Q: Welcome back to the show, Roger. How are you doing?
Commissioner Goodell: Great, Craig. It’s good to be with you.
On thoughts about Gene Upshaw’s death:
It was a sad day. We had a memorial service for him in Washington yesterday and it was a terrific service for a terrific man. I’ve said many times that I don’t know if there are many people who have contributed more to football as an individual, both as a player and as the NFLPA executive director. He’s done great things for football and it was a sad day for all of us.
On how Upshaw’s death will affect labor peace and negotiations with the NFLPA:
I haven’t spent a lot of time thinking about it because we’ve been so focused on losing a great man, but he clearly is going to leave a void because of the great leadership Gene had provided. On the other hand, he’s created a tremendous organization in the NFLPA. They represent the players extremely well; they’re going through the process to select a successor to Gene. I’m sure they will find someone who is very capable and we’ll sit down at the table and discuss it. As you mentioned, we have some time here. This is not a focus for fans in the short term, I’m confident we’ll be able to sit down at the table and get these issues resolved.
On what types of activities are going on before the game as part of the spectacle that is Kickoff Weekend:
Boomer, you know we don’t do anything small in the NFL and tomorrow is no exception to that. We’re having a big event in Columbus Circle; there will be free football and a music event. We’ll have Usher, Keith Urban, Natasha Bedingfield and a lot of great Hall of Famers, a lot of great Jets and Giants on hand to celebrate the return of football and the kickoff to the 2008 season.
Do you get giddy like a fan on the eve of the opening game or is it too business-like for you?
Absolutely, I’m still a fan at heart. I’ve been thinking about this for the last several months. The buildup to the season is always great for us; we have great stories coming into the season and I have no doubt it is going to be an even better season than last year, and that is a hard mark to beat. I have as much enthusiasm and excitement as every other fan.
On Brett Favre in a New York Jets uniform:
It is great to see Brett back playing football. When he retired in February everybody knew they were going to miss a great player and when he decided to come back and play it was great for the NFL and the Jets were the beneficiary of that. This year they have the opportunity to have #4 playing in the Jets’ green and that is great for Jets fans and it is great for all football fans because it will be something wonderful for them to follow.
On role in Brett’s return to the Packers and NFL:
It wasn’t particularly difficult, Craig. My job as commissioner is to make sure that all of our rules are followed. Brett had rights as a player who wanted to continue his playing career and the Packers had right also and I just wanted to make sure those were respected. Eventually they got together and resolved that it was better for Brett to move on. They went and had discussions with a number of teams and the Jets ended up being the winner for Brett. I think that is great for all of our fans and I think it may end up being one of those circumstances that turns out to be great for Packers fans and for Jets fans.
From a commissioner’s standpoint, do you prefer the story of a player playing almost his entire career with one team and retiring with that team?
You’re right, there aren’t many players that have greater credibility and reputation as Brett Favre does both on and off the field. I would only argue this point: having Brett Favre on the field and having our fans have an opportunity to enjoy the way he plays the game, which as you know has genuine excitement and enthusiasm, I think that is great for a fan. I may disagree from the standpoint of seeing him retire. It’s great that he is still playing football and we’re glad to see him back on the field.
On the fan conduct policy:
First off, it was not a reaction to the Jets’ circumstances. This is something we have been looking at for the past couple of years. It is something we have heard from our fans about, and the core issue that we are trying to address here is to allow anyone to come to an NFL stadium and enjoy the experience and not have it ruined by somebody else. We want people to come and have a good time. We’re not trying to create an atmosphere that lacks in enthusiasm. We’re trying to create an atmosphere where everyone in the stadium is enjoying themselves and can bring anyone they want to the stadium knowing they are going to have a positive experience.
I’m comfortable that that is going to happen and each club is going to deal with it in their own way because it is different in each community.
On whether this policy is in response to what other fans have asked you to do based on their in-game experiences:
That is absolutely right, Boomer. It is something I’ve heard consistently from fans, that it is getting harder and harder for them to go to the stadium because of the behavior of some of the other fans. It is a very limited number of fans that behave in that fashion. We want to make sure we say to those individuals, “Listen, you have to come and enjoy the experience responsibly, and don’t ruin it for others.”
On tailgating:
Craig, nobody tried to say we’re getting rid of tailgating. Let’s try to keep this in perspective here. We’re not suggesting that you’re going to stop enjoying yourself going to the stadium and that you’re not going to stand up and show a lot of enthusiasm. That is an overstatement and it is just not fair.
On the Personal Conduct Policy and if it will lead to fewer off-field problems now:
I certainly hope so. We have 2,000 young men and almost every one of them are outstanding young men, as both you and Boomer know. You always have a few guys that just don’t understand their responsibility as NFL players and their roles as players in their communities. It’s something that we thought was important to do because most of our players – virtually all of them – are doing great things in the community, and the ones that aren’t reflect poorly on them as a group, and on the NFL. So I think it’s something that was important for us to do, and I do believe our players understand it and support it. They were part of developing the policy and I think it’ll have a positive impact, but this is something that will take some period of time to get through because it’s got to reach everybody – not only NFL players, but every college player and every high school player so they know if they want to play at this level, you’re going to have to represent the league and your team and your community in a positive way.
On the situation in New Orleans and the Saints playing their home opener Sunday in the Super Dome:
Yes, the Super Dome came through with very minor damage. They’re still working on getting electricity back, but we are going to be playing the game as scheduled – 12 pm local time, 1 pm east coast time. It should be an exciting start for them because it represents so much to that community and it represents so much the spirit of those people in that community and how they continue to come back from Hurricane Katrina, and certainly now with the latest incidents, they really have just done themselves proud. We’re happy to be part of that celebration to show that New Orleans is going to continue to be a great community.
On the use of PSLs with many new stadiums:
I’m not offended by them. In fact, I think more customers are starting to understand there’s value to the PSLs. This is something now that they own and they can sell that at some point in the future if they so desire and get value for that. The experience we’ve had in other communities is that the PSL was actually a benefit to the fans, and also, it’s a way to get new stadiums built and it’s been effective in other communities. This is a privately funded stadium. You know the price tag, and it’s an expensive project, and this is a way to try to close that gap.
