Won't Somebody Think of the Children!?!?!?!

I was surfing the news online and came across an annoying question over and over about Sarah Palin: Can she really do the job AND take care of a special needs infant?

Funny, men never get asked this question. Biden's story as told at the convention had him wanting to forget the Senate and be a full-time father to his injured and grieving sons. But the Lions of the Senate talked him into doing both. (Which he managed to do well!)

Remember back when John and Elizabeth Edwards announced his continued candidacy in spite of her illness? Flip that story and imagine it: Elizabeth is running for president, her husband has a terminal illness and they have two small children at home. Would she have been supported with that decision as her husband was?

When Jeb Bush was Gov. of Florida and his daughter was in and out of jail and rehab, very seriously ill and addicted, no one questioned if maybe he should spend more time with his kid.

We all share the same 24 hours in a day to balance work and family. Sarah Palin isn't the only working parent out there with a special needs infant, sick elderly parent, or troubled teen to care for.

I just wish she'd maybe find an hour or two to open a science book.

(Or better yet, learn about forced sterilizations in the south, china's one child policy, the history of back-alley abortions and all the other dim attempts by governments to control women's fertility in one direction or the other.....)

Stealing Country Music

Conservatives are all annoyed that Obama ended the convention with Brooks and Dunn's "Only in America"

One very cool, hip delegate at Invesco said flatly "Um, this really isn't my kind of music."

And I see his point, it's not exactly booty-shaking stuff. Nevertheless, I've been saying for over 8 years: it should be! I drive at least 2 or 3 times a year to the panhandle of Florida, often alone, and listen to countless hours of country in the deep south.

If you (and by "you" I mean progressive hipster) really want to understand why people vote against their own economic interest time and time again for the Republican party, listen to country music. Subtracting Toby "hey, let's go lynching!" Keith, most of country is, frankly, very Obama-esque.

The stereotype of country (country music of the 60s and 70s) is victimhood taken to the absurd: I lost my woman, I lost my job, I lost my truck, I lost my dawg.....

The reality of modern country music content is: I might not have a lot, but I love what I have. (which is, if you think about it, very eastern-religionish.) I love my spouse, I love my kids, I love my community, I want to share, I want to help. Oh, the actual music is sappy as all get out, I know. But it is important to understand why others dig it:

My Front Porch Looking In

"I see what beautiful is about, when I'm looking in not when I'm looking out"

Just Another Day in Paradise

Stand

Every Day
(I think my brother is embarrassed at how much I love Rascal Flats)

While Democrats typically like to campaign with a laundry list of everything wrong with our lives, the GOP campaigns on what's right with our lives. So even though the GOP in reality punishes, through policy, the "small" lives celebrated in country music and rewards instead bling bling robber barrens, their rhetoric is the opposite. They use country music (and too often country musicians let themselves be used) to present this beautiful picture of contented smallness that is the polar opposite of what they actually deliver. (Barney Smith vs. Smith Barney)

What makes Obama so appealing to me (and why I think we have a shot of winning) is that just like country music, he acknowledges our problems while still managing to emphasize what's right. He understands the enormity of the "small" life.

That said, if they let me DJ, I would have gone with Travis Tritt's "Great Day to Be Alive"

(if you watch, and you're alone, go ahead and howl, it's fun!)

My Barbie Is An Obama Delegate

One of the coolest people I met this week was a state representative from Prince Georges County in Maryland. She is not only smart but gorgeous. She has a lovely Dominican accent and gushes "thank yous" and compliments and kindness everywhere she goes. We talked about collaborating on some health stuff and I really hope our paths cross again.

She was telling me her twin 8-year old daughters have started playing "politics" with their Barbie dolls.

"My Barbie is going to be a delegate for Obama!" one girl will say. The other will retort "Oh, yeah, well my Barbie is going to be President!!!"

Ms. Jenny Goes to Denver

So I learned and observed a lot of pretty things this week: how friendly Denver is, the beauty in the light of little girls eyes and the tears in the eyes of people (black and white) old enough to remember segregation ... the importance of stepping up, letting go of little things and being part of something much bigger.

But I will also leave with some big questions to ponder.

In medicine, there is a heated debate going on about the appropriate role between drug companies and doctors. Doctors need information about drugs. Drug companies need to sell drugs. How do you convey that information objectively and efficiently? Read journal articles or go golfing?

In politics, lobbyists -- some flat out evil, some flat out good, most of them in between -- need to represent their side. Politicians need to see all sides.

One night, when I didn't get into the Pepsi Center, I was hanging out at the Ritz Carlton waiting for a friend and noticed a prominent governor hanging out with a group of men. Which I thought was odd since it was prime speech time. Why wasn't he with his delegation inside?

