DNC

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The Democratic National Convention at its best in review:

Monday, Day One:

Jesse Jackson Jr. (from Illinois): He was great! His speech was great and so was his delivery. My favorite part was right at the beginning of his speech:

"On the day President Johnson submitted the Voting Rights Act to Congress, he said, “At times, history and fate meet at a single time in a single place to shape a turning point in man’s unending search for freedom.”


So it was at Lexington and Concord. So it was at Appomattox. So it was in Selma, Alabama. Tonight, I would like to add: and so it shall be in Denver, Colorado, with the nomination of Barack Obama to be President of the United States."

Caroline Kennedy: She's a Kennedy - what can I say? That alone makes her a favorite.

Senator Edward Kennedy's appearance was a great part of tonight's events. A quote to remember from him tonight: "This November the torch will be passed again to a new generation of Americans... The work begins anew. The hope rises again and the dream lives on". We all wish him well in his recovery.

Michelle Obama being the eloquent speaker she is, was absolutely amazing. She spoke passionately and portrayed her story well. Her energy, enthusiasm and just the way she presents her self says so much about the type of person she is.

She stressed her and Barack Obama's middle-class backgrounds, saying they both:

“were raised with so many of the same values: that you work hard for what you want in life, that your word is your bond and you do what you say you’re going to do, that you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don’t know them and even if you don’t agree with them.”

Click here to read her whole speech.

Tuesday, Day Two:

Dennis Kucinich's theme : WAKE UP AMERICA! Kucinich slammed the Bush administration, saying, "If there were an Olympics for misleading, mismanaging and misappropriating, this administration would take the gold. ... We cannot afford another Republican administration." He definitely was energetic and his speech definitely got the crowd going.

Janet Napolitano: The quote to remember from her speech:

"Arizonans are also proud of their political tradition, from Barry Goldwater to Mo Udall to Bruce Babbitt. There’s a pattern here. Barry Goldwater ran for president and he lost. Mo Udall ran for president. He lost. Bruce Babbitt ran for president. And he lost. Speaking for myself, and for at least this coming election, this is one Arizona tradition I’d like to see continue!"

Hillary Clinton: It was of course the anniversary of when women were allowed to vote, so it was historic in more than one way. "No way. No how. No McCain." She did well and her enthusiasm was greatly presented...whether it was real or not. In the end, you do have to give her credit for her campaign as she did amazing. Click here to read what she said.

Wednesday, Day Three:

As the roll call was continuing and came to the State of New York, Hillary Clinton asked to cut the roll call short saying,

"With eyes firmly fixed on the future, and in the spirit of unity with the goal of victory, with faith in our party and our country, let's declare together with one voice right here, right now that Barack Obama is our candidate and he will be our president."

To which, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California asked the crowd which consisted of more than 4400 delegates: "Is there a second?" ... which of course resulted in a roar of approval. Pelosi officially adopted the motion which of course officially ended the competition between Clinton and Obama.

Bill Clinton: Whatever his personal opinion is for real, all that really matters is that he let on his approval for Obama in his speech. He got the crowd going and highlighted some of Obama's positive points and that's all that was really expected of him. Click here to read the transcript of his speech.

Beau Biden: He's the son of Joe Biden, and he was an amazing speaker. He talked a lot about losing his mom and baby sister and what type of father Joe Biden is and about Joe's second wife, Jill. My favorite part from his speech, even though it was all great was after he explained about the deaths and then said:

I was just short of 4 years old. One of my earliest memories was being in that hospital, Dad always at our side. We, not the Senate, were all he cared about.


He decided not to take the oath of office. He said, “Delaware can get another senator, but my boys can’t get another father.” ...So he was sworn in, in the hospital, at my bedside. As a single parent, he decided to be there to put us to bed, to be there when we woke from a bad dream, to make us breakfast, so he’d travel to and from Washington, four hours a day.


Five years later, we married my mom, Jill. They together rebuilt our family. And 36 years later, he still makes that trip. So even though Dad worked in Washington, he’s never been part of Washington. He always sounded like the kid from Scranton, Pennsylvania, he is. And even that is a story of overcoming.

I know I am big on sentimental things, but come on.. anyone with a heart felt how real their family is.

Joseph Biden: I was wary of Biden when I first heard of Biden as the V.P. pick because I didn't know a lot about him and because of his comments (very derogatory .. and even some towards Obama) earlier, but I am definitely warming up to him. Either way, he's a part of the ticket for the democrats back into the White House, so I'll take it.

Anyhow, from Joe Biden's speech at the convention, my favorite part was:

These are common stories among middle-class people who worked hard and played by the rules on the promise that their tomorrows would be better than their yesterdays.


That promise is the bedrock of America. It defines who we are as a people. And now it’s in jeopardy. I know it. You know it. But John McCain doesn’t get it.


Barack Obama gets it. Like many of us, Barack worked his way up. His is a great American story.

At the end of Biden's speech.. Obama surprised us by showing up.. which like never happens (as the candidate usually waits until the fourth and final day to address the crowd). Too bad the surprise was ruined for me earlier because news reports spoiled it.

Thursday, Day Four:

Al Gore: Gore did his part to talk about the dangers of global warming and I firmly believe Obama needs to pay more attention to that factor as well.. both candidates do actually.

My favorite part of Gore's speech:

Today, we face essentially the same choice we faced in 2000, though it may be even more obvious now, because John McCain, a man who has earned our respect on many levels, is now openly endorsing the policies of the Bush-Cheney White House and promising to actually continue them. The same policies all over again?


Hey, I believe in recycling, but that’s ridiculous.

Barack Obama: It was the anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech. There were like over 90,000 people packed into the Invesco Field to watch Obama's speech. He is such a great speaker and brings people to awe.. and I keep hoping he'll be able to deliver as well.

I don't even know what to use as my favorite part, so I'll do what I thought was the most powerful part in his delivery:

Tonight, I say to the American people, to Democrats and Republicans and Independents across this great land - enough! This moment - this election - is our chance to keep, in the 21st century, the American promise alive. Because next week, in Minnesota, the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Cheney will ask this country for a third. And we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look like the last eight. On November 4th, we must stand up and say: "Eight is enough."

What an amazing week! Actually what a month - first 16 days of Olympics and then to top it off, the DNC.. too bad it's all downhill from here with school starting on Tuesday.