It was only a matter of time. Remember, this is the city Rudy Guliani cleaned up by throwing the little people in jail--from National Journal Convention Alerts:

The New York City Police Department has evicted street vendors from 24 square blocks in the vicinity of Madison Square Garden. In banning street sales between 27th and 35th streets, from 6th to 9th avenues, city officials say they acted out of worry about pedestrian traffic. Vendors note that other businesses were not shuttered, and complain that the GOP is costing them money. "We've got to pay the rent at the end of the month," grumbled hot dog vendor Abdul Prince. "Mr. Bush is not going to pay the rent."

For up to date coverage of the protests, check out the Nation's New York Minutes--Street Heat.

Say hello to Culture Kitchen with up to the minute scheduling events:

At 4pm is the Shut-Up-Athon and at 8pm is the Evildoers remix at Postmasters Gallery (19th Street, 9/10 avenues). There's a big bloggers event with John Perry Barlow, Wonkette, Jeff Jarvis and others at PS 122 and a whole lotta parties throughout the week as well. And we need guerilla dancers for Barlow's gig.

I'm going to be wandering around the streets for a few hours. Here's an open thread for convention-related thoughts.

[For new readers, please refrain from name-calling and profanity, and if you post urls, please put them in html format.]

I really hadn't planned on listening to, let alone writing about the Republican Convention speeches. I have a particlular visceral dislike for Rudy Guliani, who speaks tonight. I'm much more interested in what the Democrats' response will be and in any security and law enforcement issues that arise.

But here's a heads-up for those of you who feel compelled to watch: The speakers are expected to be far more moderate than the very conservative delegates to whom they are speaking. The Republican platform is very conservative on social issues like gay marriage and abortion. Mainstream media is predicting tension between the delegates and speakers on these issues that may become evident during the speeches.

There was no such disharmony during the Democratic convention. The speakers and the delegates (with rare exception) were one.

Unable to portray itself as a party of unity, the Republicans now say they are a cohesive unit "under a large and diverse tent." I don't think you will see any dissension during the speeches. Republicans are too good at hiding the truth.

Joshua Kinberg of Bikes Against Bush was showing his technologically equipped bicycle to MSNBC's Ron Regan when he got arrested. Reagan tried to tell the cop that Kinberg didn't do anything illegal while he was being interviewed, and that since the cop arrived in the middle of the interview, he couldn't have seen what he claimed to have seen, which was Kinberg's bike streaking white chalk messages on the pavement.

Kinberg spent more than 24 hours in jail and then returned to Herald Square where the MSNBC team is headquartered, to blog his experience for Hardblogger, including a description of his stay at "The Tombs."

For journalists covering the convention, don't think NYPD's finest will give you a pass. The National Journal convention alert wants you to know that if it happens, help is a phone call away--24/7:

There already have been more arrests in New York than during the entire Dem convention, but to date no reporters have landed in the can. Just in case, though, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press has arranged legal help for credentialed press covering the convention. Attorneys from Levine, Sullivan, Koch & Schulz, LLP will be available via the 24-hour "Media Hotline" to offer cost-free legal advice and representation with regard to convention access and coverage. The hotline phone number is (212) 850-6122.

What would a political convention be without the party brass trotting out a few families of the 9/11 victims? The Democrats did the same in Boston, to a lesser extent. Here's what's on the agenda for tonight, strategically placed to precede Rudy Guliania's speech (from the National Journal Convention Alerts.)

Although they weren't on the official program released Sunday, three family members of the Sept. 11 victims who are sympathetic to President Bush and Rudy Giuliani will precede the former New York City mayor's speech on Monday night. GOP sources tell National Journal's Convention Daily that the individuals are Debra Burlingame, whose brother Charles was a pilot on American Airlines Flight 77 when it struck the Pentagon; Deena Burnett, whose husband Tom died on United Airlines Flight 93 when it crashed into the Pennsylvania countryside; and Tara Stackpole, whose husband, Capt. Timothy Stackpole, was a firefighter who died at the World Trade Center.

Unbelievable. President Bush told Matt Lauer in an interview aired this morning that the War on Terror is not winnable. Terry McCauliffe responded that if John Kerry is President, we will win the war on terror.

Reporters are beginning to analyze Bush based in part on his press interviews. Here's what Dan Froomkin says in today's Washington Post:

In describing his character, profilers consistently see Bush as a risk-taker who acts decisively and never looks back. Supporters see this as strength, critics see this as foolishness. Looking at his leadership style, reporters conclude that while Bush is indeed assertive, he also often lacks curiosity and patience and has little interest in details. Several also report that he has a private, darker side, describing him as prickly and cranky, particularly at the end of the day.

History was made. Yesterday's anti-Bush march was the largest convention protest ever.

Estimates of how many participated in the protest march neared 400,000 people, with the procession stretching for miles. But little of the predicted violence and unrest materialized. About 200 people were arrested, some for blocking roadways, others for assaulting police. The marchers followed a plan set by New York officials, snaking along a horseshoe-shaped route through New York's cordoned-off streets, then peacefully dispersing at the end.

Anger at Bush pervaded the gathering. Some signs read ''Bush lied, thousands died" and ''Bush: Empty Warhead." Protesters defaced photos of Bush and poked fun at his family and upbringing. ''No more years," many chanted.

Some pictures of those who are angry at Bush (New York Times):

For a good sense of how many marched, take a look here.

For some cool photos of Sunday's march, including Jesse Jackson, Michael Moore and Rosie Perez, check out Political Strategy.

As for us, after darkness set in, we hit the streets again, this time with our pal, fellow legal analyst Mickey Sherman. We went to the Tank at 42nd and 9th, where we compared notes with Markos of Daily Kos, Anna of Annatopia and Matt Stoller, who were busy blogging, and then walked back up to 59th, by which time we desperately needed air conditioning, and ended up at the Oak Room at the Plaza Hotel, chatting with Shmuli, the conservative rabbi and Bush supporter who has a radio show on the Liberty network. Sometime after midnight I left the Plaza and walked the four blocks back to my hotel. There probably is no safer city in the country tonight than New York. Despite all the hype and warnings, I don't sense any tension in the air. I interviewed several policemen and security guards and street people and most readily agreed to let me take their pictures. Here's a sampling of those I encountered tonight:

The arrests are starting, 53 so far. Mostly along 7th Avenue. Meanwhile, Central Park is still quiet at 3:00 pm.

Welcome Denver Post readers! TalkLeft has an op-ed in today's Denver Post about blogging the Republican Convention--and a recap on blogging from Boston during the Democratic convention. It's a perspective on blogging vs. the mainstream media, mixed with my individual impressions.

You can follow the live RNC and protest coverage of all the liberal bloggers here. It's continuously updated.

Update: For a view from the other side, check out this Weekly Standard article. The last paragraph gets it right:

John Hinderaker, one of the bloggers behind Powerline, summed up the mood of the blogosphere by comparing journalism with brain surgery: "A bunch of amateurs, no matter how smart and enthusiastic, could never outperform professional neurosurgeons, because they lack the specialized training and experience necessary for that field," he said. "But what qualifications, exactly, does it take to be a journalist? What can they do that we can't? Nothing."

[link via Instapundit.]

Update: Atrios responds to Hindraker by pointing to Jim Boyd's op-ed in the Star Tribune expressing regret that the Hindraker piece was published. Go read Boyd.