Beyond the makeup, microphones and scripts is a real human with dreams, frustrations, opinions and insecurities.
That’s what this blog is about… a look at the world through my eyes.
Showing posts with label Democratic Convention. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Democratic Convention. Show all posts
Here’s something a reader brought to my attention. It’s pretty interesting I must say. It’s a breakdown of Barack Obama’s acceptance speech from a blog at ABC News.
Obama By The Numbers
Uses of the word "America" or "American" -- 52
Duration, in minutes -- 44
Mentions of the word "work" -- 35
Mentions of specific policy proposals -- 35
Mentions of Sen. John McCain by name -- 21
Mentions of George W. Bush -- 8
Mentions of George W. Bush during John Kerry's 2004 speech -- 2
Mentions of George W. Bush during Al Gore's 2000 speech -- 0
For the first time, I think I know Joe Biden. I recognize his character and appreciate more about him as a man. Sen. Biden owes that to his son, Beau.
Beau was the most articulate and poignant speaker tonight, and that includes Bill Clinton. Beau painted a picture of a man you can’t help but love – a man dedicated to his family – vulnerable but intrepid. He made us all wish that Joe Biden was our father. I even bet he convinced thousands to forget that they wanted Hillary Clinton as the VP candidate.
Most introductions at the convention were throw-away speeches; even Carolyn Kennedy’s tribute to her uncle. Beau out-shined his father, who succumbed to nerves at the podium. Beau connected us to Joe Biden. Asking us to take care of his dad was an honest and humble nod to a man who was willing to sacrifice everything for his boys.
From this day forward, I will always think of Joe Biden as the young man taking the Oath of Office next to his son’s hospital bed mere days after his wife and daughter died in a car accident. How can that not move you? Michelle Obama and Jill Biden were not the only ones with tears in their eyes.
Here’s the intro. Go to 4:09 on the video timeline to hear Beau introduce Joe Biden. I think we met a future Senator tonight.
The master wordsmith, Bill Clinton, exercised one the most influential and difficult-to-use tools in his arsenal – restraint. He was careful not to overshadow his wife or the party’s nominee. His entire address was a love letter to Barack Obama and a throwing down of the gauntlet to John McCain; leaving no room for Clinton conspiracy theorists to speculate about hidden agendas.
He took the GOP to task and dared them to argue. He finally addressed the elephant in the room – Obama’s experience or lack thereof. He reminded the critics that they said the same thing about his experience back in ’92. I don’t know that that's a fair or accurate comparison. There is a stark difference between Clinton’s experience at the time and Obama’s current resume. Mr. Clinton, just saying it out loud does not make it so.
His jewel of the night…
“Most important, Barack Obama knows that America cannot be strong abroad unless we are strong at home. People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power. Look at the example the Republicans have set.”
“A place called hope” and “the audacity of hope” finally meet face to face on the battleground – finally on the same side.
Hillary Clinton took the stage in Denver and took America to church.
She did everything she needed to do to salvage the Clinton legacy and set herself up for a possible future bid for the Oval Office. This is the finest address I’ve heard in a very long time. She was strong, poised and inspirational without seeming preachy. This is how you unify a party, something the GOP may need to take notes on when trying to court the conservatives.
She addressed the faction of her supporters who are bitter and considering sitting out this election cycle. She reminded them that they can not afford to sit back idly and let history happen without them. If the Democrats want the White House, they've got to get those voters on board.
“Whether you voted for me, or voted for Barack, the time is now to unite as a single party with a single purpose. We are on the same team, and none of us can sit on the sidelines.” “I want you to ask yourselves: Were you in this campaign just for me? Or were you in it for that young Marine and others like him? Were you in it for that mom struggling with cancer while raising her kids? Were you in it for that boy and his mom surviving on the minimum wage? Were you in it for all the people in this country who feel invisible?”
She hit every necessary key message and answered most lingering questions. She artfully pushed voters to Obama, supported the Biden VP pick and took several shots at John McCain. The senator also made a point to be complementary of her colleague, John McCain’s, years of service and dedication -- classy and deserved.
Her finest moment of the night came from a Harriet Tubman quote.
"By following the example of a brave New Yorker, a woman who risked her life to shepherd slaves along the Underground Railroad. And on that path to freedom, Harriet Tubman had one piece of advice. If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. If they're shouting after you, keep going. Don't ever stop. Keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going. Even in the darkest of moments, ordinary Americans have found the faith to keep going. I've seen it in you. I've seen it in our teachers and firefighters, nurses and police officers, small business owners and union workers, the men and women of our military — you always keep going. We are Americans. We're not big on quitting.”
Now that is powerful!
I could tell that this run really meant the world to her. She talked about her mother; who was born before women could vote. I think she really did this for the right reason, she wanted to be a catalyst of change.
I’ve seen both Clintons speak several times and they are both skilled orators, but this was what they call a "moment." Well done Senator Clinton.
The next real question… will hardcore Clinton backers still vote for Barack Obama or will the resentment win out? Take a look at this CNN interview moments after the speech. It is quite telling.
“It's the hope of slaves sitting around a fire singing freedom songs; the hope of immigrants setting out for distant shores… the hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too. Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty. The audacity of hope!”
-Barack Obama (2004 Democratic Convention)
Hope is a funny thing really. Even when faith is fleeting and reality points in a different direction – hope remains. Past the point of frustration, when our heads are already hung in defeat, hope still lives. When we are weary, hope wipes our brow, cleans our wounds and pushes us forward. But, hope is abstract -- usually.
