Democrat National Convention- LIVE THREAD

Live blogging recap. Here we go again…all times are central. 6:05 - Jim Doyle just cited his little child’s quote that “Obama will work hard”; granted, his child has more experience than Barack Obama. Hehe. 6:06 - Governor Joe Manchin of West Virginia (brought to you by Robert Byrd) 6:08 - Manchin’s “American Dream” story. 6:09 - “West Virginians value hard work, patriotism, and faith in God…they do the heavy lifting the economy…[they have] a PhD in life…and they can’t afford four more years like the last eight”. 6:10 - And let me guess…West Virginian values match up with Barack Obama. 6:11 - “God bless America” 6:11 - Hillary Clinton video; the Obama camp actually took her off her sedatives; introducing female senators. 6:12 - The ever beautiful Barbara Mikulski at the podium; talking about “how women are…and get things done” just like the Democrats when they take back the White House. 6:13 - Equal pay for equal work; too bad her statistics ignore the higher paying hazard-duty jobs men take in greater numbers. 6:14 - I say a smart woman deserves better pay at a job than a lacking man who can’t perform as well. 6:15 - Barbara Boxer (absolutely beautiful) at podium; she’s a capable speaker. 6:16 - “Protect our environment”…not like this is McCain’s message as well. 6:16 - “When it comes to the United States Senate, 60 is the new 50″…aaawwww!!!! No more gridlock!!!! 6:16 - the Senator roll continues; Mary Landrieu of Louisiana at podium. 6:17 - America deserves a better FEMA and president to “serve the people and not a bureaucracy” (spelled right?) 6:18 - Senator Blanche Lincoln at podium. I had the biggest crush on her niece when I was a Senate Page; we were going to go fishing in the Potomac but she sadly had to go home early. Sorry for the unneccessary information. 6:19 - Lincoln: reform medicare. 6:20 - Debbie Stabenow of Michigan at podium; “keep jobs in America” and screw the middle class with higher prices and standards of living. I agree that “the Bush McCain policies have screwed working Americans”; their free trade agreements aren’t even free trade. 6:22 - Maria Cantwell of Washington at podium; “make American energy independent”. Not like both candidates are advocating for energy independence or anything. 6:23 - Claire McCaskill of Missouri; good speaker; the Democrats will be more fiscally responsible than the Republicans. I doubt the McCain administration will look kindly upon frivolous spending as the Bush admin did. 6:25 - Amy Klobuchar from Minnesota. My Democrat friend Liz who interned for the senator said Klobuchar had to hire a speaking coach when she began her public office career; Klobuchar needs to get her money back. 6:26 - President should look after the middle class not the privileged class; too bad Obama’s ”total household income tax” would disenchant the middle class to grow any higher. 6:27 - Ladies of the senate all on stage. 6:28 - Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania at podium; he’s a good guy; tonight’s theme on bashing Bush and the Republicans continue. 6:29 - Bashing Republican energy plans; bashing big oil. FYI ExxonMobil has only 3.8% share of the market for the top 100 oil companies not including the dominance of the state-owned oil as the true “big oil”. The five big US oil companies make up only 15% of the oil private sector as well. 6:31 - “John McCain has always been against renewable energy”; actually, I think both him and Obama fell into the special-interest ethanol trap. 6:32 - “The only thing green in McCain’s energy plan are the tax cuts for big oil”. Point taken. Corporate welfare is stupid; the market should rule. 6:33 - “Replace every drop of oil…in just ten years”. Will invest in auto industry and will give tax cuts for people who buy hybrids. Isn’t this McCain’s platform as well? 6:34 - Question: what’s going to happen when America becomes energy independent and the unstable, oil states go bankrupt? Who will be blamed? Most likely blame America. 6:36 - Rendell’s a dynamic speaker. 6:37 - Break time. 6:42 - Had to come back to say that Rep. Xavier Becerra just compared Barack to Cesar Chavez. 6:43 - “Tell me with whom you walk and I will tell you who you are”. Maybe he should apply that to standard to Barack Obama. 6:44 - I’m really hungry but John Sweeney, president of the AFL-CIO, just came to the podium. 6:45 - Reading straight from the prompter; gonna go get some food; be back in a bit. 6:46 - So how about guaranteeing a secret union ballot there John? 6:47 - Okay, I’m actually taking a break now; be back in a bit. 7:47 - Back. 7:49 - Tonight’s scripted session of “America’s Townhall” session just ended. Went to dinner at the right time. 7:50 - Mayor Jim Whitaker of Fairbanks, AK at the podium. 7:51 - Whitaker is a registered Republican endorsing Obama; he’s being so dramatic about it. 7:51 - His reason for the endorsement: “I might be a Republican but I’m an American first and foremost”. 7:52 - My guess is that Whitaker wanted some air time; still, he does sound sincere. 