Remembering the Dem National Convention, whose was your favorite speech?

[jpgray]

My fave by far was Al Sharpton's--what a brilliant speech that was. Thankfully C-SPAN provided no cut-away coverage.

[wakeme2008]

1. I like the little girl

:) but can not remember her name.

[maxpower]

5. That was great

Telling Bush he needed a time out. I liked Obama's speech though.

[TheDebbieDee]

12. I remember her! She was cute.

She was a member of "Kids for Kerry" and she said that Vice-President Cheney needed to be put in a "time-out" for remarks he made to Senator Leahy in the Senate cloakroom.

(Cheney told Leahy to go "Cheney" himself.)

[fedupinBushcountry]

18. Ilana Wexler

You can watch her speech here,just scroll down to DAY 2 part 3 of the convention, she is on at at approximately 1:09:30 into the video.

http://c-span.org/search/basic.asp?ResultStart=1&ResultCount=10&BasicQueryText=Teresa+Heinz+Kerry

[LittleClarkie]

34. Poor thing, she was at the concession speech crying

I think that's why Kerry almost broke down.

She was at a "thank you" tour meeting in California, crying again when he was there. It brought back too many memories to see him. And there he was, said an observer, trying to break down again too.

[LisaM]

2. Sharpton, not even a contest

if you ask me. Second favorite was Teresa's. I LOVE her. The demonization of Teresa Heinz Kerry is one of the most evil things the right did that election cycle.

[ironman202]

9. yeah, you're right. I change my vote.

[WI_DEM]

3. I thought Jimmy Carter gave a great speech

[Kal Belgarion]

4. President Gore's speech was my favorite.

[AuntieM1957]

10. still laugh when I remember Al's 2000 -

wanna see me do the macarena?

wanna see it again?

LOL - funny, funny man.

[leyton]

23. That was a great speech.

He seemed so comfortable, so at ease. Makes me wonder - could he run again, and succeed, or is the very fact that he's no longer a practicing politician the reason he seems so laid-back and natural?

[Uncle Joe]

24. I agree, President Al Gore's speech was my favorite also. n/t

[AuntieM1957]

6. Swift Boat Vets

when Kerry's crewmates spoke -

my favorite part of the whole damn convention.

[ironman202]

7. 2004 Obama

2000 Jackson
1996 Clinton
1992 Kennedy
1988 Jackson
1984 Cuomo

[mark11727]

21. 1980 Kennedy

Watched it with a bunch a' drunks in a bar in SF.

Ah, da good old days.

[Love Bug]

8. Barak Obama's speech

Very positive. Electric.

[snowbear]

11. Barack Obama brought the house down!

He was definitely by far my favorite!! :hug:

But there were SooOOooOo many others who did an awesome job (including Senator Kerry)!!! ...

Still... Barack Obama hit the homerun heard round the world !!! :headbang:

[peace frog]

19. Obama's speech was the BEST

I stood up and cheered, clapped, stomped... in my living room.

[whistle]

13. They were all great.....

[MrBenchley]

14. David Alston....

"I was only 21, running on fear
and adrenaline. Lieutenant Kerry always took the time
to calm us down, to bring us back to reality, to give
us hope, to show us what we truly had within
ourselves. I came to love and respect him as a man I
could trust with life itself.
I am a man of faith, and I did not come here tonight
to glorify what we did. I came here to share my
personal knowledge of a young naval officer who rose
to the challenges and responsibilities of leadership,
and who has always shown the courage to speak truth to
power.
The 27th Psalm tells us, "Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear. Though war break out against me, even then I will be confident" I stand before you tonight alive, while many of our brothers never made it home. I am grateful to have lived to enjoy my children, to see them grow up. But I stand here before you only because almighty God saw our boat safely through those rivers of death and destruction, by giving us a brave, wise, and decisive leader named John Kerry.
Today, 30 years after Vietnam, American soldiers are
once again fighting and dying on distant battlefields,
at war with an elusive enemy. We pray for these brave
men and women. They are our friends, our neighbors,
our loved ones. Their loss brings all of us sadness
beyond measure...
Friends, here in this city more than two centuries
ago, patriots launched a revolution that changed
history. Generations since have marched, fought, and
died to defend the sacred ideals of life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness-and to make these ideals a
reality for every American.
It is now our turn to defend these ideals. It is our
time to speak out. It is our duty to exercise our most
precious right as Americans: the right to vote. "

http://www.mindspace.org/liberation-news-service/archives/001082.html

[union_maid]

29. He was great

Loved Sharpton's speech, too, but I'll never forget Alston's.