On whether there is a concern that this will price out blue-collar fans:
Yes, absolutely. I think it concerns our teams, too. I think both the Jets and the Giants have been very sensitive to that. They’re taking different approaches to how they’re pricing PSLs, but they’re both very concerned with that and making sure that their fans can continue to come to the stadium and support both teams. I think that’s something you always have to be concerned with. You always have to recognize that it’s a heavy load for consumers, and it’s a great piece of entertainment, but you want to make sure everyone has that same access.
The Republicans ran more effective campaigns in 2000 and 2004. They are adept at campaigning, and despite awareness of the tactics, adopting Rove's guidelines remains an effective, albeit eristic, tool for them.
But Palin's performance was merely the exectution and staging of a speech she didn't write. The GOP had a VP acceptance speech prepared, as you've probably heard/read elsewhere, but determined it was too macho and determined they had to start over from scratch on short notice when Palin was named.
So while the defense is well-orchestrated - and one would expect nothing less - the fact is it leaves most if not all of the real questions not merely unanswered, but unaddressed. None of the words were Palin's choice: the content reflects nothing but GOP talking points, and while Ms. Palin delivered them creditably she adopted the role of a talking head, revealing to neither the media nor the voters anything beyond her ability to handle somebody else's prepared rhetoric.
Credit the speech writers for what substance there was, although the AP questions the veracity of many points. But make no mistake:
That wasn't "Palin's speech" at all; Sarah Palin was delivering a well-scripted performance. It concealed her by cloaking her in familiar old-school GOP platitudes and rhetorical barbs, many of which such as the tax refrain have been debunked and disproven already. But the GOP has seldom lost relying on time-tested Rovian tactics and lies, have they?
VP candidate Joe Biden said to the Guardian UK that if he and Barack Obama are elected, they would look at the allegations against George Bush that could lead to criminal charges.
Tonight Alaska Gov. and now Vice Presidential Nominee Sarah Palin gave a well-written, but poorly delivered speech to the Republican National Convention.
I'm watching former Mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani talk on and on ..and on, but what is so galling is that he can't "do" a good speech. Geez, he's droning on and on and on. The speech is too long.
Ok, back to business. It was a politically stupid speech, because Rudy just insulted and alienated every community organizer and populist and quite possibility kissed that vote good by.
Community organizers bring people together for a common goal, be it getting elected officials to act on a problem or making sure than a neighborhood gets the services they need. Community organizers can work for non-profits or for organizations like the police department in your city.
What a dumb speech. I'm sorry, it just was. Rudy should be ashamed of himself.
According to the Nielsen ratings service the Tuesday night of the Democratic National Convention drew more viewers than the Republican National Convention, 26 million viewers to 21.5 million, respectively.
http://zennie2005.blogspot.com -- There's no double standard in how Governor Palin's being covered at all. She's vieing for the second most powerful position in the World. Indeed, Palin may be getting a pass by some. Suppose she was black and we saw photos of her kids friends -- teenagers -- holding rifles and guns? That would be an outrage. Why is that not the case here?
Governor Palin is in a position tonight where she has to give "that speech" it's a tradition by which presidential and vice presidential candidates are measured by. If she does not give anything less than "that speech" forget it.
This is my short take on the RNC Convention and speeches of Tuesday, September 2, 2008. I hold that the Republican Party presented at the RNC does not represent America.
The convention consists of a part of America -- older, white, and mostly male -- and it's entirely focused on the war or matters related to it, at a time when we need to pay attention to rebuilding Amerca.
i did not like Senator Fred Thompson's speech, though I have the greatest respect for him. The surge did not work. It's that simple. What's true is that we have killed more than 80,000 iragi civilians and wrecked the culture of that nation.
According to Paul Kane, writing at WashintonPost.com, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin employed a lobbying firm to secure almost $27 million in federal earmarks for a town of 6,700 residents while she was its mayor, according to an analysis by an independent government watchdog group. McCain is proud of his recent opposition to earmarks, though. Is that not what he wants from his Vice President, too?
Well, you could point out that Palin has also decried earmarks, citing her opposition to a $223 million bridge in Alaska. "As governor, I've stood up to the old politics-as-usual, to the special interests, to the lobbyists, the big oil companies, and the good-ol'-boy network," she said on Friday, yet she favors fostering those same big oil companies desires to drill in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. Is that really standing up to big oil and politics as usual?
Wasilla, a town of under 7,000 people, did not receive any federal earmarks in the first few years of Palin's term as mayor, but after she checked off on the retention of Robertson, Monagle & Eastaugh, an Anchorage-based law firm that lobbies in D.C., the earmarks started rolling in. The account was handled by partner Steven W. Silver, the former chief of staff to Senator Ted Stevens, the longest serving Republican Senator, coincidentally indicted in July on charges of accepting illegal gifts. Is that McCain's idea of standing up to special interests and the good old boy network in D.C., or Palin's?
In FY 2002, Wasilla took in $6.1 million in earmarks, on the heels of the $15 million rail project, in 2001 intended to connect Wasilla with the town of Girdwood, where Senator Stevens has a house. Is Sarah Palin really all that worried about change, or is she a savvy Republican working the system for all it's worth?
Sarah Palin, who would possibly be in line to become President, was once been a member of a group that advocates secession from the United States. Is that who we want as our potential Commander in Chief?
How much do you know about Sarah Palin, and what motivated McCain to pick her? Do you think there's likely more to it than pandering for women's votes? Naturally - there must be, right? I think we'd all like to learn more about this first-term Governor. So follow the money.
Meanwhile, in the interest of fairness, I'd like you to meet Joe Biden, too.
The Hurricane Gustav crisis seems past, so the Republican National Convention is going to reboot its program starting today with this schedule posted on the RNC website:
The 2008 Republican National Convention today announced the program of events for Tuesday, Sept. 2. The program will feature speeches by U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman and former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson. Their remarks will reflect the convention's overall theme, "Country First," and the theme for Tuesday's events, which is "service."
"We are excited to announce Tuesday's featured speakers, who will share John McCain's remarkable record of leadership and service with millions of Americans tonight. We are looking forward to showcasing John McCain's life-long record of putting his country first," said Republican National Committee Chairman Robert M. "Mike" Duncan.
