Progress Illinois

The following video concludes Progress Illinois' coverage of the 2008 Democratic National Convention.  Fittingly, it shows the view from the stands at Denver's Invesco Field last Thursday as Barack Obama wrapped up his acceptance speech, thus bringing the convention to a close.

Watch it:

On the last day of the Democratic National Convention, SEIU President Andy Stern addressed the Illinois delegation's final breakfast meeting.  He began his brief speech by saying to the audience: "Thank you for Barack Obama."  He went on to talk about the importance of sending the Illinois Democrat to the White House this November "to turn the page and bring back an America that works for our kids and our grandkids." 

During the speech, Stern repeatedly agreed with earlier comments made by Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, who had introduced him as a "great labor leader."  This was a bit surreal to watch, considering that Stern, at SEIU's own convention in June, had touted SEIU Illinois' challenge to Daley in the 2007 aldermanic election.  "[W]e beat the vaunted political machine of Chicago Mayor Daley in Chicago and sent seven of his aldermen into early retirement," he said at the time.  "Great work Chicago! We began to teach people about accountability." Meanwhile, Daley has repeatedly whined about SEIU's mobilization against his candidates, advancing the bogus suggestion that it represented the equivalent of political patronage.

But then again, such unlikely displays of unity and congeniality -- however short-lived -- were on display everywhere in Denver this week, clearly the result of Democrats' and progressives' laser-focus on the presidential election eight weeks from now.

Yesterday, I interviewed Jack Darin, the director of the Sierra Club's Illinois chapter, on Larimer and 16th in downtown Denver.  We discussed how green-friendly the DNC has been this year and touched on some Illinois environmental issues as well.  Watch it:

In an earlier email, I mentioned that Adam and I have been working off-and-on in something called the Big Tent.  This two-story facility, set up temporarily for the four days of the DNC, housed about 400 bloggers over the course of the convention.  Upstairs, various speakers and panels took to a stage to discuss and debate various issues.  Meanwhile on the ground floor, bloggers crammed into the air-conditioned workspace you see above, where food and drink (not to mention massages) were available throughout the day. 

Visiting the room were various political figures (Dick Durbin, Chuck Schumer, Andy Stern, Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, our own Alexi Giannoulias, etc.) and celebrities (I saw Sarah Silverman and Darryl Hannah, but there were apparently many others).  Also in the mix were reporters and news crews from the cable networks, print outlets, and even other countries (case in point: Adam was interviewed by German TV on the first day).

This was clearly not a distraction-free environment and we often had to escape to find some peace and quiet.  Nonetheless, it was great to have a headquarters for the progressive blogosphere, who turned out in force as a result.  

Here's one more pic.  Fittingly, DailyKos founder Markos Moulitsas can be seen in the foreground:

On Wednesday, I conducted a brief interview with Rep. Phil Hare following the Illinois delegation breakfast meeting.  We discussed the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) and how he's known on Capitol Hill as "labor's guy."

(Due to some poor camera placement on my part, this interview features a few cameo appearances.  Among those who walk through the shot: Chicago Ald. George Cardenas, Sun-Times columnist Carol Marin, and Crain's Greg Hinz.)

A day earlier, Hare addressed the delegation and had more to say about the EFCA.  Watch it:

After hours of speeches and musical acts at Invesco field yesterday evening, Illinois' own Sen. Dick Durbin took to the stage to introduce his colleague and friend Barack Obama.  About 36 hours earlier, I'd spoken briefly with Durbin at the Illinois delegation breakfast and noticed that (like many other attendees) he seemed to be losing his voice.  Or maybe he was just saving it, because he didn't appear to have any problem addressing the stadium last night.  Here's a brief video taken during Durbin's remarks:

Adam already gave his thoughts from the upper deck, so I'll give mine from a lower vantage point in the stadium.

I agree that Obama's condemnation of the GOP's "ownership society" conceit was a highlight of the speech.  As was Barack's simple statement that his Republican opponent "just doesn't get it," which he put forth after noting Phil Gramm's "mental recession" comments and McCain's definition of middle class as those earning under $5 million.  

Beyond capitalizing on the McCain campaign's missteps, Obama also took many of the attacks leveled at him over the past few months and deftly turned them on their head.

I too was rather stunned by the four or five ordinary Americans who, with grace and poise, addressed the enormous crowd in the hour before Obama's speech.  After the event, a friend of mine asked: "What did they do to those people to get them to speak in front of 70,000 people?"  They did seem remarkably comfortable in this monumental setting.  

But then, so did everyone in attendance. 

Continue reading »

I agree with Digby that this was the key section of Barack Obama's acceptance speech last night.

For over two decades, he's subscribed to that old, discredited Republican philosophy - give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. In Washington, they call this the Ownership Society, but what it really means is - you're on your own. Out of work? Tough luck. No health care? The market will fix it. Born into poverty? Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps - even if you don't have boots. You're on your own.

Well it's time for them to own their failure.

Ripped right from Jared Bernstein, this new formulation strikes to the heart of why John McCain and the Republican Party are unequipped to deal with economic insecurity in this country. As Obama put it, McCain and his cohorts are abandoning the "American Promise," a smart turn of phrase for a candidate hoping to convince the nation of his judgment and pragmatism. It wasn't the biggest applause line of the night, but it proved Obama is ready to take the fight to the ideology that has failed this nation by every conceivable measure, and that's a fight he should win.

A few other stray thoughts from Invesco last night.

Continue reading »

Adam and I are calling it a day and heading off to the mile-long line outside Mile High Stadium.  We'll be back tomorrow morning with video, photos, and our impressions of Obama's speech before 70,000.

On Tuesday, Rep. Luis Gutierrez spoke before the Illinois DNC delegation and ended his remarks by discussing his pride in Illinois' record on immigration rights.

Watch it:

Yesterday, I spoke to Rep. Jan Schakowsky about her impressions on the Democratic National Convention.  I also asked her to address all those Illinois progressives who are torn between volunteering locally or heading to battleground states to help Barack Obama.

Watch it:

More coverage of Schakowsky at the DNC can be found here, here, and here.