Rapp Session

Something from Nothing

2008-09-04T22:23:00Z

Drill baby, drill. It seems like every convention comes up with a new chant. Sometimes contrived, sometimes spontaneous. The drill, baby, drill phrase appears to have been written to be mimicked. But one that might have come from the screaming fans without a speechwriter’s contribution, is reminiscent of Fenway fans with their mocking lilt of the name of Yankee’s captain, Derek Jeter. Jee-der, jee-der…we’ve heard that echo through Fenway Park. Last night it sounded familiar when the 45,000 delegates and guests began ringing the halls of the Xcel Center with Zee-roh, zee-roh. As in, how much executive experience does Barack Obama have? Zee-roh. Zee-roh.

Electrifying

2008-09-04T22:13:01Z

I was at Hillary’s speech in Denver, which was the best speech there. I heard the longest ovation at the Pepsi Center as the crowd welcomed Bill Clinton. Barack’s extravaganza at Invesco field was untoppable. But for raw enthusiasm, Gov. Sarah Palin’s speech in St. Paul last night was far and away the most exciting of this convention season. You’ve heard the phrase red meat, as in throwing out tasty phrases that the crowd eats up. She delivered a banquet to this Republican crowd, hungry for a charismatic leader who sems like them. Bragging about her family, proud of her small town, challenging the establishment press; there was much that this roaring crowd swallowed down whole. And when she combined a swat at Michelle Obama with her own lifelong pride in America, the chants of U-S-A seemed like they’d been unwillingly stifled for ages. Sarah Palin let this gang loose, and they felt their own power, and are ready to follow her and her running mate into battle: anywhere, anytime.

Wanna Fight?

2008-09-04T07:06:00Z

If you thought the new kid was going to quietly come onto the playground and try and fit in, you were wrong. If you thought Sarah Palin was going to shy away from having a teenage daughter with child, she sure smacked you down. This lady was looking for a fight and she wanted everyone to know it. Between ridiculing Obama for speaking differently in Scranton than he does in San Francisco and reminding him that being mayor is like being a community organizer, but with responsibility, this self-described pit bull with lipstick bared her fangs tonight. This fighter showed her fierce love too, winning in one line, the votes of everybody who has a special needs child like she does. She challenged the elite, left-wing media, and told them to keep their big city opinions to themselves. She’s small town, and what’s it to you. Small towns, she said, are where the people who grow our food, work in our factories, and fight in out wars live. And they’ve always been proud to be Americans. A lilne that brought the night’s biggest applause, and was an in your face slap at Michelle Obama’s famous quote about her husband’s campaign making her proud of America for the first time in her adult life. Governor Palin brought it tonight, like a school girl meeting a rival in the parking lot. Obama seeks the Presidency as a continuation of his journey of personal discovery. Obama’s cloud of rhetoric will blow away, along with his Styrofoam Greek columns, and self-desinged Presidential seals. She was dirt under your nails blue collar, versus book learned smooth talking lawyers. She satisfied the men by displaying her loyalty. First, to the high school sweetheart who, twenty years and five kids later is ‘still her guy.’ And then to the former POW hero candidate, who she idolized. Family values, mean even a gun toting, corruption fighting hunter, is not going to upstage her male partner. And watch out if you try to mess with her man.

Of the speeches I saw in Denver, and so far here, this was the best received. The audience most primed, the anticipation the highest, and the reception the most enthusiastic yet of the two weeks. Maybe missing a day here wasn’t so bad. And John McCain has a high bar to clear.