"From his days as a POW who refused early release to his 20-year career in the U.S. Senate, John McCain has always put country first. Tonight's program will reflect his unmatched commitment to service and his vision for increasing Americans' participation in service and volunteer activities," said Rick Davis, McCain 2008 campaign manager.
Among the other speakers announced today are President George W. Bush (via satellite), First Lady Laura Bush, U.S. House Republican Leader John Boehner (Ohio), U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman (Minn.), and U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann (Minn.).
In an earlier post, I wrote that the family of Alaska Governor and Presumptive Republican VP Nominee Sarah Palin should not be the focus of bloggers. Then someone associated with Palin's 17-year-old daughter Bristol put photos of her -- or someone who looks like her -- up showing the young lady holding bottles of alcohol.
It's news because Palin has preached "family values" and abstenance of sex before marriage, yet her own girl is the living example of how both ideals are violated on a daily basis.
The question is what will Governor Palin do about this? There will be questions from the press; she can't hope to escape them.
This whole episode has served to throw the GOP message off it's foundations. Instead of the party platform, we get a steady diet of the past alledged activities of "The Palin Bunch."
I write that because it's fair to ask of the photo is authentic. Stay tuned.
I was reading this Huff Post article on the way Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's Church impacted her life when I saw a link to a page with other videos from the Church.
After a historic Democratic National Convention and the subsequent major misteps of the John McCain annoucement of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate, today, Gallup's Daily Tracking Poll finds Senator Barack Obama at 50 points for the first time, with Senator McCain at 42 points.
If one looks at the Gallup Graph, it shows that Senator Obama picked up a point over 24 hours, and Senator McCain lost a point over the same time period, and as more negative information comes out about Governor Palin.
On Friday, Governor Sarah Palin was the selection of Senator John McCain to be his running mate as the presumptive Republican Vice Presidential Nominee. Already we have problems.
1) TrooperGate, where Gov Palin is accused of using her position to fire a state trouper, who's still on the job as of this writing.
2) The news that Palin was part of a group that wanted Alaska to leave the Union.
3) Palin was fundraising director for Senator Ted Stevens' 527 committee.
4) Palin was almost recalled as Mayor of Wasalia, Alaska.
5) She says the Iraq War, costing over 80,000 iraqi lives and several thousand American lives is a war for oil -- she's right, but Republican, so she should not say that.
6) She took earmarks totalling over $197 million, while saying she did not.
Why Palin? Senator McCain could have picked from five Republican female senators, but failed to do so. Why?
More questions than answers. It's my prediction that Palin will be forced to resign as this steady stream of negative information continues to come in.
After checking out Twitter "tweets" from New Orleans a day ago, I decided to go back and see what New Orleans' Twitter users were writing after Hurricane Gustav hit land in Louisiana.
Here's what I found...
dubtea
Name Will
Location New Orleans
Recently At molly's on decatur. Quarter has no power, mollys has partial due to generator. 21 minutes ago
Molly's is a bar in the French Quarter. That means he was at least able to make it down there for a cocktail. It also means that conditions aren't as bad as feared as of this writing.
tracam
Name tracam
Location New Orleans
Recently We made it to Vero Beach. Got groceries, internet and CNN. Oh, and a few bottles of wine, chips and salsa. Let the future unfold. about 16 hours ago
Vero Beach is Florida. About a five hour drive from New Orleans.
wavyhairgirl
Name wavyhairgirl
Location New Orleans, LA
Recently Tornado threat over apparently 19 minutes ago
aliciammyers
Name aliciammyers
Location New Orleans
Recently So the worst is over? When can we come back? when will power be on? about 1 hour ago
eswanny
Name eswanny
Location New Orleans
Recently And rather than provide information, the weather channel would prefer to show pictures of flying debris. Fail, weather channel... about 4 hours ago
amberdodd
Name amberdodd
Location New Orleans, LA
Recently Just walked around. Windy! Lots of trees/branches down. Ready for electricity now, thx. 6 minutes ago
Wow. Amderdodd walked around. So that confirms it's not as bad as three years ago.
GraceWilson
Name GraceWilson
Location New Orleans Web http://www.NewOrleansOnline.com
Recently The worst of the wind is over... the rain is light and misty.... I see where they say the levees are overtopping in the Upper 9... VIVA NOLA about 3 hours ago
LaJuneBaby
Name LaJuneBaby
Location New Orleans, LA
Bio Sleepless in New Orleans
Recently Cooking out with friends....and playing the music LOUD!! No neighbors around so LET'S ROCK!!!! about 20 hours ago
I have a simple standing rule that I will write about what the candidate does, but not what the elected officials family does. What the family says is different, but even then the only words that matter are what the person says about the candidate's performance or actions. John Edwards is a great example.
I wrote about his actions of infidelity and how it was unfair to his wife. But the focus was John Edwards, and no one else to start.
Thus, I take issue with the look at what Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's family does. They're not running for office; she is. I do hope this frenetic pace of attention her family's getting passes quickly so we can go back to looking at Sarah Palin herself.
If you keep looking at her family, you will not know Palin's not ready for her 3 AM phone call.
Ok. Now, I've seen everything, and I mean everything. Here's the jedreport with the video to end all videos in this political season -- at least so far -- and shows Senator John McCain taking glances as the butt of Governor Sarah Palin as he's listening to her speak. If you think I'm kidding, look at this photo:
Are you kidding me? The video shows this over and over again, and not the same one. But several times. It looks like Senator McCain's about to burst with excitement. At some points in the video, McCain's fingering his wedding finger as if to remind himself he's married.
And so we see the real reason he picked Governor Palin: sex. He's only met her once and from all of the Internet buzz about her problems and beyond the Trouper-Gate Scandal, it seems McCain's staff either did their homework and McCain ignored them or they did little home work at all.
So I've had a few days to consider my overall impression of the Democratic National Convention. While it was certainly a fantastic experience (excellent networking, exceptional star gazing, fantastic speeches, interesting panels and round tables), I think, for me, it boils down to an almost catastrophic waste of resources.