One of the guys comes up to the bar next to me and I say hi and say "wow, you're with Gov. So and So." He says he represents a foreign policy organization in the middle east and they're just having drinks. Why does a governor meet with foreign policy lobbyists representing the middle east? Economic stuff, right? Oil? Guns? Tomatoes? (I do love getting tomatoes in the dead of winter). But this group isn't economic, it's foreign policy.

I ate and drank and traveled by shuttle for free most of the week. But was it free? No, all paid for by companies -- sports teams, energy companies, etc. Was it nice to eat fillet mignon and drink nice wine. Oh hell yes! Were the lobbyists charming and nice. Yes, people don't get these jobs unless they are "nice" people.

It's easy, very easy, for me to say back at home: "No more corporate influence on politics!!!" When you're in the middle of it and look around you realize what an incredibly large task that is.

Oddly this makes me more comfortable with Palin* and Obama's youth and relative inexperience in Washington. I don't see how you can stay in it for decades and not be dripping with influence.

* perhaps better to say "enthusiastic" about Obama's youth and limited time at the federal level and "can understand how Palin's inexperience could seem appealing even though she is way, way out of her depth."

Susan Sarandon & My Dream Deferred

My aunt ran into Susan Sarandan again but this time said "My niece said you're her hero because you snagged a younger guy." Susan snapped back "I didn't marry him!"

I wish she had remembered to tell her instead that I'm from Durham and that opening day of Bulls season I call "Susan Sarandan Day" and like to go to the ball park and pretend to pick out my player (jokingly! not for real! in case mom is reading!)

Anyhow -- the reason she was in town --- Nader rally!!!!

......................

Alas, I leave for the airport in a few hours and never got to meet George Clooney. Pity. I'm obsessed with genocide, he's Darfur activist. I write about health care delivery, he played a doctor on TV. If only he knew I'm the perfect woman for him

Denver is So Friendly....

How Friendly Is It!!!

I was walking down the street, alone, with a homeless guy walking in front of me. I sneezed, he turned around and said "bless you" and kept walking.

I seriously have never been anywhere in the US as friendly as here. North Carolina is a pretty damn polite place, but Denver even beats us. Every single person --workers, volunteers, and just folks on the street-- have gone out of their way to be extra courteous. And spending a week around all the ego and entitlement that oozes out of a convention, I'm sure it isn't easy.

Three times the past two days I've mentioned this to people. A guy standing in the crazy Invesco line said "Thanks, that means a lot to me. I think we as a community try really hard." A waitress said "why would anyone not be? that just seems stupid not to always be polite." The hunky-hunky storm trooper said "well, it definitely has not been easy this week."

Phil and I concurred last night that even though Denver is so large and cosmopolitan the general vibe is like a small midwestern town.

Denver, you rock. I can't wait to come back and I could completely imagine moving here.

Old People Don't Text Message

At Invesco, to pass the time, they asked folks to text message the Obama campaign for information on volunteering and for some sort of "light up a map" thing....and all the delegates on the floor passed their phones to the young people.

Kathleen Kennedy Townsend said "I really want to text, I really do, I just don't know how!!!!"

Watching Obama's Speech/No Bad News Part II

No, Zephyr, we were not all "on ecstasy."

It's hard to adequately describe.

The experience of being in the stadium and hearing the speech made me feel simultaneously much bigger and much smaller.

Before we left, the Maryland delegation had a lunch where Steny Hoyer very genuinely teared up. And wisely pointed out that we don't have to get arrested or chased by dogs or hosed by police. We get to be part of the struggle that people fought and died and suffered for just by participating. Most of us were crying.

Wise words also, because the line was seriously about 2 miles and took us 90 minutes (we were lucky, that was actually short.) Every time you felt frustrated though, you realized how silly and ridiculous it was to complain. And amazingly, few people in line did. I would put the asshole-whiner to happy person ratio at 1 to 500.

We had nosebleed seats behind the podium for which we were grateful. The downside was that we couldn't hear that well and lots of music and words got covered over by applause. But the upside was that we were WAY up. You could get a sense of the enormity of it. (10 times the number of people in the hometown I grew up in.) You could see the mountains in the west and the miles and miles of lines snaking off in the distance waiting to get in. We watched the sun setting on the snipers on the top rim of the stadium and the twinkle of camera flashes growing stonger like fireflies in June.

Sitting there in the afternoon, the strong thought crossed my mind that I could die. 80K people and the first black man running for president.....like I said, I watched the first season of '24'. Indeed, I heard they shut down the airspace over Denver because some nut job with a Cessna thought it would be fun.

But I didn't care. The thought was real and the thought wasn't scary. Getting back to the first post on this blog about Patty Griffin's song "No Bad News." The whole event -- not just the speech -- but the act itself, felt fearless.

