Day 4- A Magical Evening

 

 

 

August 27^th, 2008

 

Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a better end to an amazing experience here in Denver.

 

Barack Obama accepted the nomination with pride and promised to lead our country in the direction that we need.  If you didn’t watch his speech, you need to go online and find it… NOW!

 

Invesco Field was at maximum capacity and it was my feeling that Obama touched everyone who heard him tonight.

 

Before tonight, I had planned to vote for Obama because he is a Democrat.  After tonight, I am voting for Obama because I believe in him as a candidate.  He proved to me that he has what it takes to lead us into the future.

 

The afternoon and evening at Invesco Field was extraordinary.  Musical guests like Sheryl Crow, Stevie Wonder, Will.I.Am and John Legend got the crowd moving.  Speakers like former Vice President Al Gore, Governor of New Mexico Bill Richardson, and Governor of Virginia Tim Kaine spoke about the change we need in America and reiterated the fact that Obama is that change we need.  These people all had notable things to say, but tonight was Obama’s night.

 

“Eight is enough” was Obama’s catch phrase of the speech.  He asked voters—Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike- to stand up and not let this country look how it has for the past 8 years.

 

Obama highlighted McCain’s history of voting with Bush: “What does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush has been right more than ninety percent of the time?”

 

Most importantly, Obama told America what he plans to do and how he plans to pay for it.  He gave a detailed description of how he plans to make the changes he has been talking about throughout the campaign.

 

Obama’s proposal of putting the politics of the past behind us was inspiring.  He bluntly talked about the battle about personal lives involved in campaigns and the idea of the “perfect” candidate. When he said “you make a big election about small things,” I felt like he was highlighting the fact issues about his race and religion are being talked about more than his stand on abortion or what he plans to do about global warming.

 

He also did a great job of talking about his differences which McCain and the media try to spin negatively: “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.”

 

Obama addressed everything he needed to.  He needed to unify the party and get the issues out on the table.  He needed to speak directly to the “nay-sayers” and counteract the negative light in which Republicans portray him.

 

I witnessed something tonight that was beyond historical.  This was something I will never forget.  The energy of the crowd, the confidence in which Obama spoke and the message that was echoing through the stadium was all just magical.

 

After his speech, I, of course, went on my nightly adventure to find some celebrities.  I really couldn’t imagine that my day or my night could get any better, but believe it or not, today was my lucky day.

 

I met George Stephanopoulos from ABC, Wolf Blitzer from CNN, and little known news anchor named Katie Couric.  It was a dream come true to meet her, and it just made my incredible evening feel even more like a dream. She chatted with me for a bit even though she was in a rush, and I even got a photo!!! (picture to come later)  Katie was so nice and really is an inspiration to me as a journalist.

 

I couldn’t have imagined a more magical end to a remarkable day!

 

A recap of the convention to come over the weekend—including some convention bounce speculation— check back soon!!

Day Three- Surprise!

 

 

Wednesday, August 27th 2008

 

Obama’s surprise appearance tonight may have been predictable for some, but for me, it came as a total surprise.  I was inside the Pepsi Center for most of the afternoon listening to some of America’s greatest politicians and didn’t have access to any outside news feeds.

 

His surprise capped off a day which was nothing short of spectacular.

 

I interviewed about 20 delegates from all over the country and it was extremely interesting to hear their perspective on different issues and ideals. Each delegate was honored to talk about issues they felt were important and tell their story about what they were doing to change America today.  I met a State Representative, an Obama campaign volunteer, a radio show host and even a comedian.  Every single person had a message and a reason they support the Democratic Party and Barack Obama.

 

The energy inside the Pepsi Center was exciting. The roll-call had gotten everyone cheering and eager for a great line-up of speakers. Melissa Etheridge entertained the crowd as the arena filled early in anticipation for an exciting evening.

 

Tonight was about Joe Biden accepting the Vice Presidential nomination, and speakers like Former Secretary of State Madeline Albright, Senator Evan Bayh from Indiana (we all know him from the VP shortlist), Senator Jack Reed from Rhode Island, Former Senator Tom Daschle and Senator John Kerry showed their support for the Obama-Biden ticket.

 

Madeline Albright said, “The first quality a leader needs to have is the ability to learn.” I found this interesting because it makes you think outside the box.  Most people say leaders need charisma, courage, strength, but she is pointing out that you can’t have any of those things without having the ability to learn.

 

Senator Evan Bayh attacked McCain: “He [McCain] says he agreed with George Bush on almost every issue.  He must be the only person in America.” The crowd enjoyed that jab.

