dagblog - Comments for "DNC Convention - Open Thread - Watch and Post"

Now I have egg on my face. I

erica20 — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 04:47:13 +0000

In reply to Well, after that you wouldn't

Now I have egg on my face. I read back and I think it was oxy who made the Truman connection. Doggone phones. Not good for reading.....

They are underlining

Richard Day — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 18:36:50 +0000

In reply to No one knows whether Obama

They are underlining Representative Emanuel Cleaver and his speech last night that came outside of prime time.

What a speech!

And this underlines your point.

Rep Cleaver was saying:

Color me as a liberal.

Color me as a progressive.

Color me as a Democrat!

So many different styles were represented on that stage the last two days.

I mean this convention is real entertainment.

Not a bad way to get out 'the message' and except for that Israel plank controversy every body seems to be on the same side and the same page!

No one knows whether Obama

AmericanDreamer — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 16:59:52 +0000

In reply to DNC Convention - Open Thread - Watch and Post

No one knows whether Obama will get a bounce, and even if so whether it will last long. But if this convention accomplishes nothing else it has so far been a success from the standpoint of injecting needed energy, passion, and confidence into this campaign. That will not necessarily show up in a bounce, but should not be dismissed on that account.

I'd be surprised if all over the country, there weren't Latino and Latina children watching Castro the other night who were thinking about what their lives might hold in store for them just a little bit differently than they did the night before. This is another long-term development largely attributable to the civil rights movement--that gift some of our most courageous and determined citizens gave to all of us and one that keeps on giving--and the anguished and extremely costly short-term decision by two Democratic party presidents to do the right thing on civil rights half a century ago.*

(*with essential support from the moderate and liberal Republicans who were permitted in that party at that time; a higher percentage of Republicans than Democrats in both the House and Senate voted for the Civil Rights Act of 1964, though for better and for worse its legacy has been tied to the Democratic party ever since)

Watching the TV cameras scan the convention crowd I was moved by the wide range of skin color hues in evidence, in a world where skin color differences so often contribute to violence and hatred. Jesse Jackson spoke awhile back about his dream of a Rainbow Coalition. Well, there is a Rainbow coalition in our country. It's called the Democratic party. For the Democratic party does not need to come up with gimmicks to show itself as an institution that welcomes participation by people with any and all shades of skin color. This should be cause for great national pride. It is a living testament and monument to all those whose insistence that we must do better and whose sacrifices, in many cases constituting the ultimate sacrifice, alone have made this progress possible.

It makes me damned proud of my party and what it has done to make this country better and one that continues to creep closer, however haltingly and never linearly, to its most worthy ideals. No matter how exasperated being a Democrat leaves me feeling sometimes.

One of the (surely quite

AmericanDreamer — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 15:42:23 +0000

In reply to DNC Convention - Open Thread - Watch and Post

One of the (surely quite intentional) subtexts in Clinton's speech was: "Look, if I am not so embittered by what happened 4 years ago as to be unable to move forward and embrace this President with genuine conviction and enthusiasm, why should you be?"

It seems there are very few Hillary '08 supporters, if any, at dag who did not move forward, and long ago. My wife is one Hillary '08 supporter who has not so far warmed up to Obama, even a little. She did not get to see Bill's speech live last night--she really responds positively to him, though. When we are having a political discussion I try to find the occasion when Bill Clinton said what I want to say. And then I usually don't need to say anything else because the discussion at that point is basically over. Something about that guy...

Was trying to give him high

Qnonymous — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 15:19:38 +0000

In reply to "And no better speaker - in

Was trying to give him high praise, but without being parochial. Britain often has really great speakers amongst their pols, people like Robin Cook. Canada, meh. Not so many. Trudeau was good. But better off the cuff. I donno if Australia has any good ones or not. Being Australia, I doubt it. Because they're complete boors and bastards, right? Anyway. Don't want to generalize too much.

P.S. New Zealanders don't actually have elected politicians. They've got shepherds.

Ha ha, Orlando, it was

Ramona — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 14:55:15 +0000

In reply to That was awesome. There were

Ha ha, Orlando, it was awesome, wasn't it? I pictured Obama spending a sleepless night, revising, revising, revising, reading his speech to the mirror, practicing hand motions, wondering whether he should drop the Gs, sing a little or go with his Harvard self?

But I'm kidding. I can't wait to hear him. And Joe Biden, as always, will be entertainingly wacky. Should be fun.

"And no better speaker - in

PeraclesPlease — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 13:53:01 +0000

In reply to Naw, I love Bill. Disagree

"And no better speaker - in the States"

I fear an Oxbridge reference coming forth...

Ta-roo-ta-ray...

Ever seen Pasolini's "Porcile"? Tra-la-la...

Naw, I love Bill. Disagree

Q-la-roo-la-roo-la — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 13:34:05 +0000

In reply to he he he, for a sec I thought

Naw, I love Bill. Disagree with him on NAFTA and the role of Big Money and Big Corps, but still... he's alive, has a mind of his own, and has enough to him that he can change course if required. And no better speaker - or politician - in the States.

That was awesome. There were

Orlando — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 13:20:10 +0000

In reply to DNC Convention - Open Thread - Watch and Post

That was awesome. There were so many one-liners in that speech, I'm gonna need a bumper sticker, a couple t-shirts AND a hat. I don't understand how he can manage to be smart, but not condescending; funny, but deadly serious; and kinda mean (to republicans) but completely endearing. And he still feels our pain. What did you think about the hands across the chest, "But I believe it" moment? Genius. I have supreme confidence in the president as an unbelievably talented speaker, but Christ, after his wife and President Clinton, he must be sweating it a little.

he he he, for a sec I thought

PeraclesPlease — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 13:16:35 +0000

In reply to BIG DAWG! BIG DAWG! BIG

he he he, for a sec I thought you had a compliment floating around in there.

"More pleasant to be around - than

a) a bucket full of venomous snakes and scorpions

b) half a sty full of pig excrement

c) a motel room in Ft. Lauderdale on spring break

d) Beach Boys karaoke night at the old folks' home

e) golfers comparing putting techniques"