My, That's Some Mighty Fine Looking Homeless People You've Got There

During the 1992 Dem convention in New York City the area's homeless were rounded up and bussed way downtown, away from Madison Square Garden where the convention was held. Organizers figured it would take a few days for them to wander the dozens of blocks back to the convention area, thus keeping them out of the view of the delegates.

In Denver they're taking a different approach. In addition to offering some free activities to get them out of view, they're also offering free haircuts to make them more presentable so the delicate delegates won't be shocked by their appearance:

Denver's homeless get free haircuts to look good for Obama and his Democrats

Last month The Ticket wrote that officials in Denver, worried about the impression that 50,000 visitors to the Democratic National Convention would get next week, were planning to hide the estimated 4,000 homeless people who hang around the city's downtown area.

They arranged for free movie passes and bingo games to get them off the street, as well as temporary housing and free tickets to the zoo and Museum of Nature and Science.

Now, with a Hat Tip to our pal Jeralyn over at TalkLeft, comes word, as Sen. Barack Obama prepares to announce his vice presidential running mate pick, that Denver is even spiffing up the coiffures of its homeless. They're giving free haircuts to the homeless this week in preparation for the visiting crowds who'll arrive this weekend.
No, really.

According to Rick Sallinger of the CBS TV station, Denver Human Services has been handing out coupons for free homeless haircuts.

The idea was to make the homeless feel better about themselves. And maybe then they'd get jobs or something.

Rusty Johnson told Rick he hadn't had a haircut in three or four months and, frankly, didn't much care about the Democrats caring about his appearance. "I just want to look good and feel good for myself," he said.

Of course, they're going to have a hard time telling the homeless people from the lefty agitators that are planning to show up. Most of those folks could use a good scrubbing too.

UPDATE: Maybe Barack Obama should move his brother to Denver.