Around me in the stadium was America in the truest sense: black, white, brown, asian, latino and every fusion mix of person. The very old, babies, college students, and boring 30somethings like me.

On the floor where my aunt was sitting, they were all crying and hugging each other and realizing they will forever be bonded in a way with which lobbyist-funded fillet mignon and wine can never compete. Flags waving everywhere.

At the end, there were fireworks and confetti. What I will probably remember the most strongly are the white paper stars, underneath the real Colorado stars, that floated down on us even from the very top like snow. We sat and drank it all in and watched people for a good 40 minutes after the speech. One girl in particular really stood out to me:

With her glowing parents watching, a little blonde girl with a beaming smile and what appeared to be a serious disability that disfigured her face, walked along the empty rows, gingerly gathered the white paper stars and carefully put them in her pocket.

I'm Not Going to Hate on Sarah Palin

So one of my republican friends (I only have like 3, so I'm sort of outing him) said:

"It's like McCain went and picked a hooters girl! Seriously? I'm supposed to vote for her?"

And I laughed and it's funny and I almost want to make it the title of this post.

But I kind of like her. She's smart, gutsy, beautiful, funny. She chose (operative word here is CHOICE) to have a baby with Down's Syndrome. She took on corruption. But most of all, I can't hate her because the strongest message I got out of this week was "You cannot be what you cannot see."

Words fail to describe what I saw last night. And it means the world to me that kids see a black man running for president. It also means a lot to me that kids see a woman running for president.

That said, she *is* running for president. McCain is old and senile and can't find his house. He will die in office and she will be president if they are elected.

I'm not going to hate on her this election but I certainly can't fathom why anyone would think she's ready to be president.

Hunky-Hunky Storm Troopers Part II

I got separated from my peeps tonight and like any good girl scout was taught, decided to just stay in one place and let them find me. The place I chose was next to a super hot policeman. We chatted.

He is a suburban cop, ex-Army who was pulling 12 hour shift. The "intel" Denver got a long time ago was that there would be about 100-200K protesters, all WTO style. So they started training in December for this -- secret service, Denver police and all the surrounding suburban police forces. Hunky-hunky cop, of course, after working day after day of 12 hour shifts was maybe a little more candid about how annoying secret service was than he would normally be. He said at most, they had a protest with about 4K protesters and by the time they reached downtown it dwindled to 1,000. We talked about how it seems a lot more likely that this sort of anti-capitalism crowd would end up in Minneapolis instead of Denver.

Found my people, then off to a party where a friend of friend reporter told me that while most cities get about $15 million for extra security during a convention, Denver got $260 million -- all taxpayer funded, mind you.

Who gave this "intel" that 200K protesters would come to Denver? FBI? Homeland Security? How come Denver got so much extra money? These are questions I hope some reporter asks.

On the flip side, a high level guy at a state level was on a shuttle bus with me, drinking a styrofoam cup full of scotch. The bus driver, a guy who didn't really speak a lot of English, was non-verbally protesting the cup. Not wanting the poor driver to go to jail, I chugged the scotch with the guy to get rid of it. (hence the typos and why I will write all the important stuff about Obama tomorrow)

Anyhow, high level state guy, full of scotch, was telling me about all the threats against Obama and Obama supporters that never get reported in the media as the media doesn't want to hype them and give weirdos a voice.

I watched Season 1 of 24. I know that this is no security cake walk -- Obama running for president.

Which is why I think it raises a lot of questions. Did Denver really need 20 times more money than is normally allocated or was this a ploy to buy some new equipment and get training on the federal dime. Or will an Obama campaign and presidency simply just cost more in security?

OK, Scotch is hitting. More tomorrow......

Cost & Access are like Chocolate & Peanut Butter

OK -- back to the Families USA event. I hate how the GOP sort of owns the health care "cost" issue and the Dems own "access." Access and Cost are like Chocolate and Peanut Butter -- two great tastes that taste better together. So I was pleased to hear this addressed so strongly...

• Ed Rendell talked about the importance of quality and how it feeds into cost. The average hospital stay in Pennsylvania costs about $31K. If the person gets a hospital-acquired infection, that cost goes up to $151K. Scandinavia has almost eliminated hospital infections though a simple protocol -- testing and tagging everyone that comes through the door. For a patient with something like MRSA (many of us have it and don't know it) they are housed in a different room and everyone that comes in contact with them -- from nurse to housekeeping -- wears gloves and hats, etc. The cost for the protocol is $377 per patient -- compared to the extra $120
• Rendell said "We have to bears about cost control." He pointed out that in Pa, inflation over the past 8 years went up 17%, wages went up 14%, and health care costs went up 73%
  
  
  73%. Think about that.
  