7:53 - Shouldn’t allow energy policy to be shifted by hostile dictators says Whitaker. 7:55 - Gloria Craven (fired textile worker from NC) making Americans feel bad and need to vote Democrat; has a nice “southern American” blue collar appeal. 7:55 - “George Bush told us that we should just go to college”. 7:56 - Living off of husband’s social security. 7:56 - “Used to be a time in America where you thought the people in government would look after the people like me”. YES!!! Time for another “New Deal” or “Great Society”! We need a politician as exemplified in “Gabriel Over the White House”. 7:58 - Nancy Floyd of Oregon (NTH Power Founder who has “worn a tool belt”); built very first wind farms in country. 7:59 - Need new leadership in Washington with new thinking that won’t fall victim to partisanship and inaction says Floyd. 8:01 - Don’t be a wimp…say it: n-u-c-l-e-a-r power. 8:02 - Barack Obama “will stop global warming”. God…? 8:04 - With all this talk about jobs moving overseas, I wonder where Obama stands on H1B Visas? 8:05 - Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas at podium; more “American Dream” of Barack Obama. 8:06 - Hit on McCain for not being able to keep track of his homes; John McCain’s version of Dorothy’s line: “There’s no place like home, or a home, or a home, or a home…”. 8:07 - Barack Obama will not “write off rural America”. He cares about the Heartland. A true American! Usual “end tax breaks for wall street and give them to main street”. 8:08 - Reward those companies that stay at home says Sebelius. What if a company moves overseas and creates numerous, higher-paying management jobs in America? 8:09 - The only thing McCain wants to renew is the Bush administration. 8:10 - “We can’t bring about positive change without ending the politics of the past and partisan bickering”. Wait…wasn’t she just bashing Republicans? 8:11 - Federico Pena (former Denver Mayor). 8:13 - Still dragging on about energy policy and the need for change; I bet this energy rhetoric will perfectly mirror the GOP Convention. 8:17 - Representative Nydia Velazquez of New York at podium. 8:18 - She just said that Bush doesn’t allow women to invest on a “federal level”. What is she talking about? 8:19 - Yes, Ms. Velazquez, women do earn more degrees than men. Title IX’s unintended (or was it) consequence. 8:20 - More wall street versus main street. 8:21 - Why Barack is better for small business: tax cuts, health care plans, and the “necessary tools”. 8:22 - “Si se puede! Votar para Barack Obama!” 8:23 - Bob Casey Jr. at podium…revenge time? 8:24 - I wonder if he’ll justify Obama and the DNC’s platform on abortion. 8:24 - Looks like it’s going to be the standard, dismal economic message and need for Obama to fix it all. 8:25 - “Barack Obama will lead us, heal us, and help us rebuild”. 8:26 - More “Barack Obama: the family man of American values”. 8:27 - Casey on Obama: “he’s one of us”. 8:27 - Shout out to Joe Biden from Scranton, PA. 8:28 - Quoting Senator Clinton to “support Barack Obama”. 8:28 - Obama and Casey have “an honest disagreement over abortion” but Obama allowing Casey to speak shows how he doesn’t seek to divide us but bring us together. 8:29 - John McCain votes with George Bush over 90% of the time. “That’s not a maverick; that’s a sidekick”. 8:30 - Crowd chanting “four more months”. 8:33 - SIgn in the crowd: “When Women Vote, Democrats Win”. 8:41 - Democrats showing us their groovy dance skills. Almost as fluid as their fiscal policy. 8:41 - Mark Warner, keynote speaker, at podium. 8:42 - Nice choice for Obama in trying to win over Virginia. 8:43 - Mark Warner: the American story. 8:46 - What is this “fair shot”. Equality of opportunity or equality of outcomes? 8:48 - “This president never tapped into our greatest resource: the character and the resolve of the American people”. 8:48 - Should have gotten off foreign oil after September 11th so “those terrorists wouldn’t have received any more funding”. Haha! This is an absolute falsehood. Groups like Al Qaeda and Hamas grew to their largest and spent the most money when oil revenues were at an all time low. The Septemeber 11th attacks only cost al Qaeda five hundred thousand dollars. We still need to move away from foreign oil to be more sustainable but this illogical cop-out that Warner, other Democrats, and other Republicans have been pushing is amusing. 8:51 - “In four months, we will have an administration that actually believes in science”. 8:52 - “If we rebuild our military”…still hurting from those Clinton cuts, eh? 8:54 - Give the tools that every child needs to succeed. “If those kids do better, we all do better”. Doesn’t matter if you’re Republican or Democrat. We’re all this in together. I love how the Dems tonight bash Bush and the Republicans just slightly, so they can still pull off the “we’re all in this together”. I wonder what Carville will think of this strategy? 8:56 - “In the global economy, you shouldn’t have to leave your home town to find a world-class job”. 