Gothamist: Democratic National Convention Kicks Off with Ted Kennedy, Michelle Obama

NannyState

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:02:20 -0500

Nobody watches these idiotic conventions anymore and who would? They are just pre-packaged infomercials with the usual "testimonials" and TV talk show themes. If you want to see the sausage being made, listen in on a phone conversation between Hillary Clinton and Terry McAuliffe. Or the pillowtalk in the Obama boudoir. Nasty stuff is going on in this party and all you'll see at their overblown circus is the chirpy cheerleading for the '80 Liberal All Stars. Ted Kennedy's glioma is more fascinating than Denver.

MJG

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:40:38 -0500

EastRiver, from 1980-1994, Kennedy got the following passed: Civil Rights for Institutionalized Persons Act (1980) Job Training Partnership Act (82) Employment Opportunities for Disabled Americans Act and Handicapped and the Children's Protection Act (86) National Military Child Care Act (89) The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Ryan White CARE Act (90) National and Community Service Trust Act (93) Family and Medical Leave Act and the School-to-Work Opportunities Act (94). Pretty busy for a guy licking his wounds from a lost election. There's more, too.

Pull My Finger

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:56:22 -0500

BOOOOORING!

chiefeditor

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:59:04 -0500

A fine speech and a moving moment. MP3 highlights are up here.

babyhitler

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:49:32 -0500

Yeah Michelle Obama was a whole lot better than that ketchup Lady who is married to John Kerry. I remember watching that shit in 04 and saying to myself "This bitch needs to learn english"

robingee

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:15:37 -0500

Why is this news? Ha. Just kidding.

Qraymond

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:00:10 -0500

Michelle Obama gave an excellent speech-- I cannot imagine any other potential First Lady doing a better job. It was really polished and thoughtful. I was impressed...

EastRiver

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 11:46:46 -0500

Consider Ted has been in Congress for about 50 years his accomplishments are not all that impressive. And he completely phoned it in for 14 years between losing the Democratic nomination in 1980 and his reelection campaign in 1994 - which he ultimately won by 17 points over Romney but which was much closer in the polls in the weeks before. It scared the pants off him. Prior to that we would be an alcoholic mess for 5 and half years before laying off the booze and slimming down for a reelection campaign against token opposition. And Mary Jo Kopechne isn't the punchline: Ted going to hell is. Throw in helping to cover up his nephew raping a woman in 1991 - at one of the Kennedy mansions - and I have no doubt where this guy is going. The feminists were pretty quiet on that one. How many homes does Ted own? Where did HIS money come from? The Democrats on this board are raging hypocrites. They're as bad as the right wingers attacking Obama. I wish they would all just go away.

MJG

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 11:13:49 -0500

It's pretty pathetic that people will use the tragic and premature death of a young woman as a punchline. Ted seems to be paying a price for karma while also working to help people who have no one to look out for them. It's not possible for any of us to know what type of reception Ted will get when he mets his maker. Ask yourselves what you've done to help others and see if it compares to Ted's good works. Ted was good for a guy with a brain tumor. Caroline is an extremely accomplished woman and belongs on the DNC platform. It's ignorance to suggest she's a family hack.

bklyngrrl

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 11:06:05 -0500

Why can't these fanatic Hillary people just give it up? I am hearing Hillary fans say they are planning to vote for McCain. Has anyone heard of Nader? Otherwise Al Gore, a Nobel Prize winner, could have been our President instead of Dubya. I wish Democratics would just understand the need to be anti-Republican no matter what. Wake up people --it's our future, not your ego.

chris lee

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 11:00:34 -0500

ugggh..all of the shots of uncomfortable white people trying to dance or NOT with all of that half-cocked high school prom soul and rock and roll music. They could have really gotten some A list musician to represent a broader spectrum of amer democratic music, instead of trying to be so..."funky".

eyekantspel

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:00:26 -0500

I thought Michelle Obama did a good job. Ted Kennedy seemed remarkably robust considering how they've made it seem like he's about to die. The nod to HRC by Michelle Obama was obviously a political bone tossed to her supporters. I just wish they could do this stuff in a day instead of dragging it out for 3. Cut out all the fluff, and what we are really looking at is maybe 6 speeches. 1. A "here I am" speech by a newly annointed up-and-comer from the party 2. A pass-the-torch speech by a departing lion, Ted Kennedy. 3. An "I love America" speech by Michelle Obama to counteract her earlier statement "For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country" 4. A concession speech by Hillary Clinton 5. An acceptance speech by Joseph Biden 6. An acceptance speech by Barack Obama The whole thing could be done in a 4 hour show, no different than the Oscars. As it is, it's like the Olympics, only they replaced people with good bodies with people who like to hear themselves talk.

