The Conventions Part 1
434 words.
We’ve been watching the DNC on C-SPAN this week. If you’re masochistic enough to want to watch a partisan convention, C-SPAN is definitely the way to go. It entirely cuts out the commercials and painfully ridiculous commentary that typically comes with the news networks. Also, you get to actually see what goes on before the featured prime-time speakers.
We’ve also been following Vivian Paige on Twitter for the inside scoop from the Virginia delegation. (Not Larry Sabato is also there.) Bob Brink of 7 West is also blogging from the convention. There might be others, but I don’t know who they are offhand.
This is really my first extensive exposure to a convention. I remember watching bits and pieces of the 2004 conventions, but not much more than a handful of featured speakers. And I wouldn’t have even known what a convention was before that.
I keep wondering who’s paying for all of this. The city of Denver? Corporate sponsers? Lobbyists? Party donations? Politicians? Taxpayers? I certainly hope it’s not that last one, and I seriously doubt it would be politicians. Also I would think it’d be hard to get people to donate money to a party if they knew it was just going toward, well, a big party. And who’s paying for all the delegates to fly out and stay there? If I had to pay for that I’d consider it more of a punishment than a privilege to be selected as a delegate. I guess it would be more fun for someone really into politics.
Here’s some prime time speakers on YouTube if you missed them: Michelle Obama, Mark Warner, Hillary Clinton, Hillary’s acclamation, Bill Clinton, John Kerry, Joe Biden, Al Gore. Other stuff from Thursday night isn’t up yet. Slowpokes. Tim Kaine. Barack Obama.
The most entertaining speeches by far have been: Dennis Kucinich and Brian Schweitzer.
Some quick notes: Mrs. Krehbiel correctly predicted that Hillary would wear the orange pantsuit. Hillary’s suspension of the roll call vote was classy, but I was disappointed I didn’t get to see the Virginia delegation vote. I fully expect Hillary to be running again in 4 and/or 8 years. I was surprised John Kerry went after John McCain like he did — he was like a raging… err… basset hound. I didn’t think for one second that Joe Biden’s “freudian slip” was an accident.
I can’t wait to compare the DNC to the RNC. I’m particularly interested in comparing the music selections. I hope the RNC convention doesn’t run so dern late into the night though. Some of us have to work, ya know.
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