 

Senator Jack Reed reminded us that he and Obama opposed the war from day one, and former Senator Tom Daschle reminded America that if Obama is elected, “not only will our party win, our country will win too.”

 

Honestly, I didn’t come here tonight to hear these people speak about how great Obama will be for our country.  I don’t mind hearing it, and I actually enjoyed it, but I came to hear what former President Bill Clinton had to say.

 

Ok so maybe I am a huge fan of the Clinton family. There is nothing wrong with supporting a family who has always fought to make America a better place for everyone, not just the upper class.

 

Clinton touched on the heat of the primary season. “In the end, my candidate didn’t win.  But I’m very proud of the campaign she ran: she never quit on the people she stood up for, on the changes she pushed for, on the future she wants for all our children.”  I thought it was so important to talk about Hillary first and get that issue out of the way.  We all knew he was going to endorse Obama, but it would have seemed less sincere if he didn’t talk about her amazing run right off the bat.

 

“Hillary told us in no uncertain terms that she’ll do everything she can to elect Barack Obama.  That makes two of us.  Actually that makes 18 million of us…” Clinton really delivered this well.  The polls indicate that some Clinton supports are still not supporting Barack Obama.  As we know, I am a huge Clinton supporter.  I personally plan to vote for Obama in November, but only because I do not want to see another Republican in office. Obama wasn’t my candidate, but I am choosing to vote for him because I don’t want to see another 4 years of the last 8.

 

Hillary supporters are still a bit bitter about the primary season, but there is no reason to throw this election out the window for the Democratic Party. Obama and Clinton see eye to eye on many issues with only slight shifts in opinion.  It is my hope that after this convention, Hillary supporters will see that backing Obama is what we need to do to get this country moving in the direction we want it to.

 

“Everything I learned in my eight years as President and in the work I’ve done since, in America and across the globe, has convinced me that Barack Obama is the man for this job,” former President Clinton said.  Despite the past, Clinton is kept in high regard by many Americans.  This bold statement will be taken to heart by many voters who look to Clinton for leadership, and hopefully help Obama’s campaign.

 

He said that Obama “hit it out of the park” with his selection of Joe Biden as a running mate, and continued to talk about what Obama will do as President.

 

Clinton compared Obama to himself and his campaign 16 years ago: “…the Republicans said I was too young and too inexperienced to be Commander-in-Chief.  Sound familiar?”  I thought this was great because it legitimizes everyone’s belief that experience isn’t everything.  It shows proof that 20+ years as a Senator doesn’t make you a better candidate than someone with just a few years of Senate experience.

 

Clinton didn’t just endorse Obama.  He spelled out for the nation what Obama will do to make the changes we need.  Clinton humanized Obama for the American people: “His life is a 21^st Century incarnation of the American Dream.”

 

The crowd cheered loudly for the former President.  In his attempt to reach out to Obama supporters, Clinton supporters and those undecided voters, Bill gave a spectacular speech.  He did what he needed to do: unite the party behind Barack Obama.

 

Senator John Kerry addressed the delegates and guests and compared the candidate McCain to Senator McCain.  I thought this was a great way to call him a “flip-flopper” without actually having to use the term. It is so overused in politics and Kerry did a great job of drawing out McCain’s flaws in a novel way: “Before he ever debates Barack Obama, John McCain should finish the debate with himself.”

 

Kerry was clever with his attacks on McCain.  “We are electing judgment and character, not years in Senator or years on this Earth.”

 

The Pepsi Center was buzzing and it was almost time for Biden to take the stage.  A local resident of Delaware spoke about how Biden helped changed her life, and a video montage, featuring comments from Biden’s family and Barack Obama, gave America a look at the road Joe Biden had traveled to get here tonight.

 

Biden’s son, Beau, introduced his father as “his hero.” Didn’t Chelsea do the same last night for Hillary?

 

Senator Joe Biden accepted the nomination with pride and spoke about his journey to where he is today. “Failure at some point is inevitable, but giving up is unforgivable.”  He spoke about his difficulty with speech when he was a child and used the family values which his mother raised him in believing to show his American spirit. “My mother’s creed is the American creed.  No one is better than you.  Everyone is equal, and everyone is equal to you,” Biden said. 

 

Biden spoke about Obama as an honorable man.  Biden pointed out Obama’s stand on the war, the economy and many other issues that face our country today.

 

He called for us to back Obama like we have other great Presidents: “Our greatest presidents―from Abraham Lincoln to Franklin Roosevelt to John Kennedy―they all challenged us to embrace change. Now, it’s our responsibility to meet that challenge.”

 

Biden not only told us about his past, but he gave us confidence that he will lead us into the future with change. 

