It’s hard to believe that the final day of the Democratic National Convention has finally arrived. In the early afternoon of our final day in Denver, my team members and I rode the light rail train to the Invesco Stadium. During our 30 minute ride to the stadium, I began to reflect upon my various experiences at the 2008 Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC). As I ruminated, I then began to consider the timing of the upcoming Republican National Convention. Did the Republicans employ tactics that I learned in my years as a member of my high school varsity debate team? In policy debate, the affirmative team presents its case or platform first. Thereafter, the negative team rebuts the arguments made by the affirmative team. If the negative team effectively rebuts the major points of the affirmative team, the negative team will win. Applying the lessons that I learned in policy debate, here’s my theory: if the Republicans effectively rebut the Democrat’s message of change, the American people may elect a Republican over a Democrat for president.
When our train reached our stop, we exited the train and traveled on foot (about half a mile) to the Invesco stadium. When I was finally able to see the stadium, I was surprised to see thousands of people standing in line, in front of what appeared to be only 2 points of entry. I glanced at my watch and noted that we had reached the stadium almost 6 hours before Senator Obama was scheduled to speak. I became concerned that it would take more than 6 hours to enter the stadium. But, I soon realized that our press credentials authorized us to enter the stadium through an express passage. Having press credentials, however, did not protect us from the taunts of those already standing in the incredibly long line. As we walked by, some people began to yell at us. “They’re cutting the line,” one woman screamed. “That’s not fair,” another man screamed.
Now, in all honesty, I could fully understand their frustration. It was really hot and they had probably been standing in line for more than an hour. And, as my colleagues and I continued to walk to the front of the line, I remember looking back and wishing that I could share my press credentials with the people who had shouted at us. But, it soon became evident that even though we cut through the line, it would take another 15 minutes to pass through the final checkpoint.
Once we were actually inside the stadium, I felt a little choked up because I knew that in a few hours I would be present when the first African-American ever nominated by a major American party, gave his acceptance speech. I felt even more emotional when I saw how close I was to where he would be speaking. Although I wasn’t initially on the floor of the stadium, I was really close and I had a fabulous view of the speaker’s podium. Soon after we took our seats, Rep. Nancy Pelosi called the closing session of the DNCC to order. Next, a series of speaker such as Howard Dean and David Pluff, Barack Obama’s campaign chief came to the podium. Pluff informed the audience that this weekend the campaign would launch its initiative called the “weekend of change.” He invited everyone in the crowd to take a few hours this weekend to register people to vote. A few minutes after he invited everyone to send a text message to a designated Obama campaign number, he announced that over 30,000 people had accepted his challenge and were now directly connected to the Barack Obama campaign.
After Pluff left the stage, Sean Johnson, an Olympic gold medalist led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance, and Jenifer Hudson sung the national anthem. They both did an excellent job. The next speakers were national civil rights and political leaders, such as: John Lewis, Bernice King and Martin Luther King III. All three spoke about Dr. King’s dream for America. Martin Luther King IIII made reference to his dad’s speech, and quoted directly from that speech and reminded the audience that his dad dreamed of the day “that one day people would not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Hearing Dr. King’s children state that their dad’s dream had finally come true, gave me goose bumps! The crowd, after these dynamic speakers ended their remarks, gave the trio a standing ovation. At that moment, I realized that Obama’s famous phrase, “change you can believe in” was quickly becoming a reality. For starters, for the first time in American history, a Black man had received a major party’s nomination for the office of President. This fact became more poignant when one considered that Senator Clinton made the motion to nominate Senator Obama by acclamation. In addition, Senator Obama had succeeded in engaging young people around the country. He encouraged and motivated them to get involved- something other candidates have been unable to do.
As the evening progressed, several other performers and speakers took to the stage. During, and in between, these presentations, the energy in the stadium was electrified. The spectators were waving flags, dancing in the isles, and showing their enthusiasm for everyone who entered the stage. Some of the spectators created a human wave, which spread across the entire stadium. Those who were waving were not the convention delegates because the convention delegates sat on the floor of the stadium. The human wave seemed to symbolize the effort of the spectators to be relevant and to mark their presence; and, it was amazing to watch the delegates watch the stadium spectators having a great time.
As time grew closer to when Barack Obama was scheduled to speak, I could feel the growing anticipation of the crowd. They began to shout “O-BAM-A! O-BAM-A!” It was electrifying. Literally. Flashes of light could be seen throughout the stadium as people took pictures of one another and of the stage. Everywhere I looked I saw American flags. Obama’s staff had obviously decided that signs and banners would not be enough. They wanted to emphasize the fact that their candidate was very patriotic. This was a brilliant idea. With thousands of flags being waved around the stadium, every picture of Obama would very likely include an American flag in the background.
When Barack Obama, finally reached the stage, the crowd erupted into applause, which lasted more than 5 minutes. Then, after he said “ I accept the nomination” the audience clapped for another 5 minutes. But, once Barack Obama silenced the crowd, they listened attentively for his approximately 50 minute speech. Although there were reportedly over 80,000 people in Invesco Stadium, it was incredible to sit among them in a silence that you could almost feel.
Senator Obama’s acceptance speech was full of memorable phrases. I particularly liked when he said, “I don’t think Senator McCain doesn’t care. I just think he doesn’t understand.” Obama then proceeded to describe the many examples of things McCain did not understand. His attack on McCain was very specific and clear. Overall, Barack Obama’s speech was very appropriate and very well put. When Barack Obama concluded his speech, the crowd chanted his name for many minutes. The crowd continued to shout his name and “yes we can” long after Senator Obama had left the stadium. The people were not rushing to find the closest exit. They seemed suspended in time, relishing the moment.
After the event, my colleagues and I decided to go down to the stadium floor. We took lots of pictures to memorialize the sights and symbols of this historic night. When we finally left the stadium, I remember looking back at the entrance and thinking “I will never forget this day. Today I witnessed an event which will forever impact American politics.”
Friday, August 29, 2008
The DNC in Retrospect
Donovan X. Ramsey
Atlanta, GA
Democrats went to Denver to seal a deal that was made to their party during primary season but left stronger and more unified than many imagined.
The grind of the primaries, left the party scattered and at odds with each other. It turns out that more than Hillary Clinton supporters were in need of catharsis and they just may have gotten what they came for.
It would seem that those who attended the convention, and Democrats at home, got something back this week.
They certainly got back Senator Ted Kennedy as "the lion" of Congress, they got to look at the Clintons foundly again (the all important first step in getting back Hillary supporters) and the points made by Barack Obama, in his speech last night, restated their purpose.
Edward Mitchell
Atlanta, GA
Just when John McCain was surging in state and national polls, sparking jitters among Democrats nationwide, the Democratic convention may have stopped that downward slide and finally united the Party behind nominee Barack Obama.
Four days of stagecraft worthy of Steven Spielberg managed to rip McCain (happy 72nd birthday, btw!) a new one on the all-important economy, pacify Hillary backers (except for the utterly rabid ones), and inspire Democrats to once again feel like they really can win this one.
Whether or not Mac's selection of a woman as his vice president stops Obama's momentum is unclear, and at the moment irrelevant. The Democrats could not control that. What they could control was their convention, and by any barometer, it was a rousing success. The Gallup daily tracking poll now has Obama up by a sizeable eight points (49-41) and 38 million people watched Obama's speech (reportedly more than watched the opening ceremony of the Olympics).
