From Inside the Democratic National Convention—a Review
What an incredible week in Philadelphia…Highs and lows and every emotion in between. From the “Berners” accosting innocent Hillary supporters in the streets on Day 1 shouting about corruption and the TPP, to the nightly parade of the very best that the Democratic Party has to offer in the Wells Fargo Arena each night. There […]
From Charlotte: It’s Settled Then
So tonight we close down the Democratic National Convention with the Commander in Chief and the Vice President firmly in charge of the reins of the party and showing the American people what they stand for. Tonight was a night for closers. I saw television coverage earlier today talking about this being the sixth inning […]
From Charlotte: Putting the “Me” in Team
Whereas last night Michelle Obama was graceful and heart-warming and showed the kinder, gentler side of the Democratic party, tonight we saw a markedly different side – one that FIGHTS back and boy did they ever. Not only was President Bill Clinton his charming, avuncular self but he was also tough and funny and direct […]
From Charlotte: Day 2 Doesn’t Disappoint
It’s amazing the highs and lows one can experience in the span of just a few hours. Today was definitely one of those experiences for me. Charlotte continues to be extremely challenging – from the torrential downpours to some of the most frustrating logistics I’ve encountered – it’s been difficult to say the least. But, […]
From Charlotte: Greetings Ya’ll from Soggy Charlotte, North Carolina
Editors Note: This post was written to be posted on Tuesday, September 4th. Greetings Y’all from soggy Charlotte, North Carolina. It’s all convention, all the time in this town…the welcome mat is out and despite the damp weather (remnants from Isaac still plaguing the south), it’s clear that folks here are excited to be hosting […]
I Qualify for Vice-President, Too
After watching Sarah Palin artfully evade Charlie Gibson’s questions last week (despite him showing the proper amount of McCain Campaign-required deference, might I add), I was depressed and wondering what our country was coming to…was this really the best we could do? Is this really how I want my gender to be represented? Is this history in the making or just history repeating itself like the fall of Rome?
Then it hit me this morning…instead of feeling remorse, its time for me to step up and do something! The more I thought about it, the more I realized…I am just as qualified, if not MORE qualified to be Vice President, as Sarah Palin. So here it is my official announcement of my candidacy for Vice President – or at least throwing my hat into the ring for a cool cabinet position…
And since I’m all about transparency in my campaign, I thought I would throw out a few of my qualifications and positions on the issues:
About Palin–I Just Don’t Get It
I’m trying so hard to understand the nexus between Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton, which Palin discussed during her speech. She is trying to position herself as the woman who can use Hillary’s 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling to finally bust through. But Sarah Palin isn’t qualified to walk through the same door as Hillary, much less claim the mantle of her legacy fighting for the issues that women care about.
Let’s see. Palin is against abortion, even in the case of rape or incest. The majority of women in this country are pro choice, and even those who waver draw the line much more broadly than Palin does. I hope one of the debate questioners has the temerity to ask her what she would have done if her daughter was involunarily pregnant instead of voluntarily pregnant. Palin is a card carrying member of the NRA, not known for its legions of female members. Palin sued the federal government for trying to protect polar bears – polar bears! – saying they got in the way of oil and gas drilling.
Once in a Lifetime
I don’t even know how to begin to explain the experience of being at the Mile High Stadium today. I guess you could say that is exactly how I felt – at least a mile high.
It wasn’t easy to get there – not for the Obama campaign nor for any of the 80,000 or so people who braved the whole of humanity to be there for this once in a lifetime shot at history. But all in all the stadium held up well. There were some moments where the stadium food vendors thought they were going to run out and some touchy times over getting back to your seats if you left at inopportune times, but overall, the joy of the experience was felt by all.
And, while you may think that sitting in a stadium for 8 hours in the hot sun would be a bad experience, it felt like no time had passed at all. Everyone was jockeying for good seats and getting to know their seatmates. Cell phones, cameraphones and blackberries were so heavily used that we all started to notice lags in the network and many of us powered down to save our juice. I won’t be surprised at all if there were record numbers of texts, calls and emails.
Photo from the Stadium
Invesco Field at Mile High, Obama DNC Convention Podium
Way to Go Joe!
One of the things I wish I could take home with me from Denver is the rekindling of the spirit and soul of American politics that I have felt so greatly here. In every restaurant and every bar, on the streets and in every conversation – people are invested, interested and engaged. I have to keep reminding myself that this isn’t "real life" – but I wish it was. Wouldn’t it be amazing if when our political leaders spoke, people really did stop their idle chatter and pay rapt attention to the words and the issues?
Well, for one week here in Denver, government means something, our future makes a difference, and people everywhere feel a sense of ownership.
And I think that’s what makes this time in our political history so special. For the first time in what has been a long, cold winter, people are shedding the apathy and disenfranchisement of the past 8 years and are waking up to a new America. One where things don’t just happen but where people have a voice and a say in their future.