This is my much delayed account of the last of the Presidential candidates I saw at the 2007 DNC Winter Meeting, Senator Hillary Clinton. I remind you again that I did not get to see Governors Vilsack and Richardson, or Senators Biden and Gravel. My impression from other blogs that they all gave great speeches, and are worth looking at. Some of them talked with Jay and JRB.
My first impression is that there is no question Hillary is a very formidable candidate. Her campaign easily had the most supporters present -- dressed up nicely in suits and dresses -- and they handed out innumerable signs. I heard a nearby DNC member say that she has learned to speak very well, though I understand she was
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Jay and Jack at the DNC Winter Meeting (From Getty Images):
WASHINGTON - FEBRUARY 3: As a sign of support to their growing popularity and influence, bloggers, like Jay Lassiter (L) and Jack Bohrer of BlueJersey.com, were given specific areas and network support to cover the Democratic National Committee (DNC) Winter Meeting at the Capitol Hilton on February 3, 2007 in Washington, D.C. DNC Chairman Howard Dean led the meeting which took place over the last two days. (Photo by Jamie Rose/Getty Images)
The treasurer, Andy Tobias, also gave a speech at the DNC. (He then introduced Hillary Clinton) he said that last year 1.2 million Democrats donated to the party. This was way up from the last comparable period (2001). He noted Internet donation increased twelve-fold. He asked us all to go to democrats.org and buy a Democracy Bond. While we raised a record amount, we spent everything, and borrowed $4 million. He noted that in his investment guide he discourages people from borrowing, but this $4 million debt was the best investment ever. After the election, Democrats raised another $3.7 million by the end of the year, and over $5 million in January. So we're doing great!
Too bad we can't say the same for the country. Tobias pointed out that interest on the national debt is now equal to 42% of income taxes. For the Republicans who visit the site, I'll point out that Reagan, Bush and Bush borrowed most of this money. You could easily have a 30% federal income tax cut if they weren't so irresponsible. This year alone Bush will borrow $800 in your name, another $800 in your spouse's name, another $1600 in your parents' name, $800 from each of your kids, and $800 for every American you know just for the Iraq war alone. I hope you're happy!
I'll just say up front that John Edwards's speech blew me away. His supporters were in an organized block in back. All had white tee shirts over their regular clothes with the logo one corps. As one of the volunteers explained to me, they are not just campaigning but volunteering to fight poverty.
His intro music was "This is our Country." There was a lot of applause welcoming him. He opened by acknowledging the loss of Molly Ivins.
Then he began his speech. He said that somewhere in America, a little girl is hungry. He spoke of union picket lines. Then, a young man who has been accepted to college, but puts the letter aside because he cannot afford it. It doesn't have to be that way. A mother hearing that her precious son who volunteered after September 11th is dead. Refugee camps half a world away, where a little boy tries to protect his even younger sister, now that their parents have been murdered. It was astoundingly moving, I was ready to cry. Some where in America there's a working dad who has to beg at the emergency room for treatment for his sick daughter. Will you stand up? The crowd roared and stood. It was amazing. I wrote Wow! multiple times in my notes.
Having seen him run in 2004, no doubt you all already have your opinions of Representative Dennis Kuninich. As I recall, he was actually still on the ballot in June when we voted. I would say that the audience showed little interest in his speech, with many people wandering off and some have their own conversations in the aisles, to the point that I would call it disrespectful. He noted it too, calling out: "Can you hear me in the back? [pause] Cause I can hear you!"
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson heads to Bloggers' Row at the 2007 DNC Winter Meeting.
Also, our new friend and DNC Delegate from Colorado, Debbie Marquez, took this photo of Governor Richardson's boots. We look forward to seeing Debbie in her home state for the 2008 DNC Convention.
General Wesley Clark was the third speaker in Friday's General Session. I don't think he explicitly said he is running for President, and indeed I thought it was pretty funny that before the candidates spoke, Howard Dean said we have ten speakers that have declared their candidacy. Then he realized that wasn't quite true and backtracked, obviously thinking out loud as he spoke.