Anthony Harris
Marietta, GA
For an event that I largely didn't care for, what I did see convinced me to be at least relatively impressed. For three days, what was expected to happen, happened. Every star of the Democratic Party toed the line and didn't betray their people, much to the chagrin of various pundits and news managers who were waiting for an extended floor fight. And, as has been previously reported 38 million people witnessed history as Barack Obama addressed America. Although that figure doesn't count those who watched the coverage on PBS or C-SPAN (as I did) or the various people who watched the convention in bars and parties across America.
But one more thing I have to mention about Obama's speech: it did more than what it needed to do. For a few segments near the end, Sen. Obama appealed to moderates. When he noted the differences in America and the need for us to unite, one must note that he was completely aware that the world was watching. While staunch Democrats may have been watching the previous three days, on that evening Obama knew he had the ear of the world. On that evening, Obama had a responsibility to uphold; to ensure that he not only energize his devotees but to do as a politician must do and win the hearts and minds of the nation. He had to convince the other nations of the world that he was ready to stand on a global stage and lead. He had to convince the moderates and even the Republicans that even in our differences, we are all part of one nation and have to work together. Republicans aren't the enemy, they just have a different view for America, a view with its own merits.
I hope all those reading this will note this and I hope my colleagues will be ready to do this all over again next week for the Republican National Convention. It'll probably be just as fun for us to be more critical next week anyway.
Yeah, yeah D-Rams. You converted me.
Breaking News.....MAC CHOOSES FEMALE VP!!!!!
McCain chooses his vice presidential running mate: 44 year old Alaska Governor (and staunch conservative) Sarah Palin. Last night I wrote that Palin would be the smartest move Mac could make, but that he would probably go with Tim 'No Jaw' Pawlenty of Minnesota.I was half right. Or, half wrong, depending on how you want to look at it.
Either way, point is: the McCain campaign is smart. Republicans (destructive policies aside) have appeared to be smarter campaigners for decades, but this certainly proves it. In a year in which the Republican Party has almost no chance of political survival, McCain had to do something to shake up the race.
Palin does just that.
Is it desperate? Incredibly. However, it's the best move he could have made for several reasons:
1) Hillary, Hillary, Hillary. There are still plenty of Hillary supporters out there who aren't quite ready to hold hands with Obama backers and sing kumbaya. Choosing the 44 year old female Palin is clearly meant to not only snag female voters, but specifically disaffected Hillary supporters. Obama is currently running well-ahead among women and a Democrat cannot win the presidency without substantial female support. Just ask John Kerry.
2) Ethics! She's supposedly very ethical-at least as ethical as a Republican politician can be nowadays-and McCain of 2000 was big on ethics reform. Is Mac trying to get a little of his old mojo back?
3) Change. Up until now, Obama has embodied change, freshness, and progress. Had McCain picked a stiff like Romney or Pawlenty (i.e., a middle aged man), the GOP ticket would have appeared incredibly boring in the face of the Obama juggernaut. Now, though, placing a female in contention ensures that one way or another, history will be made come November.
4) The Republican Convention. Honestly, was anyone initially planning on watching this? Now, though, everyone-and I mean EVERYONE-will want to at least see Palin's convention speech. A Rasmussen poll out this morning showed that upwards of 60% of the country couldn't offer an opinion of the Alaska governor. A lot of curious voters-once again, especially women-will tune, injecting some much needed enthusiasm into the convention
Bottom line: Palin is a smart gamble. McCain/Palin may still lose big (after all, Palin is a lifetime member of the NRA and staunchly pro-life; policies hardly appealing to many American women), but it's safe to say that McCain's chances of pulling off an upset victory increased this morning.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25970882/
Thursday, August 28, 2008
SUNDAY:
I landed in Denver, Colorado at 2:13 pm CST on Sunday, August 25th, the day before the official start of the 2008 Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC). Shortly after arriving, I was met by throngs of Barack Obama supporters. It was like a huge welcoming committee.
Almost everywhere I looked, there were Barack Obama and DNCC volunteers welcoming everyone who arrived in the airport. It was exciting. In fact, it made me excited to see their enthusiasm. Making my way through the airport, I couldn’t believe the number of notable figures I saw. I saw people like Mike Thurmond, the Georgia secretary of labor; major news reporters from Atlanta; and Rza from the Wu Tang Clan.
Once everyone from the team had arrived, we stuffed ourselves and our luggage into a white mini van. I still wonder how all 7 of us were able to fit into the van with our entire luggage. But, somehow, we managed to do it. As the team and I traveled to our home, away from home, we saw solar panels outside of the airport and lots of billboards that reminded us to protect the environment.
It took approximately 40 minutes to get home and 30 minutes to get to downtown, Denver by car. To most that might sound like a long time (especially with the sky rocketing price of gas). But, in the DNCC atmosphere, that’s absolutely okay. In fact, that’s probably the norm. Let me explain. Due to the high demand for housing near the convention center, hotels cost more than $200.00 per night; and, nearby homes, cost even more. For example, word on the street is that Oprah Winfrey is staying in a home that she leased for 50K per week. So, as you can see, renting a home in the suburbs, 30 minutes away from town for the week, seems logical. Not to mention, our house is pretty cool! It’s an eco-friendly home! And although some of us are sleeping two to a bed, the experience of the house is phenomenal. Oh, and did I mention that the fridge is loaded with toms of healthy vegetarian food for the team.
Once we unloaded our belongings, we decided to find out about the Denver transit system and acclimate ourselves to downtown Denver. I must admit, the Denver transit system is a little complex. The kiosks, for the Denver transit system, have somehow managed to be very unhelpful in being helpful. Fortunately for us, there were locals around who were able to provide us with assistance. It didn’t take too long for our train to arrive. And, after loading onto the train, I noticed that there was nothing to check our transit passes; which, might I add, is very reminiscent of the Austrian transit system.
After getting over the shock that no one was interested in checking our bus passes, we finally reached Downtown Denver. I was amazed by the beautiful landscape and clean streets, the lack of people walking around, and the number of police officers situated around the Downtown area.
I felt like I was in a police state! There were tons of police officers and lots of barricades being put up around the Pepsi Convention Center. There were Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officers, members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Denver police officers, private security staff, and members of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staff everywhere and, one of my colleagues mentioned that some of the police officers were geared with high tech headphones that had the ability to pick up conversations from far away distances.
Surprisingly, there weren’t a lot of protesters. And, the few that could be seen focused on Barack Obama’s pro-choice stance or their support for Hillary Clinton and John McCain. Signs such as “a vote for Obama is a vote for dead children”, “Hillary for President”, and “McCain for President” floated around the Pepsi Convention Center (PCC).
When the members of my team and I, finally reached the security for the PCC, I was surprised at how easy it was to get into the convention center and onto the floor of the arena. I must admit that we couldn’t help taking thousands of pictures of ourselves in front of the building and on the floor of the PCC. I mean, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity! In fact, one of my colleagues was so excited, that he illegally took a picture at the podium where Barack Obama is scheduled to speak on Thursday. But, his time at the podium was short lived because he was practically yanked off the stage by a security guard.
Our first day, in downtown Denver, was brought to an abrupt end when it started to rain. But, fortunately for us, “there’s always tomorrow.”
