progressive involvement

DNC: Monday night

Normally, it would take about 10 minutes to get from the Grand Hyatt to the Pepsi Center.  Tonight, it was at least half an hour. 

MSNBC is set up right on the convention floor, which is a sign of how much this is a media-driven event.  The DNC and the Obama campaign felt it was more important to give the media precious floor space than it was to have that space for delegates.

The convention hall looks a little cheesy to me.  The dais is so lit-up it looks like a videogame.  Some of the visuals are well done, but the podium itself looks like a graduate student's C+ attempt at a faux-moderne style.

Tonight's big moments were limited.  Caroline Kennedy got a nice reception and gave a speech which seemed modelled partly on her endorsement article for Obama that appeared in the New York Times.  From where I sit, I could see her feet and noted that she stood on one foot much of the time, which meant that she was gripping the lectern for support, which indicated she was nervous.  You don't expect the Kennedys to be nervous in public appearances, but Caroline has kept a low profile through much of her life and doesn't do many public speeches.

A short biographical video featuring Sen. Ted Kennedy followed Caroline's speech.  When Ted himself walked out, he was greeted with a warm ovation and signs of "Kennedy" throughout the hall.  ("Don't wave them until after the video," we were told.) 

Sen. Kennedy moved slowly and with some difficulty, but roused himself to give a vigorous speech, which ended with a variation on his famed words from 1980:  "...the work begins anew, the hope rises again, and the dream lives on."

Michelle Obama's speech was the closing highlight of the evening, and she gave a fine speech.  From where I sat, I could read the teleprompter and it was slightly weird to be reading what she would soon be saying.  The teleprompter also has a timer on it which lets the speaker know how much time they have left.

After Michelle's speech, Sen. Obama appeared on the screen behind the dais.  He was watching the convention from someone's home in Kansas City.  This clearly was reminiscent of Ronald Reagan's famed video appearance following Nancy Reagan's speech at the GOP convention in 1984--the one where he gave a little wave to Nancy and she waved back at him on the big screen.

Overall, outside of the Kennedys and Michelle Obama, the convention speeches lacked a clearly definable theme, and there was very little criticism of John McCain.  What little criticism there was lacked specificity. 

Mostly, it was boring, and, frankly, reminiscent of the Boston convention four years ago in which the Kerry campaign vetted all speeches to remove anything that might be critical of Republicans.  At that convention, Al Sharpton was the only speaker who departed from the script.  He gave the Kerry campaign one speech, then gave a different one at the podium.  Not coincidentally, it was one of the few good speeches at that convention, and I say that as a person who is not particularly fond of Rev. Sharpton. 

When did we think "bland" was a winning strategy?  At a time when the GOP brand name is at its lowest point in thirty years, the Democrats should be making a frontal assault on the record of the present administration and their minions in Congress.  We should be aiming for a party victory up and down the line.  It doesn't look like it's going to happen.  In fact, I'm trying to remember now if the words "Democratic Party" were ever even spoken last night.    

   

Funky, and not in a good way

Who designed that thing?  For lack of a better word, I'm calling it "faux-moderne."

Michelle Obama rocks

Sen. Ted Kennedy gets warm reception

David Sirota is full of it, as usual

Uber-liberal David Sirota, who once called Gov. Bill Ritter, a "Ludlow Democrat," thinks the convention is all about the Clintons.

Does it always - ALWAYS - have to be about the Clintons?

This is the question on Day 1 of the Democratic convention. About a week and a half ago, the Denver Post previewed the convention with a story about how the Clinton forces are attempting to make the first two days of this convention a celebration of the Clintons - and Clintonism. As one Clinton ally told the newspaper, "We want to make this all about her."

This is utter nonsense, tripe, and garbage.  The "Obama brand" is everywhere.  The DNC "store" sells nothing but Obama material.  A friend of mine was wanting buy a Hillary campaign button, and, when he asked one of the vendors if they had any, the guy had to reach under the table to get his secret stash.  On Sunday as we were walking downtown viewing the merchandise for sale on the 16th Street Mall, my wife's first reaction was, "Where's Hillary?"

This convention is in "total Obama lockdown."  That's not a criticism.  It would have been the same thing if Hillary were the nominee, but the idea that it's "all about the Clintons" is ridiculous.  Some people, it appears, continue to suffer from Clinton Derangement Syndrome.  Meanwhile, Hillary goes everywhere with the same message:  All her supporters should give the same energy to Obama that they gave to her.  Good night, what do they want?

88 years ago today, the 19th amendment was ratified giving women the right to vote

Ted Kennedy is in Denver

The Kennedy presentation will be about 7:00 MT.  I imagine Sen. Kennedy will make an appearance at about that time.  His appearance would be the emotional highlight of the evening. 

The Kennedys have been a major presence at every Democratic Convention since 1956.  In that year, Adlai Stevenson--in a typically Stevensonian move--left the vice presidential choice up the convention.  It was thought that John Kennedy might win, and, for awhile, he was in the lead, but was eventually eclipsed by Estes Kefauver.  JFK's father, Joe, thought it was for the best because then Jack wouldn't get saddled with any of the blame for Stevenson's upcoming defeat.