Let me say at the outset that I recognize the need to rile up the base for the election season. I understand that without an energized, hardcore set of volunteers, the party would be sunk. I'm not sure, however, that the party needs to spend the millions of dollars it did to achieve that effect. I sat in the Pepsi Center on Wednesday night watching the multi video screens scrolling text and flashing stars wondering if we really needed all of that? The party spends four years raising money from major donors just so they can spend a chunk of that money to throw lavish parties for said donors at the Convention. It seems a little nuts.
Yes, it all looks great on TV and that certainly is another goal. Yes, more people watched Barack Obama's acceptance speech than the Olympics. What those people don't see is all the wasted money behind the scenes: the piles of speech copies left at the end of each night (even though they had also been emailed to all press members); the concerts and parties thrown for donors; the lavish (yeah, I'll admit it) party thrown for the media. Certainly, much of the money to fund this was donated by major corporations, but doesn't that introduce another issue with which we should be uncomfortable?
Hats off to the Dems for throwing the "greenest" Convention ever. Heck, the beer cups at the media party, which appeared to be generic plastic and were emblazoned with the Coors logo, were actually made of corn and compostable. But in light of the interview I had with the taxi driver from the Sudan, maybe all that money would be best spent somewhere else.
I just happened to check out the Twitter "tweets" -- messages -- left by New Orleans residents, or at least those who listed as living in that city which seems to be the target of yet another Hurricane, this one called Gustof. How I did it was by simply typing "New Orleans" in a search on Twitter.
Some of the messages are from people who have already departed, like aliciammyers, who reports that she's "Driving towards Nashville. Want eggs so badly. Traffic is non-". Then sarahmparks writes that she's "keeping an eye on Gustav". Emmaleigh3 reports that she's "Watching pirates of the carribean and waiting for the storm".
She'd better get out of there!!
Twitter's a good way to determine the mood and place of people in a region during a disaster like Gustav. I'm going to follow the New Orleans people via Twitter in the days to come.
Cementing the perception that Alaska Governor and now Republican Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin is a hottie, we have this photo of her in a mini-skirt. It's not real; as it turns out, it's photoshopped.
UPDATE: Sarah Palin in a swimsuit shows legs.
But with this, comes another perception: as one who's not ready to be Vice President, let alone President of the United States.
For example I present this article that was posted on the "Writers for Obama" web listserv. I don't know who the person is, no one does, but it's worth reading:
From a Classmate...the word on the GOP VP Candidate.
[I'd feel better publishing this if I knew the author's name, and could
verify it, but assuming this is not ghostwritten, it is very telling and
very insightful....This came from the most interesting Yahoo! group, Secular
Humanist, from the Moderator, Greg Dempsey]
Dear classmates -
As an Alaskan, I am writing to give all of you some information on Sarah
Palin, Senator McCain's choice for VP. As an Alaska voter, I know more than
most of you about her and, frankly, I am horrified that he picked her.
The most accurate description of her is red neck. Her husband works in the
oil fields of Prudhoe Bay and races snow mobiles. She is a life time member
of the NRA and has worked tirelessly to allow indiscriminatehunting of
wildlife in Alaska, particularly wolves and bears. She has spent millions of
Alaska state dollars on aerial hunting of these predators from helicopters
and airplanes, dollars that should have been spent, for example, on Alaska's
failing school system.
We have the lowest rate of high school graduation in the country. Not all of
you may think
aerial predator hu nting is so bad, but how anyone (other than Alaska wolf-
haters, of which there are many, most without teeth), could think this use
of funds is appropriate is beyond me. If you want to know moreabout the
aerial hunting travesty, let me know and I will send somelinks to
informative web sites.
She has been a strong supporter of increased use of fossil fuels, yet the
McCain campaign has the nerve to say she has "green" policies. The only
thing green about Sarah Palin is her lack of experience. She hasconsistently
supported drilling in ANWR, use of coal-burning power plants (as I write
this, a new coal plant is being built in her home town of Wasilla), strip
mining, and almost anything else that will unnecessarily exploit the
diminishing resources of Alaska and destroy
its environment.
Prior to her one year as governor of Alaska, she was mayor of Wasilla, a
small red neck town outside Anchorage.The average maximum education level of
parents of junior high school kids in Wasilla is 10th grade.
Unfortunately, I have to go to Wasilla every week to get groceries and other
supplies, so I have continual contact with the people who put Palin in
office in the first place. I know what I'm talking about. These people don't
have a concept of the world around them or of the serious issues facing the
US. Furthermore, they don't care. So long as they can go out and hunt their
moose every fall, kill wolves and bears and drive their snow mobiles and
ATVs through every corner of the wilderness,
they're happy. I wish I were exaggerating.
Sarah Palin is currently involved in a political corruption scandal. She
fired an individual in law enforcement here because she didn't like how he
treated one of her relatives during a divorce. The man's performanceand
ability weren't considered; it was a totally personal firing and is
currently under investigation. While the issue isn't close to the scandal of
Ted Steven's corruption, it shows that Palin isn't "squeaky clean" and
causes me to think there may be more issues that could come
to light. Clearly McCain doesn't care.
When you line Palin up with Biden, the comparison would be laughable ifit
weren't so serious. Sarah Palin knows nothing of economics (admittedly a
weak area for McCain), or of international affairs, knows nothing of
national government, Social Security, unemployment, health care systems -
you name it. The idea of her meeting with heads of foreign governments
around the world truly frightens me.
In an increasingly dangerous world, with the economy in shambles in the US,
Sarah Palin is uniquely UNqualified to be vice president. John McCain is not
a young man.
Should something happen to him such that the vice president had to step in,
it would destroy our country and possibly the world to have someone as
inexperienced and inappropriate as Sarah Palin.
The choice of Palin is a cheap shot by McCain to try to get Hillary
supporters to vote for him. When McCain introduced her today, Palin had the
nerve to compare herself with Hillary and Geraldine
Ferraro. Sarah Palin, you are no Hillary Clinton.
To those of you who, like me, supported Hillary and were upset that she did
not get the nomination, please don't think that Sarah Palin is a worthy
substitute.