MONDAY:
I think I’ll call this morning “comedy of errors”! So, Rebecca- a senior producer for Youth Radio, and I were off to a great start. We were up by 6:30 a.m., in and out of the showers by 7:00 a.m., and out of the house by 7:45 a.m. to catch the 8:00 bus into downtown Denver. This was pretty good for us, since we went to bed well after 2:00 a.m.
Luckily, we only had to walk to the end of the street to reach our bus stop. Or so we thought, When we finally reached the end of the street, we unfortunately watched our bus pass by. We had arrived too late, But, all was not lost.
We could ride the bus into town from either direction and we had only missed the southbound bus. So, we stood beside what we thought was the bus stop, only to find that it was some other kind of orange city marker- Maybe something to measure the snow level? And, it wasn’t until 8:15 that we finally reached the bus stop (which was 4 blocks away from our house) and 8:30 that we were finally able to get on the bus.
I forgot to mention that I was scheduled for a 9:00 a.m. interview with Senator Peter Groff, head of the Colorado state senate; and that to get to town it takes approximately 15 minutes on the bus and then another 20 minutes on the rail. But, we were “saved by the bell” when Senator Groff’s assistant called to tell us that he was running behind schedule. So, our tardiness turned into the new early. We ended up being approximately 20 minutes early for the new scheduled interview time. Interviewing Senator Groff was absolutely great! He was such an interesting person and was a lot of fun to talk to.
After the interview, Rebecca and I headed over to the Pepsi Convention Center (PCC). When we finally arrived at the PCC, I felt like I was entering into a military zone. There was this long black fence that traveled along the perimeter of the PCC. People, from all walks of life were standing in this line. In fact, I ran into Al Shapton. After getting through the first line of security, we ran into another set of gates that outlined the immediate perimeter of the PCC.
We were sent through a second line of very rigorous security, only to reach heaven, there were so many cool people inside. I ran into Al Franken, Angela Bassett and Larry Willmore from the Daily show; and, some of my personal favorites, due to my Atlanta roots were Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker, Georgia Congressman John Lewis.
When I finally reached the arena, of the PCC, it was nothing like I observed yesterday. The security was extremely tight; and, the halls were filled with thousands of people. I couldn’t believe it! Shortly after entering the arena, I participated with Nico and Rebecca in a few impromptu interviews. Our focus, at the time, was to gauge older voter’s perception of youth involvement in this election.
Then, I wondered off to listen to some of the speeches offered by different elected officials, on behalf of Barack Obama. It was very interesting to watch the delegates interact with one another on the PCC floor. Instead of listening to the speakers, the delegates were more interested in having fun with one another. They were playing with a beach ball- bouncing it across the aisles, wearing bright colors, QWERTY glasses, and Uncle Sam hats, and laughing. It was also interesting to notice that the halls of the PCC were filled with thousands of people, while the stadium seats remained empty.
But, the delegates’ stopped their ball games as the speakers became more popular or better known. People like Edward Kennedy were able to grasp the attention of the delegates and the thousands of people in the halls. In fact, when it was time for Michelle Obama to speak, people were very attentive and interested in hearing what she had to say. Not a single seat was empty. As she approached the stage, a sea of Michelle Obama signs flew into the air all over the stadium! It was an absolutely amazing thing to see. Her speech received a similar response along with emotions of the crowd was electrifying. The audience’s focus was almost deafening. Their focus was connected to her every word. As I looked around the room, I could see hundreds of people crying and rooting her on as she sparked a feeling of hope that many American’s have been yearning for a long time.
I landed in Denver, Colorado at 2:13 pm CST on Sunday, August 25th, the day before the official start of the 2008 Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC). Shortly after arriving, I was met by throngs of Barack Obama supporters. It was like a huge welcoming committee.
Almost everywhere I looked, there were Barack Obama and DNCC volunteers welcoming everyone who arrived in the airport. It was exciting. In fact, it made me excited to see their enthusiasm. Making my way through the airport, I couldn’t believe the number of notable figures I saw. I saw people like Mike Thurmond, the Georgia secretary of labor; major news reporters from Atlanta; and Rza from the Wu Tang Clan.
Once everyone from the team had arrived, we stuffed ourselves and our luggage into a white mini van. I still wonder how all 7 of us were able to fit into the van with our entire luggage. But, somehow, we managed to do it. As the team and I traveled to our home, away from home, we saw solar panels outside of the airport and lots of billboards that reminded us to protect the environment.
It took approximately 40 minutes to get home and 30 minutes to get to downtown, Denver by car. To most that might sound like a long time (especially with the sky rocketing price of gas). But, in the DNCC atmosphere, that’s absolutely okay. In fact, that’s probably the norm. Let me explain. Due to the high demand for housing near the convention center, hotels cost more than $200.00 per night; and, nearby homes, cost even more. For example, word on the street is that Oprah Winfrey is staying in a home that she leased for 50K per week. So, as you can see, renting a home in the suburbs, 30 minutes away from town for the week, seems logical. Not to mention, our house is pretty cool! It’s an eco-friendly home! And although some of us are sleeping two to a bed, the experience of the house is phenomenal. Oh, and did I mention that the fridge is loaded with toms of healthy vegetarian food for the team.
Once we unloaded our belongings, we decided to find out about the Denver transit system and acclimate ourselves to downtown Denver. I must admit, the Denver transit system is a little complex. The kiosks, for the Denver transit system, have somehow managed to be very unhelpful in being helpful. Fortunately for us, there were locals around who were able to provide us with assistance. It didn’t take too long for our train to arrive. And, after loading onto the train, I noticed that there was nothing to check our transit passes; which, might I add, is very reminiscent of the Austrian transit system.
After getting over the shock that no one was interested in checking our bus passes, we finally reached Downtown Denver. I was amazed by the beautiful landscape and clean streets, the lack of people walking around, and the number of police officers situated around the Downtown area.
I felt like I was in a police state! There were tons of police officers and lots of barricades being put up around the Pepsi Convention Center. There were Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officers, members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Denver police officers, private security staff, and members of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staff everywhere and, one of my colleagues mentioned that some of the police officers were geared with high tech headphones that had the ability to pick up conversations from far away distances.
Surprisingly, there weren’t a lot of protesters. And, the few that could be seen focused on Barack Obama’s pro-choice stance or their support for Hillary Clinton and John McCain. Signs such as “a vote for Obama is a vote for dead children”, “Hillary for President”, and “McCain for President” floated around the Pepsi Convention Center (PCC).
When the members of my team and I, finally reached the security for the PCC, I was surprised at how easy it was to get into the convention center and onto the floor of the arena. I must admit that we couldn’t help taking thousands of pictures of ourselves in front of the building and on the floor of the PCC. I mean, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity! In fact, one of my colleagues was so excited, that he illegally took a picture at the podium where Barack Obama is scheduled to speak on Thursday. But, his time at the podium was short lived because he was practically yanked off the stage by a security guard.
Our first day, in downtown Denver, was brought to an abrupt end when it started to rain. But, fortunately for us, “there’s always tomorrow.”
MONDAY:
I think I’ll call this morning “comedy of errors”! So, Rebecca- a senior producer for Youth Radio, and I were off to a great start. We were up by 6:30 a.m., in and out of the showers by 7:00 a.m., and out of the house by 7:45 a.m. to catch the 8:00 bus into downtown Denver. This was pretty good for us, since we went to bed well after 2:00 a.m.