  
• Tom Daschle has a new book out on health reform: http://www.amazon.com/Critical-What-About-Health-Care-Crisis/dp/0312383010
• He gave a very powerful pep talk on why and how we need to be on the offensive instead of the defensive. We need to force vested stakeholders who fight reform to defend the status quo instead of us trying to defend change. To that end we all need to be focused on telling every doubter out there that we ARE NOT THE BEST health care system in the world. We're just not. We rank 37th in the world in life expectancy, infant mortality, etc. Behind Costa Rica and ahead of Slovenia.
• Every other day in America enough people to fill up a 747 die from lack of health care access. Imagine every other day, an entire plane of people crash and die. That's how many people we're losing to our inefficient health care system.
• Gov. Patrick of Massachusetts in his presentation pointed out that there is no "perfect" solution and the longer we wait, the longer we have no solution at all. Hillary Clinton echoed this sentiment: "We've let perfect be the enemy for too long." You must have everyone at the table to improve access and cost but not everyone is going to get everything they want. This is what Hillary missed in '92. It's good to see she understands this now.
• Patrick talked about what we at Duke talk about all the time -- as you expand access, you must also expand primary care. We have to be creative both in inspiring folks to go into primary care and in finding ways to fund it.
  
• My aunt, who works on health care issues at the state level, says there is no silver bullet to reform, only silver buckshot! The most innovative solutions and ideas are going to continue to come from state legislatures and governor's mansions.
  

I'm going in!!!!

Nosebleed section but I will be there!

With Obama, yeah, blah blah blah.

And STEVIE WONDER!!!!!!

Yes, I really, really love Obama, I do. But Stevie has been in my life longer. Now, if only I am seated next to George Clooney.

Chuck D Wants Universal Health Care!

We went to a health event yesterday sponsored by Families USA and SEIU. We heard Govs. Strickland, Patrick, Rendell and Sens. Daschle and Clinton. I'm all about health reform, so of course I loved it. Afterwards there was a rally in a park with Jim Hightower, Ben Gibbard ad Chris Walla from Death Cab for Cutie, Devotchka and Chuck D.

The wonky women telling the wonky room about the rally said "I believe Chuck D is a very good DJ here in Denver."

Which made me wonder, wait, is this not *the* Chuck D? My friend Phil said Public Enemy was giving free concert last night in Boulder, so indeed it was Chuck D. Apparently health wonks, much like my dog Capone, are just not fond of Public Enemy.

Anyhow, I missed the rally because I got last minute credentials to the Pepsi Center.

Wish me luck!

So my uncle, one of my top 3 all time favorite men, along with my dad and brother, is flying in today. We asked for three tickets, we only have two.......

STEVIE WONDER is going to play before the speech!!!!!

And speaking of top 3 men and Stevie Wonder -- I think my brother will be watching the speech in Kenya tonight.

I really, really hope I get to go.

Anti-Chalk Activist

So the anti-gay guys, as I mentioned before, seem to just be very gay. The abortion weirdos, my theory is, are extremely violent.

The bloody posters, to me, cheapen life. They also write in chalk on the sidewalk how all of us will burn in lakes of fire for killing babies. I completely understand how one would feel passionate about the issue. I consider myself both pro-life and pro-choice. What I don't understand is what possesses a person to stand on the street, show a horrible picture, yell at strangers and tell them they are going to hell. Unless of course they are a violent psychopaths.

I kind of want to talk to them because I feel like there is so, so much common ground between our positions and I'm sick of fighting about this. But I know talking will do nothing. I am related to people like this. Been there, done that.

Today, I was a lone tourist, with visible pro-choice buttons and badges, on a block full of wizened looking ruddy-faced men (funny how it's always men) waving these bloody, violent posters. I had my ipod on and couldn't hear them but they were trying to get in my way.

I kept my head down, but I slowed my pace and dragged my feet over their chalk drawings like when you skate in your socks over hardwood floors. It barely scuffed their miniature pastel pink and baby blue hells, but the act alone felt very good.

My Life as a Happy Lemming

I'm watching the TV re-plays and laughing.

So, I thought today would be health care day. I dressed for a rally in a park, but at the last minute got credentials to go to the Pepsi Center. (forget Prince William, I totally think this is a sign I will be Mrs. Clooney. I have learned to dream big)

After I got through security, we walked by a TV and heard that Missouri was voting. I *just* missed Maryland! drats!

The super cool head of the Maryland Obama campaign took pity on my cheap seats credentials and did this badge switch-aroo thing with security and smuggled me into the delegate section. I got there at the EXACT moment Hillary handed over her delegates.

GO HILLARY!!!!! I am so glad I was wrong. So glad. A women in our delegation was at the meeting today where she talked to her people and supposedly gave them a very straight talk about the importance of "not being stupid."

Big sigh of relief.

I got the skinny on the Maryland vote (which I missed). I heard bits and pieces of the story from different folks, so I'm not sure if this is 100% accurate.

