Fuse Washington

Denver Day Four: the enthusiasm, the solidarity – it was breathtaking!

posted by Sharon Smith
If Monday was overwhelming, Thursday was definitely sensory overload!

As usual, our Thursday morning briefing did not disappoint. Governor Chris Gregoire opened the program with a rousing rendition of what she would’ve said had Wednesday’s roll call gone past New York. Kansas Lt. Governor, Mark Parkinson, who’s becoming a regular at Washington Democratic events entertained with his poignant and humorous stories, and Washington Representative Norm Dicks closed with our loud and clear marching orders for the next 8 weeks.

Then it was off to the main event. Nothing I’ve seen compares to what we witnessed when we arrived at Invesco Field where the line was over a mile long! Since I was a delegate we were able to skip ahead but people we talked with inside said it took them anywhere from 30 minutes to over 3 hours to get in. But even in spite of that, spirits were high and the camaraderie was great.

But the show! I doubt there was a person in attendance who didn’t think it was worth the wait! I spent the first couple hours on the floor with my fellow delegates. Washington was a partying bunch as the day unfolded. We watched a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and were inspired by his daughter and son. The entertainment was incredible from the opening choir to Sheryl Crow to John Legend, Michael McDonald and Stevie Wonder. Governor Bill Richardson and Vice President Al Gore were great to listen to as I made my way upstairs to sit with Don (we’ve made this journey together and I wasn’t about to see the rest of this without him!) and it was then that I got a real sense for what was happening – seeing the whole stadium from up high, all the colors, the enthusiasm, the solidarity – it was breathtaking!

The show continued with the endorsement of Susan Eisenhower*, followed by a stage filled with military officers expressing how they want Barack Obama as their Commander and Chief. There were personal testimonials from ordinary people (truly doing extraordinary things speaking to a crowd that size!) telling their stories about why they need a President Obama. The only way to describe it is that it was like an old-fashioned, bullhorn rally with 84,000 people! It felt so huge and lively yet so intimate and engaging. Following some brief words from VP Nominee Joe Biden was the introduction of the main event.

By now I’m sure you’ve all heard Senator Obama’s speech – the eloquence, the messages so masterfully woven as only Senator Obama can do – so I’ll stick with describing the feeling. There were times when you could hear a pin drop and times when it was so loud, you couldn’t hear yourself think. There were times when there were smiles from ear to ear, and times when the tears flowed freely down the cheeks of everyone. And yes, it was sensory overload.

My reason for not writing this closing sooner is we made this a road trip and we spent the last few days driving home through Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota and Montana. But even if we hadn’t done that, I’m not sure I could’ve written about this until now – it’s taken me this long to absorb it. I’m glad to have had the chance to share the experience with you and appreciate the comments and feedback I’ve received. It’s crystallized it for me in a way that otherwise wouldn’t have happened. And now I’m off to start the next journey – we have our marching orders for the next 65 days and I will work every one of them to help ensure Barack Obama is our next President. I really am hopeful that on November 4th we will be able to begin the healing of all the damage that’s been done over the past 8 years.

— Sharon

*Susan Eisenhower’s op-ed is worth reading: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/01/AR2008020102621.html

p.s. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention one more thing about the mechanics of the convention. It was so extremely well-orchestrated – we received a detailed agenda daily and the program rarely wavered and then only in very small ways. The timing was impeccable, the production was top notch – we likened it to watching the Academy Awards – and the messages were clear and on point. Most impressive was the shift from the Pepsi Center to Invesco Field literally without a hitch and maintaining the same level of continuity and content. The Obama campaign and the DNC get an A++ and if Senator Obama can run his administration with even half of the attention to detail that he ran this convention, he will be successful beyond our wildest dreams.

Sharon Smith is a superdelegate attending the Democratic National Convention and a Fuse Board Member.

Denver Day Three: "No Way, No How, No McCain"

posted by Sharon Smith
“NO WAY, NO HOW, NO MCCAIN!” – President Bill Clinton, 2008 Democratic National Convention

It was a big day. Ok, it was a huge and monumental day, but I’m trying to save at least a couple descriptors for the closing!

Today our briefing began at 7am as usual, but there was a noticeable increase in latecomers as people tried to catch a few more precious minutes of sleep. The Firefighters gave a great presentation about their endorsement of Senator Obama for President. We also heard from Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar who has become a Washington favorite and is fast becoming one of my personal favorites for her on-point messaging and appealing delivery.

Most states performed their official voting at their morning briefings, but Washington decided it would be more fun to be on the floor. Voting commenced as soon as we arrived at the convention requiring just a checkmark and a signature. Chairman Dwight Pelz and Governor Chris Gregoire submitted the votes through our station’s computer and within the hour the nominating and roll call process commenced. Unity was strong as each state’s delegates gathered around their microphones, espoused their state’s attributes and announced their votes with several states even showing their respect for Hillary Clinton’s wishes by voting unanimously for Barack Obama. California passed and when the roll call reached Illinois, they too passed and when it reached New Jersey, they deferred back to Illinois who passed the baton to New York so they could be the state to give Barack Obama the majority necessary to win. Senator Clinton then did a very amazing thing in the spirit of unity and cast all of New York’s votes for the “next President of the United States” and called for a vote by acclimation. The “ayes” were loud and clear as history was made and Senator Barack Obama became the Democratic Presidential Nominee.

And then the day just kept getting better. In keeping with the day’s theme of Securing America’s Future, we heard from elected officials, military members, veterans and wounded warriors about why they support Barack Obama. And then there was President Clinton who hit the ball out of the park with example after example of why he believes Barack Obama should be our next President. When he took the stage, the memory of what it was like to have a great Democratic President and it prompted a very long and heartfelt ovation. President Clinton went on to eloquently remind us that not only did he have to overcome the same criticism of inexperience when he ran for President, but that he still really does believe in a place called Hope!

