Democratic Convention Comment Thread

Post by **Mr Bean** » 2008-08-25 06:30pm

The convention kicks off offically in two hours, and of course every news outlet is providing breathless second by second coverage of the event and interviewing all 500+ Senators, Representatives, Governors, and local and state Reps they can get their hand on.

/Republican On
Anyone else watching or planning on watching this celebration of Liberal values like Mandatory Gay Marriage, Surrendering and Tree-Hugging?
/Republican Off

irishmick79 · Post by **irishmick79** » 2008-08-25 10:00pm

Kennedy looked like he was in pretty remarkable shape, considering he's getting close to 80 and had major brain surgery two months ago. You could see that he was pretty weak, but his voice was still strong.

Post by **Cairber** » 2008-08-25 10:12pm

Ok, I admit I cried a little during the Kennedy tribute/speech. I am also really enjoying the MSNBC coverage. They are just having a great time with it.

Anyone see this yet?

Denver police disrupt possible Obama assassination plot

Noble Ire · Post by **Noble Ire** » 2008-08-25 10:37pm

Ah, CNN. Unfiltered and uninterrupted? I'd buy the tag-line a lot more if you didn't have your talking heads blathering through all but the most significant speakers. Or, perhaps, if said talking-heads could do anything else other than moan about the lack of a message thus far from the convention.

If I ever had any illusions that the majority of the network was anything other than FOX News Light, they've been dispelled. Here we are, on the first day of the convention (when most people haven't even tuned in yet), before the primary speaker of the night has even taken the stage, bolstered by a stirring and unexpected appearance by Senator Kennedy, and most of these gas-bags are already calling the convention a waste of time.

I need to find MSNBC...

Post by **Surlethe** » 2008-08-25 10:44pm

Noble Ire wrote:Ah, CNN. Unfiltered and uninterrupted?

Interestingly, I'm listening to NPR's live coverage and watching CNN at the same time. CNN is on a 30-second time delay -- if anything untoward happens, they can cut it off immediately.

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2008-08-25 11:31pm

Let's run down what I've found...

Clinton Vs. Idiots:

Hillary: "I understand that the McCain campaign is running ads trying to divide us and let me state what I think about their tactics and these ads: I am Hillary Clinton and I do not approve that message."

Wolfson, desperately seeking to eck out a bit more of his 15 seconds: There's a huge rift between Obama and Bill Clinton! DISASTER!

Atrios, of Eschaton, is already meeting the Two Drink Minimum: "# make that drink 49 minutes ago
# skybox people get to rink but no one else. 51 minutes ago"

Michelle Obama's repeated the '18 Million Cracks' glass ceiling reference. It will be nice when the US catches up with Britain when it comes to having a female leader.(Though hopefully not quite like Thatcher, wasn't a fan, myself.)

McCain so desperate to pretend there's not a contest, that he's already President, and that he'll fight the Evil Tsarists, he's.. Dispatched his wife to broker peace. Well, she is worth 100mil of beer... Link

The Martin did not like the Pep Rally, Pelosi. Don't quit your day job.

CNN's lineup is an atrocity. We have Bennett representing McCain, and Carville representing the 'Hillary conceded gratefully but we demand 15 seconds of fame despite being the reason her campaign sucked so hard' camp. 'MOST LIBERAL DEMS IN HISTORY!'

All so far.

Post by **Broomstick** » 2008-08-26 05:22am

Cairber wrote:Anyone see this yet?

Denver police disrupt possible Obama assassination plot

Such things are inevitable. Too many bigots won't stand for an uppity [offensive racial term] getting into the White House. That is why security is and will always be tight around Obama both now (Robert Kennedy was assassinated as a candidate, after all) and in the future.

irishmick79 · Post by **irishmick79** » 2008-08-26 06:33am

My wife and I watched the CSPAN coverage. CSPAN is the way to go if you don't want to listen to the talking heads blather and deal with the network pimping their other news programs during the gaps between keynote speakers and cutting to commercials.

CNN can suck an elephant's asshole if they said the convention lacked a message. Virtually every speaker hit on 'failed policies of the past', 'we need change', or another line of attack that Obama has developed so far in the campaign. It was overall a fairly disciplined display. Pelosi, McCaskill, Caroline Kennedy and Jackson Jr aren't the most electrifying speakers, and it showed. They didn't make any major gaffes though, and pretty much stuck to the core democratic message. CNN doesn't like that because it doesn't give them any fodder to stir shit up with or over-analyze to the point of irrelevancy.

