(Cross-Posted to DemNotes at www.DemNotes.com)
Wow. What an amazing night.
If you weren’t at Mile High last night, I sure hope you had an opportunity to see it on television.
I’ll write more later about this amazing convention experience in Denver. I’ll also write more later about my thoughts on the selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as John McCain’s running-mate (hint: probably the worst judgment in the history of American Presidential politics).
But the experience last night at Mile High was breath-taking. What a night!
As I mentioned in the post yesterday, yesterday was both star-studded and Colorado-centered. And it was Barack Obama showing us why America needs to elect he and Joe Biden.
I was mesmorized by Senator Obama’s speech last night. He did a wonderful job of deftly combining the message of “Change†as an ideal with the realities of what change would mean — specifically — under an Obama-Biden administration. He laid out the differences between himself and John McCain, and he did it amazingly well. Somebody on television last night called it a “symphony†— a perfect description. It combined soaring rhetoric with policy specifics and contrasts with the Republicans.
There is no doubt we cannot afford four more years like the last eight — “eight is enough†was the right motto that sold well with the crowd in Mile High. There is no doubt we cannot afford four more years of poor economic planning, a flawed foreign policy, and a failure to move American toward energy independence. There is no doubt we cannot afford John McCain. But Barack Obama went beyond that last night to talk not only about how we cannot afford McCain, but also how he will make America a different — and much better place.
By challenging us to become energy independent in 10 years, he showed the “big idea†thinking that has made America great. By assuring us that our foreign policy will be one to regain the world’s respect, he showed us the America that the world remembers and wants to see again. By talking about the need to improve our schools and invest in our economy for the middle class, he showed us his life experience makes him better able to put himself in somebody else’s shoes.
It was unbelievable, and I am so glad I was able to be a part of that night. After the speech, Colorado’s delegation finally said good-bye to the National Convention and headed back to the campaign trail. “Two months to finish the job,†was the mantra.
That has to be all of our mantra. This will be a tough election in Colorado, and we will need every hand on deck if we’re going to send our nine electoral votes to Obama-Biden. It’s time to get to work!
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Beyond the amazing speech, it was a still night to remember. Celebrity sightings abounded. Both Jessica Alba and Morgan Fairchild walked right in front of me. Brandy sat about 6 rows in front of Al Gore, and saw Oprah Winfrey, as well. All sorts of news personalities were around – I had a picture of myself snapped with Andrea Mitchell of NBC on the way out. Spike Lee was across the way filming. We heard some great musicians – from will.i.am to Sheryl Crow to Stevie Wonder to Jennifer Hudson, the music was outstanding and inspiring.
But the night was not about Hollywood; it was about America’s future. Congressman Mark Udall shined in his prime-time moment in the sun, challenging Democrats to be the change they want to see in the world. We heard from most of our Congressional delegation, and they all did a great job telling us about issues important to the Party. And Governor Ritter helped kick things off at the beginning, talking about the new Democratic leadership in the West.
There was dancing, there were tears, there was celebration. From the 500 level down to the front row of the Colorado delegation, it was a night that nobody there will forget for long.
As I said, I’ll write more later today, but I am headed to a 1 pm press conference here downtown.