I arrived a bit early at the fundraiser last night. When I got there, the volunteers were busy checking people's names while other volunteers were busy handing out free bottles of water (I was offered three, I think, while still drinking the one I'd accepted) and ushered inside. The mood was "up" without being hurried.And Bruce Springsteen, of course, was playing on the sound system.
All politics aside, if you haven't been to the Church Brew works, you really should treat yourself. The building used to house the St. John The Baptist church and was built in 1902. It ceased being a church in the early nineties.
The menu is good and the beer is tasty.
A few minutes after arriving, I meandered around, bottled water in hand, greeting the few people there I already knew.
"Hey, have you seen the Hillary protestors outside?" I was asked.
I hadn't. I'd only been there a few minutes. When did the protestors arrive? In any event, here they are - all six of them.
I know you probably can't read the signs as the picture is too small. So out of fairness to the protestors as well as to make sure their views are represented, the signs the Hillary Clinton supporters were carrying read (roughly from left to right):
- With friends like Rezko, Kilpatrick, Wright, who has time for Russia?
- No voice no democracy Nobama.
- I am one of the 18 million of "those people"
- Honk for Hillary
- The associates of Barack Obama; Nadhami Auchi, Tony Rezko, M Marzook, Rev Wright, Quadaffi, William Ayers, The Woods Fund, Odinga, Allison Davis, Rashid Khalidi, Obongo Obama, Farrakhan, James Meeks. Barry Soetoro (aka Barack Obama)
- Equal pay for women starting with Obama staff
- FISA is not democratic
- Where is the Birth certificate Barack Hussien (sic) Obama
- Bitter Bullets N'Faith
- No vote no democracy
- Is this 2000 or 2008
- 18 million deni(ed) 18 million not hea(rd)
- Rise Hillary rise
There were considerably more people in the hall.
The place was crowded; enough to feel cramped not crowded enough to start obsessing about Soylent Green. Among the crowd was Patrick Dowd (all smiles fresh from a rousing few days on City Council) and Dan Onorato (bravely milling about in what is obvious enemy drink tax territory).
By 7pm the festivities started. Patrick Dowd introduced the celebrity of the evening, Kal Penn. For those who don't know the name, he was "Kumar" in the two "Harold and Kumar" movies. He told a story of a friend of his from Texas. A guy who was working minimum wage and was offered $90k by Halliburton to drive a truck in Iraq. Only in America, Penn said, can a guy be given the choice of making some nice cash (though in a war zone) or struggling on minimum wage in Texas. He said he became a fan of Obama after hearing the Keynote address the last Democratic Convention in 2004. He said he became a bigger fan after learning that Obama had taught Constitutional Law. He said that he remembers thinking that it would be nice to have a President who'd READ the Constitution.
That got a laugh.
Next up was County Executive Dan Onorato. When he was introduced, I thought I could hear a boo or two, but in a room of 2 to 3 hundred I might have mis-heard. Dan's big point was "party unity." "We're unified" he said. "If I can show up at Sean Casey's place" (meaning the Brew Works) "that means we're unified." He said that there's too much at stake to have any interparty tensions. No idea if the protestors outside got the message.
Next up was DNC Chair Howard Dean.
He gave a rousing talk to the faithful. It's time for a President who's President to all the people, not just those who agree with him, he said. He talked about the cost of the war in Iraq, the need for health care and why the $10 billion a month being spent in Iraq would be better spent here in America. He talked a bit about the battle ground states in the next election, but had to stop short as "he's not allowed to give a lists of states any more."
When he got to the election he said that Dan Onorato is not going to win this election, the state party is not going to win this election, Barack Obama is not going to win this election, "You," he said, "You are going to win this election."
He said that when Barack Obama is the next President, he'll have two different jobs;
- Healing America and
- Restoring America's moral authority
Healing America from the divisiveness brought on by 8 years of Bush disrespect and restoring America's moral authority so that we can work with other nations again. He said he was never so proud as when a few weeks ago when Barack Obama spoke to 200,000 cheering Europeans "all waving American flags." How long has it been since Europeans did that?
In the end, he said that he wants a President who stands for what's best about America not what's worst.
Could not agree more.
21 comments:
John K: It is nice to see all those Democrats in one room taking pride in what they have accomplished in SWPA. A City in receivership, a school district that has a 48% drop out rate, people fleeing to other regions. And did he speak of morality like that of City Council. Shields really knows how to treat female employees eh? We need those 200,000 Germans on our side. After all, they stand up so well to the Russians over this Georgian thing. And don't yah just love that drink tax put in by the Democrats. Ahhhhh ain't it great to have all those accomplishments. And to think Hussein Obama, sans birth certificate, can do the same for America.