Raw Shark · Post by **Raw Shark** » 2008-08-26 03:17pm

Passengers everywhere! Cops everywhere! Blocked streets everywhere!

This week will be great for me, if I don't blow a blood vessel in my forehead.

Post by **Cairber** » 2008-08-26 09:57pm

I know this thread is for day 1 but I figured better to make it all one thread rather than one for each day...

Anyone hear Warner speaking? (finishing up now) Best line ever:

"we will actually have a government that believes in science"

Patrick Degan · Post by **Patrick Degan** » 2008-08-26 10:36pm

irishmick79 wrote:My wife and I watched the CSPAN coverage. CSPAN is the way to go if you don't want to listen to the talking heads blather and deal with the network pimping their other news programs during the gaps between keynote speakers and cutting to commercials.

CNN can suck an elephant's asshole if they said the convention lacked a message. Virtually every speaker hit on 'failed policies of the past', 'we need change', or another line of attack that Obama has developed so far in the campaign. It was overall a fairly disciplined display. Pelosi, McCaskill, Caroline Kennedy and Jackson Jr aren't the most electrifying speakers, and it showed. They didn't make any major gaffes though, and pretty much stuck to the core democratic message. CNN doesn't like that because it doesn't give them any fodder to stir shit up with or over-analyze to the point of irrelevancy.

Also, if you've got DSL, you can take a straight video feed from the DNCC Video Experience website (download Silverlight plugin). Fuck the networks (except CSPAN).

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2008-08-27 12:06am

You don't get the full Denver experience until you read the hilarity from the folks with blogs and access.

# something is afoot at the circle k. sharpshooters on the roof about 6 hours ago

Our Media

I've been informed that while Dan Rather is upstairs giving a harsh critique of our news media, Katie Couric is next door profiling Arianna Huffington's yoga room.

-Atrios 14:47

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2008-08-27 12:17am

SirNitram wrote:You don't get the full Denver experience until you read the hilarity from the folks with blogs and access.

You don't get the full Denver experience until you're there to see the demonstraters and cops in person. The 16th street mall is quite literally crawling with cops, with like 20 per block in full riot gear, bicycle cops, horseback cops, private security, you name it. It's a fucking zoo.

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2008-08-27 12:25am

General Zod wrote:
SirNitram wrote:You don't get the full Denver experience until you read the hilarity from the folks with blogs and access.
You don't get the full Denver experience until you're there to see the demonstraters and cops in person. The 16th street mall is quite literally crawling with cops, with like 20 per block in full riot gear, bicycle cops, horseback cops, private security, you name it. It's a fucking zoo.

Ninjas?

That'd make it perfect. Ninjas!

More seriously, riot gear? Has shit gotten out of hand, or is it just 'ZOMG LIBERALS!' precautions?

Duckie · Post by **Duckie** » 2008-08-27 12:26am

SirNitram wrote:
General Zod wrote:
SirNitram wrote:You don't get the full Denver experience until you read the hilarity from the folks with blogs and access.
You don't get the full Denver experience until you're there to see the demonstraters and cops in person. The 16th street mall is quite literally crawling with cops, with like 20 per block in full riot gear, bicycle cops, horseback cops, private security, you name it. It's a fucking zoo.
Ninjas?

That'd make it perfect. Ninjas!

More seriously, riot gear? Has shit gotten out of hand, or is it just 'ZOMG LIBERALS!' precautions?

I've seen a youtube video or two of small riots, mostly by idiots.

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2008-08-27 12:28am

SirNitram wrote:Ninjas?

That'd make it perfect. Ninjas!

More seriously, riot gear? Has shit gotten out of hand, or is it just 'ZOMG LIBERALS!' precautions?

Yep, riot gear. Dozens of protestors were arrested last night over some brouhaha or another. This is just second hand info, but from a friend of mine who heard this from a friend of his who's a cop working security, some of the "demonstrators" were throwing water balloons filled with piss at the police. If it weren't for the fact that my camera's out of batteries and I'm too broke to replace them until Friday, I'd gladly take pics.

