Protests Heat Up Republican Convention

While Republican Party leaders and elected officials deliver addresses each night to excited delegates and guests at the Republican National Convention, there has been a lot of action outside the perimeter of the Xcel Center as well.

Thousands of RNC protesters have been active since Sunday, voicing their opinions on a number of issues including the war and the economy. Recently, however, the focus has shifted from the issues to the interaction between the police and the protesters.

The St. Paul police department issued reports of some protesters slashing tires, breaking windows and attacking members of the Connecticut delegation. Meanwhile, YouTube users have been uploading footage of riot police unleashing tear gas and pepper spray on throngs of protesters, and making mass arrests.

Journalists have been among those arrested, the most notable case being liberal talk show host Amy Goodman. This YouTube video documenting Goodman's arrest has garnered close to 500,000 views thus far and has set off a number of user responses. CitizenTube caught up with Goodman in St. Paul for her thoughts on what happened to her:



Despite arrests, a number of citizen journalists are continuing to follow the protest activity and uploading their footage to YouTube, so check back for up-to-the-minute accounts of what's happening in St. Paul, both inside and outside the convention hall.

RNC Opens Its Platform to the Web

In a very tech-savvy move, the Grand Old Party has launched GOP Platform 2008, a new website inviting one and all to contribute their ideas for the Republican Party Platform before the Convention in September. The online discussion forum encourages Republicans to weigh-in on the issues that matter to them most. Anyone who has registered and created an account on the site can post their suggestions for the Republican National Convention using either text or video (via YouTube) and can comment on and discuss ideas posted by others, too.

In addition to the interactive elements, the site as a whole has a very web 2.0-y feel to it -- with an appealing, easily-navigable interface, video introductions from the RNC Chairman Mike Duncan and Platform co-chairs Senator Richard Burr and Congressman Kevin McCathry, as well as a call-out for visitors to add the Republican Platform Committee Facebook app to their profile.

By leveraging an open platform framework and utilizing social media networks like YouTube and Facebook, the RNC is showing their determination to narrow the Dems' lead in web-based politics. Last Friday's unveiling of GOPPlatform2008.com followed the announcement earlier in the week that the Democrats would allow supporters to participate in shaping their party platform by hosting in-person meetings in every state from July 19 - 27. There's no question that the GOP's new initiative -- which encourages anyone with internet access to chime in from wherever they are -- opens up the political system much further. "We hope that this process will guarantee the greatest amount of public input into any platform in American history!" the RNC announces on the homepage.

According to the RNC, as of this posting (noon PST on Monday) there are already 2,761 platform ideas submitted in text, and 36 in video. This is an ambitious, inspiring effort on the part of the Republicans. But the real judgment should come when the GOP can illustrate exactly how they incorporated the feedback they received from voters as they develop the party platform before convening in September.

"I Approve This Message" - Unscripting the Political Process on YouTube:

Citizen journalist collective, the UpTake, launched a new project on Monday called "I Approve This Message," in partnership with The UnConvention, an organization that aims to offer an alternative perspective on politics.

The "I Approve This Message" campaign encourages citizens to create short videos with their own political messages -- for the candidates, for their delegates, for their party. The goal of the project is to empower everyday people by providing a "fun way for citizens to get involved in the dialogue." These video responses will be highlighted on both The UpTake and The Unconvention's YouTube channels, The UnConvention website, and a selection will be screened in person at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.

Check out the project's launch video here:




....and the UpTake's initial round of submissions, in which users were invited to share a personal message with the RNC: