Thursday at the Democratic National Convention

A spectacular evening ends a spectacular week in Denver with Senator Barack Obama delivering a landmark speech challenging Senator McCain while giving far greater focus to his vision of change. Musical guests Cheryl Crow and Stevie Wonder added to the celebratory atmosphere, and former Vice President Al Gore was the applause champion of the under card with a speech that many remarked was better than any that he delivered eight years ago.

Cavernous INVESCO field was packed. Delegates following Allegheny County Executive and Delegate Dan Onorato’s direction of “hey, let’s try over here” waited less than 10 minutes from stepping off of the bus to stepping onto the field. We rode busses to a point just outside the Stadium and saw a line of probably a thousand people waiting for screening. The sharp eyed County Executive spotted an alternative place a few hundred yards away with no waiting – that’s the kind of leadership that Pennsylvania needs. Inside, I heard stories about a three mile and three hour wait, even from some persons with delegate credentials who never found the proper lines,

The security screening itself was the same as earlier in the week: a walk through a magnometer similar to the airport and then a wanding and pat down. I wonder from where the Uniform Division of the Secret Service finds so much personnel and equipment.

The mood inside the stadium was celebratory. Lines were long, and the internal security restrictions were at times onerous but no one seemed too upset by it. For instance, at several times during the evening, the field was sealed. Thus delegates could not leave the floor to use the restroom or get drinks. At one point, Governor Rendell challenged former State Senator and Alternate Delegate Bob Rovner to get him a soda. The resourceful Rovner returned about twenty minutes latter with two drinks, having paid a kid on the other side of the barrier $50 to get the drinks and hand them over.

There was a big cheer from the Pennsylvania Delegation for Congressman Joe Sestak’s appearance on the podium during the segment featuring former generals and admirals. The Congressman’s thirty-six hours in Denver (he left the stadium for the airport and the red-eye back to work) were incredibly busy with media interviews and party obligations while simultaneously talking on the cell phone to Washington and back home. The Congressman even found time to meet with the foreign minister (or some official) of a country whose name I can’t recall – which brings me to a necessary and fitting end to my week supplementing the work of the Daily Times. From now on I shall leave the journalism to Alex Rose and the other professionals; it’s much too hard for me to get all details accurate, and to do so with proper spelling and grammar.

Thanks for the opportunity.

Wednesday at the Democratic National Convention

Another night of tremendous excitement as Senator Joseph Biden delivered an emotionally rousing recantation of his life’s story and then launched an attack contrasting Senator McCain’s views with Senator Obama’s vision. President Clinton’s speech poignantly reminded us of a prosperous America and Senator Obama’s surprise appearance in the hall brought an ear splitting roar which was the last of many moments which tonight sent a shiver up the backs of delegates.

Earlier in the evening, delegates cast our votes for the nomination, although Pennsylvania was never reached in the roll call. In contrast to the significance of the ceremony of the delegate vote and the vast resources spent by the candidates to obtain delegates and secure those votes, the mechanics of the vote itself is quite simple.

The DNC provided the Pennsylvania Delegation a multi-page list of delegates; each delegate having their own line with columns to indicate their vote by check mark and a column for the delegate’s signature. During the morning, the list was available to execute in the delegation office at the hotel. Prior to the drop of the gavel, the list was brought to the convention hall, where Governor Rendell personally maintained the list as he walked around the delegation collecting each delegate’s vote and signature. The nearing deadline caused frantic cell phone calls and searches for delegates who had not yet voted, particularly public officials who may have been embarrassed had they failed to vote.

Added today to the accoutrement of paraphernalia on the mini podium which is set up near the delegation stanchion was a laptop computer which featured a running total of ballots cast during the roll call of states. The roll call never reached Pennsylvania due to the lengthy time which our predecessor states took to recognize their various geographical peculiarities and agricultural products. The pass to Illinois pass to New York sequence which ended the roll call was scripted for 4.30 p.m. local time, so by 4 p.m. we knew that Pennsylvania’s chance of being recognized dwindled every time another state’s delegation acknowledged an additional variety of pie unique to its environs. Had things gone a little faster then maybe another 4 or 5 states could have gotten down the road to permit Governor Rendell to wax poetically about the virtues of cheese steaks and soft pretzels.