They are supposed to fill out this official form. The state delegation guy was supposed to bring the official form. On his way over, he got pulled out for "extra" security. (He happens to be an exceptionally tall and hunky black man. Not sure if that influenced "extra" security or not.)

So it was time for them to submit their official vote and....no official paperwork....they quickly tore up a piece of paper and wrote down their votes. O'Hottie was concerned and really, really didn't want to have to say "pass." At the very last minute they got their act together and voted.

Sitting with the delegation was much cooler than the night before. They pass out signs like, every 10 minutes for you to wave at strategic moments. By the end of the night I was cracking up because in this, tiny, tiny space I had to sit in, I had, no joke, I had 8 signs and 2 American flags. That is a LOT of tchotchkes for a space smaller than what you have flying on coach on a discount airline. I was overflowing with political sentiment.

I have a strong inner cheerleader, so it was fun, but looking at the coverage, we do look like synchronized swimmers on crack.

Mr. Big

So at O'Hotties party, I had a really funny conversation about how Bill Clinton is so much like Mr. Big on Sex and the City. He just F@#$5 up and pisses you off and then, poof! he says all the right things and you love him again.

As he was coming on and we were all waving flags and "Don't Stop thinking about Tomorrow" was playing, my heart got that little fluttery feeling like I was 19 all over again and it was 1992. (the same feeling I get thinking about George Clooney in the elevator)

I love him all over again. It was a fabulous speech.

Not sure if viewers at home noticed but the song they played as he left the stage was Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love." Having the dorky super power of recognizing tunes in less than 3 notes, I was immediately horrified. I noticed they cut the song right after "Might as well face it" and before "you're addicted to love." I wondered if someone would get in trouble. They should have let me DJ.

Rejected Veepstakes Afro-Celtic Jam Band

Gov. O'Hottie threw a ROCKING party tonight after Biden's speech where, along with with Gov. Napolitano on tambourine and Gov. Kaine on bass, he sang Bob Marley's "Redemption Song" and U2's "Still haven't found what I'm looking for" (and many other classics.)

The guinness and whiskey (seriously good whiskey) was flowing and O'Hottie's irish relatives were chattering in cute irish accents.

Jesse Jackson showed up, got on stage and yelled "OBAMA-RAMA!!!! OBAMARAMA!!!! OBAMARAMMA!"

And then went away. Nothing about nuts.

Nancy Pelosi's brother was also in the crowd doing Phish-like dance.....good times, my friends, good times. Very sadly, O'Hottie kept his shirt on.

Even sadder, I only have one more day in this hotel and I *still* haven't "bumped" into George Clooney.

Oh, and why 18,000 Posts in One Night?

The parties are lame. Mike keenly observed last night "it's like woodstock for nerds."

I'd rather stay home and tell my stories so Zephyr has something to read when she gets up in the morning!

Hunky-Hunky Storm Troopers

The police yesterday looked like they were prepared for invading martians or something. really scary and crazily out of proportion to the protesters. And very strangely present wherever the foul-mouthed hippy kids were but never where the foul-mouthed anti-gay, mangled fetus poster weirdos were.

Today the hippy kids wised up and moved to the same spots as the anti-gay guys (who were, by the way, all men and all seemingly, well, very gay looking) The police, pleasantly, switched to less threatening outfits and ditched the horses and armored vehicles for bikes. And provided an intimidating presence for the right wing weirdos to balance out their hassling the hippy kids.

At lunch, the woman sitting next to me and I were talking about the previous day's futuristic outfits and scary weapons and how fascist it all seemed. And then, in hushed tones, at how incredibly hot we found the cops. And then felt sort of ashamed.

Maybe the muggles were right about me and the pearls afterall. At least I'm not the only one.

If Mary Lindsley is reading.....

I sat next to Sen. Cardin's wife today at lunch. She's so cool and I adore her nerdy husband. When I said I was from North Carolina, she started gushing about Kay Hagan. I said, yeah, I will be psyched to get Dole out and I will certainly vote for Hagan, but I'm not really giving her my time or money or energy because of her pandering about immigrants:

http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/columns/story/1188471.html

There was a hush at the table (it's so not cool to criticize other Dems at Dem events!) and I explained how I viewed immigration issues in NC and how I was disappointed in Hagan.

Mrs. Cardin said "well, I didn't know that." Everyone shifted the topic quickly but the other woman my age at the table (daughter of high level guy) and I kept talking about it......

Keep On Going!

So the last time the Democratic National Convention was in Denver -- 100 years ago -- the first women delegates attended. At this convention, for the first time, there are more women delegates than men. Today, of course, was the 88th anniversary of women having the right to vote.

