O'Malley's speech doesn't go far

Baltimore Sun ^ | July 28, 2004 | Kimberly A.C. Wilson

[Grey Ghost II]

BOSTON -- Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley brought his prescription for improving homeland security to the Democratic convention Wednesday night, but his short speech was rewarded with only modest applause outside the Maryland delegation and a snub from both broadcast and cable television networks. Many in the FleetCenter spent the duration of O'Malley's speech moving about the arena, their chatter building to a noisy rumble. Plus, an apparent microphone glitch meant the mayor's remarks barely drifted up to the nose-bleed seats filled with spillover crowds of delegates and guests from Maryland and the rest of the country.

Kumar Barve, majority leader of the Maryland House, said he tried to hear O'Malley, but seated high in the arena he couldn't make out what the mayor was saying.

"I thought he looked good but his words didn't carry up here," said Barve, a Montgomery County lawmaker.

The mayor, looking a bit nervous and sounding slightly hoarse, spoke immediately after an impassioned address by the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, a hard act to follow under the best of circumstances.

[Grey Ghost II]

Calling O'Malley a "petulant little child," Kane said he couldn't shake the memory of the mayor telling supporters at a Kerry campaign fundraiser in June he was more worried about Bush's policies than about an al- Qaida attack.

People of such little substance can crash and burn so quickly. Goodbye, Martin.

[silverleaf]

I am surprised Marty didn't deliver at least part of his speech in Gaelic- the language of "his people".

[HitmanLV]

I have used 'petulant child' to descibe nauseating libverals for years. Glad to see my phone must have been bugged by Ashcroft & Co and the langauge is starting to get its 'main event push.'

I noticed that the words were used earlier in the convention by one of us in a printed media report! Hooray!

[Jimmy Valentine]

O'Malley lately is beginning to sound like a combination of Kurt Schmoke and Frizzel Grey.

Maybe it is the water in Baltimore?

Regards,