JacqueMehoff

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 09:57:35 -0500

mccain's gonna suck worse.

takethecanoli

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 09:56:35 -0500

It's going to be a 50-50 squeaker, ladies, decided in the end by a stuffed Supreme Court. Just you wait.

VanessaNYC

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 09:46:55 -0500

Tingo, Good points! Voter Registration: http://www.rockthevote.com/rtv_register.html

Billiamsburg

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 09:27:25 -0500

All those insurgents in one place and our armed forces nowhere to be found.

S.D.

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:50:33 -0500

"There are so many things that had happened over the past eight years the Democrats won't be capable of talking their way out of." Compared to the GOP??

dooWOP

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:47:16 -0500

That was a very well orchestrated bit by Michelle O - from the hair and outfit to the narrative. I wonder about the real reason her mom was shown tearing up throughout her speech...

blablanyc

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:46:59 -0500

There are so many things that had happened over the past eight years the Democrats won't be capable of talking their way out of.

Rfive

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:36:12 -0500

Think the Girardeau family will ebay that couch?

dooWOP

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:27:28 -0500

I bet most of you didn't realize that Kennedy really couldn't make it last night. That was just a robotic wax figure you all saw on TV.

cucarachita

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:00:36 -0500

Hey, those speeches were better than Hillary's tepid speech, which sounded half-assed and unrehearsed, and was frankly all about her and only her. I thought her support of Obama did not seem whole-hearted at all. She still seems only grudgingly aware that she's supposed to be supporting him. Let's see her cry for Obama like she cried for herself that fine day. Or, rather, let's see her well up for the Democrats instead of one single Democrat (herself). Do you realize there's still people (so-called feminists, of the baby-boomer generation, mostly) wondering if she would be able to "step in" if "something happened" to force Obama OR Biden out? This is because she won't let go, and her fanatical supporters won't either, as a consequence.

Toby von Meistersinger

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 07:57:35 -0500

This Kabuki theatre is no longer relevant. My guess is that Teddy Kennedy's hell will be being trapped in a submerged Oldsmobile for eternity.

Think twice

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 07:24:49 -0500

I'm hoping the RNC will be like the "Lawrence Welk Show".

ides_of_march

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 03:20:14 -0500

Ted Kennedy's Buick still has a higher body count than Dick Cheney's shotgun. At least JFK Jr. had the decency to stay in the water with the two women he killed. It's no credit to the democrats that they look up to this drunken old gasbag as some sort of idol.

Public Relations

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 03:08:32 -0500

That was one of the most rousing conventions ever. But before Hilary made her cracks in the glass ceiling, Condoleezza made many before her - although being a Republican she will not be mentioned at that convention. One can not help but wonder if the high profile images of Condoleezza and Colin Powell over the past decade did have a subliminal effect on the American's acceptance of Obama?

tingo

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:57:25 -0500

I wonder how many people still have no idea that they need to register to vote. They think they'll just be able to show up on a tuesday and pull a lever. Oh, and why the hell do we vote on a tuesday? How about a saturday when most people can actually get out of work?

VanessaNYC

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:37:28 -0500

"His niece Caroline has nothing to do with political ability. She is there because she is a Kennedy, plain and simple." I agree with you on that point, but to suggest that Ted Kennedy is unimportant or unaccomplished is to ignore the facts. Ted Kennedy has spent decades fighting for liberal principles. He's kinds one of our gods, yo.

Snoopy

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:11:00 -0500

Why has the country spent all this time in a primary and end up with a bunch of dip shits? Let's get back to reality, three months of primaries and then three months of election. ENOUGH ALL READY! Get on with your lives people. To drag out an old piece of political junk like Ted Kennedy is stupid. He is there because back fifty years ago his brother and his father weaseled him into that position. His niece Caroline has nothing to do with political ability. She is there because she is a Kennedy, plain and simple.

babyhitler

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:01:10 -0500

Ted Kennedy sucked. Michelle was alright. Man, Obama better bring it cause he's supposed to be the rock star. If the DNC was this boring imagine how bad Methuselah McCain's gonna be.

abcohen

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:50:51 -0500

ZZZZzzzZZZZzzzzzz Wow there was some stat that said 50% tuned out before her speech... oh why I love TIVO because of election season and the ability to fast forward those ads :)

Steven

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:44:53 -0500

What is the point in still having this conventions? Could someone please make it election day?