If you supported Hillary, regardless of what you think the media and the
democratic party may have done to undermine her campaign, the person to
support now is Obama, not Sarah Palin.
To those of you who are independent or undecided, don't let the choice of
Palin sway you in favor of McCain. Choosing her shows how unqualified McCain
is to be president. To those of you who are conservative, I guess you have
no choice for president.
But please try to see how the poor choice of Palin tells us a great deal
about McCain's judgment.
While the political posturing inherent in the choice of Palin is obvious,
the more serious issue is the fact that the VP is, literally, a heartbeat
away.
I have to disagree with the perception of Governor Palin as "redneck" as she's said nothing but good things about Senator Obama and his Energy Policy Proposal.
On the show "Kudlow and Company" Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, during an interview with Larry Kudlow, asked what the VP did on a daily basis. That was a terrible question to ask for someone who eventually placed herself in the position of being Senator John McCain's VP running mate. It points to a kind of "on the campaign trail" job that the McCain people are undoubtedly doing at this point in time.
That's not what the ideal VP candidate should entail. It makes me wonder if McCain's people, or McCain himself, ever saw this video or even looked at her from a standpoint of the possibility that she would come off as a real neophyte.
This was one of the most amazing speeches Senator Obama has given. But it is the best speech, because it was done before 38 million people.
In this Invesco Field.
On this August Thursday.
Senator Obama made the case for Liberalism and did so better than anyone of our generation.
Here's the text from an email by PR Newswire :
Democratic Convention
Thursday, August 28th, 2008
Denver, Colorado
As Prepared for Delivery
To Chairman Dean and my great friend Dick Durbin; and to all my fellow citizens of this great nation;
With profound gratitude and great humility, I accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States.
Let me express my thanks to the historic slate of candidates who accompanied me on this journey, and especially the one who traveled the farthest -- a champion for working Americans and an inspiration to my daughters and to yours -- Hillary Rodham Clinton. To President Clinton, who last night made the case for change as only he can make it; to Ted Kennedy, who embodies the spirit of service; and to the next Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden, I thank you. I am grateful to finish this journey with one of the finest statesmen of our time, a man at ease with everyone from world leaders to the conductors on the Amtrak train he still takes home every night.
To the love of my life, our next First Lady, Michelle Obama, and to Sasha and Malia -- I love you so much, and I'm so proud of all of you.
Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story - of the brief union between a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren't well-off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America, their son could achieve whatever he put his mind to.
It is that promise that has always set this country apart - that through hard work and sacrifice, each of us can pursue our individual dreams but still come together as one American family, to ensure that the next generation can pursue their dreams as well.
That's why I stand here tonight. Because for two hundred and thirty two years, at each moment when that promise was in jeopardy, ordinary men and women - students and soldiers, farmers and teachers, nurses and janitors -- found the courage to keep it alive.
We meet at one of those defining moments - a moment when our nation is at war, our economy is in turmoil, and the American promise has been threatened once more.
Tonight, more Americans are out of work and more are working harder for less. More of you have lost your homes and even more are watching your home values plummet. More of you have cars you can't afford to drive, credit card bills you can't afford to pay, and tuition that's beyond your reach.
These challenges are not all of government's making. But the failure to respond is a direct result of a broken politics in Washington and the failed policies of George W. Bush.
America, we are better than these last eight years. We are a better country than this.
This country is more decent than one where a woman in Ohio, on the brink of retirement, finds herself one illness away from disaster after a lifetime of hard work.
This country is more generous than one where a man in Indiana has to pack up the equipment he's worked on for twenty years and watch it shipped off to China, and then chokes up as he explains how he felt like a failure when he went home to tell his family the news.
We are more compassionate than a government that lets veterans sleep on our streets and families slide into poverty; that sits on its hands while a major American city drowns before our eyes.
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."
Now let there be no doubt. The Republican nominee, John McCain, has worn the uniform of our country with bravery and distinction, and for that we owe him our gratitude and respect. And next week, we'll also hear about those occasions when he's broken with his party as evidence that he can deliver the change that we need.
But the record's clear: John McCain has voted with George Bush ninety percent of the time. Senator McCain likes to talk about judgment, but really, what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush has been right more than ninety percent of the time? I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to take a ten percent chance on change.
The truth is, on issue after issue that would make a difference in your lives - on health care and education and the economy - Senator McCain has been anything but independent. He said that our economy has made "great progress" under this President. He said that the fundamentals of the economy are strong. And when one of his chief advisors - the man who wrote his economic plan - was talking about the anxiety Americans are feeling, he said that we were just suffering from a "mental recession," and that we've become, and I quote, "a nation of whiners."
A nation of whiners? Tell that to the proud auto workers at a Michigan plant who, after they found out it was closing, kept showing up every day and working as hard as ever, because they knew there were people who counted on the brakes that they made. Tell that to the military families who shoulder their burdens silently as they watch their loved ones leave for their third or fourth or fifth tour of duty. These are not whiners. They work hard and give back and keep going without complaint. These are the Americans that I know.
Now, I don't believe that Senator McCain doesn't care what's going on in the lives of Americans. I just think he doesn't know. Why else would he define middle-class as someone making under five million dollars a year? How else could he propose hundreds of billions in tax breaks for big corporations and oil companies but not one penny of tax relief to more than one hundred million Americans? How else could he offer a health care plan that would actually tax people's benefits, or an education plan that would do nothing to help families pay for college, or a plan that would privatize Social Security and gamble your retirement?
It's not because John McCain doesn't care. It's because John McCain doesn't get it.
For over two decades, he's subscribed to that old, discredited Republican philosophy - give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. In Washington, they call this the Ownership Society, but what it really means is - you're on your own. Out of work? Tough luck. No health care? The market will fix it. Born into poverty? Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps - even if you don't have boots. You're on your own.
Well it's time for them to own their failure. It's time for us to change America.
You see, we Democrats have a very different measure of what constitutes progress in this country.
We measure progress by how many people can find a job that pays the mortgage; whether you can put a little extra money away at the end of each month so you can someday watch your child receive her college diploma. We measure progress in the 23 million new jobs that were created when Bill Clinton was President - when the average American family saw its income go up $7,500 instead of down $2,000 like it has under George Bush.