Luckily, we only had to walk to the end of the street to reach our bus stop. Or so we thought, When we finally reached the end of the street, we unfortunately watched our bus pass by. We had arrived too late, But, all was not lost.
We could ride the bus into town from either direction and we had only missed the southbound bus. So, we stood beside what we thought was the bus stop, only to find that it was some other kind of orange city marker- Maybe something to measure the snow level? And, it wasn’t until 8:15 that we finally reached the bus stop (which was 4 blocks away from our house) and 8:30 that we were finally able to get on the bus.
I forgot to mention that I was scheduled for a 9:00 a.m. interview with Senator Peter Groff, head of the Colorado state senate; and that to get to town it takes approximately 15 minutes on the bus and then another 20 minutes on the rail. But, we were “saved by the bell” when Senator Groff’s assistant called to tell us that he was running behind schedule. So, our tardiness turned into the new early. We ended up being approximately 20 minutes early for the new scheduled interview time. Interviewing Senator Groff was absolutely great! He was such an interesting person and was a lot of fun to talk to.
After the interview, Rebecca and I headed over to the Pepsi Convention Center (PCC). When we finally arrived at the PCC, I felt like I was entering into a military zone. There was this long black fence that traveled along the perimeter of the PCC. People, from all walks of life were standing in this line. In fact, I ran into Al Shapton. After getting through the first line of security, we ran into another set of gates that outlined the immediate perimeter of the PCC.
We were sent through a second line of very rigorous security, only to reach heaven, there were so many cool people inside. I ran into Al Franken, Angela Bassett and Larry Willmore from the Daily show; and, some of my personal favorites, due to my Atlanta roots were Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker, Georgia Congressman John Lewis.
When I finally reached the arena, of the PCC, it was nothing like I observed yesterday. The security was extremely tight; and, the halls were filled with thousands of people. I couldn’t believe it! Shortly after entering the arena, I participated with Nico and Rebecca in a few impromptu interviews. Our focus, at the time, was to gauge older voter’s perception of youth involvement in this election.
Then, I wondered off to listen to some of the speeches offered by different elected officials, on behalf of Barack Obama. It was very interesting to watch the delegates interact with one another on the PCC floor. Instead of listening to the speakers, the delegates were more interested in having fun with one another. They were playing with a beach ball- bouncing it across the aisles, wearing bright colors, QWERTY glasses, and Uncle Sam hats, and laughing. It was also interesting to notice that the halls of the PCC were filled with thousands of people, while the stadium seats remained empty.
But, the delegates’ stopped their ball games as the speakers became more popular or better known. People like Edward Kennedy were able to grasp the attention of the delegates and the thousands of people in the halls. In fact, when it was time for Michelle Obama to speak, people were very attentive and interested in hearing what she had to say. Not a single seat was empty. As she approached the stage, a sea of Michelle Obama signs flew into the air all over the stadium! It was an absolutely amazing thing to see. Her speech received a similar response along with emotions of the crowd was electrifying. The audience’s focus was almost deafening. Their focus was connected to her every word. As I looked around the room, I could see hundreds of people crying and rooting her on as she sparked a feeling of hope that many American’s have been yearning for a long time.
Play by Play of "The Speech"
10: 20
Smile and repeatedly say thank you to the adoring crowd? Check.
10:22
Officially accept the nomination and pause for more chanting? Check.
Soothe the egos of Bill and Hillary by praising them again? Check.
10:25
Obama is doing a fine job so far, but it's hardly his most compelling speech. The repeated applause seems to be holding him back from becoming completely fired up. It's only the beginning though....
10:30
And the gloves are off. Five minutes in, Barack Obama has torn into Mac on one issue and one issue alone: the economy.
10:32
"Let me spell out exactly what that change would mean..." Listen up, all you people convinced the man has never so much as said whether he thinks the Earth is round or flat.
10:33
Tries to turn the energy crisis (an issue McCain managed to find traction on) against the Arizona senator
10:35
Specifics are important, but he's definitely more enthralling when he uses all that 'high-falutin' language.
10:37
By the way, did anyone spot Gray Davis in the audience? Remember, ex-governor of California? Infamous for presiding over massive energy shortage....terminated by Arnold in the '03 election, etc, etc
10:39
Here comes the personal responsibility section. This one's for you, disaffected Republicans.
10:40
Anthony Harris!
10:40
Senator Patrick Leahy in the house! Anyone see his cameo in "The Dark Knight?" He was the old guy in Wayne Manor who stood up to the Joker and ended up-oh, hold on, here's some hard-driving foreign policy
10:42
"Won't even follow [bin Laden] to the cave where he lives." Oh snap!
10:44
Twenty minutes in. It's a solid, meaty speech, but I don't think he's reached the level of his '04 keynote address....or even his "race" speech. Yet.
10:47
There we go! A rift on his "there is not a blue America and a red America" line from '04 brings the house down.
10:48
The A-word. "We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of abortions in this country."
10:49
Just brought the crowd to their feet by declaring that "Kwanza Fisher is awesome!"
10:50
Ok, not really, but he was thinking it. Latest soundbite: "If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people have to run from."
10:51
"This election has never been about me. It's about you."
10:51
They should be using this "8 is enough" chant a lot more often. Slap it on a bumper sticker and over a picture of George and Mac embracing.
10:54
Ooh, here comes some thematic language......and the first acknowledgment that today is the 45 year anniversary of MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech.
10:55
"America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must walk forward into the future."
10:56
Ends by quoting scripture. Translation: "Evangelicals, vote Democratic! I'm not a Muslim. Ahem, not that there would be anything wrong with that, of course. And the Republicans won't really pass a federal gay marriage ban, anyway....and I promise, I'm really not the Anti-Christ!"
10:57
Wow. A Southern man (Toby Keith, maybe?) sings an extremely patriotic song as Michelle and those talkative daughters come on stage.
10:59
Barack Obama: "Here's President Biden! I mean, Vice President Biden. No one noticed that right?" Yeah, he really did that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ET6Cis9utOM
11:00
Don't turn around Joe! We can see your giant bald spot!
11:00
Now they're playing theme music from "Remember the Titans." Really.
11:oo
Or maybe it was "Rudy," or "Hoosiers."
11:00
Can we get some John Williams?
11:02
Nope. Definitely "Remember the Titans."
11:04
I'm very curious about what the pundits will say about his speech.
11:05
Pundits=happy with the specifics.
11:06
A hardcore (ahem, black male) Hillary supporter just knocked on my door, walked in the room, extended his hand and said, "You got me." Job well done, Barack.
11:07
Over on Fox News, Juan Token Williams is giving Brit Hume what he wants, nitpicking the speech.
11:08
William Kristol (uber-neocon responsible for the deaths of just a few hundred thousand Iraqis) actually says that the speech met and exceeded expectations. Those neocons....always surprising you.
11:10
I wish I had MSNBC so that I could see Keith Olbermann and Chris 'Thrill Up My Leg' Matthews swoon over their dear Barack.
11:11
Anonymous Republican woman backs up Token, says the speech is typical liberal Democratic fare. In other news, Brit Hume breathes a sigh of relief.
