- COVERING THE TOPICS THAT MATTER, ENGAGING REAL VOICES
- 443-804-1252
- talk@steinershow.org
Democrats
My nephew, Logan, was born in March of 2007, just about a month after Barack Obama announced his candidacy for the Democratic Presidential nomination. I desperately want to use his 17 months on the planet as a metaphor for this 2008 primary season. But I won’t. Instead, I will simply say that after hearing Barack Obama’s acceptance speech, I slept like Logan.
Click READ MORE below
A Historic Moment
On August 28th, 1963, I was among the hundreds of thousands on the mall in Washington marching for "Jobs and Freedom Now!" I will never forget the exhilaration of that day. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s speech brought all of us to our knees.
The speeches of Day Three's DNC were good. Bill Clinton, and Joe Biden, and John Kerry did well at setting the stage for Barack Obama. But, it's time for some "fighting words." As a registered Independent, who has consistently voted Democrat in presidential elections (voted for Ralph Nader in '04), I grow weary of Democratic candidates taking the high road...especially when more aggressive speech is appropriate.
Click READ MORE below!
People like Hillary Clinton!
This is obvious based on crowd reaction during her speech last night, and the reaction of the punditry as well. I both enjoyed and appreciated the fact that it was a TACTICALLY sound speech. She illustrated a sincere disengagement from the politics of the McCain campaign; she was clear about her unwillingness to be used as a pawn by the McCain campaign to draw votes away from Senator Obama. Her acknowledgment of the hard work of her campaigners, her acknowledgment of Susan B. Anthony (and the Seneca Falls Convention), and her reference to Harriet Tubman, signaled a Senator who understood her contribution to American History. ...and at the same time, she expressed her unwavering support for Senator Barack Obama. This was the magic of Hillary Clinton's address!
Click READ MORE below
9:13 pm Clinton is here. This is wild-pandemonium. People are cheering louder and longer and madder than ever .. screaming yes yes yes" " .. waving American flags …
"I am here first to support Barack Obama" ... wild cheers ...
Clinton is amazing. Love him or hate him, he engaged at once.
The Democratic National Convention is steamrolling the competition with women at the vanguard.
I believe Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton have provided a sturdy foundation for men to take it to the next level. On Monday night, Michelle discussed her roots and upbringing reminding and informing everyone that she’s American as apple pie. Women were allowed to see the construction of her pie’s latticework—motherhood, sisterhood, and marriage. These attributes that make her who she is reminded women that you can be all things and be proud to be all things. The affirmation of womanhood was a theme that ran through Michelle’s speech as well as Hillary’s.
Click 'Read More' below!
What is Unity? It seems that the theme within the convention is “from many one.” And yet do some in both the leadership and the rank and file of the Democratic Party find an uneasiness seeking to place us behind a candidate that embraces the diversity of opinion and strategies that is characteristic of a progressive and dynamic constituency? Do we deep down in our hearts believe the pundits and naysayers that see this cacophony of voices as a failure to stay on message and that we are fool hearty to have the audacity to speak of unity at the foot of the Tower of Babel?
Denver must come to symbolize the big tent and yes, we must learn to fight together toward many goals. Does the Democratic Party contradict itself to claim America to be “One Nation.” I think the answer is “Yes” and it should be as Walt Whitman put, “Very well then I contradict myself, (I am large, I contain multitudes.)”
Click 'Read More' below!
The Hillary resistance within the Democratic Party runs very deep. Many women who supported her feel that they would have defended Obama from racist attacks but that he did not say a word when Hillary Clinton was under sexist attacks and ridicule by the media. They felt that fraud took place in the primaries, that the party tried to get her to drop out even as Clinton kept winning primaries, and they are furious that Obama did not offer Clinton the VP spot. Click 'READ MORE' below.
Click 'READ MORE' below.
I listened to Michelle Obama’s speech on the radio last night. Yes, I had to take it old school because I had to make an airport run. There’s nothing like listening to a speech on the radio, especially a speech of this magnitude. There I was driving down the highway and envisaging Michelle’s outfit, her hair & make-up, her gestures, the venue, the colors, the audience’s reactions. I depended solely on the cadence of her voice and my imagination to tell the story that was unfolding, the history that was being made.
Click "Read More" below!
Well, it was fascinating sitting in the Pepsi Center last night. It was something I never experienced before.
Watching Michelle Obama so much came to mind. Some positive and some troubling.
Click "Read More" below!
What if he chooses a woman?
by Lea Gilmore
Yesterday, while on a panel of political analysts and veteran campaign experts, the subject of Senator Barack Obama’s choice of Senator Joseph Biden as his Vice Presidential running mate was discussed in great detail.
Let’s ponder this for a brief moment. Is the vice presidential choice really relevant when closing the deal? Has Vice President Cheney’s powerful “presidency” redefined the office? In the end, will people even care who Senator Obama selected?
The conversation turned and we began to discuss who John McCain may pick for his running mate. Then someone asked, what about a woman? Whew. A hush. What ABOUT a woman?
Click Read More below!