Cancelling Monday’s Convention Good News

2008-08-31T22:32:01Z

Delegate Steve Kass, the former radio host and current state employee, says of the cancellation of speeches tomorrow, “It’s a blessing. It certainly doesn’t hurt the McCain campaign that both Bush and Cheney will not be speaking.” What organizers plan to do for the rest of the week will be decided as the storm in News Orleans plays out. Kass did say he hopes some of the speakers, like Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and Senator Joe Lieberman, will get a chance later in the week to speak in prime time. But he said cutting out all the speeches on Monday isn’t all bad. “Have you ever heard some of these people?”, he quipped. When asked if he thought the party would suffer from reduced television coverage, he said, “ If we get Tuesday and Wednesday in, it won’t make that much of a difference.” The RNC has said it is considering making one of the days of the convention a fundraiser for potential victims of the hurricane. So there may be little political speechmaking here in St. Paul, other than the acceptance speeches by the two candidates. Given the millions of dollars, 18 months of preparation, the scheduling smack up against the Democrats; all intended to counteract the positive impression the speakers in Denver projected across the country, it must be a huge disappointment to the party strategists. At least an unexpected development. Perhaps it plays into their hands, as they scramble to come up with a Plan B. No Bush, as Kass pointed out. A chance to show how much they care about poor people. Show real disaster management expertise. And what says concern more than money, and the party is talking about turning the political fundraising masters into relief agents. And if McCain-Palin are on TV in Louisiana, it makes the contrast with the unpopular incumbent even more dramatic, and more real to the voters. The more circumstances are played up as inconvenience, the more credit the ticket gets for compassion.

Wipe Out

2008-08-31T21:46:00Z

i sat with the Rhode Island delegation as they watched the news conference announcing the grand kick-off of the Grand Old Party’s quadrennial campaign showcase will be cancelled. No George W Bush. No Demkocrat turned Independent Joe Lieberman. No bodybuilder turned Governor Arnold Schwarzenneger. That’s a lot of star power wiped off the slate. And no saying whether they’ll be rescheduled later in the week. But tomorrow is business only. Delegates reporting in, establishing a quorum, and doing the procedural stuff that is part of the nominating process, which is what the convention is ostensibly about. This has to be a hit for the party’s plans to bounce back after the hugely watched Denver display by the Democrats. The delegates are disappointed, but not complaining, because of the sensitive issue of the hardships coming towards New Orleans. And who knows, they may find these multi-million dollar stageshows called modern conventions, may be overrated. Maybe McCain-Palin will do betterl by showiong up on the Gulf Coast. Maybe this will be the end of lthe corporate sponsored week long adult camps with liquor that these conventions have become. Would that be a loss?

workman

2008-08-29T07:34:00Z

Remember when Hillary Clinton was at RIC and delivered her memorable criticism of Barack Obama..."Celestial choirs will sing,the skies will open up...” Mocking the soaring lyricism of her primary opponent. You couldn’t say that about his speech tonight. Instead, Barack Obama stepped out onto the stage wearing his tool belt. Like a demoliton expert, he tore down, one by one, the criticisms that have been pinned on him by the Republicans. Not patriotic.? He scolded McCain by name and said we all put this country first. Weak on defense? It was McCain who claimed he’d follow Bin Laden to the gates of Hell, but didn’t even have the wisdom to follow him to the cave where he lives. Encouraging dependence on government? Obama said it’s not Big Brother, but parents who have to turn off their children’s television and make them do homework. This was not a night of lofty reach. It was a gritty, methodical construction of a refutation of the charges that have been plastered on him. A far different speech than the one he used during his victorious primary season. He didn’t try to elevate, he stayed right on the ground. And shied away from nothing. He dove headfirst onto the three charged rails of American politics: abortion, guns, and gay marriage. And displayed the secret of his politics by staking out the common ground that none of us can deny. We all want to avoid unwanted pregnancy. Even gun owners don’t approve of
AK47’s in the hands of urban thugs. And who would deny a lifelong partner’s right to console a dying lover on their sickbed. It was not ethereal; it was sturdy.

it’s all about the party

2008-08-28T13:37:00Z

the problem with working at these national conventions, is that i have missed the main part of the occasion. The parties! i arrive at these delegate breakfasts all bright eyed, sitting with slow moving and heavy lidded delegates and guests. Sure they want to discuss the speeches from the day before, and yes, there’s quite a bit of chatter about how the strategy of the campaign is reflected in the show at the Pepsi Center...but the good stuff is the huddled conversations about who saw who at which party..."oh Harold Ford was at the club..did you see James Taylor?...we went to the Massachusetts party, but it was a dud...did you get into the sold out concert?” We’re out of town. The delegates are away from their jobs. During the day, they’re lining up what they’ll be doing at night. No deadlines for these folks. Now I’ve got that off my chest, I’m going up to the delegates’ breakfast. To find out what I missed again last night.