 

Obama’s surprise electrified the crowd and gave true meaning to the message Biden had just conveyed.  Obama reassumed skeptics that Biden is the best choice for his running mate.

 

Before Biden’s speech, I wasn’t overly happy with Obama’s decision to choose him. After hearing him speak about his life and his experiences, I can now confidently say that that I think he compliments Obama in a way no one else could.  Although I wish Hillary was the President or Vice President, I think this ticket is what Democrats need to win this election.

 

More importantly, I met several famous politicians and celebrities today!

 

Susan Sarandon, Anne Hathaway, and Gloria Reuben stopped for photo ops, but others like Spike Lee, Ashley Judd, Forest Whitaker, Steven Spielberg and Jamie Foxx passed me by during the mad rush to exit.

 

As for politicians, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland was by far the nicest of anyone I have met at the convention.  He took the time to talk to us and really get to know us. Of course being from Quinnipiac, he immediately associated me with the Poll and we got into talking about our polling on Ohio.  It’s a good thing we predicted his victory in his last race.

 

I saw other politicians like Governor Howard Dean, Congressman Dennis Kucinich and Former Governor Michael Dukakis around the convention hall.

 

Overall, I thought Bill rocked the house tonight.  He really reached out to everyone in the nation with his words of wisdom and insight.

 

It was an exciting night at the Pepsi Center… and I can only imagine what tomorrow will bring at Invesco Field.

Day 2- Dreams Really Can Come True

 

Tuesday, August 26th, 2008

Day two began with some star studded action.  After visiting one of the many Starbucks in Downtown Denver, I spotted Angela Bassett on the corner of 16^th Street.  I wanted to chat with her about Tina Turner, but in better taste I decided to just ask for a photo.

My day at the paper went well, but it was my evening inside the Pepsi Center that I will never forget.

Hillary Rodham Clinton has been a hero of mine since I was in elementary school. Tonight, I had the opportunity to be in the Pepsi Center as she gave what some say was the speech of her life.  Before I get into her moving speech, let me give you a peak into the Pepsi Center.

As I was walking the concourse on the floor level, I almost literally ran into former President Jimmy Carter. I was standing outside of the CBS News Suite, went to turn around, and the former President himself was standing barely a foot away from me. (pictures to be posted later)

After my close call with the former prez I went to secure myself a seat for the former First Lady’s remarks.

Ohio Governor Ted Strickland addressed the delegates and guests about the job cuts in the “heartland” and attacked Senator McCain regarding his disconnect with the middle class. “It’s time for a President to bring our jobs back and bring our troops home,” Strickland said.

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick focused more on the need for a new economy and the change we need to see in our country. Patrick reminded the delegates that McCain’s plan is the “same old” and that the Democrats need to “put our cynicism down” and “learn to say yes we can.”

It was the Governor of Montana, Brian Schweitzer, who got the crowd going before Clinton was set to take the stage.  Governor Schweitzer was fierce with his attacks on McCain. “Even the leaders in the oil industry know that John McCain is wrong,” Schweitzer said.  The Governor focused on the issue of energy and oil: “Barack Obama understands that the most important barrel of oil is the one that you don’t use.” He excited the crowd with his support of Barack Obama and got the delegates and guests on their feet just before Clinton was set to speak.

After Governor Schweitzer left the stage, the Pepsi Center was roaring with excitement.  The short video of Clinton from youth to today, narrated by daughter Chelsea Clinton, got the attention of everyone in the arena.  With interviews from Clinton’s mother and Former President Bill Clinton, the clips ranged from childhood to her race toward the White House.  Tom Petty’s “American Girl” played in the background as the montage of her achievements rolled across the screens.  Those in attendance raised the “Hillary” signs, given to the crowd by the Obama for America campaign, and stood in anticipation for Clinton.

Although it wasn’t Hillary, Chelsea Clinton took the podium, and introduced her mother as “her hero.”

And there she was, walking onto the stage in front of me.  Wearing an orange pant suit, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton waved to the standing room only crowd.

The cheers from the crowd for Senator Clinton were electrifying. I had chills, and I know many others were touched just by the emotion in arena.  The crowd cheered and applauded the Senator for over five minutes before taking their seats.

Clinton delivered the best speech of her career.  I couldn’t believe that I was actually sitting there, watching her speak about healthcare, the war in Iraq, and of course, Barack Obama. A year ago, the polls indicated that Clinton was a shoe-in for the Democratic Presidential nomination, but tonight, she was endorsing a fellow Senator for President.  She called herself “a proud supporter of Barack Obama” and asked the delegates and voters to come together: “Whether you voted for me or for Barack, the time is now to unite as a single party.”