[MrBenchley]

38. I agree....

Bill Clinton was also great...

[Rambis]

15. 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.



http://www.yuricareport.com/Campaign2004/RevAlSharptonsConventionSpeech.html

[jpgray]

16. That was a brilliant line

And the after-speech interviews were such a disgrace. I think Brian Williams asked him about "whatever it was you were riffing on up there" when the climax of the speech was about how the ballot was sacred to blacks and how it was paid for with the blood of Chaney, Schwerner and Goodman, etc. Absolutely appalling.

[Rambis]

22. I never watch post speech spin for that reason

It pisses me off to no end how someone can diminish or try to diminish what was a powerful message by one or two stupid fucking statements disguised as questions.

I suggest to you tonight that if George Bush had selected the court in '54, Clarence Thomas would have never got to law school

[fedupinBushcountry]

17. There were so many

To me it was such a great convention. But to me John Kerry was the best.

The little girl's name was Ilana Wexler. IMO all the speakers were great, it was a great convention.

[ginnyinWI]

33. when I watch the replay of Kerry's speech now

I am both inspired and reduced to tears.

[hippiegranny]

20. It was a tie between Pres Clinton

And Barack Obama. Both were powerful beyond words.

[karynnj]

37. Clinton's was a good Clinton speech, but it did

as much to make Clinton look good as Kerry. Making Kerry look good was what was important. In retrospect Clinton should have avoided talking about VN - it was disingenuous. What he should have done was spoken out about things things Kerry did in the Senate that he had first hand knowledge of. Kerry wrote the legislation to get more cops on the street and afterschool programs for kids. He then gracefully allowed it to become legislation under the names of others - to insure it became law. Kerry had fought for this for years. In Clinton's book, he also talks about all Kerry's work for kids that Kerry has always been involved with even though, in Clinton's opinion it doesn't gain votes.

In his book, Clinton talks about liking Weld, but wanting to keep Kerry as he was a leading Senate expert on the environment and technology. Giving some examples as the comment was probably based on something would have been nice.

Then if Clinton were less self obsessed, he could even have talked about Kerry's effort that resulted in the breakup of Osama's bank - BCCI and say that he wishes he had pushed the Republicans harder to follow Kerry's advice on continuing to wind up these BCCI tentacles to further weaken terrorist organizations. Kerry was way ahead of others on this - and Clinton was best placed to say this.

Think of what these things could have done to some Republican smears - grandstander (gives up name on bill because passage was his goal?), did nothing (warned about terrorism when no one else did, technology, environment, POW/MIA (which I think Clinton mentioned))

So, given the purpose of the speech, I would give Clinton a C.

David Alston's speech (that someone posted) and Alex Kerry's speech were my favorites. (I think Kerry's was great as well, although the Reporting to Duty thing was annoying after seeing it often.) Alex's speech made it very easy to see Kerry as a kind, good person. My 20 year dauhter absolutely loved the story she told about the quiet talk she had with him when she was upset about something in her life when she was a college student. I was impressed that they communicated at that level. I think I liked these because they showed Kerry as a person It was already clear from the primary debates and his resume that he was intelligent.

[Orion The Hunter]

25. Easily Barack Obama

His speech was uplifting and had a vision of an America we all wanted to live in.

[FrenchieCat]

26. I truly enjoyed Obama's speech as it gave me hope, and

Clark's speech, as it gave me strength....and Sharpton's speech, as it provided the truth I wanted others to know....

In watching Obama's speech that night, knowing that the Democrats' vision would be heard by all Americans who listened, gave me a great pride. His articulation that inclusion, perseverance, and understanding could lead us to a kinder and better nation was very powerful.

To hear that message from one who had in fact, benefitted from such an America, made the message that much more powerful.

The Audacity of Hope....
<excerpts>

Now even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us -- the spin masters, the negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of "anything goes." Well, I say to them tonight, there is not a liberal America and a conservative America -- there is the United States of America. There is not a Black America and a White America and Latino America and Asian America -- there’s the United States of America.

The pundits, the pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States; Red States for Republicans, Blue States for Democrats. But I’ve got news for them, too. We worship an "awesome God" in the Blue States, and we don’t like federal agents poking around in our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States and yes, we’ve got some gay friends in the Red States. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and there are patriots who supported the war in Iraq. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.

In the end -- In the end -- In the end, that’s what this election is about. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or do we participate in a politics of hope?