Another thing that I have been asked about is the mechanics of the coordinated sign display. The organization of signs is a far more elaborate undertaking than the balloting to determine the Presidential nominee. In the moments before a sign change, about a half dozen floor whips within our delegation circulate the various signs with instructions on the manner of display (holding, waiving, rotating). A cue from the lead whip then results in the convention floor changing from red to blue. This seems to happen about forty times a night, and by the end of the evening there are mounds of garbage between the aisles, which is promptly scavenged for souvenirs.

There were celebrities today in our delegation’s section on the floor: former Pittsburgh Steeler great Franco Harris, who is a Delegate from Allegheny County, and the actress Morgan Fairchild, who is, um, well, really pretty and was apparently in need of a place to sit. She has actually always been politically involved and is currently working on a get out the vote project. Also today, I got a good up close look at CNN’s Anderson Cooper and he really is a dead ringer for Delaware Democratic Party First Vice-Chairman Tony Campisi.

Today's breakfast brought the pleasant surprise of a tap on the shoulder from Dorothy Gallagher, President of the Delaware County Federation of Democratic Women and long time leader in Collingdale. Dorothy is in town staying with her daughter, who moved to Denver about 9 years ago, and taking in some of the convention festivities like this morning’s delegation breakfast.

Until tomorrow.

Tuesday at the Democratic National Convention

The poignant moments of political conventions happen on the worlds’ stage in the big hall. Tonight was another such moment as Senator Hillary Clinton dramatically and emphatically squelched rumors of her defection with an enthusiastic affirmation of Senator Barrack Obama in the context of her speech celebrating women’s achievement.

The exuberant feeling on the DNC floor in the Pennsylvania delegation was universally electric, in part because of two of the warm up acts on Senator Clinton’s under card: Governor Rendell and Senator Casey. Senator Casey gave the speech of his life, really rallying the assemblage and causing the entire hall to chant his refrain of “4 more months”.

Following the events at the Pepsi Center, at the invitation of the Deputy Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representative, Josh Shapiro of Montgomery County, we went to a great party hosted by the “Rising Stars of the Democratic Party” which is a group of about a dozen influential young elected officials from various states. At the party was Montgomery County Commissioner and Delegate Joe Hoeffel for whom Representative Shapiro was Chief of Staff when Commissioner Hoeffel served in the United States Congress. I also met another of the Rising Stars, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.

Next was a spectacular party for the Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Florida Delegations at INVESCO Field, the football stadium where Barrack Obama will speak on Thursday. After remarks by the state Governors of the invited delegations, we were treated to remarks from both Senator Clinton and President Clinton. In the more intimate setting of the stadium's Club Lounge luxury box area, Senator Clinton was just as elegant and embracing as in the convention hall and President Clinton spoke with the ingratiating charisma that hallmarked his Presidency.

While waiting in the Clinton's exit path to buttonhole and congratulate them both on their evening’s remarks, a nice woman from the New York delegation told me that she had grown up in Philadelphia and asked if I would introduce her to Governor Rendell. It turns out that she is the daughter of deceased Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Ethan Allen Doty, a legend who served almost forty years on the bench. The Governor, with his own hallmark charisma, charmed her with several stories of cases that he tried in front of Judge Doty when the Governor was an Assistant District Attorney. It’s a small world. And, I had a “non-political celebrity” spotting: the actress and former West Wing star Mellissa Fitzgerald, who is also the daughter of former Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice James Fitzgerald.

Earlier in the day, the morning’s delegation breakfast featured a speech by State Auditor General Jack Wagner and a speech by State Treasurer Robin Weissmann of Bucks County who is here with her husband, Philadelphia lawyer and Governor Rendell confidant Ken Jarin, and with her son, Alex, who staffed the other night's DGA event at Erlich Gardens. After his speech, General Wagner said that he is working too hard on his re-election campaign to focus on whether or not he will be a candidate for Governor in 2010, but he is thinking about the possibility.

During this morning’s speeches, Nether Providence Township Democratic Party Chairman David Landau enjoyed a plate of eggs at the same table with me. As a result of his fundraising efforts for the Obama Campaign, David is an Honored Guest of the campaign attending the DNC proceedings each evening.

Another Delaware County connection in Denver is Eleanor Dezzi, President of The Dezzi Group, a political and business consulting business, and a former leader in Philadelphia’s 21st ward, who is here with her husband, Al. Not only did the Dezzi family live for a few years in Landsdowne in the 1970s but much of Al’s family is from Delaware County, and their son, Jamie, is married to a cousin of Delaware County Council Member Christine Fizzano Cannon – it’s the kind of bi-partisan partnership that Senator Obama and other Democrats seek to advance in Washington.

Later in the day, with transportation to events in town continuing to be problematic from the Pennsylvania delegation’s suburban hotel, Delaware County Delegate Richard Sestak and I were the fortunate recipients of a ride into town from Montgomery County Delegate Barbara Schiffrin of Wynnewood. Barbara and her husband, well known lawyer Richard Schiffrin who recently stepped down from heading the Radnor based law firm Schiffrin & Barroway, are major financial backers of Democratic candidates in Pennsylvania and across the country. Also joining us in the ride for a lively and, given the latter events of the day, timely discussion of women in politics were State Senator and Delegate Connie Williams who represents the 17th District in Radnor and Haverford townships, and Delegate Leslie Miller, of Bryn Mawr, who in addition to her well known efforts in support for many Democratic candidates is the former General Counsel of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

More tomorrow.

Monday at the Democratic National Convention

Today’s highlight was the emotionally charged two act drama in the Pepsi Center. First, Senator Edward Kennedy's surprising appearance on the podium in hiatus from his brain cancer treatment evoked the passion and pride that Democratic faithful harbor for his and his family’s service. Then, Michelle Obama in her speech and the Obama family in their impromptu video interaction effectively told their family story to further humanize Senator Obama and show that he is not materially culturally or politically different from most of us.

I was fortunate to witness the evening’s events from a choice aisle seat three rows behind Governor Rendell’s post under the Pennsylvania placard. The Governor runs the delegation from his seat behind a small podium that has a video screen, a microphone and not one but two telephones- although neither phone was used during the evening.

The Pennsylvania delegation has a prime location on the actual floor of the convention, stage left of the podium and spread over the rear portion of two sections of chairs. Thus half the delegation abuts the CBS broadcast location and the other half of the delegation serves as the backdrop for CNN’s position. Those fellows seen over Wolf Blitzer’s shoulder making funny faces and waving to their kids while talking on cell phones were from Pittsburgh. That our delegation is on the actual floor is notable because the massive podium armamentarium appears to take up half the arena’s floor space, and it looks as if about two-thirds of the delegates on “the convention floor” are actually not on the floor of the arena but in the first level seating. This includes some large delegations such as New York and California.

Following the activities in the convention hall, fellow Delaware County Delegate Richard Sestak and I went to a party hosted by the Democratic Governors Association at Elitch Gardens, an amusement park in the shadow of the Pepsi Center. This was an “a-list” event where I was lucky to have a few minutes to speak with Ohio Governor Ted Strickland. Having met Governor Strickland and gone with him to an Indians game in Cleveland a few years ago, I had thought that he would have been a great running mate for Senator Obama, but Governor Strickland’s name quickly disappeared from the list of those under consideration. Monday night, the Governor told me that he had asked to be removed from consideration because he had so much work still to do to get Ohio back on track.

At the party, I was also fortunate to spend a few minutes with Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, and told him that last week while on vacation with my girls in Batch County, Virginia I saw almost twice as many signs for Mark Warner for U.S. Senate than for his opponent. This is a good omen for Democrats as Bath County is a rural Republican county, but I think Governor Kaine already knew that former Governor Warner is a likely winner. I also saw Governor Rendell and former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, but not one fork (that’s a joke understood by readers of last Thursday’s Daily News).

After leaving the DGA party, we went to Coors Field, the home of the Colorado Rockies baseball team, for a reception hosted by the Airlines Pilots Association. It was eerie to look out over a huge baseball stadium which was completely empty of fans.