8:58 - Citing Thomas Jefferson, “the founder of our party”; I’m sorry, I didn’t know the Democrats of today we’re libertarian thinking. Could have fooled me with all the protectionist, sentimental rhetoric. 8:59 - His keynote address really falls short compared to what I was expecting; not that moving. 9:01 - Ohio Governor Ted Strickland at podium. 9:01 - Strickland literally reads off the teleprompter 9:07 - McCain is four more years of Bush 9:07 - All of McCain’s policies are “stuck in the past”. 9:08 - George W. Bush came into office on third base (reference to joke about W’s father) and Bush stole second. 9:11 - ”Time to bring our troops back and our jobs home. It’s time for Obama!” 9:11 - Mass gov Deval Patrick at podium. This is the guy who paralleled Obama’s call for ”hope and change” during his own run for office. This is the guy whose rhetoric wounded up in Obama’s speeches. This is the guy that excited his state of Massachusetts with great promises and calls for change but ended being a disappointment. And that opinion is actually from my Democratic friend from Massachusetts. 9:14 - We can bring about change as done before exemplified by FDR’s America says Patrick. 9:15 - Key is education says Patrick. Need to fix and fund No Child Left Behind says Patrick. How about we scap it says I? 9:19 - Governor Brian Schweitzer of Montana at podium. 9:23 - Schweitzer just said what he remembered growing up was a crucifix in the house and a picture of President Kennedy on the wall. Haha! I love this religious pandering the DNC Convention is doing this year. 9:25 - “Can we afford four more years?” 9:25 - Schweitzer is giving the Republican-bashing, Pro-Obama pump speech of the night. 9:29 - I swear, if I hear “big oil” one more time tonight and the speaker not referring to state-controlled oil companies… 9:30 - Schweitzer’s sporting 9:30 - Schweitzer’s right about not being able to drill our way to energy independence but something is better than nothing. 9:31 - “Obama taps all energy sources”…except nuclear. 9:33 - The delegates are waving some amusing signs: “McCain = Same Old, Same Old”. 9:34 - Schweitzer is getting the crowd a-goin’. 9:36 - “That’s it baby! Let’s go win this election! God bless America!” (exit Schweitzer stage left). 9:37 - Hillary Clinton “get-excited” video! “She was able to play with the boys and win their respect”. 9:38 - This video might inspire previous Hillary supporters on the convention floor. 9:41 - Chelsea Clinton on the page looking absolutely stunning. 9:42 - Enter Madame Hillary Rodham Clinton. 9:44 - The signs everyone is waving have Hillary’s signature in bold and www.hillaryclinton.com. If you go to the site, it still asks you to be ”a supporter”. It’s not too late folks… 9:45 - She’s a proud a lot of things but forgot to mention wife. 9:46 - I bet she wants people to go to her website and retire her campaign debt. 9:46 - “The time is to unite as a single party with a single purpose. We’re on the same team.” Aawwww…that’s not what I wanted to hear. 9:48 - “No way. No how. No McCain.” Zing! 9:50 - “I remember the Marine…”. And I remember the Marine who took a picture with you and crossed his fingers. 9:51 - “From my supporters…to my sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits”. 9:55 - “From ending discrimination to promoting unionization” including union discrimination against right-to-work employees and those wanting a secret ballot. 9:56 - “Were you in the campaign just for me or were you in it for that young marine and others like him? Were you in it for that young boy and his mom surviving on the minimum wage? Were you in it for all those people in the country who have been invisible (these last eight years)?” 10:01 - Praising Joe Biden. “And Joe, will be supported by his loving wife JIll” as I event still support Bill. 10:02 - More, more, more Republican bullshit says Hillary. 10:02 - “John McCain wants to privatize social security”. Hopefully, Barack Obama will allow for a pull-out option as well before it’s too late. 10:03 - “Who knows if George Bush or John McCain will be in Minnesota next week because they’re so similiar”. 10:05 - Harriett Tubman quote to get the crowd goin’; “keep going” message. 10:06 - “Before we can keep going, we have to get going by electing Barack Obama as the next president of the United States”. 10:07 - Feels like “And I’m proud to be an American” might start playing any second. 10:09 - End Madame Clinton. 10:09 - She has come a long way with her public speaking skills. 10:10 - Closing prayer. “And bless our earthly savior, Barack Obama”. Take home message: 1. 4 more years bad. 2. 4 more months good. 3. Bash silly Republicans and “Big Oil”. 4. But then immediately call for American unity in both Republicans and Democrats working together. ***There were some nice zings tonight. The highlights would definitely have to be Schweitzer and Clinton’s speech. ****I don’t know yet if I’ll be around tomorrow night; my plans aren’t definite yet. Sweet dreams y’all!!!

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