President Clinton is certainly a hard act to follow, but Senator John Kerry was completely up to the task. Personally speaking, I think Senator Kerry gave the speech of the night as he passionately and powerfully explained why John McCain is unfit to be our next President.

The Vice Presidential nominations were next followed by another great speech from then official Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee, Senator Joe Biden. Introducing Senator Biden was his son, Beau, who was incredible in his own right. Senator Biden did a great job presenting himself and his story to the American public and putting in perspective why his long tenure in the Senate doesn’t preclude him from being an agent of change. And then of course there was the surprise of Senator Barack Obama, now Democratic Presidential Nominee, taking to the stage and enjoying the spotlight with his Vice Presidential running mate for the first time.

The bar has been set extremely high. I’m comfortable that Senator Barack Obama is ready for tonight, but most importantly I’m certain he’s ready to lead our nation into a better future! More tomorrow …

Sharon Smith is a superdelegate attending the Democratic National Convention and a Fuse Board Member.

Denver Day Two: "6:AM until 1:AM"

posted by Sharon Smith
OK, after two days, I think I’m understand that the 6am - 1am schedule is a convention trend and not just a one-day fluke!

Tuesday started with our briefing led by Democratic Chair Dwight Pelz followed by presentations by Congressman Rick Larsen and Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray. We were reminded once again of the incredible good fortune we have in Washington State with such a bright and talented group of Democratic legislators. I can’t help but be reminded also, though, of the work we need to do in Eastern WA to change our 4th and 5th congressional district representation. The contrast is sharp and startling. From veterans and GI funding to housing reform legislation, renewable energy progress, health care innovation and job growth opportunities, our delegation makes strides in spite of an administration that does nothing but put up road blocks.

The convention resumed at 3pm, but the day took on a slightly different tone from Monday. There was a little less party as the podium saw a constant stream of presenters including Democratic elected officials from all over the U.S. With each one we heard an astounding list of issues being caused by the Bush/Cheney administration in every state and at every level of our society. A number of average citizens gave their personal testimonies, too, about job losses, worker rights violations, health care tragedies, or simply the steady decline of their ability to meet basic every day needs. The personal affect this administration’s policies have had on people’s lives as the stories mounted became staggering.

Senator Mark Warner was the night’s keynote speaker, but it was Representative Dennis Kucinich and Governor Brian Schweitzer that really fired up the hall. If you get a chance to find replays of these two speeches, I highly recommend them for not only their great messages but their passionate and fiery deliveries. And then of course, the main event was Senator Hillary Rodham-Clinton who delivered a home run speech and expressed irrefutable support for Barack Obama. There’s been much discussion about the discord between the two campaigns and their supporters. But having discussed it openly among our delegations, it seemed to be more media hyperbole than reality as far as the delegates were concerned. Most in Denver are happy to have had the opportunity to celebrate Senator Clinton’s achievements and ready to put the issue of conflict to bed.

And then came the after party. Last night was the WA state delegation party hosted by Microsoft. It was a great chance for the delegation to unwind together after a very long day and hear some comments from Governor Chris Gregoire. As we reach the midpoint in the convention, we already begin to process the work we have when we get back home!

More to come about day three tomorrow …

Sharon Smith is a superdelegate attending the Democratic National Convention and a Fuse Board Member.

Denver Day One: "Overwhelming"

posted by Sharon Smith
Overwhelming. That was the word for yesterday at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Simply overwhelming. For those of you that don’t know, I became a delegate after being elected by the congressional delegation as an Unpledged Add-on Super Delegate (officially unpledged but with expressed support for Barack Obama). Being my first convention, I didn’t know what to expect. I’ve had the honor of participating in and chairing county, congressional and state level conventions and caucuses, but nothing prepared me for what we saw yesterday.

The day started at our daily breakfast briefing where the WA state delegates, alternates and guests discuss the day’s business and logistics. But it wasn’t all business – it was also the beginning of a day filled with heartfelt and energizing presentations by some amazing people. Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano shared her reasons for supporting Barack Obama for President and what it means to her. Congressman Jay Inslee spoke eloquently about his excitement of Senator Obama’s nomination and particularly about the unifying of our Party and our cause. But it was DNC Chairman Howard Dean who stole the show as he talked about the need to translate this week’s effort into one that penetrates at the grassroots in our communities to also ensure the re-election of Governor Chris Gregoire.

The convention started mid-afternoon in a tremendous setting at the Pepsi Center. Having had a thorough briefing by Dwight Pelz, WA State Party Chair, we were well prepared for the logistics of the day, but we were still caught off guard by the incredible production and the powerful messages. In between the official business shepherded by many people including Chairman Howard Dean and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the band played as celebrities of all kinds made their rounds, the press did their interviews and the energy mounted. A tribute of and cameo by President Jimmy Carter, and messages from Jesse Jackson, Jr., Senator Claire McCaskill, and Barack Obama’s half sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, signaled the start of Prime Time.

And Prime Time it was! Words cannot describe what it was like in the room as Senator Ted Kennedy so strongly and so movingly gave his message about what Barack Obama means to him – the passing of the baton to the next generation and how strongly he feels about Barack Obama’s leadership and vision for our future. And just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, Craig Robinson introduced his sister, Michelle Obama, who further inspired with her message of inclusivity and hope. By the time the Obama daughters appeared on the stage with their mother and talked with Senator Obama who appeared on the big screen from Kansas City, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. It was uplifting and it was something we’ve been lacking our country for so long – it was hopeful. And yes, it was overwhelming.

More to follow tomorrow …

Sharon Smith is a superdelegate attending the Democratic National Convention and a Fuse Board Member.