RAILforum: Is Amtrak sponsoring the Republican convntion?

This is topic Is Amtrak sponsoring the Republican convntion? in forum Amtrak at RAILforum.

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Posted by Mr. Toy (Member # 311) on :

I visited the Republican Convention website tonight and saw at the bottom right corner a rotating ad space. Its is small and just has a logo with a link. One of the rotating logos is Amtrak! Seems odd considering that Amtrak and Bush are not exactly on the best of terms.

Here's the page: http://www.2004nycgop.org/index.shtml You may have to refresh it as many as 10 times before the Amtrak logo comes up.

Posted by MPALMER (Member # 125) on :

Thanks Mr. Toy! It showed up after "4" refreshes.

Actually I would hope Amtrak could be more "apolitical" or "bipartisan".

Posted by CoastStarlight99 (Member # 2734) on :

Yep, 5 refreshes for me. Also, nextel, zenith etc.

Posted by CHATTER (Member # 1185) on :

With the Republican National Convention taking place directly upstairs from the busiest passenger train station in North America, and with train service in that station impacted throughout the week, Amtrak would be foolish not to act as a sponsor.

Posted by Kairho (Member # 1567) on :

Came up on the first screen for me!

Good advertising is directed towards the audience of the particular channel, and doesn't necessarily promote nor denigrate the agenda of the channel itself.

Heck, if I were a lifelong, dedicated Democrat but owned a factory making Pro Life posters, you can bet I would advertise on the RNC site. Business usually trumps ideology (ask Dick Cheney about that).

Posted by Ken Ruben (Member # 656) on :

I guess none of you saw this last week (see below after my signature).

---"Ken" Ruben---

GOP DELEGATES' TRIP TO N.Y. SIDETRACKED
> By Christina Bellantoni
> THE WASHINGTON TIMES
>
-----------------------------------------------------------
> About 30 Virginia Republicans yesterday waited
> several hours at Alexandria's
> Union Station to board a train to the national
> convention in New York City
> while Amtrak workers repaired tracks near
> Fredericksburg.
>
> Most of the convention delegates and their
> guests resigned themselves to
> the more-than-three-hour delay, opting to swap
> stories of past conventions,
> share information about upcoming parties and even do
> a little campaigning.
>
> "You've just gotta roll with the punches," said
> Steve Hunt, a delegate's
> guest and a school board member for Fairfax County
> public schools. "How
> often do you get a day to sit back and enjoy the
> afternoon?"
>
> Others were less patient. Several hired cabs to
> the District's Union
> Station, and two went to Ronald Reagan Washington
> National Airport to catch
> a flight to New York. Some joked about placing bets
> on who would arrive
> first in Manhattan.
>
> Amtrak passengers finally arrived in New York at
> 9:30 p.m.
>
> Among the delegates waiting for the train was
> Rep. Robert W. Goodlatte
> of Roanoke, the highest-ranking official on board.
>
> Mr. Goodlatte passed time chatting with
> constituents and meeting 8th
> Congressional District hopeful Lisa Marie Cheney,
> who is challenging Rep.
> James P. Moran, Alexandria Democrat. She is not
> related to Vice President
> Dick Cheney.
>
> Other delegates spent much of their time
> praising President Bush.
>
> "My wife was able to stay home for two years
> because of the Bush tax
> cut," said Jim Riley, 35, of Dumfries. He is an
> alternate delegate and a
> lobbyist for the National Stone, Sand and Gravel
> Association.
>
> Kamal Nawash, a Palestinian from Falls Church,
> is an alternate delegate
> who supports the president because of the war on
> terrorism.
>
> He noted that many Muslim groups oppose Mr.
> Bush's policies, but he
> wants the president to know he has some Muslim
> votes.
>
> "We want to see family values, not a pop culture
> where anything goes,"
> said Mr. Nawash, who runs the Free Muslim Coalition
> Against Terrorism. "All
> we have is the president right now to fight
> extremism. We are afraid of
> [Democratic nominee Sen. John] Kerry."
>
> Alternate delegate H. "Buzz" Hawley of Fairfax
> said he is glad centrists
> such as California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will
> speak at the convention,
> even though he is more attuned to Mr. Bush's
> conservative agenda.
>
> "They will bring new people into the party and
> attract new Republican
> voters," said Mr. Hawley, 34.
>
> Judi Lynch, 38, is attending her first
> convention - and came in uniform.
>
>
> Donning a cowboy hat with a Bush-Cheney sticker
> and a button that reads
> "Re-elect Bush '04 - Kerry is scary," Miss Lynch
> found common ground with
> fellow alternates yesterday.
>
> "To me, this is history in the making," the
> Christiansburg resident
> said. "We are a part of history."
>
> Virginia's delegations are getting used to train
> delays: In 2000,
> delegates to the convention in Philadelphia were
> stranded on the train for
> nearly two hours on the way home, during a lightning
> storm.
>

Posted by Kairho (Member # 1567) on :

Yes, saw that, but much of it has nothing to do with Amtrak and none of it has anything to do with Amtrak's advertising program.

Posted by Ken Ruben (Member # 656) on :

Ok, I agree with your comments and I am glad you saw the article.

However, regardless of the reasons, in this particular case, it didn't help Amtrak's "image" with those particular GOP delegates, etc.

Further input welcome from those within this thread (or anyone else for that matter).

---"Ken" Ruben---

Posted by amtraxmaniac (Member # 2251) on :

I find this nearly as ironic as Independence Day Fireworks manufactured in Communist China. The GOP has been sleeping with the airline industry for years. For Amtrak to sponsor their convention is like Hansel and Gretel willingly stepping into the witches oven. They might as well have thrown their money into a bombfire.

Amtrak + GOP = A grim future for rail travel!

------------------
Patrick

Posted by JONATHON (Member # 2899) on :

took me 8 Refreshes, nice, maybe bush not so bad,

------------------
JONATHON D. ORTIZ

Posted by JONATHON (Member # 2899) on :

Nice, it took me 8 Refreshes, maybe bush not so bad, Thanx for sharing!

------------------
JONATHON D. ORTIZ

Posted by JONATHON (Member # 2899) on :

sorry for the double post, it didnt show the frst time

------------------
JONATHON D. ORTIZ

Posted by Eric (Member # 674) on :

Jonathon wrote:
"Nice, it took me 8 Refreshes, maybe bush not so bad, Thanx for sharing!"

Glad to see Amtrak being promoted (even if on a GOP website), but PLEASE don't base your opinion of a president on it! Not trying to start anything- just had to throw that out there.