It's hard not to be a woman and be at this convention and not get caught up in that. I've teared up a few times over the past few days. (Mostly because I'm such a history dork)

We went to an Emily's List event today that, while not nearly as interesting as yesterday's event, was equally inspiring. Pelosi, Clinton and Michelle Obama spoke. Clinton, however, did not at all convince me of being ready to "move on." Oh sure, she said the words, but her delivery didn't sell me. This isn't objective, it's all my intuition. And I'm torn, because I look at that room, older women, little girls, college interns and I totally understand their excitement, their disappointment. But man, she really creeps me out.

I sat next to neat guy from Michigan, an alternate delegate who was co-chair of his county's Clinton campaign. We talked about how disgruntled Michigan is and the challenges there in the general election. He said, "Well, she's meeting with a group of us tomorrow and we will see what she tells us to do." When pressed, he said, he doesn't want her to keep going, but that most of his voters will probably go to McCain without her in the race.

(Realizing the next 3 hours were going to be awfully uncomfortable if we kept talking about this, we shifted to fun topics like health reform -- he, his wife, and 3 of his kids are all doctors. We're hoping we see each other and tomorrow's health forum. And India -- he's originally from a state near Nepal!).

I thought her speech was fabulous, she convinced me, but I'm nagged by how much her demeanor and tone changed from 3pm to 9pm.

On the way home, I chatted with the chair of the South Dakota delegation. A really interesting person and passionate about Hillary. He knows it's up to him to set the tone and unify his delegation and he talked a really pretty game. I asked his nephew -- who appeared to be about 16 -- his impressions. He was about to tell me about a particularly juicy fight the S.D. delegation had at breakfast but then my shuttle bus pulled up to my hotel. His uncle looked a little relieved that the story was stopping.

Occam's Razor is that tomorrow all the official stuff will happen with minimal strife and we'll move smoothly into Thursday. I adore speeches that draw on history....her Harriet Tubman reference was really cool, especially given all the context of today, this convention and this election.

But I couldn't help also to think about Susan Sarandon and Gina Davis, grabbing hands, saying "Let's keep going!" and gunning their car over the cliff into the sunset.

(keeping fingers crossed for Occam's Razor)

Sartorial Detail #2

The only non-Quidditch part of the Pepsi Center were the three tiny pale muggle-boys that sat next to me: foul mouthed, jaded, crackberry addicted 20somethings with jobs they seem to think are important.

At one point, one of them said something about "annoying leftists" and I smirked. They noticed my smirk and said "why the smirk?" and I said "dude, you're at the DNC convention."

To which they said, "Well, you're wearing pearl earrings!"

I seem to lose all street cred with the pearls.

And then they immediately asked me --- not where I was from, not my name, just -- "So What Do You Do?"

I smirked again and looked away and said a little thank you to the universe for guiding me away from DC and to North Carolina, where my friends are a lot more magical!

It's Sort of Like a Quidditch Match...

So I got in but screwed up my seat because I can't keep numbers in my head. Instead of sitting at 120, with the super cool Maryland delegation, I sat in 316 with all sorts of random people. At first I regretted my error as I realized there was no chance anyone would see me on TV. But then I was psyched that I could stretch out and get the gestalt. It really did feel like Harry Potter.

It's so enormous and high and teeming with so many people, they start to almost seem like one big organism ensconced in twinkly lights. It was fun to watch the crowd chatter, then silence, then yell, then throb then scream etc. It's also hilarious how many people just flat out no longer pay any attention to what's going on and just stay glued to their crackberries. Must.....twitter.....CONSTANTLY.

After it ended I realized it would take forever to leave so I wandered around for a while to see what I could see. This huge, monstrous throng started rolling by like a storm. 10 video cameras deep, and 5 wide, it rolled and roared by and I waited and waited......just Bill Clinton in the eye of the storm. He looks really old! It was funny moment, since the exactly thing happened to me after he was elected in '92. There was a picture of me in the Washington Post caught in a similar throng.

Sartorial Details

So Susan Sarandon is staying in this hotel. My aunt talked to her in the elevator and reported that she was wearing a suit with running shoes. I forgot what it's like to be in a pedestrian city where if one walks a lot in cute shoes that make you seem super tall..... one hurts. So I decided today, if it's good enough for Susan, gosh darn it, it's good enough for me!

(This also applies to marrying Prince William, as he is 11 years my junior, just like Tim Robbins. However, there is a rumor that George Clooney is also staying here. Hope shifts....)

Girl Power Day!