Clark spoke of all the time he spent stumping for candidates in 2006 all around the country. He too praised Howard Dean and the 50 State Strategy. [Really, I have to say it's pathetic the party ever got into the mode of writing off huge regions of the country.] One problem for Clark was that the crowd was obviously not as interested as they had been in Obama.
He spoke very movingly about the sacrifices due to war, the casualties and the family and friends of the fallen. He went on to talk about his military experience, and how he managed the war with Serbia without losing a single American in combat. There's no question in my mind that he is making this speech, and running for President, because of his concern for this country and the military.
As you might expect, the room was packed for Senator Barack Obama's speech to the DNC Winter Meeting. Every candidate had an introduction from a DNC official, and Obama's was quite effective in naming numerous progressive bills that he passed in the Illinois legislature. Unlike the other candidates, he had no introductory music, but the crowd's wild cheers served just as well, and the lack of music set the tone effectively. He began -- like most other candidates -- by observing that Howard Dean's 50 State Strategy proved that a "progressive, common-sense message can sell everywhere." Then, reflecting on his sudden popularity, he observed that he felt like a contestant on a hit reality show: though he was unsure whether he would soon be 'voted off the island' or be given a 'ticket to Hollywood.' Then he said that this is not a game, not a contest, it's a serious moment. The crowd fell silent.
He continued: We're fighting cynicism. Cynicism makes us afraid to say what we believe. I found the speech incredibly moving. His style was totally different from the other candidates.
While Jay Lassiter and JRB were doing an amazing job with DNC Winter Meeting videos at blogger's alley, I sat in the press section and watched the first crop of Presidential candidates. You can see videos of the DNC speeches at democrats.org. I urge you to sit and watch the candidates you're interested in -- I'll try to tell you my perception of the events based on my notes. (I decided to break this into separate diaries since it was too long.) For disclosure, I have not decided on any candidate -- I like Edwards and Obama the best, but in principle I want a governor with a record of success -- but I have an irrational bias against Hillary Clinton that you can filter out. Also, since I was too tired to go to Saturday's meeting, those candidates (Biden, Richardson, Vilsack, Gravel) won't be covered. Blue Jersey has no position for or against anyone. So please feel free to advocate and organize for your favorite candidate, here or in your own diaries. We hope to have all the candidates participate here.
First of all, I've never been at anything like this. It's been a long time since I saw Jesse Jackson and George H. W. Bush in (separate!) rallies in 1988. So I was totally psyched. But I think that the whole room -- indeed the whole meeting -- was especially excited. The victories in 2006, having the first woman speaker of the House, the knowledge that the public has rejected Bush and the Republicans, and the victories in the Mountain West and other 'red states' all add up to a rejuvenated party. It was clear in the speeches, in the crowd, and in the caucus meeting that Democrats feel that at last it is our turn. Almost every speaker promised universal health care in the first term, and praised Howard Dean and the 50 State Strategy. Howard Dean said that the speakers were limited to 7 minutes, which no one obeyed, and 100 signs or less, which everyone but Hillary Clinton followed. They also got up to 30 seconds of intro music. I had visions of Derek Jeter coming up to the plate with loud rap music blaring or Mariano Rivera and 'Enter Sandman' , but strangely enough, no one chose rap music or heavy metal.
I ran into Joe Cryan on the side of the main hall at the 2007 DNC Winter Meeting, and asked him about what he thought of the meeting, and some of the candidates so far.
June Fischer is a DNC member from New Jersey, and a newly elected member of the DNC Executive Committee. She is the only member from New Jersey. Look for posts from June in the near future!
Here's Wes Clark and Chris Dodd in the lobby at the DNC Winter Meeting. Dodd never made it all the way to Blogger Alley. The audio is pretty bad, but it's worth a try!
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