11:15
If Mac wants to keep Obama from running away with this thing, he'd better run an attack ad with Paris Hilton, Jeremiah Wright, and William Ayers all together. And just for good measure, run another add that takes it even further. Voiceover: "Barack Obama's father was alive at the same time as Adolf Hitler. Barack Obama is just a few years younger than Osama bin Laden. So can we really trust him to lead?" Ah yes, that's the ticket.
11:17
Darth Krauthhamer is speaking after the break? NOOOOOOO!
11:18
Mac announces his VP tomorrow morning. He's big on relationships, so I doubt it'll be Romney. And Mac may be crazy, but he's not suicidal, so Lieberman is out. The smart move would be a woman like Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.....but I'm thinking he went with Governor Tim 'No Jaw' Pawlenty. No, really, look at a picture of the man.
11:21
"The speech wasn't great, but it was exceedingly smart." I'm sorry to say it, but I think Darth Krauthammer hit the nail on the head. Night night everyone.
Smile and repeatedly say thank you to the adoring crowd? Check.
10:22
Officially accept the nomination and pause for more chanting? Check.
Soothe the egos of Bill and Hillary by praising them again? Check.
10:25
Obama is doing a fine job so far, but it's hardly his most compelling speech. The repeated applause seems to be holding him back from becoming completely fired up. It's only the beginning though....
10:30
And the gloves are off. Five minutes in, Barack Obama has torn into Mac on one issue and one issue alone: the economy.
10:32
"Let me spell out exactly what that change would mean..." Listen up, all you people convinced the man has never so much as said whether he thinks the Earth is round or flat.
10:33
Tries to turn the energy crisis (an issue McCain managed to find traction on) against the Arizona senator
10:35
Specifics are important, but he's definitely more enthralling when he uses all that 'high-falutin' language.
10:37
By the way, did anyone spot Gray Davis in the audience? Remember, ex-governor of California? Infamous for presiding over massive energy shortage....terminated by Arnold in the '03 election, etc, etc
10:39
Here comes the personal responsibility section. This one's for you, disaffected Republicans.
10:40
Anthony Harris!
10:40
Senator Patrick Leahy in the house! Anyone see his cameo in "The Dark Knight?" He was the old guy in Wayne Manor who stood up to the Joker and ended up-oh, hold on, here's some hard-driving foreign policy
10:42
"Won't even follow [bin Laden] to the cave where he lives." Oh snap!
10:44
Twenty minutes in. It's a solid, meaty speech, but I don't think he's reached the level of his '04 keynote address....or even his "race" speech. Yet.
10:47
There we go! A rift on his "there is not a blue America and a red America" line from '04 brings the house down.
10:48
The A-word. "We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of abortions in this country."
10:49
Just brought the crowd to their feet by declaring that "Kwanza Fisher is awesome!"
10:50
Ok, not really, but he was thinking it. Latest soundbite: "If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people have to run from."
10:51
"This election has never been about me. It's about you."
10:51
They should be using this "8 is enough" chant a lot more often. Slap it on a bumper sticker and over a picture of George and Mac embracing.
10:54
Ooh, here comes some thematic language......and the first acknowledgment that today is the 45 year anniversary of MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech.
10:55
"America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must walk forward into the future."
10:56
Ends by quoting scripture. Translation: "Evangelicals, vote Democratic! I'm not a Muslim. Ahem, not that there would be anything wrong with that, of course. And the Republicans won't really pass a federal gay marriage ban, anyway....and I promise, I'm really not the Anti-Christ!"
10:57
Wow. A Southern man (Toby Keith, maybe?) sings an extremely patriotic song as Michelle and those talkative daughters come on stage.
10:59
Barack Obama: "Here's President Biden! I mean, Vice President Biden. No one noticed that right?" Yeah, he really did that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ET6Cis9utOM
11:00
Don't turn around Joe! We can see your giant bald spot!
11:00
Now they're playing theme music from "Remember the Titans." Really.
11:oo
Or maybe it was "Rudy," or "Hoosiers."
11:00
Can we get some John Williams?
11:02
Nope. Definitely "Remember the Titans."
11:04
I'm very curious about what the pundits will say about his speech.
11:05
Pundits=happy with the specifics.
11:06
A hardcore (ahem, black male) Hillary supporter just knocked on my door, walked in the room, extended his hand and said, "You got me." Job well done, Barack.
11:07
Over on Fox News, Juan Token Williams is giving Brit Hume what he wants, nitpicking the speech.
11:08
William Kristol (uber-neocon responsible for the deaths of just a few hundred thousand Iraqis) actually says that the speech met and exceeded expectations. Those neocons....always surprising you.
11:10
I wish I had MSNBC so that I could see Keith Olbermann and Chris 'Thrill Up My Leg' Matthews swoon over their dear Barack.
11:11
Anonymous Republican woman backs up Token, says the speech is typical liberal Democratic fare. In other news, Brit Hume breathes a sigh of relief.
11:15
If Mac wants to keep Obama from running away with this thing, he'd better run an attack ad with Paris Hilton, Jeremiah Wright, and William Ayers all together. And just for good measure, run another add that takes it even further. Voiceover: "Barack Obama's father was alive at the same time as Adolf Hitler. Barack Obama is just a few years younger than Osama bin Laden. So can we really trust him to lead?" Ah yes, that's the ticket.
11:17
Darth Krauthhamer is speaking after the break? NOOOOOOO!
11:18
Mac announces his VP tomorrow morning. He's big on relationships, so I doubt it'll be Romney. And Mac may be crazy, but he's not suicidal, so Lieberman is out. The smart move would be a woman like Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.....but I'm thinking he went with Governor Tim 'No Jaw' Pawlenty. No, really, look at a picture of the man.
11:21
"The speech wasn't great, but it was exceedingly smart." I'm sorry to say it, but I think Darth Krauthammer hit the nail on the head. Night night everyone.
Sen. Obama's Address: Minute by Minute
10:12 - He emerges with rather generic music. I mean really generic music. Who wrote that stuff? And these people are serious with these standing ovations. They got to President Clinton last night and they continue to drag on here.
10:16 - There's something about Sasha Obama. She sees everything with her youthful eyes and she has no clue about anything going on. She's surprised to hear her name and anyone in her family's name. How long will it take for the media to get too close to her?
10:18 - Could you really imagine that this guy would be the candidate four years ago? Yeah, he made a good speech but geez!
10:20 - It's interesting that Obama mentions New Orleans right here. Due to an impending hurricane, the Republican Party is mulling over postponing their convention. In this reference, Sen. Obama pits the Republicans in a damned if they do/damned if they don't scenario.
10:24 - Even when gone, Phil Gramm is an albatross around Sen. McCain's neck.
10:25 - Sen. Obama does the typical Democratic attack. Respectfully saying his opponent is wrong. He's not saying McCain is completely wrong, just really out of touch. The Democrats could be meaner.
10:26 - "You are on your own." This has been my problem with the Republican Party. While I do believe in the free market, we have to note we're a socialist-capitalist nation. It's a mix people forget.
10:27 - My friend Louis once said "politics is being able to go to the grocery store and take your kids to school." Obama echoes this statement here. America is the small things. It's the people who work everyday. The waitress living on tips, the steel workers, the self-made stories, the hard workers.
10:29 - Sen. Obama's life narrative is crucial to his campaign. While he solidly makes the retort of his elitism here, he needs to ensure this is said more often. He is the rags to riches story. Oliver Stone would have a field day with his biopic.