We measure the strength of our economy not by the number of billionaires we have or the profits of the Fortune 500, but by whether someone with a good idea can take a risk and start a new business, or whether the waitress who lives on tips can take a day off to look after a sick kid without losing her job - an economy that honors the dignity of work.
The fundamentals we use to measure economic strength are whether we are living up to that fundamental promise that has made this country great - a promise that is the only reason I am standing here tonight.
Because in the faces of those young veterans who come back from Iraq and Afghanistan, I see my grandfather, who signed up after Pearl Harbor, marched in Patton's Army, and was rewarded by a grateful nation with the chance to go to college on the GI Bill.
In the face of that young student who sleeps just three hours before working the night shift, I think about my mom, who raised my sister and me on her own while she worked and earned her degree; who once turned to food stamps but was still able to send us to the best schools in the country with the help of student loans and scholarships.
When I listen to another worker tell me that his factory has shut down, I remember all those men and women on the South Side of Chicago who I stood by and fought for two decades ago after the local steel plant closed.
And when I hear a woman talk about the difficulties of starting her own business, I think about my grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle-management, despite years of being passed over for promotions because she was a woman. She's the one who taught me about hard work. She's the one who put off buying a new car or a new dress for herself so that I could have a better life. She poured everything she had into me. And although she can no longer travel, I know that she's watching tonight, and that tonight is her night as well.
I don't know what kind of lives John McCain thinks that celebrities lead, but this has been mine. These are my heroes. Theirs are the stories that shaped me. And it is on their behalf that I intend to win this election and keep our promise alive as President of the United States.
What is that promise?
It's a promise that says each of us has the freedom to make of our own lives what we will, but that we also have the obligation to treat each other with dignity and respect.
It's a promise that says the market should reward drive and innovation and generate growth, but that businesses should live up to their responsibilities to create American jobs, look out for American workers, and play by the rules of the road.
Ours is a promise that says government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves - protect us from harm and provide every child a decent education; keep our water clean and our toys safe; invest in new schools and new roads and new science and technology.
Our government should work for us, not against us. It should help us, not hurt us. It should ensure opportunity not just for those with the most money and influence, but for every American who's willing to work.
That's the promise of America - the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother's keeper; I am my sister's keeper.
That's the promise we need to keep. That's the change we need right now. So let me spell out exactly what that change would mean if I am President.
Change means a tax code that doesn't reward the lobbyists who wrote it, but the American workers and small businesses who deserve it.
Unlike John McCain, I will stop giving tax breaks to corporations that ship jobs overseas, and I will start giving them to companies that create good jobs right here in America.
I will eliminate capital gains taxes for the small businesses and the start-ups that will create the high-wage, high-tech jobs of tomorrow.
I will cut taxes - cut taxes - for 95% of all working families. Because in an economy like this, the last thing we should do is raise taxes on the middle-class.
And for the sake of our economy, our security, and the future of our planet, I will set a clear goal as President: in ten years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East.
Washington's been talking about our oil addiction for the last thirty years, and John McCain has been there for twenty-six of them. In that time, he's said no to higher fuel-efficiency standards for cars, no to investments in renewable energy, no to renewable fuels. And today, we import triple the amount of oil as the day that Senator McCain took office.
Now is the time to end this addiction, and to understand that drilling is a stop-gap measure, not a long-term solution. Not even close.
As President, I will tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal technology, and find ways to safely harness nuclear power. I'll help our auto companies re-tool, so that the fuel-efficient cars of the future are built right here in America. I'll make it easier for the American people to afford these new cars. And I'll invest 150 billion dollars over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy - wind power and solar power and the next generation of biofuels; an investment that will lead to new industries and five million new jobs that pay well and can't ever be outsourced.
America, now is not the time for small plans.
Now is the time to finally meet our moral obligation to provide every child a world-class education, because it will take nothing less to compete in the global economy. Michelle and I are only here tonight because we were given a chance at an education. And I will not settle for an America where some kids don't have that chance. I'll invest in early childhood education. I'll recruit an army of new teachers, and pay them higher salaries and give them more support. And in exchange, I'll ask for higher standards and more accountability. And we will keep our promise to every young American - if you commit to serving your community or your country, we will make sure you can afford a college education.
Now is the time to finally keep the promise of affordable, accessible health care for every single American. If you have health care, my plan will lower your premiums. If you don't, you'll be able to get the same kind of coverage that members of Congress give themselves. And as someone who watched my mother argue with insurance companies while she lay in bed dying of cancer, I will make certain those companies stop discriminating against those who are sick and need care the most.
Now is the time to help families with paid sick days and better family leave, because nobody in America should have to choose between keeping their jobs and caring for a sick child or ailing parent.
Now is the time to change our bankruptcy laws, so that your pensions are protected ahead of CEO bonuses; and the time to protect Social Security for future generations.
And now is the time to keep the promise of equal pay for an equal day's work, because I want my daughters to have exactly the same opportunities as your sons.
Now, many of these plans will cost money, which is why I've laid out how I'll pay for every dime - by closing corporate loopholes and tax havens that don't help America grow. But I will also go through the federal budget, line by line, eliminating programs that no longer work and making the ones we do need work better and cost less - because we cannot meet twenty-first century challenges with a twentieth century bureaucracy.
And Democrats, we must also admit that fulfilling America's promise will require more than just money. It will require a renewed sense of responsibility from each of us to recover what John F. Kennedy called our "intellectual and moral strength." Yes, government must lead on energy independence, but each of us must do our part to make our homes and businesses more efficient. Yes, we must provide more ladders to success for young men who fall into lives of crime and despair. But we must also admit that programs alone can't replace parents; that government can't turn off the television and make a child do her homework; that fathers must take more responsibility for providing the love and guidance their children need.
Individual responsibility and mutual responsibility - that's the essence of America's promise.
And just as we keep our keep our promise to the next generation here at home, so must we keep America's promise abroad. If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next Commander-in-Chief, that's a debate I'm ready to have.
