. The Blue Dogs, however, have no such compunctions, so they were giving them away here instead.

Demonstrators outside the fundraiser. Attendees had to be escorted by security through a gauntlet, as people shouted and chanted.

Cops on horseback were brought in to contain the crowd. One horse a few feet away from me was not under control at all and kept prancing about crazily, trying to spit out its bridle. I was seriously concerned that I might end up getting trampled.

There's nothing quite as festive as a gated amusement park being protected by mounted cops as a bubble machine chugs away in the background.

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