10:31 - If Obama can state the purpose of government so clearly, and these are ideals that we've always had, is he promoting change or reversion? Or is he saying his actions will reflect his rhetoric. We shall see.
10:33 - "Listen now..." The black vernacular just kicked in.
10:33 - His proclamation on oil had a Kennedyesque tone to it. But while it's good to here, it's no "we choose to go to the moon and do the other things not because they are easy but because they are hard."
10:36 - While Obama is promoting a variation on a new GI Bill it sounds an awful lot like Sen. Jim Webb beat him to it.
10:38 - Wasn't equal pay already legislated?
10:39 - Auditing the federal budget is a task that will certainly take more than his first 100 days in office.
10:40 - Did a Democrat just promote personal responsibility and family values?! Unheard of!
10:41 - "John McCain says he'll follow Osama bin Laden to the gates of Hell, but he won't even follow him to the cave where he lives." Now that is a good line.
10:43 - This is a well written speech with plenty of soundbites. The delivery conveniently packages these soundbites. It's not made for buildup. It's not even made for call and response. But the speechwriters are clearly political minds.
10:46 - Obama is above the fray but he legitimizes being above the fray. What kind of nation is this when we have to legitimize and remind people that it's best to be above the fray? He really just said it's best to not cause dissension in America, but he ironically does this at one of the most partisan gatherings in the nation.
10:48 - For the first time in four days, I'm seeing someone actually pitch for the moderates instead of rallying the party. While Obama spends most the speech doing what is expected of him in the convention, he does what's unexpected here and tries to find a common ground for the other Americans who have differing views about abortion, gun control, immigration, and gay marriage. Good move.
10:50 - And now he's fighting Rovian campaign strategies.
10:52 - Did he just say he's best because he's fresh and actually sort of inexperienced?
10:55 - People were wondering if he'd invoke King. He did. He most certainly did. Funny thing is, he knows people know without him having to say. Obama is a candidate who doesn't always have to say things because he knows the media has said it ten times over.
10:57 - HOLY CRAP, A RETRACTABLE PODIUM! Oh, and what on earth is this song? And where are the balloons? I knew there'd be something wrong with having this speech in a stadium. No balloons, no confetti. Yeah, history was made and the speech was good, but where are the balloons?
10:58 - Nevermind, fireworks are much better than balloons.
10:59 - Ooh, and confetti and streamers. At'll do, pig. At'll do.
On Chicago
It's an interesting time to be Chicagoan.
The loss of Bernie Mac
The Cubs and Sox are doing well
The Dark Knight pretty much ignored the city of Gotham and essentially put Batman and the Joker in Chicago
The legions of music festivals wrapped up in the city
And their senator got the Democratic nod
I may hate the cold, but I really love Chicago.
The loss of Bernie Mac
The Cubs and Sox are doing well
The Dark Knight pretty much ignored the city of Gotham and essentially put Batman and the Joker in Chicago
The legions of music festivals wrapped up in the city
And their senator got the Democratic nod
I may hate the cold, but I really love Chicago.
The Main Event
Tonight is the night that many people have patiently waited for. Tonight, in Denver, Barack Obama will accept the Democratic Party's nomination for the President of the United States.
I never thought that I'd see the day. Born only 21 years ago, even I couldn't have imagined a day where the country and a united political party would gather around someone that looked like me. My parent generation and the one that preceeded would echo the same sentiments. We've been waiting for a while but this is the moment.
Our country has been gripped, since the presidency of Ronald Reagan, in an effort to roll back the incredible opportunity and life-giving social policies of the 1960's. The two-term administration of George W. Bush has represented a pitiful valley in the landscape of societal improvement. People have died, been tortured, lost homes, and hope in those eight years. Progressives have been waiting for a while but the moment is here.
After days of masterful political presentation and tradition, the main event is ready to take stage. At 10:00pm, Barack Obama has the honor and responsibilty of seizing this moment in time and to see to it that all this waiting was not in vain. His speech is the last piece in a complicated puzzle whose resolution, his presidency is resting on.
Obama's star was launched in 2004 with a powerful speech that reminded Americans of the audacity of hope. Now is the time to seal the deal with a promise of change, a fiery look at the alternative, and a sound plan. I wish Senator Obama the best of luck tonight. This is the time. This is the place and. May he seize the day.
What does Barack Obama's acceptance of the nomination mean to you? Do you think that the speech he gives has any bearing on the race?
I never thought that I'd see the day. Born only 21 years ago, even I couldn't have imagined a day where the country and a united political party would gather around someone that looked like me. My parent generation and the one that preceeded would echo the same sentiments. We've been waiting for a while but this is the moment.
Our country has been gripped, since the presidency of Ronald Reagan, in an effort to roll back the incredible opportunity and life-giving social policies of the 1960's. The two-term administration of George W. Bush has represented a pitiful valley in the landscape of societal improvement. People have died, been tortured, lost homes, and hope in those eight years. Progressives have been waiting for a while but the moment is here.
After days of masterful political presentation and tradition, the main event is ready to take stage. At 10:00pm, Barack Obama has the honor and responsibilty of seizing this moment in time and to see to it that all this waiting was not in vain. His speech is the last piece in a complicated puzzle whose resolution, his presidency is resting on.
Obama's star was launched in 2004 with a powerful speech that reminded Americans of the audacity of hope. Now is the time to seal the deal with a promise of change, a fiery look at the alternative, and a sound plan. I wish Senator Obama the best of luck tonight. This is the time. This is the place and. May he seize the day.
What does Barack Obama's acceptance of the nomination mean to you? Do you think that the speech he gives has any bearing on the race?
Shawdy, my leaders talk black
This blog post is a shout-out to the new class of young black male leaders that defy the stereotype (that excludes Kwame Kilpatrick) and morph black politics from one of victimhood to a politics of possibility. This is a shout-out to those leaders who are confident enough to be themselves and use language that they would use in comfortable company. This is, in fact, a shout-out to the shout-out.
During his nearly prime time speech, Deval Patrick shouted out a number a people. No one blinked. Hillary, eventually gave a few herself. Some might call this a simple term going mainstream. But I think its a bit complex. As more black leaders become serious players in the game, the more they have probably conceded to "the mainstream" and the more they get to influence the mainstream. Language, as always, plays a central role.
African-American vernacular is distinct in two ways from other American dialects: grammatically and lexically. Slang is the lexical component. For AAV lexical items to be widely accepted, on a political level, says something of the pressure that this new class is having on political discourse (on a basic and meta level).
I think this is an example, too, of how something can be integrated in the whole while retaining its identity. It doesn't have to scream that it is x. It will be x.
So, true, Obama might not spend all day talking about black issues, but I'm wiling to wager that we'd see some mudcloth in the oval office.
During his nearly prime time speech, Deval Patrick shouted out a number a people. No one blinked. Hillary, eventually gave a few herself. Some might call this a simple term going mainstream. But I think its a bit complex. As more black leaders become serious players in the game, the more they have probably conceded to "the mainstream" and the more they get to influence the mainstream. Language, as always, plays a central role.
African-American vernacular is distinct in two ways from other American dialects: grammatically and lexically. Slang is the lexical component. For AAV lexical items to be widely accepted, on a political level, says something of the pressure that this new class is having on political discourse (on a basic and meta level).
