The Glorious Loyalty Oath Crusade

From the AP:
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) -- Some Democrats who signed up to hear Vice President Dick Cheney speak here Saturday were refused tickets unless they signed a pledge to endorse President Bush.

The measure was a security step designed to avoid a disruption, which Bush campaign spokesman Dan Foley alleged Democrats were planning. Democratic Party officials denied it

Kerry campaign spokesman Ruben Pulido Jr. said there had been no plan by the campaign to disrupt Cheney's event.

"I think that every American should have the right to see their vice president and hear from him firsthand what he plans to do for our country," Pulido said.

He also said the Kerry campaign had not attempted to screen Bush supporters out of Kerry's appearance at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque on July 9.

On that occasion, about a dozen Bush supporters wearing flip-flop beach sandals began chanting "Viva Bush" and waved their flip-flops over their heads. They contend Kerry has flip-flopped on the war.

Denying access to a public event for those that refuse to sign a pro-Bush pledge isn't the worst thing that the Republicans have done, but it does nicely symbolize the super-partisan governing style of the GOP's leadership, which has treated the Congress, the Presidencey, Supreme Court and various federal agencies like they were appendenges of their PR department.

I believe the proper response to this ridiculous policy is to paraphrase the pithy if not eloquent Major --- de Coverley: Gimme Speech.