Bottled Pepsi

2008-08-27T12:39:01Z

I’ve heard a lot of complaints about the delays in getting into the Pepsi Center…so I was prepared on the four block long walk into the building last night for the Hillary speech. I groaned internally when I saw the line outside the security gate backed up with hundreds of people, and despaired that I had no chance to get in for the start, scheduled for twenty minutes from then. Then I heard a cop say the busses lined up on the adjacent road would take us to another checkpoint. Big choice…take a chance on whether that unknown entrance would be a quicker option…plus the bus ride. I made the decision, got in line, and waited anxiously to board a bus, while watching the other line, and second guessing myself. But the bus came, drove about three minutes to the other side of the Pepsi Center where there must have been twelve rows of metal detectors and attendants, and bang bang, I was through, inside the perimeter, and walking briskly toward the Center. I’d heard it was tight going into the front door…but I stepped right in with the crowd, climbed on an elevator, and next thing I knew, I’d found a seat on a stair in a jammed stadium in time to hear Governor Deval Patrick and Montana’s Brian Schweitzer before the Clinton introductory film, and then her speech. It was actually easier than getting into the conventions in New York and Boston four years ago, when hundreds or more were locked out hours before the main speeches. So give the organizers here in Denver kudos for getting the crowds into the building.

Three Wheelin’

2008-08-27T00:35:00Z

Denver has a strip where a median attracts street performers and skateboarders, and restaurants and bars line the edges. Between the sidewalks and the middle, there are lanes for bicycles, and a transportation alternative that we don’t have in Providence. Bicycle powered rickshaws. They’re doing booming business with the tired delegates who aren’t driving in the restricted city streets and are tired of walking or trying to find a taxicab.

Rhody loves Barack?

2008-08-27T00:33:00Z

Mark Weiner promised today he could raise more than a million dollars for Barack Obama in a Rhode Island record breaking fundraiser next month. It would depend, though on Obama coming to the Ocean State. A number of the delegates here in Denver say that’s never going to happen, not even for a million dollars. Just as it is a delicate dance between the Obama and Clinton campaigns, if what the delegates told me is ture, there are some hard feelings from the Obama camp for Rhode Island, which voted overwhelmingly for Senator Clinton in the presidential primary.

People Power?

2008-08-27T00:32:00Z

The SWAT forces here are omnipresent, and oppressive. They deploy en masse for no apparent reason. Yesterday afternoon, as I was walking downtown, there was a sudden symphony of sirens…three vans, bursting with SWAT teams, led by a patrol car with lights strobing, and followed by a school bus full of more black clad military type defenders with automatic weapons pressed against the windows, raced down the street. They halted at a corner, the men piled out, and proceeded to walk to positions spread down the street. There wasn’t a disturbance, and somebody told me they just do this periodically to establish presence. These guys have body armor more elaborate even than the squads that were all over New York and Boston in the last conventions: all black (good for sitting around in the hot sun, not!), plastic shin and feet guards, elbow pads, helmets, batons, and all sorts of stuff attached to their belts, machine guns. The armor on their upper bodies is so thick, they look like an evil Michelin tire man. And you’ll see them in teams of twelve or so, piled onto the running boards, and a rear platform of an extended SUV, just cruising up and down the street. It kind of puts a damper on the atomosphere here. There’s are blocks and blocks of walking to get into and out of the Pepsi Center where the convention is being held. So delegates are kind of dragging in the heat and altitude, and this military presence is inescapable. Despite the handful of vendors and Uncle Sam impersonators trying out their routines, it’s not a cheerful celebratory scene of the people’s will in action. Between the steel barriers and the souped up police, it feels a lot more like prison than freedom.