Clinton was strong and powerful in her message. “We are on the same team and none of us can afford to sit out on the sidelines” Clinton said.

Clinton showed her wit and charisma in her attacks against the media. “You made me laugh and yes, you made me cry,” Clinton said.  Her obvious reference to the coffee house incident the night before the New Hampshire primary was a clever attack against the media.  The media scrutinized Clinton throughout the primary season, and some Clinton supports believe that it was the media who lost the race for her.

Clinton thanked those who supported her along the campaign trail and jokingly referred to her supporters as the “sisterhood of the traveling pants suits.”  This was another knock at the media for their analysis of her pants suits throughout her campaign.  I wonder how People magazine felt about that.

As she attacked McCain and Bush, the crowd roared with approval: “…with an agenda like that, it makes perfect sense that John McCain and George Bush will be together next week in the twin cities,” Clinton said, referring to the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis.

Senator Clinton was, in my opinion, incredible.  It was emotional for me, watching her give a speech that wasn’t an acceptance of the Presidential nomination.   Clinton needed to unite the party, and I believe she did that tonight.   She can’t make all her supporters happy.  I am sure there are some die-hards out there that are still skeptical about backing Obama, but those people need to sit and really listen to what Clinton had to say tonight.

Her reference to Harriet Tubman and to the struggles women have come so far from gave me chills.  There is no better word than to say she electrified the Pepsi Center tonight.   “There are no limits to what is possible in America,” Clinton said.

Tonight was a dream come true for me.  Clinton is an inspiration to me as a young woman on so many levels and her message was clear tonight.  We need to unite as a party in order to avoid four more years of the past 8, and although it isn’t her name on that ballot, it is time for Democrats to come together and fight for change.

Day One- A Walk in the Park…or Maybe the Zoo

Brian Williams and Me waiting in the first security checkpoint outside the Pepsi Center.

Monday, August 25th, 2008 

Political conventions are known to be a bit chaotic.  Politicians and past convention attendees heeded a loud warning about the Disney World-like journey I was about to embark upon.

This Disney World consists of Secret Service agents, SWAT teams and bomb squads.  High level security, credentials and large metal gates.  Day one of the convention proved to be nothing short of hectic.

 

Security over the weekend was a nightmare, and so it was a relief to arrive at the Pepsi Center and have a short line at the first security checkpoint.

 

As I was patiently waiting for the Secret Service to check my Press Credentials, I noticed a tall familiar man in line in front of me.  Even NBC Nightly News Anchor Brian Williams needed to wait in the security line.  Of course I approached Mr. Williams, introduced myself, and even posed for a photo op!  What a great way to start my morning.

 

After security checkpoint two, I finally made it to the media pavilion, where I have been and will be working for the convention.  Although I will not disclose who I am working for, I will tell you that it is a major NY paper.

 

The intricacies of my day are too numerous to describe, but what I will tell you is that I have never witnessed an event like this in my life.  Inside the perimeter of the Pepsi Center, pavilions are filled with journalists crunching to meet deadlines from around the country.  Productions crews are stationed around the entrance filming stand ups and packs.  All the while, delegates and special guests file into the arena, eager to be a part of convention history.

 

By mid-afternoon, the perimeter was flowing with people constantly and the convention was in full swing.  My co-worker and I spotted Reverend Al Sharpton from a distance, and made a quick move to chat with him.  Not long after our rendezvous with the Reverend, the evening speeches began and the madness only escalated.

 

The tribute to Ted Kennedy, his surprise appearance, and Michelle Obama’s heartfelt speech about her husband capped off the first day of excitement here at the Pepsi Center.  The show wasn’t over yet though, and these Democrats don’t end their day without an after-party or two.

 

After leaving the pavilion area long after Michelle Obama’s speech ended, I made my way over to a midnight breakfast party, hosted by Congressman Larson from Connecticut.  Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd made an appearance, and I was elated to chat with him about the election and Barack Obama. Meeting Dodd was a goal of mine for this convention, and I was excited to hear his views on how the Presidential campaign is going for Obama.  Although his comments were off the record, I will say he has a great perspective on the election as whole, even at 1 AM.

 

After leaving the party, I had been awake for 21 hours and felt as though it was time for some sleep.  The energy in downtown Denver was vibrant and the message of change permeated through the air.  I went to sleep knowing that in just a few short hours, more people would pour through those gates and present me with more opportunities than I could even wish for.

 

There are so many details I haven’t even touched on…check back later for more details on my first day and some of my adventures thus far during day two!