I think this is an example, too, of how something can be integrated in the whole while retaining its identity. It doesn't have to scream that it is x. It will be x.
So, true, Obama might not spend all day talking about black issues, but I'm wiling to wager that we'd see some mudcloth in the oval office.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Joe Biden Is Articulate And Clean: Why He's The VP That We Need
The DNC kicked off with moving speeches and great efforts toward unity by wonderful speakers. On Monday night, Senator Ted Kennedy stood as an example to remind Democrats what the Party once stood for. Then Michelle Obama delivered a powerful account of her and Barack's very American stories. On the second night, the mantle was upon Hillary Clinton to gather her supporters around the causes that she's been fighting for, through most of her adult life, despite her defeat in the primaries. All of these tasks were critical to the rebuilding and reunification of the Democratic Party but nothing can unite more than a rousing half-time speech by a bulldog coach. Enter: Joe Biden.Pundits, political operatives, and news outlets had been warning of the Kerry curse in this election and during the convention. Four years ago, while being "swiftboated," Senator and Presidential Hopeful, John Kerry failed to remind his supporters that they were not only voting for him but against the policies of the Bush administration. After eight years of Republican domination, it was a mistake that the Dem's couldn't afford to make again so Biden's task was simple: build up Obama and point out the shortcomings of the Bush administration. Joe Biden was chosen as VP to counter John McCain's "straight-talk express" with what I like to call the "real-talk express." So? While Obama delivers the hope, Biden articulates the rally call of the progressive masses, "John McCain was wrong!"
That night, Biden echoed the sentiments of a war-weary nation in saying, “Our country is less secure and more isolated than at any time in recent history. The Bush-McCain foreign policy has dug us into a very deep hole, with very few friends to help us climb out." He brought the lofty Dem's down to earth with a simple bit of wisdom that his mother gave to him as a boy. After being beat-up, she said, "bloody the other guy's nose so you can walk down the street again." That was the message that the Democrats needed going into a general election. We can be positive and stick to the issues but politics is a full contact sport.
Months ago, joe Biden came under fire for referring to Barack Obama as "articulate" and "clean." In his brash and bumbling way, it was a compliment. After seeing his performance tonight on behalf of Obama, I will return the favor. Joe Biden, you are one articulate dude and that suit was clean!
Anthony Harris's Minute By Minute Account of Former President Clinton's Address
Feel free to read over this while watching this over MSNBC.
9:00 - 9:05 - President Clinton found the standing ovation cute until he found it to be annoying. Yet another reason why this is a pep rally.
9:06 - It is almost inevitable for Pres. Clinton to go deep into this speech without giving credit to his wife. Yes, Hilary didn't win. Yes, we all know this. Yes, we have to note the elephant in the room. But moving on...
9:08 - I have a job to do as head cheerleader who isn't running for an office. Get in line behind Sen. Obama.
The brief invocation of Pres. Jimmy Carter is a small shout out to the South which could possibly be in play.
9:09 - The litany of problems leading to the rote line of the week: Obama is suitable for the presidency. All the while, Pres. Clinton's statements fly directly in the face of comments he made during the primary season.
9:14 - Stating that he is involved in the fight against AIDS seems to remind America that he is still involved in global issues. Juxtaposing this task with Sen. Obama's eventual presidency says the two will work in tandem, which is a good statement to make.
9:15 - "...economically beneficial ways to fight global warning" - It sounds like oil lobbyists still get to him, even out of office.
9:17 - While it is true that we are in a serious recession, take note that there was also a recession at the end of the Clinton presidency as well. Although, the 2008 recession puts America in a worse predicament than in 2001.
9:19 - "Yes, he can, but first we have to elect him." Who was the staffer who wrote that "off handed" comment. I feel like he was saving that one up. Just waiting to spring it.
9:21 - I heard numbers, real numbers that not only attack Sen. McCain but also attack Republican policies with a real argument. Without actual balance in the government, a one sided view of America could bring its detriment.
9:22 - "In this case, the third time is not the charm." Someone thought that line was cute. That person was wrong.
9:23 - President Clinton brings up a point. People called him too young to lead the nation. President Bush was too inexperienced to lead the nation. Sen. Obama is hearing the same claims. We've been having a lot of young presidents. It's campaigning in the advent of television. It started at Kennedy and moved on from there. It's waxed and waned, but it also hit a spike when Ted Turner took the task of giving the news to the world.
9:25 - And the speech concludes with U2's "Beautiful Day". What's the deal with this song? Sure, I liked it when it first came out. I liked it back in 2001. I liked it for the occasional event. It's good at a football game. You could throw it in a movie here and there. The video was good. But for crying out loud, someone come up with a new song. Even Bono is probably sick of it by now. The Edge would have said something by now but he only talks once every ten years or so. He's probably going silently insane. Listen, Barack Obama is black. Let's use another song. Break out some Stevie Wonder. Seriously, give me a new song to drive me crazy for every campaign event for ten years.
That's a full lid folks.
9:00 - 9:05 - President Clinton found the standing ovation cute until he found it to be annoying. Yet another reason why this is a pep rally.
9:06 - It is almost inevitable for Pres. Clinton to go deep into this speech without giving credit to his wife. Yes, Hilary didn't win. Yes, we all know this. Yes, we have to note the elephant in the room. But moving on...
9:08 - I have a job to do as head cheerleader who isn't running for an office. Get in line behind Sen. Obama.
The brief invocation of Pres. Jimmy Carter is a small shout out to the South which could possibly be in play.
9:09 - The litany of problems leading to the rote line of the week: Obama is suitable for the presidency. All the while, Pres. Clinton's statements fly directly in the face of comments he made during the primary season.
9:14 - Stating that he is involved in the fight against AIDS seems to remind America that he is still involved in global issues. Juxtaposing this task with Sen. Obama's eventual presidency says the two will work in tandem, which is a good statement to make.
9:15 - "...economically beneficial ways to fight global warning" - It sounds like oil lobbyists still get to him, even out of office.
9:17 - While it is true that we are in a serious recession, take note that there was also a recession at the end of the Clinton presidency as well. Although, the 2008 recession puts America in a worse predicament than in 2001.
9:19 - "Yes, he can, but first we have to elect him." Who was the staffer who wrote that "off handed" comment. I feel like he was saving that one up. Just waiting to spring it.
9:21 - I heard numbers, real numbers that not only attack Sen. McCain but also attack Republican policies with a real argument. Without actual balance in the government, a one sided view of America could bring its detriment.
9:22 - "In this case, the third time is not the charm." Someone thought that line was cute. That person was wrong.
9:23 - President Clinton brings up a point. People called him too young to lead the nation. President Bush was too inexperienced to lead the nation. Sen. Obama is hearing the same claims. We've been having a lot of young presidents. It's campaigning in the advent of television. It started at Kennedy and moved on from there. It's waxed and waned, but it also hit a spike when Ted Turner took the task of giving the news to the world.
9:25 - And the speech concludes with U2's "Beautiful Day". What's the deal with this song? Sure, I liked it when it first came out. I liked it back in 2001. I liked it for the occasional event. It's good at a football game. You could throw it in a movie here and there. The video was good. But for crying out loud, someone come up with a new song. Even Bono is probably sick of it by now. The Edge would have said something by now but he only talks once every ten years or so. He's probably going silently insane. Listen, Barack Obama is black. Let's use another song. Break out some Stevie Wonder. Seriously, give me a new song to drive me crazy for every campaign event for ten years.