clinton delegation

2008-08-26T16:31:01Z

Remember the primary in Rhode Island? Little Rhody broke Obama’s string of victories with an overwhelming vote for Hillary Clinton. One of her highest pluralities in the entire season. It’s one reason why the delegation is sitting in seats that require supplemental oxygen and a telescope to see the podium. And the Clinton support in the delegation, which is made up of the high ranking party operatives who made their political bones with Bill and then Hillary, is still strong. Joe Paolino told me, “I wouldn’t be in Denver if not for the Clintons.” Mark Weiner still maintains Obama is the lesser candidate, though he promises to work hard for him in the general election. The upshot of this loyalty, is Clinton delegates intend to cast their votes for Hillary tomorrow night. They want, and expect a roll call vote, and say it is only right. The details continue to be hammered out, as to whether it will be a roll call of the entire convention, or just a few states. Paolino says the two sides are working cordially and productively to come up with a solution...but stay tuned to see if Rhode Island Clinton bakcers get to show their respect with a vote for her on the convention floor.

Toto, we’re not in Boston anymore

2008-08-25T17:58:00Z

This will not be like Boston. I haven’t even been downtown yet…our hotel is a twenty minute bus ride from there. I stopped at Florida’s hotel last night, and they’re even farther, on the other side of Denver. Tim Grillo from the Democratic state party said he went in for a walkthrough yesterday at the Pepsi Center…and it took two HOURS to get in…a lot of protesters made the trip difficult. Logistics are going to be tough. The big news this morning is that Senator Ted Kennedy is out here for his special evening. Night One of the convention will include a tribute to him…including a film by Ken Burns…and the Senator’s appearance was thought to be doubtful. I’m hoping I can get through to Congressman Patrick Kennedy during the day…but security rings are so strict…you can pretty much only get to people if they want you to.

It’s a beautiful sunny day…but weather’s not a joke here. Three tornadoes touched down locally yesterday, according to local newscasts. No damage, but when you think aboput an outdoor address by the nominee on Thursday, it’s certainly something to think about.

Fair Price for Gas

2008-07-25T21:52:00Z

It goes up, it goes down. But mostly it goes up. We get it cheaper here than anywhere in the world...so what is a fair price? Here are your comments...starting with a mean shot from Howie!!!

What a dumb question. How much should gas cost? Are you kidding. The question would better serve the public by asking how did it get to be so high. The world has a short memory! If it wasn’t for the United States and other countries throughout the world all of those countries in the middle east would be talking German if not for them. For those too young to remember that time period look back just a few short years ago, if it wasn’t for the US and other countries the people in Kuwait would be ruled by Iraq. How about a complete study on this matter. Let the kids at URI trace the price of gasoline from the minute it comes out of the ground till it gets to the pump, then you can ask how much should gas cost. While I am venting the spot the news media does on were to get the best price is ridicules and useless. In a market so volatile the price could change drastically from day to day and station to station.
Howie, North Providence

Well, let’s do the math, Rappers. For every barrel of oil sold now from the Saudis charging their buyers $140/barrel, they’re profiting over $16 million - if you think they really need that much of a profit you’re a patsy for ill-gotton gains. We’ll never see the price of gas go below $3/gal. for sure, but even at that price it’s too much. Back to at least $2.35/gal. or even at $1.75/gal. would be nice, but it’ll never happen. We’ll see it hit $5/gal. by the end of summer, bet on that. It’s time for us to have less dependency on foreign oil than ever, and we have the means to do it in this country. It’s the flagrant legislators who think it won’t happen, but we know what’s going on and we need to act on that else we’ll see a depression in this country that tops over the 1920’s era!
C-Ann-C, Coventry

