NOT A GOOD SIGN – REMEMBER 1968 IN CHICAGO – AT 12:32 P.M. ET:   There are serious, well-founded concerns about violence at the political conventions this summer.  Here is evidence.  From Fox: 

A North Carolina police department backed out of sending 50 police officers to the Republican presidential convention in Cleveland in June over concerns about whether the city is prepared to host an event that is expected to bring at least 50,000 visitors to northeast Ohio.

Greensboro police made the decision earlier this week to pull its officers from the event, saying the city isn’t providing workers’ compensation for coverage for out-of-town officers and is requiring them to get physical exams they’d have to pay for themselves.

Deputy Police Chief Brian James wrote in a memo to the city’s police chief that he had spoken with police administrators experienced in planning events like the GOP convention and that they expressed “a lack of confidence in the city of Cleveland and their preparedness.”

"We have a responsibility to ensure that we are sending our officers to an event that is well planned," James wrote.

James told the Cleveland Plain-Dealer that his memo wasn’t intended to take shots at Cleveland police or say they weren’t prepared to handle the convention.

"But for us, for coming out of our jurisdiction into another state, we had hoped that we would have better clarification on different logistical issues, and specifically what our assignments would be going into Cleveland," James said. "And we don't have that information at this time."

COMMENT:   This is one of a number of complaints I've seen about Cleveland's "preparations."  And the Dems are meeting in Philadelphia, not exactly a rock of stability and good order.

A long hot summer, I'm afraid.

May 29, 2016