There's something inspiring and uplifting about the Democratic Convention this time. Hope has become something tangible. I’ve watched hope pool in the eyes of an old woman as Hillary Clinton spoke. I saw hope creep ear-to-ear across the face of a young black boy in South Carolina when he saw all the fanfare surrounding Barack Obama. I saw hope energize and pump life into a 76-year-old brain cancer patient on the stage in Denver.
These days, hope is no longer a privilege; it’s a necessity for many. Historically, we as a country are only as strong as our working class. We build our cities with their hands and entrust our continued success on the foundation of their backs. Those hands are blistered and bleeding, those backs – breaking. Can hope be so brazen as to save them?
This convention seems like an open house-- an invitation to sit at the table and drink freely of this thing called hope. Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton -- so bold as to invite gay men and lesbian women to the feast. Is hope so brave as to include the ostracized?
History will always hold a sacred place for the Presidential Race of 2008. It’s the year a black man and a woman battled for a nomination. We’ve come a long way. That is hope materialized. It’s the hope of my great grandmother who wasn’t allowed to drink in “white only” water fountains in Louisiana. It’s the hope of the women who struggled and marched for suffrage.
But, this is not a hope that disenfranchises white men. This is a hope that is inclusive. Hope is apparently audacious enough to have an aristocratic white senator from a famous family, a bold and outspoken woman and a half-black junior senator stand hand-in-hand together. No longer fighting for equality, but fighting to lead the country as equals. Across the aisle is a black woman serving as Secretary of State. I have to believe that this is the answer to a prayer my great grandmother uttered over my infant head many nights -- a world where we are so close to complete equality. Democrat, Republican or Independent, there is no denying, we are at an amazing place in history.
I think undecided voters or fence-sitters who tuned into the Democratic Convention were energized. They were told – “come and take a seat at my table.” Clinton called them the “invisible.” They are the misunderstood legal Hispanic immigrant, the gay couple wanting to marry, the soldier afraid of another tour of duty and the working class father with the aching back and empty wallet. I know all these people and they are looking for hope -- where will they find it?
People living their lives in the margins were invited this week to have a voice. If they exercise that newly obtained voice in November, it could be the push the Democrats need in this close race.
The GOP has a tall order to fill next week. But, I do believe John McCain is a man who has the best intentions for this country that he loves. Can they hold an as affective convention? Well, the audacity of hope is not exclusive to Democrats – so time will tell.
CNN had some great shots of Mayor Joe Riley at the Democratic Convention. The first was after Sen. Kennedy's speech. I was proud to see our mayor spotlighted after such an uplifting speech.
Then a few minutes later, Mayor Joe cut loose and did a little dancing. Who knew he had it in him? Dancing With The Stars after retirement?
Check out the video.
I'll keep my eyes open for more Mayor Riley appearances this week.
While everyone else in the world blogs about Michelle Obama tonight, I’m going to spend some time on a man who is possibly collectively the most effective man in the history of the Senate – Ted Kennedy.
So many bash Kennedy, but his draft marks are evident in the blueprint of this country. He came at a time when this nation needed men like him most. He fought for human rights and equality. He continues doing so, being bold enough to include gay men and women in his speech tonight.
Did he make mistakes - yes. He faced controversy and tragedy as frequently as he enjoyed his privilege and always rose to the occasion in both disaster and delight.
I will be the first to admit that I was one those people teary-eyed while I watched the last of the Kennedy boys take the stage in Denver tonight. With his brain cancer, this very well could be his last convention and the tribute to this great man was quite fitting.
I will always be a defender of Teddy Kennedy, not only as a prolific politician but as a fine human being. You see, I have a personal story with the senator and it changed my life. I owe a great deal of who I am to the senior senator from Massachusetts.
I first met Ted years ago as a cub reporter in a little Louisiana town. He was at the Louisiana Political Museum to induct a relative of his wife. We didn’t normally get such important dignitaries in our little corner of the world.
When the Senator pulled up at the event, I was the only reporter outside. My photographer called my attention to his arrival and I stood there stunned. How could I ever walk up to a Kennedy and ask for an interview? He is a part of Camelot. His brothers are John and Robert Kennedy. American history was standing in front of me. I was afraid to bother him.
Senator Kennedy looked over at me and smiled. He started walking toward the entrance; paused and turned to me. He quietly whispered, “would you like to talk to me?” He let me off the hook.
We finished up the interview and he shook my hand and told me “good job… good questions.” My life as a reporter changed in that moment. Ted made himself available and taught me that he was just like me -- human. He was willing to stop his entrance to talk to the young reporter who was shy and a little out of place. In that moment he gave me permission to be bold -- to make moves.
It was because of Ted Kennedy that I was able to march up to Bill Clinton with a microphone and interview him while his handlers where trying to move him along. It is because of Ted Kennedy that I am able to hold the mighty accountable on a daily basis. He taught me that public servants are here to serve the public. One of the most heralded men in politics took time to teach a “kid” from Louisiana.
So, no matter what they say about him, he will always hold a special place in my heart. I will never forget that night and if one day I must hold him accountable for some wrong doing or odd vote, I know that I can. I know that he would expect nothing less from that young man he whispered to all those years ago.
Let me tell you from experience, this is a reporter’s worst nightmare. It’s not forgetting your script, stumbling over words or forgetting an official’s name during a live interview. They all suck and I’ve done them all, but the biggest fear is losing control of the situation.
Our jobs can get very dangerous and this is the perfect example of that.
The reporter was a bit of an antagonist, but that could have turned ugly very quickly.
The group is called Recreate ’68. They are planning an anti-war protest during the Democratic Convention. I am all for the anti-war movement and there is nothing wrong with exercising your 1st Amendment rights.
I guess you get what you ask for when you go into the belly of the beast and stick your Fox News microphone flag in the middle of a group of obviously angry people with a clear agenda and message.
