Three great stories on recent political events

The public radio program On The Media looks at the stories behind the stories from the past week.

Three interesting stories:

1. How Cable News drowned out last weeks historic events

2. The overlooking of those who came before.... (I noticed this too). On The Media talks with Melissa Harris Lacewell.

3. The healthcare debate is louder and more important this time around.

Dems In Denver: Opening Night Review

Twenty-two million Americans tuned in to the Democratic Convention last night, four million more than party attracted to the opening days in Boston four years ago. The opening day was filled with highs, lows, and unusual choices, but the night should ultimately be a successful one for Democrats.

The surprise appearance from Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy, in the midst of a fight with cancer, sent a clear jolt of energy through Denver's Pepsi Center. One of his party's most indelible icons, Kennedy had jumped wholeheartedly behind Barack Obama in February, passing the torch to the young Illinois senator. "It's time for a new generation of leadership," he said then. His appearance Monday was in question just hours before he took the stage and Kennedy acknowledged those doubts in his opening. "Nothing is going to keep me away from this special gathering tonight."

While Kennedy's speech was the highlight of the night for many, a speech from former Iowa Republican Congressman Jim Leach was one of the low points. Leach, who represented Southeast Iowa for 30 years before a surprising defeat in 2006, failed to deliver red meat to the crowd as Zell Miller did for Republicans four years ago and as Joe Lieberman will likely do next week. Instead, the mild-mannered (and, quite frankly, boring) Leach talked of bipartisanship and praised the Democratic nominee. The speech fit nicely into Obama's call for unity, but it seems like a missed opportunity. Was Leach was the best Obamacon they could find?

There were a few other curious decisions as well. Jimmy Carter made only a brief appearance after a video tribute was shown in the convention hall. It was a surprisingly small part for an former president to play. Carter insisted today that the decision not to speak before the delegates was his decision, but I have to wonder if the Obama campaign would have welcomed him, having already drawn negative comparisons from his Republican rival. Carter famously refused vetting before his 2004 convention speech, one of the few to explicitly go after President Bush. Since, he has also drawn criticism for a number of statements about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Still, Carter's ex-presidency has been filled with humanitarian accomplishments and is a model for those who followed him in the Oval Office. His brief role last night is simply curious.

The prime time spotlight (and the attention of the broadcast networks) belonged to Michelle Obama and she made the most of it. Owing to her "proud of America" comments in February, the would-be First Lady is a controversial figure to many. Introduced by her brother Craig Robinson, who showed an unmistakable family resemblance, Michelle Obama's speech was as much a reintroduction of her as it was an introduction to her husband. Twenty minutes later, she had hit one out of the park. She talked of her own middle class upbringing, her relationship with Barack, and her children, exemplifying her own American story. Her goal was to connect with the hopes and struggles of the average voter and with visible emotion she did just that. Daughters Malia and Sasha joined her on the stage as their dad spoke briefly to the convention from Kansas City, Missouri. All in all, it was a powerful appearance and one that could only help her husband's campaign.

Not everyone was happy with the evening's events, however. Former Clinton strategist James Carville suggested his party had wasted their first night in Denver. "You haven't heard about Iraq or John McCain or George W. Bush--I haven't heard any of this. We are a country that is in a borderline recession, we are an 80 percent wrong-track country. Health care, energy--I haven't heard anything about gas prices," Carville said on CNN, calling for his party to become more aggressive. In 2004, John Kerry barred virtually any criticism of the Bush Administration--a decision he probably came to regret. "I guarantee on the first night of the Republican Convention, you're going to hear talk about Barack Obama, commander-in-chief, tax cuts, et cetera, et cetera."

While Carville is correct that the Democrats need to put the focus on the Republicans, Monday night was not the right venue for such attacks. Bush-bashing will certainly help unite a fractured party, but it would have been out of place coming from the candidate's wife. The Democrats will almost certainly use Tuesday and Wednesday to lay out their message against John McCain (Thursday will be about Obama's vision) and the effectiveness of those attacks could set the tone for the campaign's final seventy days. It seems the weight of that task will fall largely to Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden in the days to come, as if those two needed any more pressure.

Cross-posted at Political Realm.

Democratic National Convention - Tuesday Night Open Thread

Tonight is Hillary's night.

And Mark Warner does the Keynote.

Discuss what you want.

Barack Obama Assassination Thwarted

Group caught in the operations stage of plot to kill Barack Obama.

This is another reason why the grand acceptance speech at Invesco Field may not have been well thought out... at least not from a practical point of view. It is going to be a security nightmare in terms of logistics, coordination, etc.

