|
|
|
The Big Ticket
A blog about the Democratic Convention
What Biden Brings To The Big Ticket
Hello again everyone! Thank you to anonymous for your comments on Senator Obama's choice for VP. I believe you have a valid point. Biden brings a lot to the ticket that seems as though it will please those Hillary supporters who are unsure of which way to vote. Before I get into what I believe Biden brings to the ticket, I must say one thing first. As a Hillary supporter, who was dissappointed by the results of the primary election, I am proud to say that I fully support Senator Barack Obama for president. To those of you who were Hillary supporters and have decided not to vote Democratic because of her loss in the primaries - you need to seriously reassess your party affiliation and the reasons why you call yourself a Democrat. Obama and Hillary stood so close on nearly all the issues, that I find it difficult to stomach the fact that it may be our own party which sabotages the chances of a Democratic president this January. This is just some food for thought - it is not my intentions to make anyone feel as though they must vote for a specific candidate. However, if you vote on the issues (which everyone should and would be foolish not to), then you should see how this controversy is very troubling for me and many others alike. Ok now, back to Biden. One huge factor that troubles many Hillary supporters, and Democrats in general, is the mindless assertion that Obama is a Muslim. What Joe Biden brings to the table is the fact that he is Catholic. This is comforting to many people and I believe will help Obama bring some of those undecided Hillary supporters to his side. Next, Biden brings a wealth of experience in foreign policy to the ticket. Foreign policy has been speculated as one of Senator Obama's weak points, and Biden could help to reassure some undecided voters in this respect. Lastly, Biden's family history, along with his understanding of the effects of the current economic crisis on many average Americans, appears to be helping Obama win support from many blue collar workers, which we know to be one of Hillary's key constituencies. Well, that's where I stand. I hope this has been insightful for at least some of you, and again, if you would like to leave comments I would be more than happy to address any of your thoughts or concerns in future blogs.
My Apologies
Hello everyone. I want to apologize for missing so many days of reporting on the convention, however, my experience is not turning out to be everything that I thought it would be. As part of my fieldwork component of this academic seminar series, I have been assigned to work for CNN. I have been working, on average, 10.5 hour days, and trying to keep up with the coursework at the same time has proven to be nearly impossible. I will tell you this - because I have been given press credentials, I have had access into the Pepsi Center for the past four days. The first day was very exciting and the days to follow, well, not so much. On my first day in the Pepsi Center, five volunteers, including myself, performed microphone checks for the CNN anchors who would be covering the convention live. I got to sit in Anderson Cooper's chair! The days which followed were filled with menial tasks. I must say that the convention floor within the Pepsi Center is breathtaking. I was told that the podium actually moves up and down to accomodate all those who will be speaking throughout the convention. Within the perimeter of all the action, I was able to watch several live broadcasts. Most of the VIP began arriving today, and it was clear that the general public had knowledge of this. Protesters marched through downtown Denver and gathered at the gates of the Pepsi Center. All types of issues were addressed during the march, including abortion rights, immigration rights, gay/lesbian rights, the war in Iraq, the energy crisis and much more. There was certainly no shortage of police or secret service, and they were well equipped with rubber bullet guns and other riot control weaponry designed to keep things in order. I apologize for the lack of exciting firsthand details, however, you must understand that it is very difficult to gain privileged access and information in Denver right now. On a side note, I am sure that many of you have heard that Barack Obama has selected Senator Joe Biden of Delaware as his running mate. Recent CNN polls, taken after this decision, indicate that 52% of Hillary supporters will vote for Obama, 21% will vote for John McCain, and the rest have remained undecided. I would love to hear any comments/thoughts on Senator Obama's decision, and I would be more than happy to share my thoughts if anyone is interested.
Off To Denver!
Hello, and welcome to everyone who is just as excited about the 2008 presidential election as I am. We are indeed living in historical times, and I am blessed to be smack dab in the center of all the action here in Denver, Colorado. The Washington Center has gone out of their way to organize this presidential academic seminar series, and they have done a fabulous job. Upon arrival to Regis University, where myself and the other 500+ students involved in this program will be residing, I was overwhelmed with the endless opportunities I may have the chance to experience while in Denver for the next week and a half. NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK...that's all they keep telling us, and for good reason. The list of speakers who will be coming to Regis University to help guide us in our studies during this election and convention process is quite impressive. We will be hearing from people such as Ricky Kirshner, the executive producer of the Democratic National Convention, Travis Dredd, DNCC Deputy CEO for Inside the Hall Operations, Cameron Moody, DNCC Deputy CEO for Outside the Hall Operations, Paul Lhevine, Denver Host Committee Cheif Operations Officer, Wally Podrazik, DNCC Director of Media Logistics, Elbra Wedgeworth, President/Chair Denver Host Committee, Agent David O'Connor, Special Agent in Charge, Governor Bill Ritter of Colorado, Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee and former governor of Vermont, Donald Fowler, Ph.D., former Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Governor Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania, Ambassador Dominique Struye, Belgian Ambassador to the United States, Bob Schieffer, CBS News Anchor, Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH), Ambassador Nancy Rubin, former U.S. Ambassador to U.N. Council on Human Rights, Reg Weaver, President of the National Education Association, Michael Dukakis, former governor of Massachusetts and 1988 Democratic nominee for president, and Congressman William Lacy Clay (D-MO). In addition to this list of speakers, we will also have the opportunity to hear from several political scholars who will offer us a wealth of knowledge about the American political system as well as analysis on a variety of complex issues that surround this election. What makes this list of people so beneficial for our learning process is that they all hold different positions, some in very different fields, and with that, they will be able to offer us a wide range of perspectives and thoughts in regard to the convention and election processes. I look forward to sharing their stories with you, as well as my own impressions and reflections which will be acquired in the days to come.
Welcome to the Big Ticket
|
|
|