So today I'm off to an Emily's List lunch with Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama. Tonight my aunt is giving me her credentials to go for the Hillary show at the Pepsi Center. I'm a little nervous (I really hate crowds) and psyched. Yesterday I went to this incredibly cool event:

http://www.unconventionalwomen.org/

Donna Brazile, Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer, Amy Klobuchar, Jane Swift (a republican brave enough to come to Denver and be charming and nice!), Claire McCaskill and lots more. Some highlights:

• Some young women running for office at the local level in Colorado were talking about what sort of leadership training women need for politics . Men wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and think 'Me!' where as women never think they are qualified....training is as simple as a friend saying, "Hey, you should do this." To that end the event had a nominate your friends for political office. I nominated Rachel and Zephyr both because they kick ass and because I know their emails my heart and there was a raffle ticket involved.
• A researcher who's studied women's races at the governor's level talked about the importance building a pipeline of women at the local level and how we all should be either running for office or supporting someone who is. To that end, I really want to make sure I make time this fall to help a progressive female candidate's campaign. Any suggestions? (not one of our latino-hating ones please, which is hard to come by in NC :(
• It's interesting how much more bipartisan work gets done among women. Barbara Maloney had a really interesting story Deborah Price's "secret leadership" in getting funding to women in Afghanistan. My aunt talks about this often. It was also great to see Jane Swift (mother of three girls) on stage talking about finding things we can all agree on like, "Not holding the political conventions the two most hectic weeks of every mom's year" (school!)
  
• Barbara Boxer's daughter has a documentary out called "12 Women" about the women in the Senate. It looks really cool!
  
• There was discussion about the annoying "hair, hemlines and husbands" problem women have in campaigning. That said, Barbara Boxer is uncannily foxy. It's amazing.
• Behind every great women.....Sen. Klobuchar's husband hangs out with the Senate wive's club and recently went to Jim Webb's wife's baby shower. Claire McCaskill's son was the first baby born to a legislator in Missouri while in office. He introduced her (poorly, but hey, he's 20!) last night. I found out my uncle goes to the governor's mansion for spouse events too....HOW COOL ARE THESE MEN?
  

There was so much cool stuff at this event ...but I'm late for crazy day...more later!

Make Out Not War!

I didn't bring a camera. Which Megan thinks is sort of heresy. But I feel like when I have a camera, I'm too busy focusing on capturing images and I'm not actually experiencing them.

Nevertheless, I hope someone, somewhere took pictures of the Code Pink protesters vs. the Denver Storm Troopers today. Greying women in their 50s wearing all pink, handing out "Make Out, Not War" stickers surrounded by twice as many super scary police in full on riot gear.

I'm not sure if they're over-reacting or not, but I haven't seen so many police, so ominous looking, since the weeks in DC after 9/11. I haven't seen (and tried very hard!) very many actual protesters besides the ladies in Code Pink....

like 10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife

I'm not sure if it's irony or just unfortunate but I missed all of the speeches tonight except for Michelle's. Why?

Because I caught up with my old college buddy Mike whom I haven't seen in like 10 years. The last time we hung out we wandered around NYC sort of aimlessly without a plan saying snarky, sarcastic things to each other. We picked up exactly where we left off, wandering around Denver aimlessly. Because he's from NYC and thinks I plant tobacky on my back 40 and drink moonshine now, I resisted for the first couple of hours and tried to stay sweet and Carolinian and say things like "boy howdy!" and "shucks!" but it didn't last.

So why is this ironic? Well, Mike wrote a book.

Live from the Campaign Trail: The Greatest Presidential Campaign Speeches of the Twentieth Century and How They Shaped Modern America

That's right, I missed watching speeches because I was hanging out with my professional speech writer friend.

No Fear in my Wheaties, Please!

Breakfast with the Maryland Delegation this morning....

• I rode the elevator with Kweise Mfume and told him how when I was a line stander on Capitol Hill in 1992, I noticed how he was always so polite and friendly to cashiers in the cafeteria. DC is not a polite town so I used to be sort of shocked when I saw people in power liberally using "pleases and thank yous" with little people. NC has changed me, of course, and now I'm shocked when John Edwards doesn't remember me! Mfume was touched that I remembered and really sweet. He exudes gentleman.
  
• Elijah Cummings talked about what an amazing time it is to be alive. He talked about the segregated south he remembers as a kid and how this room today of movers and shakers in power was at least 50% (if not more) African American, Latino and various shades of beige, women, men, gay, straight. "The GOP delegation from our state doesn't look like this," he pointed out.
• Gary Hart gave a pep talk and said he's finally figured out why the party that doesn't believe in government is always trying to run it. Katrina demonstrated that they want to run it so they can prove it doesn't work. He talked about the obvious, how GOP constantly uses fear to get folks to vote against their own economic interest.
  
• So my chances of getting into the Pepsi Center to hear speeches is sort of like marrying Prince William or George Clooney. Not beyond the laws of science and nature, but very, very unlikely. There's a lottery, so there's a slim chance I can. Luckily there are also watch parties in the hotel (with open bar!) and shuttles downtown to the parties afterwards. Open bar almost makes not being there worthwhile!
  
