Despite the well-publicized rant from a local pizza shop, the Democratic National Convention in Boston was, by all accounts, a quiet affair on Monday.

Commuters found morning traffic flowing freely from all directions and trains neither crowded nor drastically delayed. Downtown streets only intermittently resounded with protests bellowed from bullhorns by small pockets of demonstrators.

"Look around, it's so quiet," taxi driver Gary Levin, 26, of Brookline, said as he barreled down a usually congested Beacon Street just after lunch. "I've been driving since 7 a.m., and this is better than any Monday I've ever worked."

If the calm lasts through today, perhaps the RNC will have a standard to live up to in New York. Good luck, GOP.

Dreary

Boston, MA

March 2004

JUL 28, 2004 08:50 AM

It has been a snooze......restuarants are dead......traffic is nothing like projected.....psychotic anti-abortionists are the biggest spectacle, they actually attacked a pro-abortionist on the Boston Common Sunday....just for stating his views. Hmm...the pro-lifers beating the life out of an opponent...I'm not sure they understand the assignment.

all in all....not the conflagration of intrusiveness it was projected to be...but I'm afraid this is a contrarian view to the above post....hopefully it's enough to help Kerry define himself to sink the GOP in November....!

Darkangelion

Italy

June 2004

JUL 28, 2004 09:34 AM

go JFK smash the cowboy

TheRedBaron

Cambridge, MA

November 2003

JUL 28, 2004 10:54 AM

The only change that really struck me was all the fellas walking around with fully automatic weaponry.

[Edited on Jul 28, 2004 by TheRedBaron]

aaronidiot

USA

January 2003

JUL 28, 2004 11:03 AM

Well, Monday was a friggin ghost town here in the financial district. Nobody came in, the streets were absolutely clear. Around 3 is when the place started filling up with what looked like scary tourists. Bastards clogged the sidewalks more than the streets.

lepeu1999

Boston, MA

June 2004

JUL 28, 2004 11:46 AM

I got a kick out of seeing the T cops in tactical gear. All the police have traded in their usual blues for the military type uniforms for the duration - including the old fat MBTA cops. It kills me to see these guys looking all Rambo with their big bellies hanging over their gun belts

TheRedBaron

Cambridge, MA

November 2003

JUL 28, 2004 11:49 AM

lepeu1999 said:
I got a kick out of seeing the T cops in tactical gear. All the police have traded in their usual blues for the military type uniforms for the duration - including the old fat MBTA cops. It kills me to see these guys looking all Rambo with their big bellies hanging over their gun belts

Yeah. I expected to get a hard time, but they're actually really nice. Maybe they're under orders.

I heard that Monday the protesters on the common, anarchist, communist, anti/pro-abortion, conservatives, and plenty of other opposing groups were just standing about, strangely peacefully.

Then a guy in a Yankees shirt walks by.
And everyone boo's and yells.

I fucking love my city.

lepeu1999

Boston, MA

June 2004

JUL 28, 2004 12:18 PM

I was at firstnight with my daughter standing on Long Warf waiting for the fire works when a Yankees Suck chant broke out. It amazes me that whenever you get 10 Sox fans together with alcohol - no matter where or when - you'll get a Yankees Suck

Mike11

Titusville, FL

OLD SKOOL

JUL 28, 2004 02:01 PM

rottenart said:
If the calm lasts through today, perhaps the RNC will have a standard to live up to in New York. Good luck, GOP.

With all the Democrates that will be there protesting I doubt it will happen. I think the calm there (in Boston) speaks better of the republicans than it does the democrates.