The nuts are coming out of the woodwork... and I have a feeling that this is only the beginning. The USSS will have to come up with a different program for protecting Obama and his family. Business as usual is probably not going to be sufficient.

Luckily good old fashioned police work revealed this plot, and hopefully all of the suspects are in custody.

I also hope that the USSS and the FBI have taken the proper countermeasures.

TVOne's Coverage of the Democratic Convention

TVOne is offering primetime coverage of the Convention, so you will have another option besides CNN, MSNBC, C-Span, Fox and PBS. The regular networks are only covering it for one hour per night. So, if you're a political junkie with more than one TV like me, maybe you'll use one of your Tivos for TVOne's Coverage.

TV ONE OFFERS LIVE NIGHTLY COVERAGE OF DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION

BEGINNING AT 8 PM ET MONDAY, AUG. 25

-- Network for African American adults will offer live convention floor coverage from 8-11 PM ET co-hosted by XM Radio and WOL-AM radio host Joe Madison and CN8 Anchor Arthur Fennell followed from 11 PM – midnight by TV One Live: DNC After Party, anchored by veteran journalist Jacque Reid and co-hosted by Rev. Marcia and Michael Eric Dyson –

-- Prelude to convention coverage is TV One Commentator Roland Martin’s one-hour interview with Michelle Obama Sunday, Aug. 24 at 8 PM ET

Read more »

Democratic National Convention: A Schedule

The 2008 Convention: Americans Gathering To Change The Course Of A Nation

Program Schedule

Monday, August 25 – One Nation

Barack Obama’s story is an American story that reflects a life of struggle, opportunity and responsibility like those faced by Americans everyday. The opening night of the Convention will highlight Barack’s life story, his commitment to change, and the voices of Americans who are calling for a new direction for this country.

Monday’s headline prime-time speaker will be Michelle Obama.

Other Monday night speakers include:
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi; Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri; Barack Obama’s sister Maya Soetero-Ng and Craig Robinson, Michelle Obama’s older brother; Jerry Kellman, mentor and long-time friend of Barack Obama; Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr.; former Indiana Representative Lee Hamilton; Tom Balanoff, President of Illinois SEIU; Nancy Keenan, President of NARAL Pro-Choice America; NEA President Reg Weaver; AFT President Randi Weingarten; Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan; State Comptroller Dan Hynes; Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulis; Chicago City Clerk Miguel del Valle; and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper.

Monday night will also feature a tribute to Senator Edward M. Kennedy.

Read more »

It's Official: Obama Will Give Convention Speech At Stadium

From The HuffingtonPost:

Rachel Weiner
The Huffington Post
It's Official: Obama Will Give Convention Speech At Stadium
July 7, 2008 09:15 AM




Obama will accept the Democratic nomination at Denver's Invesco field -- which can hold over 75,000.

"The Democratic Party is nominating a true change candidate this August, and it is only fitting that we make some big changes in how we put on the Convention," DNC Chairman Howard Dean says. "By bringing the last night of the Convention out to the people, we will be able to showcase Barack Obama's positive, people-centered vision for our country in a big way."

"Barack Obama's campaign for change has inspired millions of Americans and brought people into the political process who might never have been involved," said Convention Co-Chair Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius. "This change in the Convention program will allow thousands of first-time participants a chance to take part. I can't think of a better Convention finale for our nominee who has made reaching out to voters a hallmark of his campaign."


"Senator Obama and the DNCC have truly brought the community into the Convention," said Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, Jr. "This decision will enable thousands of residents from Colorado, the Rocky Mountain West and across the nation to witness history first hand. What a way to fire up our grassroots activists as we head into the fall campaign."


Rumors of the switch surfaced on Thursday.


The move from the Pepsi Center convention hall means "accepting the party's designation, historic as it may be, will not be the central focus of his remarks," The Nation says. "Rather, Obama will be putting the convention -- and the Democratic party -- behind him as he launches . . . outreach to Americans who don't usually vote and Americans who don't usually vote Democratic."

I love the sheer nerve of this move. The visual of it, IF he pulls it off, will be breathtaking. I'm not mad at the Obama Campaign for thinking big.

Just a reminder. The day that Obama accepts the nomination is the anniversary of Dr. King's ' I Have A Dream' Speech.

Denver- From the Imagination of a West Wing Writer

Hat tip:Prometheus6

Lawrence O'Donnell of West Wing fame has penned a nightmare fan fiction:

Four Days In Denver