Lockdown in Livingston

Christie Kicks off Presidential Campaign In Tightly Controlled Bubble

National Media Isolated From Over 1,000 Protesters

No Differences or Dissent Tolerated

Police Enforce Private Politics – By Invite Only

Fear and Loathing – and we’re not even on the campaign trail yet!

Livingston HS – police checkpoint blocks those without invitations from entering event. (6/30/15)

Livingston NJ High school grounds were in tight lockdown by multiple local, Essex County, and State Police police forces today, as Gov. Christie manufactured another Town Hall bubble, this time for the national media.

Police checkpoints and barricades kept protesters from getting within 300 yards of the High School, a “designated protest zone” that was not within earshot or the view shed on the national media.

[I objected and asked police their legal basis for doing this and all they said was that the State Police were in charge and they can do whatever they want. Police described the line as a “de-escalation zone” as if protest were some form of warfare or violence. Sick.]

In a classic Christie move to control the visual image, the media were safely ensconced far from protesters, behind the HS building in their own special bubble.

Is this the kind of repressive “strength” and “leadership” Christie would bring to the National Security Surveillance State?

Fox News gets front row special parking accommodations

sheltered from protesters, the media could talk among themselves and rehash conventional wisdom and transcribe Christie campaign message.

Without the voice of the protesters and little local knowledge, the national press corps had no idea of the hypocrisy of the Gov. holding the event at a public high school, after his systematic assault on public education and educators.

But several NJ press corps were out among the protesters – they understand exactly what the Gov. was doing and made sure that the protesters were included in the story –

[Update – I told you so, see Bergen Record: Hundreds of protesters rally outside Christie announcement and Star Ledger: Protesters at Christie announcement: ‘Christie for president … hell no!’ and even the local Patch:WATCH: Protesters Boo Christie On Arrival To Presidential Announcement ~~~ end update]

The teachers union was the best represented, although I saw a handful of neglected Sandy victims, labor, consumer, and environmental protesters.

It was a very disappointing showing from the environmental community, given the Governor’s atrocious record on climate change and the environment – and with the Pope’s encyclical out there to force the issue, it was another huge missed opportunity.

But they’ve been silent or in collaboration with the Gov. for 5 years now, so I was not surprised by the BIG NO SHOW (with the exception of a handful of Sierra Club folks).

Here’s some scenes – and those teachers do make the best signs!