Doing Better This Time Around
by Dr. Mary Washington
So here we are just hours before the start of the 2008 Democratic Convention. The candidates have been at it for over 20 months. When this all began Gallup Polls showed Senator Hilary Clinton as backed by 29% of national Democrats followed by Senator Barack Obama at 18% and former vice presidential candidate John Edwards at 13%. And today, the presumptive presidential nominee, Barack Obama leads presumptive, Republican Candidate John McCain in the polls and the electoral map. My, what a difference 602 days has made in the political life of this country and the lives of those of us fortunate enough to see it. However the tumultuous seas of change that the Obama campaign have been riding so expertly until now have appeared to calm as they approach Denver and some fear that the Democrats will fall short of the horizon. Democrats will need to show the Republican Party leadership and the public that all hands are on deck and that they are comfortable and confident with Barack Obama at the helm.
Click "Read More" below!
John Kerry touched my shoulder earlier tonight in Denver.
It was in the basement of the strange-looking, modern-pyramidesque Renaissance Hotel, where the Maryland delegation is staying, which isn't too convenient for them because it's on the other side of the city from all of the action. Congressman Elijah Cummings hosted a reception there tonight, while the Massachusetts folks were partying upstairs.
Shortly after entering the large ballroom, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around, thinking it was someone I knew, only to see the distinctive looking former presidential candidate right behind me. It looked like he was trying to shake as many hands as possible, while leaving the room at the same time... very presidential.
What Really Matters
by Marc Steiner, in Denver at the 2008 Democratic National Convention
Everyone is fulminating over Biden. Was he a good pick, should it have been Hillary, the negative things said about Obama in the past …Will Obama have a bounce after the convention .. will it be nullified by the RNC. blah blah blah …The election starts after Labor Day. The one mystery in this convention will be answered on Tuesday and Wednesday nights when Hillary and Bill speak, respectively. Will they behave, will they support Obama unabashedly and fully? And even more important, will they stand with him on Thursday and pledge to campaign with him. That is the biggest question of this convention. It will be the substance that will make or break this convention, Obama’s anticipated awe-inspiring acceptance speech on Thursday, not withstanding. All the rest is pundit window dressing.
What makes a difference now is whether Obama can stimulate the undecided voters who are not racist and would vote for a black man. The Change theme may have worked in the Democratic primary but he has to bring hope with substance to the larger electorate. He has to inspire with creative ideas about how he will rebuild Detroit, create jobs that pay to build new energy, give us our public schools back, and get us out of Iraq with dignity. American voters are as equally divided now as they were in the last four elections. There are more folks than the polls show who would never vote for a Black and can’t stand Michelle Obama as strong Black woman but the demographics have changed. There are more Latinos, Blacks and young people in the population and voting. If he cannot inspire his base to stay with him and come out to vote while convincing those unsure that his message of hope has substance, then welcome John McCain to the White House.
-Marc
Okay GoodPeople,
It's time to get this party started! ...and by the way, let's have fun...it's a joyous occasion, regardless of what the Republicans and the critics have to say.
The Number #1 reason to celebrate with absolute fervor is that this convention will be of historical magnitude! Senator Barack Obama, who has already made history in a number of ways, will address yet another arena-sized audience who is eager to hear more about a "different type of politics." No matter how the Republicans try to spin his ability to draw large crowds as a weakness...please "party-goers" rest asssured that if John McCain was able to do so, he would! ...and besides what do the large crowds symbolize? An intelligent person would go beyond Obama's oratory...and find that Americans are actually hungry for sincerity and relief from the "trickle-down" economic policies of the wealthy.
Hello Denver!
by Marc Steiner
We arrived in Denver. Safe and sound .. all set up and ready to go. Biden is in but there are more important things going on. Justin and I will be moving around Denver going to the Big Tent where the progressive movement is meeting, then we go to Maryland delegation headquarters to interview state chair Mike Cryor and have a discussion with Clinton and Obama delegates, bring sounds and stories from the convention floor and out in the streets. Lea Gilmore will be arriving today so our whole crew will be here.Stay tuned ... write often .. listen every night from 8 to 11 on WEAA 88.9 FM ,and we will blogging and sending all kinds of stories on this website.Off to some of our sites now..back in a bit,marc
As part of our coverage for the 2008 Democratic National Convention, we're excited to bring you a series of posts from guest bloggers. We're thrilled to begin with Maryland Blogger Diana Veiga, who blogs over at 5andapossible.blogspot.com, which is a great group blog written by five young women (we'll be meeting another of their contributors later during the convention). Enjoy!
If you believe what the polls say, I am probably one of the few black people who is not ardently supporting presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama. When I mention my hesitation about Obama to an avid supporter (and they are all around us), I am often met with dropped jaws and disappointed looks. Apparently this is the black race’s one and only chance, so I better get on the bandwagon. “But what’s he going to do for us,” I ask them. “Girl, he’s not running for President of Black America, he can’t just cater to us,” they say. Perhaps. And then like any good believer would do, they “school” me on Obama’s credentials and end with, “and he’s going to change the nation.” We won’t go into the fact that when I ask how, I have heard some of the craziest responses, including, “We’re finally going to have a black angel on the National Christmas tree.” OK, that’s change I can believe in.
Click Read More below!