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/convention2004/barackobama2004dnc.htm

I also enjoyed General Clark's speech, as it did provide us with a balance on the other facet of American's concerns as they stand today--that of National Defense, and the fact that it is Democrats who are the National Security contest winner for many years in our history, when one really thinks about it.

This soldier has news for you.....
<Excerpts>

Anyone who tells you that one political party has a monopoly on the best defense of our nation is committing a fraud on the American people.

Franklin Roosevelt said it best: "Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth."
snip
This flag is ours! And nobody will take it away from us.
snip
The safety of our country demands urgent and innovative measures to strengthen our armed forces. The safety of our country demands credible intelligence. The safety of our country demands cooperation with our allies. The safety of our country demands making more friends and fewer enemies. The safety of our country demands an end to the doctrinaire, ineffective policies that currently grip Washington.
snip
Great Democrats like Woodrow Wilson, who led us to victory in World War I. Great Democrats like Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman, who turned back the tide of fascism to win World War II. Great Democrats like John Kennedy, who stood firm and steered us safely through the Cuban Missile Crisis. And great Democrats like Bill Clinton, who confronted ethnic cleansing in Yugoslavia, and with diplomacy - backed by force - brought peace to a shattered land.

My fellow Americans, Democrats are leaders. Democrats are fighters.

http://www.srar.net/2004/07/general-wesley-clarks-speech-before.html

[noamnety]

27. Teresa!

favorite parts:

"And by now I hope it will come as no surprise to anyone that I have something to say." :D

"There is a value in taking a stand whether or not anyone may be noticing and whether or not it is a risky thing to do."

[bribri16]

28. Sharpton...hands down. And I don't even like him. n/t

[Sparkly]

30. I'd have to say Jimmy Carter's.

There were so many great speeches!

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[NoPasaran]

32. Sharpton had the best speech

But my favorite visual was watching Terry McAuliffe squirming in his speech during the welcoming of Howard Dean.

[TheDonkey]

35. Obama's and Kerry's

[LittleClarkie]

36. I thought Clinton hit it out of the park, myself

but I only got to see a few of the speeches.

Clark's was good too, I think.

[LandOLincoln]

39. It's hard to pick just one speech, but the most memorable

moment for me was when Wes Clark--calling for a moment of silence to honor our war dead--covered the mic with his hand, bowed his head...and got instant and complete silence from that huge, boisterous crowd. Amazing command and control. Gave me goosebumps.

[politicasista]

40. Rev. Al's speech had the most memorable soundbites

They all were good. I still love Sharpton's "Ride this donkey" line to this day. It was (and still is) the truth.

[dalloway]

41. Obama. Obama. Obama.

[starmaker]

42. T.Heinz Kerry

She was by far the best

[chaska]

43. Zell Miller. ....Oh, wait.

[FrenchieCat]

44. LOL!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Gregorian]

45. Sharpton. But the whole thing was glorious.

I've never been so enthused about politics as that convention. We had won. It was such common sense and care. A bright day.

[catabryna]

46. Most certainly, Barack Obama! nt

nt

[CAG]

47. Clinton, Carter, and Obama, in that order

Clinton crystallized the differences in the directions that would be taken based on the outcome of the election so well.

Carter was his usual self full of integrity, compassion, and humility, but also took some dignified, direct shots at the administration.

All thru Obama's speech I kept thinking "this guy will be the first black president"

[dogman]

48. I downloaded two from I-Tunes, Clark and Obama.

Those were my favorites along with a good speech by Jimmy Carter which I thought was strongly influenced by his guest Michael Moore.

[Dinger]

49. Sharpton's, Without A Doubt

and I'm a big-time Clarkie!

When he talked about the right to vote being earned with the blood of 4 little girls from Birmingham, that did it for me. I still have it on tape. It's a classic!

[Clark2008]

50. War....

War. I've been there. So has John Kerry. I've heard the thump of enemy mortars. I've seen the tracers fly. Bled on the battlefield. Recovered in hospitals. Received and obeyed orders. Sent men and women into battle. Awarded medals, comforted families, attended funerals.

And this soldier has news for you tonight. Anyone who tells you that one political party has a monopoly on the best defense of our nation is committing a fraud on the American people.

Franklin Roosevelt said it best. Franklin Roosevelt said: "Repetition does not transform a lie into the truth."

This hall, this Democratic Party are filled with veterans who have served under the American flag. And this is our flag. Right there, that flag, we saluted this flag. We rose up in the morning and stood reveille to this flag. We fought for that flag. We've seen brave men and women buried under that flag. That flag is ours, and nobody, nobody will take it away from us.