i CANT BELIEVE THAT OUR GOVERMENT IS NOT DOING MORE TO INVESTIGATE THESE STUPID GAS PRICES. IS THIS WHAT THE GREAT DEPRESSION WAS ALBOUT, WHO CAN MAKE MORE. I WENT BY A GAS STATION IN PROVIDENCE AND THE GAS WAS 2.19 AND NOT IS 1/4 MILE FURTHER THERE WAS A GAS STATION A 2.09 AND WHENT INTO JOHNSTON A GAS WAS 3.99. WHAT IS GOING ON WHO IS IN CHARGE OF LOOKING A GAS STIONS, DISTRIBUTORS AND SUPPLIES. THINK MORE IS GOING ON THEAN MEETS THE EYE.
Thomas

$4.00 per gal is a “RIP OFF “ of out country by speculators.
Do the math; Oil at $1.00 gal ( profit of $0.28 per gal tp counyry drilling,,
$0.22 to refiners and suppliers, profit 5-9%, and retailer $ 0.25, profit.
This was price in 1972 after last problem: with getting oil. The problem is putting 10 gallons in a 5 gallon jug.. PEOPLE plan your trips to use least possible and cut demand, and of EVERYONE in USA would park the gas guzzler for 1 day a month in 3 months the speculaters would be bankrupt and the average american will have their mpney back in their pockets. 3 days no driving and the supplier will cry “UNCLE”.
Vinny

You would think gas prices are high enough yet other than feeling the pinch in the wallet, drivers are doing little to show they care. Many haven’t contemplated public transportation or carpooling and they continue to drive above the speed limit. If the pinch was serious enough, people would be seeking alternatives. We should experiment by setting the price to $10/gallon and see if people change any of their habits then!
Big E, Woonsocket

$2.00 for gas,,i could go on for ever but it only fall’s on deaf ears, the state is sucking everyone dry, no more heating assistance, now electric want’s to raise our bill’s another $16.00, are they nuts well i guess that old adage go’s the rich get richer the poor get poorer THANKS FOR THE RANT- DEBI CRANSTON
Debblee

PLEASE!!! YOU THINK WERE PAYING 4 DOLLARS A GALLON FOR GAS BECAUSE THERES A HIGH DEMAND?!?!?! GIVE ME A BREAK !!!! IT’S THE GOVERNMENT WHO WANTS US TO PAY 4 DOLLARS BECAUSE THE RECESSION WE ARE STILL IN!!!!
The big J

I wouldn’t have a problem with paying $4 a gal if the price had gone up gradually. I do have a problem with the price being blamed on China and India? Did everyone in these countries decide to buy a car at the same time and start diving? I don’t believe it. There’s more to it.
Dee Dee, Smithfield

Gas should cost as much as it takes for Americans to wake up and consider alternatives....no matter how much.
Andrea, NH....a resident of Warwick.

The real question is: How much is gas worth to me? It’s worth a lot. But I’m not willing to pay a lot. In the end we will pay whatever they charge us and continue to complain about it. They say take the bus. Did you know they recently took away the free bus passes for the lower income and the struggling ones? Great. Make it even harder for them to find and get to work.
As far as my family is concerned, I’ve been wondering. How much do you think an oil truck costs? Allens Ave isn’t too far....
Slowly going broke at same pay rate,
Daniel S, West Warwick

Family Jobs

2008-05-28T15:11:00Z

The Governor of Rhode Island put his niece into a state paid job. I did a story on it. Some people didn’t like it, or the 10 News Conference program where I asked him about it. Some did. Here’s a few who wrote me.