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2008-08-27 12:31am

If I had ten bucks, I'd put ten bucks down on them being the Green Party, which, IIRC, is now being led by Cynthia McKinney, who apparently thinks she can breeze through security and not be touched.

Post by **Broomstick** » 2008-08-27 06:43am

EVERY party convention has cops in riot gear, and nutjob protestors who think it's 1968 in Chicago.

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2008-08-27 09:12am

Well, my cellphone cam seems to be working at least. So I'll see about snagging some pics of what downtown looks like right now when I'm off work tonight.

Pu-239 · Post by **Pu-239** » 2008-08-27 09:51am

Patrick Degan wrote:
irishmick79 wrote:My wife and I watched the CSPAN coverage. CSPAN is the way to go if you don't want to listen to the talking heads blather and deal with the network pimping their other news programs during the gaps between keynote speakers and cutting to commercials.

CNN can suck an elephant's asshole if they said the convention lacked a message. Virtually every speaker hit on 'failed policies of the past', 'we need change', or another line of attack that Obama has developed so far in the campaign. It was overall a fairly disciplined display. Pelosi, McCaskill, Caroline Kennedy and Jackson Jr aren't the most electrifying speakers, and it showed. They didn't make any major gaffes though, and pretty much stuck to the core democratic message. CNN doesn't like that because it doesn't give them any fodder to stir shit up with or over-analyze to the point of irrelevancy.
Also, if you've got DSL, you can take a straight video feed from the DNCC Video Experience website (download Silverlight plugin). Fuck the networks (except CSPAN).

/rant, annoyed Linux user (bit OT)
Ugh, they decided to use Silverlight which has zilch market penetration and not even out of beta instead of Flash which is nearly universal.

Linux and Mac PPC users get shafted again.

At least there's CSPAN in low resolution (had to install the 32 bit verson of mplayer and put the realplayer codecs on it), and speeches are usually put out in text form anyway.

On-topic, it's amusing seeing PUMA sites such as Talkleft, NoQuarter, and Hillaryis44 spin the speech yesterday.

Post by **Mr Bean** » 2008-08-27 10:14am

Listening to the convention speeches on www.theyoungturks.com, they have a free live feed going out (http://winmedia.voxcdn.net/3137-live1-wmv) between 1900 EST-2300 EST and a little bit after. The convention has been amusing to this point but even Clinton spent more time reflecting then attacking which is sad.

Why do the Republicans stand a chance? Because so many American's have no idea how far down the shitter that Bush has driven the country. Everyone knows Iraq, but how many know about the deregulation that led to Enron? How many people know that McCain was next to Bush even as Katrina hit the Gulf Coast? How many family values voters know that McCain dumped his crippled first wife for his hot young mistress?

How many people know McCain came within a hair of being indicted for taking bribes?, at best I'd say 5% of American's know that. Why? Because Obama spends so much time praising McCain to how much he spends attacking him.

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2008-08-27 11:26am

Isn't Elfdart supposed to be a delegate at this thing? We need his info.

Jadeite · Post by **Jadeite** » 2008-08-27 01:45pm

They need to attack the Republican party more, because its certainly not going to hold back out of a sense of mutual 'respect'. All this retarded fellating of McCain being an "honorable" man is bullshit, because he certainly isn't going to be even remotely as decent once things really heat up.

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2008-08-27 02:19pm

Jadeite wrote:They need to attack the Republican party more, because its certainly not going to hold back out of a sense of mutual 'respect'. All this retarded fellating of McCain being an "honorable" man is bullshit, because he certainly isn't going to be even remotely as decent once things really heat up.

Really? I watched some CSPAN last night, and it looked like that was about ALL they were doing.

Noble Ire · Post by **Noble Ire** » 2008-08-27 02:19pm

Jadeite wrote:They need to attack the Republican party more, because its certainly not going to hold back out of a sense of mutual 'respect'. All this retarded fellating of McCain being an "honorable" man is bullshit, because he certainly isn't going to be even remotely as decent once things really heat up.

In a country as steeped in military-worship as America, paying lip-service to the service of John McCain is an necessity. Being a soldier, particularly one who was a POW, gives him a general immunity from personal criticism (barring "wealth" and "out-of-touch" points); Democrats can only attack him on the issues. Of course, they haven't been doing that enough (although the pace is picking up), but I can't fault them for tempering their assault.