Republic convention amid protesters

About 100 veterans lined up near the state capitol this morning to march towards the main Republican site a few blocks away. Some were in camo, others in t-shirts with their organization’s name on it. a spokesman summed up their beliefs: bring all the troops home from Iraq, help veterans get the care they deserve and need, and help rebuild Iraq. That spokesman demonstrated in Denver last week also, and he says the organization doesn’t support either Obama or McCain, or either candidates’ position on Iraq. At the end of the procession was this middle aged couple who carried a wooden coffin draped in an American flag and the uniform of their son. Their son was a Marine killed in action during his second trip to Iraq. One demonstrator told the crowd that if anyone was going to be arrested it would be him. He then approached the line of police officers at the convention and attempted to hand over a list of their demands. He expressed disappointment when no one from the McCain campaign came out to meet him. Other veterans’ groups are making their presence felt this week as well. This group has distributed TV ads, instead of choosing to demonstrate. The Executive Director of one group says they don’t want to influence the presidential elections, but influence the American people. His group is putting out hard hitting TV ads that criticize Obama. He insists that his group is not endorsing McCain officially.