Governor Don Carcieri is living in his own little world privatizing Rhode Island....OMG I completely agree that he is talking out of both sides of his mouth by saying there was nothing wrong with hiring his niece while other State Workers get the boot! He was very personable when I met him six years ago and believe me I voted for him the first time around. Since then I’ve seen so many red flags..I tried to vote him out this past election but no one halfway decent was running against him. I know a 911 operator who make less than 40,000.00 a year (after 20 years)when our Governor tells the citizens of Rhode Island that these state workers are making over 90,000.00 a year!! And the money to fund the operations that keep our citizens safe (911 charge on our phone bill) most of it isn’t even going to 911! So while the governor is swimming in the “General Fund” swimming pool the rest of us are drowning. Impeach him before the state files for Bankruptcy.
A.M, West Warwick

It was a struggle watching you with the Gov. this morning on ‘10 Newsconference’. The quote “we’re not picking on kass, we’re picking on you, governor”. Ouch.
Please don’t buy into the leftist-unionborn propoganda. 74 years of democrat control and how are we doing in our state? Who’s responsible? How much is the rest of the government cutting THEIR STAFFS ? The topic was ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT--where were the Marine Industry related questions ??? We’re the “Ocean State” producing the finest seafood in the world--always sold out--AND we produce the finest underwater machinery. No questions. (Ouch.) I didn’t care for the interruptions and talking-over. I learn more when I listen.
Paul M, Wickford, RI

Great job Sunday morning!!!!!!
You are 100% right about his niece, what the heck is she doing working there, SHE SHOULD NOT BE THERE.
Anne

In my considered opinion, this piece is quite simply one that panders to the unions and the democratic party of this state, in a the most blatant manner possible. It is also an NBC 10 condoned attempt at character assassination, by you Mr. Rappleye. I have no idea as to what your motivation actually is but I do know this, you have lost your objectivity and you obviously did not do your due diligence, before airing this piece. Dan York, however, did do his homework and, by so doing, has made you look like a pawn of the unions and the democratic party.

Your attempt to impugn our governor, who, whether or not you like his politics, is a good, hardworking, innovative, diligent, honest and HONORABLE man, is nothing more than a political assassination job, obviously prompted by the unions and the democratic party, which illustrates the unions’ and the democratic party’s willingness to help the taxpayers of this state.

I have been a a WJAR-TV Channel 10 News viewer since 1947, when we got our first tv but, because of the direction that Channel 10 News has been taking, I find that I must reassess my viewing habits. This piece is the straw that broke the camel’s back.

This epistle does not scratch the the surface of the contempt this piece has raised in me and some of that contempt has rubbed off on both you and Channel 10. This is one of the saddest chores I have set for myself in a very long time.
Joe T, East Providence

HI BILL. YOU SURE GAVE IT TO THE GOVERNOR THIS MORNING. I WOULD BET YOUR FATHER WAS A BIG UNION MAN. THATS THE WAY YOU COME ACROSS. YOU WERE SCREAMING ABOUT A $50,000 DOLLAR JOB.WHY DON’T YOU INVESTIGATE THE CUSHY JOBS AT URI? START WITH BOB WEYGAND. HE MAKES WITH BENEFITS NEARLY $200,000 OR MORE WITH A REAL CUSHY JOB. HE ALSO IS A POLITICAL ANALYST ON YOUR STATION AND PROBABLY TAPES PIECES WHILE HE IS GETTING PAID BY URI. THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL DID A STORY ABOUT URI’S BASKETBALL COACH MAKING ALOT OF MONEY. I HOPE YOU DO A STORY ABOUT THE HIGH PRICE JOBS AT URI. START WITH WEYGAND.THANKS FOR LISTENING,
MARVIN

i wanted say that the reason you are getting so much flak is that you opened a can of worms for both democrats and republicans. if you look at ethic laws, school committee members vote for raises for their spouses. this is allowed by the ethics commissions. this is also done by town council members. look into this and you will have stories for the just 3 years. you have them all scared, it’s the ethic laws that need to be looked at but the politicians are the ones who write them so they leave all these loop holes. great job on the story to bad more people do not think that just because it isn’t against the law some things still do not look right and should not be done.
bob