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July 29, 2004
DNC, Day 3: Nice Try, Mr. President
Emily's Day 3 Highlight
Even a hardcore reporting team like Amy痴 Robot can have a rough time focusing after three consecutive nights of political speeches. At this point, we're just as glad that we were denied press credentials. After all, I bet those bloggers at the Fleet Center aren't using picture-in-picture to simultaneously watch Amish in the City!
Now, we love us some John Edwards and the whole Edwards clan, but when it comes to our pick for Day 3 Highlight nobody gets a crowd on its feet like the Reverend Al. Despite the careful vetting process all speakers have gone through, the Reverend pulled a little bait-and-switch with his approved speech and what he actually said.
The Democrats are trying to present a positive image � no Bush-bashing, no blaming. But Reverend Al had a few things to say about President Bush痴 sleazy politicking at the Urban League last week. (Bush asked whether the Democrats had really served the black community well, among other things):
鏑ast Friday, I had the experience in Detroit of hearing President George Bush make a speech. And in the speech, he asked certain questions. I hope he's watching tonight. I would like to answer your questions, Mr. President�
� Did the Democratic Party take us for granted?�You said the Republican Party was the party of Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. It is true that Mr. Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, after which there was a commitment to give 40 acres and a mule� We never got the 40 acres. We went all the way to Herbert Hoover, and we never got the 40 acres.
We didn't get the mule. So we decided we'd ride this donkey as far as it would take us.
Mr. President, you said would we have more leverage if both parties got our votes, but we didn't come this far playing political games. It was those that earned our vote that got our vote. We got the Civil Rights Act under a Democrat. We got the Voting Rights Act under a Democrat. We got the right to organize under Democrats.
Mr. President, the reason we are fighting so hard, the reason we took Florida so seriously, is our right to vote wasn't gained because of our age. Our vote was soaked in the blood of martyrs, soaked in the blood of good men, soaked in the blood of four little girls in Birmingham. This vote is sacred to us.
This vote can't be bargained away. This vote can't be given away.
Mr. President, in all due respect, Mr. President, read my lips: Our vote is not for sale."
Congratulations to the sassy Reverend Al Sharpton, for being named the Amy痴 Robot Day 3 Highlight of the Democratic National Convention!
Amy's Day 3 Overview:
It's a good thing Emily had the fortitude to watch last night's convention activities, so she could document the fiery and rousing Rev. Al Sharpton. Other commitments kept me from seeing much other than Edwards' speech. Which was great on domestic issues, uniting rather than dividing, racial and economic inequality, etc. But he also included a few phrases about important and complex issues that he seemed to toss off as throwaway lines, like this one: "A new president will bring the world to our side, and with it預 stable Iraq and a real chance for peace and freedom in the Middle East, including a safe and secure Israel." Then straight into something about keeping nuclear weapons away from terrorists. Sure, he said some meaningful stuff about how to handle Iraq, but to say "a safe and secure Israel" as almost a parenthetical aside sounds too casual.
And so in place of analysis, I bring you a photo of Edwards and John Cougar Mellencamp sharing a tender moment.
