My DNC Story: How I know the flags were stored in trash bags for transport not garbage

In their latest volley to call Democrats unpatriotic and unAmerican (la la la, that's so 2000, can't they find a new refrain), Republicans have alleged that after Obama's acceptance speech at Invesco, Democrats threw away 12,000 American flags.

McCain supporters said the flags were discovered by a vendor at Denver’s Invesco Field after the conclusion of the Democratic National Convention. The vendor supposedly found trash bags full of flags in and near garbage bins, and turned them over to the McCain campaign.

In response, the Democrats say the flags were not intended to be trashed and this is a cheap political stunt by Republicans.

. . .Democratic convention organizers claimed the flags were not going to be discarded — but instead were snatched from the site of Obama’s historic address to carry out a “cheap political stunt.”

An unamed official from the Democratic Convention had an even stronger defense on The Huffington Post

"All of the flags at Invesco were picked up and put in bags and into storage, along with the unused flags and campaign signs. The flags were going to be donated, and the signs were going to be sent out to be used elsewhere," the official said, speaking anonymously since he was not authorized to talk to the press.

While I was in Denver, I had an experience that bears out this statement as true.

It was Tuesday night, and I'd just finished my longest, most exhausting day (a nonstop series of events for Women's Equality Day). Katy Chen, BlogHer videographer, and I had just interviewed Governor Jeanne Shaheen, currently running for Senate in New Hampshire.

Katy had promised a friend of hers that she'd get some signs as souvenirs. We were meeting the other MOMocrats by the CNN Grill, and while standing there, I spotted a black trash bag full of signs and flags. "Look there," I shouted triumphantly, "Sign loot!" Katy hesitated, wondering if it was actually trash. While we loitered by the bag, some large and angry people rushed at us shouting to get away from their bag.

"Sorry!" I apologized, "We thought it was trash."

The group were delegates from Texas, many from near my area and we quickly starting trading local landmarks and stories. After the threat was diffused and mood was convivial, the leader of the group explained all the signs and flags were stored in the trash bags. They reused the same signs from day to day, I was told, and were responsible for keeping up with all the signs, so they used the trash bags.

Apparently the signs and flags were in short supply and hard to come by. That makes sense, knowing how costly they are and how in demand they are.

Later, our intrepid California delegate and MOMocrat poster Julie Lythcott-Haims shared a story about DNC staff asking them to surrender their signs for a "sparse" signed state more in camera range. They staunchly refused.

People cherished and were protective of their signs, even if they were stored in trash bags.

Later, on Thursday at Invesco, the media jealously watched as the general admission people got flags. When I made my way up to meet my friends and young MOMocrats in the Youth VIP pass section, I managed to sit down just in time for a guy to come by with a bag of signs.

"Me! Me! I need one!" everyone in the crowd yelled. He passed them out until he had none left and then apologized, saying there weren't enough for everyone. Then he beat a hasty and fearful retreat as the disappointment came at him loudly. People, including me, hung on to their signs. I still hadn't managed to get a flag, but plenty had them and were quite attached to them, waving them wildly during Obama's speech and keeping them tight and close as they left Invesco.

I noticed quite a few of the same big, black trash bags the delegates had told me the flags and signs were stored in, and I assumed they had been used to tote supplies from Pepsi. Recycling was a big and ever-present theme of the DNC and I figured this was just one more case.

I believe that those flags were simply being stored for future re-use. I ran into that on two separate occasions. Did someone mistake them for trash? Possibly. Did someone seize on an opportunity for the Republicans to slam the Democrats? Definitely. Did the Democrats intend to throw away those flags in Denver? I don't believe that for a second.

Perhaps if they had been stored in Birken bags...

Okay Republicans, NEXT. Find something a little more...matterish, a little less artish. And that's the nicest way I can say it.

Comments

[jaelithe]

I don't think a single flag from Invesco would have been carelessly thrown away. Julie, you know how I clung to the flag I got there! I was saving it to give to my son. It's on display in his room right now. I'm hoping to frame it. (I'm serious.)

[Mr Lady]

Thanks. Of Course it's bull, but thanks for clarifying that from experience. It's a damn shame anyone had to.

[Mom101]

I love the party that lives its values and resuses the bags. Right on, eco-delegates.

[Amy@UWM]

Oh, Julie. Why bother with facts when made up stories are so much more convenient? Republicans are giving Stephen Colbert's "Truthiness" a whole new meaning this election...

[Donna]

This is one of those little sidelight bits from our DNC trip I bet you never thought you'd need to write about. Thank you. (I am cherishing my own sign and flag more than ever right now.)

[Michelle Lamar]

As an undecided voter, it's stupid stuff like pretending the flags were going to be throw away that shows who the leaders are listening to. 60 year old white guys. Holy Cow. I am so bummed.

[Navy vet]

These are the flags the Republicans don't seem to care much about:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thenewswire/archive/iraq%20flag%20draped%20coffins.jpg

[Rob]

This story took a nose dive because the people who dreamed it up know it has no basis. Another cheap shot by a few more empty headed goons.

If someone went digging in the Excel ctr, they would probably find a lot of discarded flags, but not because the Reps were careless, rather because some people are trashy and really have no respect for the flag. End of story-period.

[aimee]

I was there, too, and had this same experience. People were desperate for the flags and were so proud to wave them. The signs and flags were carried from place to place in large "garbage" bags. We brought our flags and signs home (and judging from the carry-on items on our flight home, everyone else did, too!) and are now proudly displaying them.

[Kenny]

Lol, very funny comparison

[Froward69]

I was at Mile High for Obama's acceptance. The flags were indeed in short supply.
while I was looking for some food in the concourse a little boy (tired 3-5 y/o) holding his Moms hand and in the other he had a flag... he was dragging it... "hold on" I said to him his mom looked at me like I was crazy. I then knelt down and turned his flag upward and told him to "please try to keep it off of the ground and he should be proud of that flag"... she smiled the little boy smiled and understood immediately. he then hoisted that flag as high as he could hold it(about waist level) His mom said she hadn't noticed, I said it was ok and the little boy, invigorated, marched away ahead of his mom (Dragging her BTW)waving his flag proudly.

Frankly I am surprised republicans hadn't used some story like this one to use for political hay.