• The whole thing feels like a really nerdy summer camp. I love it!
  

Low Expectations vs. Hope

I had a fabulous day with Phil and new friend Lisa. They took me to Boulder for a hike and a delicious lunch (hot pepper lemonade, how cool is that?) We joked/talked about the habit of assuming the worst and then being pleasantly surprised. For example, Lisa took her kids to Disney World, assumed it would be awful and then was surprised at how fun it was. Phil was talking about mentally preparing for a McCain presidency and not being crushed if Obama doesn't win.

In general, I have always strongly agreed with this way of living.

But then I went to the Maryland Delegation reception tonight where Elijah Cummings, Kweisi Mfume, Gov. O'Hottie, Steny Hoyer, and John Kerry (the Massachusetts delegation is staying in the same hotel) spoke. Cummings talked about the importance of saying, out loud, "President Obama" as often as we can. We have to get used to it, visualize it, believe it. Kerry reminded me of how utterly crushed I was back in '04. I don't think I talked to republican rob for like 6 months after that. My coworkers were terrified of me.

I told Phil today, "Will we be any more or less crushed if we hope for it or not? I mean, will low expectations really soften this blow."

Belief and hope are slippier, trickier things in reality than they are in rhetoric.

(I had such a fabulous day -- thanks Phil and Lisa for being such gracious hosts!)

(my aunt, a fellow ENFP, is the coolest person on the planet. it was so inspiring to see how much people respect and connect with her. She rocks for letting me tag along on this adventure!)

Famous in Finland?

OK, first of all. How cool would it have been if Obama had introduced Biden by saying he was very “clean and articulate.”

My horoscope for the month of August said all the usual stuff about love and money blah blah blah ….“Whatever you do, do not travel on August 23rd. You’ll be met only with gloom and epic disaster.”

Sure enough I get to the airport by 9am and am greeted with all the usual airline horror story stuff. It loooked grim. But it all worked out and I made it to Denver. Yay!

Watched the Denver airport luggage belt for an hour and had that pit in my stomach. Will have to wear uncute shirt and flip flops all week. I went to luggage place and was greeted with “Are you Jennifer? We have this random suitcase…” Yay!

Get to car rental place and am told “you’re on our “Do Not Rent” list.” The District of Columbia is in cahoots with car rental companies and they think I owe them some silly amount like $7, 895 stemming from my some random $50 ticket back in 1999. Just then I get a text message from my friend Phil “Are you sure you need to rent a car? I can pick you up....” Yay!

So I’ve beaten the stars. (So far.) In Hotel now, going out with Phil & Co. tonight.

I read the Atlantic article on the plane about Mark Penn and the Clinton campaign and reversed my previous night’s reversal of opinion. Struck up a conversation with the passenger next to me -- a reporter from Finland. He asked me for my take on the convention. (I had a lot of Hillary theories.) I asked for his take on Russia and whether he likes his health care system. We made plans to hang out later if he has time and then he asked if he could quote me on all the Hillary-trash I talked. Not being a politician or a person of really any consequence, in Finland at least, I said sure!

So day one and already I might be famous in Finland. Stay tuned!

Veep Fever

Curses this stupid text message gimmick. I need to leave my house at 8am and here it is after midnight and I'm still staring at my phone.

So my last minute predictions & hopes:

It looks like it's Biden. But my prediction is Chet Edwards.

My #1 hope is Bill Richardson or Wesley Clark. Because I think they would offer a lot of complementary experiences and skills.

I am sort of shocked at myself that I've come around on Hillary. I mean, sure, there's always the worry that she'd have him killed. And the whole, slimey- racist campaign she ran. But I don't think it would be the worst thing in the world if he picked her.

I suppose I changed my mind because I didn't expect McCain to be as nasty as he's been. I like to assume the best in people, I was wrong. He's just an icky, senile gomer that is probably better suited to hanging out in the Dunkin' Donuts in Boca Raton, telling inappropriate jokes to girls a 1/3 his age and getting in fist fights when someone cuts in line. Cranky old dude with too much money .

By comparison now, Clinton just doesn't look so bad!

Just a few more hours and we shall see.....

No Bad News....

I'm getting excited about going to Denver...

And I'm thinking about packing, which leads me to think about the airport, which leads me to think security, and the government, and the nightmare this whole last 8 years has been.

And then I think about Patty Griffin's song "No Bad News." (I'm pretty sure she had GWB & airports in mind when she wrote it)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jac5tXhMUrE

And then I think about how cool the next 4 years are going to be :)

"We're gonna go way beyond the walls of this fortress
And we won't be afraid, we won't be afraid, and though the darkness may come our way
We won't be afraid to be alive anymore
And we'll grow kindness in our hearts for all the strangers among us
Till there are no strangers anymore"