JFK was nominated in 1960, of course, and also hovered over the convention in 1964.  Johnson's theme was:  "Let us continue..."  Continue what?  The JFK legacy.  The most emotional moment of that convention was the brief address by Robert Kennedy who quoted Shakespeare:  "When he shall die, take him and cut him out into little stars, and that shall make the face of heaven so fine, that all the world will fall in love with night, and pay no worship to the garish sun."  Some thought the reference to "garish sun" meant LBJ.

In 1968, Robert Kennedy was the one who hovered over the convention, though the combined delegations of Kennedy, now deceased, and Eugene McCarthy were easily defeated by the party regulars aligned with Hubert Humphrey.  People remember the chaos in the streets.  Inside the hall, the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" became the rallying cry for the delegates of RFK.

Since those early years, Tuesday became known as "Kennedy night."  A moving documentary might be shown, accompanied by a speech by Sen. Kennedy or, on one occasion, JFK Jr.  After over 50 years, it is quite possible that that particular Kennedy tradition will come to an end this year in Denver.  If Sen. Kennedy recovers to his hale and hearty self, as we all hope, no doubt it will go on.  If not, it certainly was a long run.

Fred Phelps' ungracious and poorly-mannered group sets up at 16th and Stout

I actually tried to talk with one of Phelp's minions.  As an old middle-aged  white guy, I thought they might consider me possibly simpatico and actually engage in conversation, but, alas, twas not to be.  Every time I said something, the guy, who claimed to be a pastor--probably a baptist--kept interrupting me with rude comments, to the point that I had to ask if he'd ever read Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People.

Phelp's little group attracted considerable media and police presence, which, of course, was their goal.  They also attracted, naturally enough, a lot of people who disagreed with their views.  After some wrestling around, one of them wound up on the bottom of a pile of Denver's finest.

DNC: Monday morning

Hillary Clinton addresses an enthusiastic crowd at the Hispanic Caucus meeting this morning at the Convention Center.  Some of Hillary's strongest support came from the Hispanic community, and they continue to hold her in high regard.  Many at in the Hispanic Caucus were wearing Hillary buttons, which are a rarity at this convention.  Once, during her brief speech, she was drowned out by chants of "Hil-la-ry, Hil-la-ry." 

Repeating yet again her support for Sen. Obama, she said that the Democratic Party's "clear and specific purpose...is to elect Barack Obama President of the United States.  Now I ask each and every one of you to work as hard for Obama as you worked for me."

DNC: Prologue

The convention experience opened with a champagne brunch at the Governor's Mansion for the Colorado delegation.  It started at 11:30--while I was still in church--but we managed to make it by 12:30.  The Governor has a nice pad!

Then, we went downtown to check into our delegation hotel--the Grand Hyatt.  The Georgia delegation must be staying here also since I saw Cong. John Lewis (D-GA), a hero of the civil rights movement, in the lobby.  I chatted with him on the sidewalk in front of the Wyndham Hotel in Boston four years ago, which, surprisingly, judging by the look of recognition that crossed his face, he appeared to remember.

About 3:30, we decided to wander around and try to look at our fair city through eyes of someone from Milwaukee.  After about half a block, we decided we couldn't do that since Julee had never been to Milwaukee and had no standard of comparison.  We switched the comparison to Boston instead.

The 16th Street Mall is has been improved quite a bit in recent years, and was, of course, spruced up for the convention.  I wish we had those nice big flowerpots on the street all the time!  Denver feels "younger" than Boston, which, of course, it is.  It also feels more open, but also a bit edgier.  The majority of the mall crowd seemed to be delegates or other visitors, but the local population included its usual colorful mix.  The locals in Boston all seemed to be Harvard grads.

Our first impression, the minute we walked out of the hotel, was the super-strong law enforcement presence, which I mentioned also in an earlier post.  The SWAT teams and riot teams seem to be everywhere.  Our second impression was the complete dominance of the Obama campaign.  As we walked by yet another t-shirt stand selling yet more Obama shirts, my wife asked, "Where's Hillary?"  She spoke out-loud the very thought in my mind at that moment.

While standing on a street corner, I happened to look up the street and saw three people walking toward us.  They were all dressed like lawyers, but in every other way, seemed to be just another three people walking down the street.  The person in the middle turned out to be Cong. John Conyers.  It occurred to me that the crowd on the street had no idea that one of the most powerful people in the government was walking nondiscrept in their presence.

Conyers was on his way to the convention center to appear at a reception honoring the civil rights movment.  The event featured the Colorado Childrens' Choir, a local favorite with a national reputation, and an original work by composer David Asmram which featured the words of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Robert Kennedy being sung in operatic style--only at a Democratic convention!

After that, we had gumbo and rice and beans at an event sponsored by the various Katrina Relief organizations.  We all enjoyed the cuisine and the truly great New Orleans jazz band which entertained the large crowd. 

On the way back to our room, we were honored to ride the elevator with Cong. John Murtha (D-PA) and his wife who, like us, had not quite mastered the system of using our room key cards in order to pick the floor we wanted the elevator to stop on.  We rode to the top of the hotel, then back to the bottom before we finally figured it out, and took the trip back up.  I can see why Cong. Murtha wins elections.  He bantered with us as he must do with his constituents and was a complete charmer.