That's a full lid folks.
Why I Wasn't Watching the DNC Until Now
In all honesty, I haven't been watching the Democratic National Convention. I really haven't been following the race as closely as I should have. I'm here right now out of peer pressure if anything.
I recall an episode of Aaron Sorkin's brilliant series, The West Wing, in which Communications Director Toby Ziegler is meeting with the various network heads. They're all meeting with him to tell him they are significantly paring back their coverage to just one hour out of all four days. They would show the candidates speech and the balloons (people like balloons). I'm like those network heads.
While I like to think of myself as an informed person, I could be doing significantly better. I could be reading more front page stories from various periodicals of the day. I could spend more time watching CNN. I could even be watching The Daily Show more often than I do. I'm a mix between those clueless masses and those truly tuned in, many of those who blog along with me here with more care and knowledge about the issues.
But even though I wish I were more informed, I still don't think it would make that big of a difference in relation to the Democratic National Convention. The DNC is a pep rally. It is four days of energizing the base. It's four days of bashing the opponent. It's four days spending money and partying hard. And it's four days in which everyone tries to find a new way to cover the same thing.
The DNC doesn't talk about policy in a way that motivates undecideds. It doesn't speak all that substantively about any issues in general. It's a cavalcade of who's who in the party with the 24 hour networks talking over them. Frankly, I have a short attention span and hearing different faces say the same thing just isn't all that interesting to me.
So yes, I'll read the occasional story online. Yes, I'll go back and watch the YouTube clips of the major speeches. Yes, I'll watch Sens. Obama and Biden make their speeches. Yes, I'll watch the balloons (people like balloons). But I won't hear people say what I've heard all year long. I don't care if I agree with most of what they have to say. When you hear things ad nauseum, you tend to lose a taste for things.
America is action, not rhetoric. America is what happens in November when the people pick the next President of the United States. America is what happens in January when we install that man in office (hopefully with a gigantic music festival which current Opinions Editor Alexander Brown and I call "Obama City Limits" or "Obamella" or "Obamapalooza"). America is that man following through with the promise to make this a better nation. But it's not me wasting more electricity leaving my television on to hear everyone talk so much.
I recall an episode of Aaron Sorkin's brilliant series, The West Wing, in which Communications Director Toby Ziegler is meeting with the various network heads. They're all meeting with him to tell him they are significantly paring back their coverage to just one hour out of all four days. They would show the candidates speech and the balloons (people like balloons). I'm like those network heads.
While I like to think of myself as an informed person, I could be doing significantly better. I could be reading more front page stories from various periodicals of the day. I could spend more time watching CNN. I could even be watching The Daily Show more often than I do. I'm a mix between those clueless masses and those truly tuned in, many of those who blog along with me here with more care and knowledge about the issues.
But even though I wish I were more informed, I still don't think it would make that big of a difference in relation to the Democratic National Convention. The DNC is a pep rally. It is four days of energizing the base. It's four days of bashing the opponent. It's four days spending money and partying hard. And it's four days in which everyone tries to find a new way to cover the same thing.
The DNC doesn't talk about policy in a way that motivates undecideds. It doesn't speak all that substantively about any issues in general. It's a cavalcade of who's who in the party with the 24 hour networks talking over them. Frankly, I have a short attention span and hearing different faces say the same thing just isn't all that interesting to me.
So yes, I'll read the occasional story online. Yes, I'll go back and watch the YouTube clips of the major speeches. Yes, I'll watch Sens. Obama and Biden make their speeches. Yes, I'll watch the balloons (people like balloons). But I won't hear people say what I've heard all year long. I don't care if I agree with most of what they have to say. When you hear things ad nauseum, you tend to lose a taste for things.
America is action, not rhetoric. America is what happens in November when the people pick the next President of the United States. America is what happens in January when we install that man in office (hopefully with a gigantic music festival which current Opinions Editor Alexander Brown and I call "Obama City Limits" or "Obamella" or "Obamapalooza"). America is that man following through with the promise to make this a better nation. But it's not me wasting more electricity leaving my television on to hear everyone talk so much.
Whatever You Do, Keep The Womenfolk Happy
I feel like I have to preface this by saying that I am a feminist, of sorts.
But, I do like to call a spade a spade. And right now, Hillary supporters are dealing a royal flush to the party hand up top and has the party by the, um, (can I say that on here) down low. Now, I'm all about feministing, but I think there is a bit of overcompensation going on. The chair and all the co-chairs are women. Most of the keynote address appear to be addressed specifically to women. And, every wo-man on the street interview that I see, Hillary supports seem pretty bitter. Like...Obama won the nod, dude. Chill.
We don't have to let the pendulum swing off the rocker on the other side. Equality is not about making something that was all-white, all black. Or all-male, all female. It's a dialectic development, maybe. But its not progressive.
And as an aside, if Clinton had won the nomination, would the party be working as hard to make sure they kept the black vote? To reconcile the party?
Shout out to my girl Shirley Franklin though. She's having a rough time at home but she's doing her thing on the national level.
But, I do like to call a spade a spade. And right now, Hillary supporters are dealing a royal flush to the party hand up top and has the party by the, um, (can I say that on here) down low. Now, I'm all about feministing, but I think there is a bit of overcompensation going on. The chair and all the co-chairs are women. Most of the keynote address appear to be addressed specifically to women. And, every wo-man on the street interview that I see, Hillary supports seem pretty bitter. Like...Obama won the nod, dude. Chill.
We don't have to let the pendulum swing off the rocker on the other side. Equality is not about making something that was all-white, all black. Or all-male, all female. It's a dialectic development, maybe. But its not progressive.
And as an aside, if Clinton had won the nomination, would the party be working as hard to make sure they kept the black vote? To reconcile the party?
Shout out to my girl Shirley Franklin though. She's having a rough time at home but she's doing her thing on the national level.
Quick Hits: 8.25.08: Day 1 of the DNC Convention
1) John Legend and the rainbow coalition was inspiring.
2) Some of the outfits in that crowd deserved more camera time. Like the multiflag cowboy hat.
3) I heard Donna Brazile's voice but why wasn't my boo on camera more?
4) What was up with all the Earth, Wind, & Fire playing in the background? Were they trying to invoke an electric slide?
5) Jesse Jackson Jr. almost pulled off an Obama moment from the 2004 Convention. Almost.6) Ken Burns did his thing on that Kennedy documentary. Uncle Teddy is my Senator too! When he said that "young Americans in uniforms will never again be committed to a mistake," he reminded us that he is a liberal champion and the last of a dying breed.
7) I raise my Stan flag proudly for Claire McCaskil. If you can count on any Barack Obama surrogate to act a fool, it's her.
8) CNN must really think they have THE BEST political team on television; so good that they thought it was OK to talk over Nancy Pelosi. My tip for tomorrow: watch PBS. They don't even have commercials.
9) Michelle Obama's mother is the new Morgan Freeman. Period.10) And shouldn't we all be so lucky as to have a wife like Michelle Obama. Her speech hit all the major points. She reintroduced her husband, said the words "I'm proud to be an American," and gave Hillary a shout-out. What more could you ask for?
Bonus) I'm on Team Mailia. That talkative one however...
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