Every Democrat Has His Day
I’m in Chicago this morning introducing the girlfriend to the family, which by the way is going very well. She and my mother love each other and having a great time. That could of course be bad for me in the long run, but I’ll risk it.
In the meantime, my producer Chris Spangle, attended yesterday’s Indiana Democratic Convention. I’ve reposted his analysis here.
1 PM Update:
Ran into Dr. Woody Meyers. He is a delegate. His only future Political plans were to come into the convention and vote as a delegate.
Spoke to Congressman Joe Donelly. He had no public comment on Tony Zirkle… 
Hear that interview Monday.
We are in the Marriott. The room here is much smaller then the large hall the GOP had for their convention. Lunchtime is nearing an end, and folks are streaming into the hall. The crowd is a lot smaller then I figured it would be. It is also much youger then the GOP. Average age of attendee is 45. The GOP convention: 60. There are many more young people here then at the GOP convention.
I am sitting next to Amos. He wants to know who in the world would marry Abdul?! lol
About 1,000 delegates are here for the convention. I believe that is on par with the GOP, altough it does not look it.
1:30 PM
I thought Democrats had all this enthusiasm and energy. This is like sitting at a boring lecture. Maybe it will hit when Jill speaks around 3.
Andre Carson spoke. We won’t have that due to a mult-box issue. I promise that this time, it was not my fault, lol.
The organization here is weak. Twice in 15 minutes, people were called to speak, and they never showed up. People, pay attention!
The Democrats have officially nominated Richard Wood for Superintendent for Public Instruction. His slogan is “Experience, Dedication, and Results.” He is proud to be a party that looks to the future with vision and courage. At the end, the entire 8th district did not stand for Wood. There was a standing applause in the middle of the room (Districts 9, 2, 3, and 1.) The other districts (7, 4, 6 and 8 ) did not stand. Laziness or is there a meaning to this?
Wood had a power point slide show. Linda Pence has a video detailing how smart she is, and her accomplishments. It started with her fighting Shell Oil on behalf of a small town gas station owner. I think it’s clear they think they can win that race, and will pump a lot of money into it. Maybe they think the GOP will neglect Zoeller because he is not the “chosen” candidate.
More disorganization. Instead of bringing Pence right up after the video, and carrying on momentum, they went to a Louis Armstrong song, and then the chairman cam up and talked about how great life is. Then he finally announced Pam Carter, after a long speech on how long he’s know Pam Carter. Pam Carter was the first African-American and Female to be elected Attorney General.
Pam Carter forgot to nominate Carter, but the Chairman of the convention (Sherrif Dominguez from Lake County) quickly stepped up and officially nominated her.
Pence walked out to the theme of Law and Order. Andre Carson walked out to Stronger by Kanye.
2 PM Update
No mentions of Mitch, Bush or Cheney yet. You’d think in an hour, there would be more GOP hate-mongering.
About 1/4 of the room did not stand and cheer for Pence. Three-Quarters did not stand and cheer for Bauer. Where is the energy, people?
Bauer is the first person to hit Mitch Daniels. “Four years ago, a dark cloud came over Indiana. THEY SOLD OUR TOLL ROAD! I like Australians. I love Kangaroo Dundee. I just don’t want them to have our money.”
Bauer says Mitch raised property taxes a Billion Dollars. Bauer was apparently there to nominate Oxley. That was not expressed. Oxley had 3/4 of the room stand and cheer for him. He came out to Mellencamp’s Small Town.
Oxley thanked Bauer, and called him a “close confident.” I wonder how he spells “potato?” He also says Hoosier incorrectly. He says, “Whooysher.”
Oxley hit Mitch. He might be the heavy in the campaign. He went on with a list of Mitch Daniels unaccomplishments. One that stood out was that many Whooyshers die because Mitch Daniels doesn’t care about them, and does not give them health insurance. He made fun of the island in a sea of despair commercial by saying Mitch is on “Fantasy Island.” While speaking, someone in the crowd yelled out, “Privative Mitch!” That got a healthy laugh.
2:40 PM Update.
Convention on time, to the surprise of the IDNC staff.)
JLT video is running. BATHROOM BREAK! Birch Bayh received the biggest applause pop, until Evan came on-screen. No sighting of Evan Bayh, Brad Ellsworth, Bart Peterson, Andy Jacobs, Frank Anderson or Baron Hill yet. They may be here, but will not speak and I have not seen them.
JLT is right in front of me, waiting to walk up the center aisle. She is taking a lof of deep breaths, and looks nervous. I don’t blame her. The crowds are more energetic with the sight of JLT, but the level is not the same as it was for Mitch. It is not as intense as the Obama crowd at Plainfield, or the crowd at Ben Davis for Hillary.
JLT is clearly standing on a box. (Mitch, while JLT’s same height, did not.)
None of the speakers, with the exception of Bauer, is particularly energetic. The crowds politely clap. The speeches are clearly memorized and rehearsed.
There are almost no mentions of Obama, Bush or McCain. This is clearly a convention focused on Change in the Governor’s Mansion. JLT only mentioned Mitch once in her speech, with a few slight digs. Her speech was focused on her strengths. The words “fighter” and “change” were mentioned a million times.
Biggest applause was that JLT will reinstate collective barganing for unions. Click this link: http://www.howeypolitics.com/2008/06/21/democratic-convention-uaw-wont-endorse-jlt/
She says she will get our economy moving again. ? She will give tax breaks to companys WITH health insurance benefits. No more free rides under JLT when it comes to business. Indiana will also become a national leader in the Green economy. She will also “stop the Daniels obsession with privatization.” She also told the crowd how much she loves them. The entire crowd went, “Awww.” I felt like I was at Sex in the City!”
This speech, which can be heard on A.I.M. on Monday or podcast, is one of the most uninspired speeches I have ever heard. I am so bored. She could not be more droll or monotone. She has no central message. It is just the standard platform that Democrats ALWAYS bring forward. There is talk of change and progress, but then she offers up the same ideas that O’Bannon and Kernan brought forward! How do the 1,000 delegates here not see that? She even walked off stage to Tom Petty’s “Won’t Back Down!”
As soon as she was done speaking, people headed for the door. Many didn’t stay for the balloon drop.