For while Senator McCain was turning his sights to Iraq just days after 9/11, I stood up and opposed this war, knowing that it would distract us from the real threats we face. When John McCain said we could just "muddle through" in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources and more troops to finish the fight against the terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11, and made clear that we must take out Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants if we have them in our sights. John McCain likes to say that he'll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell - but he won't even go to the cave where he lives.
And today, as my call for a time frame to remove our troops from Iraq has been echoed by the Iraqi government and even the Bush Administration, even after we learned that Iraq has a $79 billion surplus while we're wallowing in deficits, John McCain stands alone in his stubborn refusal to end a misguided war.
That's not the judgment we need. That won't keep America safe. We need a President who can face the threats of the future, not keep grasping at the ideas of the past.
You don't defeat a terrorist network that operates in eighty countries by occupying Iraq. You don't protect Israel and deter Iran just by talking tough in Washington. You can't truly stand up for Georgia when you've strained our oldest alliances. If John McCain wants to follow George Bush with more tough talk and bad strategy, that is his choice - but it is not the change we need.
We are the party of Roosevelt. We are the party of Kennedy. So don't tell me that Democrats won't defend this country. Don't tell me that Democrats won't keep us safe. The Bush-McCain foreign policy has squandered the legacy that generations of Americans -- Democrats and Republicans - have built, and we are here to restore that legacy.
As Commander-in-Chief, I will never hesitate to defend this nation, but I will only send our troops into harm's way with a clear mission and a sacred commitment to give them the equipment they need in battle and the care and benefits they deserve when they come home.
I will end this war in Iraq responsibly, and finish the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. I will rebuild our military to meet future conflicts. But I will also renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression. I will build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century: terrorism and nuclear proliferation; poverty and genocide; climate change and disease. And I will restore our moral standing, so that America is once again that last, best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom, who long for lives of peace, and who yearn for a better future.
These are the policies I will pursue. And in the weeks ahead, I look forward to debating them with John McCain.
But what I will not do is suggest that the Senator takes his positions for political purposes. Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other's character and patriotism.
The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America - they have served the United States of America.
So I've got news for you, John McCain. We all put our country first.
America, our work will not be easy. The challenges we face require tough choices, and Democrats as well as Republicans will need to cast off the worn- out ideas and politics of the past. For part of what has been lost these past eight years can't just be measured by lost wages or bigger trade deficits. What has also been lost is our sense of common purpose - our sense of higher purpose. And that's what we have to restore.
We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country. The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang- violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals. I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination. Passions fly on immigration, but I don't know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers. This too is part of America's promise - the promise of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort.
I know there are those who dismiss such beliefs as happy talk. They claim that our insistence on something larger, something firmer and more honest in our public life is just a Trojan Horse for higher taxes and the abandonment of traditional values. And that's to be expected. Because if you don't have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare the voters. If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from.
You make a big election about small things.
And you know what - it's worked before. Because it feeds into the cynicism we all have about government. When Washington doesn't work, all its promises seem empty. If your hopes have been dashed again and again, then it's best to stop hoping, and settle for what you already know.
I get it. I realize that I am not the likeliest candidate for this office. I don't fit the typical pedigree, and I haven't spent my career in the halls of Washington.
But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the nay-sayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me. It's been about you.
For eighteen long months, you have stood up, one by one, and said enough to the politics of the past. You understand that in this election, the greatest risk we can take is to try the same old politics with the same old players and expect a different result. You have shown what history teaches us - that at defining moments like this one, the change we need doesn't come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. Change happens because the American people demand it - because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time.
America, this is one of those moments.
I believe that as hard as it will be, the change we need is coming. Because I've seen it. Because I've lived it. I've seen it in Illinois, when we provided health care to more children and moved more families from welfare to work. I've seen it in Washington, when we worked across party lines to open up government and hold lobbyists more accountable, to give better care for our veterans and keep nuclear weapons out of terrorist hands.
And I've seen it in this campaign. In the young people who voted for the first time, and in those who got involved again after a very long time. In the Republicans who never thought they'd pick up a Democratic ballot, but did. I've seen it in the workers who would rather cut their hours back a day than see their friends lose their jobs, in the soldiers who re-enlist after losing a limb, in the good neighbors who take a stranger in when a hurricane strikes and the floodwaters rise.
This country of ours has more wealth than any nation, but that's not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military on Earth, but that's not what makes us strong. Our universities and our culture are the envy of the world, but that's not what keeps the world coming to our shores.
Instead, it is that American spirit - that American promise - that pushes us forward even when the path is uncertain; that binds us together in spite of our differences; that makes us fix our eye not on what is seen, but what is unseen, that better place around the bend.
That promise is our greatest inheritance. It's a promise I make to my daughters when I tuck them in at night, and a promise that you make to yours - a promise that has led immigrants to cross oceans and pioneers to travel west; a promise that led workers to picket lines, and women to reach for the ballot.
And it is that promise that forty five years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together on a Mall in Washington, before Lincoln's Memorial, and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dream.
The men and women who gathered there could've heard many things. They could've heard words of anger and discord. They could've been told to succumb to the fear and frustration of so many dreams deferred.
But what the people heard instead - people of every creed and color, from every walk of life - is that in America, our destiny is inextricably linked. That together, our dreams can be one.
"We cannot walk alone," the preacher cried. "And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back."
America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise - that American promise - and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess.
Thank you, God Bless you, and God Bless the United States of America.
On the floor of Invesco Field, I asked Actor Matthew Modine, former California Speaker and San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, and a Clinton-now-Obama-delegate for their impressions of the event to that time. Modine said that "this is the place to be. Right here. Right now." Brown remarked that he had "never seen anything like this, and I'm 74 years old."
Sarah Palin - McCain's VP Pick Accused of Corruption, Enemy Of Open Government
Today, in a weird attempt to steal thunder from Senator Barack Obama's rousing nomination event at Invesco Field in Denver, Senator John McCain will announce that he's selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his VP pick.
(The matter of the fur around her neck will be discussed later.)
But it's a risk. She's painted as "squeeky clean" but there's not just the commonly mentioned investigation of abuse of power, but allegations from "palininvestigated.blogspot.com" that she's opposed to open goverment and "leads by Blackberry" working to hide records of communications by using that device.