Earlier in the day, there was a delegation breakfast meeting which is part of the daily routine of the convention. Everyone must attend to get their credentials for the day; and, more importantly, to eat a free meal. The food was unexpectedly good and we were treated to entertaining and witty keynote remarks from Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer. Then came speeches from Governor Rendell, Mayor Nutter and Allegheny County Executive (and Gubernatorial hopeful) Dan Onorato, each of whom spoke of the virtues of Senator Obama and the need for party unity despite each having supported Hillary Clinton in the Pennsylvania primary. At this point, the Clinton/Obama “rift” has been generally cemented closed although it appears that some members of media continue to chisel.

At breakfast, I spoke with Delegate Shelly Rahman and her husband, Abu, of Newtown Square, and also to Delaware County Democratic Party Vice-Chair Mary-Ellen Balchunis of Drexel Hill, who is attending the convention in the company of her daughter, Lauren. Mary Ellen will be reporting on convention happenings to her students at LaSalle University where she is a Professor of Political Science.

After breakfast, I briefly spoke with State Representative Thaddeus Kirkland who is enjoying his time here as a Delegate. Representative Kirkland was too busy for a long chat as he had to run off to pick up “extra” credentials. I always thought that the Representative had a lot of clout, he is chairman of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus and a key supporter of Senator Obama, but being able to secure “extra” credentials for friends or family at the DNC shows that he is a true power broker.

Until tomorrow . . .

Sunday at the Democratic National Convention

Last week, Alex Rose asked me if I would “blog” for the DelCo Times from the Democratic National Convention in Denver. I agreed to write a few hundred words each night to try to capture some of the flavor of the DNC, as long as no one criticized my spelling, typing or grammar.

Sunday’s highlight was the official welcoming concert event for delegates and invited guests to celebrate the convention, as well as to raise environmental awareness. “Green Sunday at Red Rocks” featured musical performances and speeches from environmental advocates.

Red Rocks is an incredible natural amphitheatre about 15 miles outside of town. The views are spectacular as you sit amongst an audience of 10,000 persons between two 300 feet tall walls of stone. Behind the stage is a panorama of the Rocky Mountains which transitions to thousands of points of light as night falls on the city of Denver.

The concert featured Sheryl Crow, the country western act Sugarland and Dave Matthews. Although still obviously distressed by last week’s death of his band’s saxophonist LeRoi Moore, Mathews sent a powerful message to the DNC faithful with a cover of Paul Simon's American Tune, a song about change in uncertain time.

The event also featured addresses by Laurie David, the producer of Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth”, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the son of the Senator and an environmental activist. Kennedy’s speech focused both on the environment and broader issues of leadership. Kennedy told a moving story about how as a teenager he accompanied his father on trip to Europe and saw crowds of over 100,000 people turn out to see and be inspired by an American politician. He said it’s time to restore America to that pedestal.

Prior to the concert was a Western Barbeque in the Red Rocks visitors’ center which featured Bison Burgers and Venison Sausage for the Pennsylvania, Ohio and Virginia delegations. The barbeque also featured political celebrities including Kennedy, Governor Ed Rendell, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, and former Virginia Governor and current Senate Candidate Mark Warner.

Earlier in the day, also waiting with me at the gate for the 10.30 United Airlines flight to Denver on Sunday morning was State Senator Connie Williams, who represents Haverford, Radnor and parts of Montgomery County. Senator Williams shared some stories about her first convention in 1968 (she was a very young girl) where her grandfather was the head of the New Jersey Delegation and she witnessed the violence and turmoil in the streets of Chicago. Several other Philadelphia area delegates were on our flight, as well as delegates from elsewhere making connections. The crowd on the plane was much friendlier than on a typical flight as we sensed a common excitement and purpose.

At the Denver airport waiting for the shuttle to the Pennsylvania Delegation’s hotel, the Marriott Tech Center, was State Representative Daylin Leach who is the Democratic nominee in this year’s 17th State Senate District race seeking to replace the retiring Senator Williams. After checking into the hotel, I traveled with Daylin and his wife Jen to the concert at Red Rocks.

More tomorrow.

Live from Denver

Check back as Democratic party delegate Gerald Lawrence blogs live from the Democratic National Convention in Denver starting next week.