On top of that, there's her interesting college background as a beauty queen, which causes one to want to look in that direction.
But the main question is can she be President of The United States? Can she deal with the complexities of foreign policy? The simple fact one has to ask that question is a problem.
This video captures the amazing end of the Senator Barack Obama speech, with the emergence of Senator Joe Biden and an unexpected but stirring fireworks show. More videos to come.
On the 28th of August, 2008, the Democratic party nominated U.S. Senator Barack Hussein Obama to be their endorsed candidate for President of the United States of America. The 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's "I have a dream..." speech on the mall in Washington D.C. now marks Denver, Colorado as another key site in the long march for racial equality in the U.S. - Senator Obama is bi-racial: his mother was a caucasian woman from Kansas, and his father an African from Kenya
It was a bright, warm, sunny afternoon in Denver. The line for admission streched for miles as excited attendees including the 6,000 conference delegates made their way into Invesco Field, the home of the Denver Broncos, to watch the last day of the Democratic Nominating Convention, culminating in Obama's acceptance speech.
First, some volunteers:
And no story about August 28th would be complete without comments from delegates. Two Minnesota Delegates took the time to comment on the goings-on, Mira Vats-Fournier of Faribault...
...and Minneapolis Mayor Raymond "R.T." Rybak, an early advocate of the draft-Obama movement, and the first big-city Mayor to announce his endorsement for Barack Obama's improbable candidacy.
Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean took time to remind us all that John McCain can't remember the number of houses he owns as he launched into a speech on the Democratic Party's responsiblity to those in America who have less, not more. It's now 4:40 PM MST as of the making of this video.
This is a video interview with now-former campaign finance chair Terry McAuliffe who commented on Senator Hillary Clinton's nomination of Barack Obama as President. Terry also informs us that he's going "To Dizzyland."
Live Performances (before gavel) Yonder Mountain String Band Performance
Jeff Austin, Adam Aijala, Ben Kaufmann, Dave Johnston
Voter Registration Presentation
Remarks The Honorable Luis Gutierrez
Member of the US House of Representatives, Illinois
David Plouffe
Obama Campaign Manager
Ray Rivera
Obama State Director, Colorado
Call to Order The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Permanent Chair, Democratic National Convention
Member and Speaker of the US House of Representatives, California
Invocation Rabbi David Saperstein
Director, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism – Washington, DC
Presentation of Colors Disabled American Veterans
Pledge of Allegiance Shawn Johnson
US Olympic Gymnast
National Anthem Jennifer Hudson
Academy award-winning singer and Broadway performer
Presentation of Resolutions Democratic National Committee Vice-Chairs Mark Brewer The Honorable Linda Chavez-Thompson
The Honorable Mike Honda
The Honorable Lottie Shackelford
Susan Turnbull
Remarks Honorable Bill Ritter, Jr.
Governor of Colorado
The Honorable Ed Perlmutter
Member of the US House of Representatives, Colorado
The Honorable John Salazar
Member of the US House of Representatives, Colorado
The Honorable Diana DeGette
Member of the US House of Representatives, Colorado
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (LOCAL)
Video & Remarks The Honorable Howard Dean
Former Governor of Vermont
Chair of the Democratic Party
Video & Remarks: Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King The Honorable John Lewis
Member of the US House of Representatives, Georgia Rev. Bernice King
Daughter of the late Dr. King Martin Luther King III
Oldest son of the late Dr. King
Remarks The Honorable Bill Richardson
Governor, New Mexico
Live Performances will.i.am
Accompanied by John Legend (piano), Agape Choir, and band
Sheryl Crow
Singer/songwriter
Remarks Ray Rivera
Obama State Director, Colorado
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (LOCAL)
Remarks The Honorable Jan Schakowsky
Member of the US House of Representatives, Illinois
The Honorable Mark Udall
Member of the US House of Representatives, Colorado
The Honorable Tim Kaine
Governor of Virginia
Live Performance Stevie Wonder
Remarks The Honorable Al Gore
Former Vice President of the United States
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM (LOCAL)
Remarks John Kuniholm
Wounded Iraq veteran
Live Performance Michael McDonald
Singer/songwriter
Remarks Susan Eisenhower
Granddaughter of President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Retired Generals Tribute Air Force Maj. Gen. J. Scott Gration (Ret)
Accompanied by additional generals
American Voices Program Roy Gross Monica Early Wes Moore Janet Lynn Monacco Nate Flick Teresa Asenap Pamela Cash-Roper Barney Smith
Remarks The Honorable Dick Durbin
US Senator, Illinois
8:00 PM – 9:00 PM (LOCAL)
Video/Remarks SENATOR BARACK OBAMA DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
Benediction Pastor Joel Hunter
Senior Pastor of Northland in Central Florida
Adjournment The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Permanent Chair, Democratic National Convention
This morning, I had the pleasure of visiting with the AL delegation for their breakfast and celebration of the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s, "I Have A Dream" speech. Rep. John Lewis, the only man who spoke with Dr. King on that day still living, addressed both the AL and, after a request was received and honored to open the dividing partitions between ballrooms, the GA delegation.
Rep. Lewis, currently of GA, but a native son of AL, was amazing, as always. He talked about how far this country has come since he and his comrades marched from Selma to Montgomery saying, "Those of you who tell me nothing has changed, I'd like to tell you to come walk in my shoes." Saying that he had, "cried so many tears in the last two days," he went on to say that he, "never thought (he'd) see last night," the night when Barack Obama, an African American, was nominated for the Presidency.
Rep. Lewis was eloquent speaking about the nomination of Barack Obama for the Presidency: "What you did last night, what we will do tonight, we will be making a down payment on the fulfillment of (MLK's) dream." That downpayment, however, must be followed up by action and Rep. Lewis envisions a march on the ballot box. "We must march in every town, every hamlet, every village, every neighborhood. We must march on the ballot box and make Barack Obama the next President of the United States, not just for ourselves, but for the next generations. If we fail to elect Barack Obama as President of the United States, history will not be kind to us."
These beautiful ladies with Shaddai Designs sell handmade Obama purses and jewelry. You can reach Michelle Browder, the graphic artist, at 334-834-0551.