John;
Nice way to change the subject.
Don't you even think you can win an argument anymore? It seems that all you do is change the subject into something else you think you can make points raising.
It's more than a little pathetic, don't you think?
I mean, you have to realize that, don't you?
Everyone else does.
You can repeat the lie about the birth certificate as often as you'd like, John.
But it's still a lie.
Some questions for John:
Is Cindy McCain still a drug addict? She lied about it and covered it up. Why has the right covered this up for her?
Why won't John McCain let the press look at his full health records without a time limit? What is he hiding? Why won't he take a cognition test to see if he's not suffering from the onset of dimentia and senility? Why is the right lying to protect him?
Why did John McCain physically attack Rep. Rick Renzi? Why did he physically assault Pete Domenici? Why is the right covering up these stories about McCain's violent temper?
Why won't McCain say whether he does or doesn't suffer from PTSD? Why is the right covering this up for him?
What wars has McCain won? He keeps saying he knows how to win wars, yet he's never won a war. He's never served in a leadership role(other than a squadron). Why is the right lying about John McCain's national security credentials?
If John McCain is such a great patriot, why did he sign a false confession as a POW? Why would he risk the fate of his fellow Americans by doing that? How many names did McCain give to the North Vietnemese? Why did he receive preferential treatment as the son of an admiral? Why is the right trying to cover up the truth?
It's me... L.K. I have to go by this name now.
First, I must ask: why does Dean believe that one of Obama's jobs will be to restore "moral authority" to the U.S.? Obama (if I may state my humble opinion) is in NO position to be the moral leader on ANYTHING. Just look at his track record.
Morality, by the way, has more to do with what is TRUE than with what people want to hear.
By the next comment (about Europeans waving American flags), Dean almost makes it sound as though what he really means is-- "We want other countries to think well of us." And where will that get us? Yes, possibly being seen as an "authority," of some type. But I believe it will be an authority on how to live wrongly, and how to live solely for oneself.
This cannot be what we desire other countries to admire in us. Let us strive to be better than that.
John K: Let's do for America what the Democrats have done for Southwest PA. Turn every construction project into a taxpayer funded endeavor. Repave our pothole ridden streets every spring to ensure the relatives of politicans have jobs in the road repair business. Level taxes on property to fund a school system that produces a 48% drop out rate. Make all citizens capable of holding minimum wage jobs. GO Howard Dean!
John K: You doubt me about the birth certificat?. Then demand Hussein Obama produce it. You doubted us when we called out Edwards. Of course he told you he wasn't having an affair, sorta like Bubba Clinton, and you believed him. What else is the press hiding? Neither you nor I know. But I want to find out.
John K: And best of all, levy a tax on poured drinks just because we can. We will worry about finding uses for the money later. And when the tax is challenged by referendum of the people, ignore it. Democracy in action eh liberals? Go Dean! Go Onorato!
I much prefer a President that likes to fuck than kill.
John K: Well Bob, based on this blogs admiration for blow up dolls, the question would be, exactly what do liberals choose as a partner. LOL LOL LOL LMAO I outdid myself this time!
Well, the first part of John K's post is almost accurate, the city is on the verge of receivership (but for Act 47), and the schools made progress but still were considered inadequate by no child left behind standards. Good thing neither Luke or Dan is running for President.
I just read Bob Herbert’s column about how we are ignoring domestic issues in this election, and I felt a sense of deja vu from every four years. Your account makes it sound like Howard Dean mostly focused on the effect of the election on international matters, again in a city which everyone was surprised was left of the ten fastest dying cities.
I'm usre everyone here (with a few exceptions) wants to see Obama elected. But I remember that people were pretty excited when Carter was elected. A religious man (who wouldn't get us into scandals) and a smart man, a nuclear engineer. And Carter was moral, limited arms sales because it was the Right thing to do. And Carter was smart, he told us conservation would bring down the price of energy most effectively. And we grew to hate Carter and in the next elected our forgetful grandfather (who had scandals and encouraged us to waste energy, and who we still love).
That should be John K's first comment.
John K: The Democrats (H. Dean) state that Hussein Obama wants to do for America what the Democrats have done to SWPA and the inner cities of America. Yet the Democrats won't take pride in what they have accomplished in SWPA.Look at the drink tax, put in and defended by Democrats. The public goes out and signs 46,000+ names to a referendum to put it to a vote and these same Democrats, who whine about democracy, now want to deny the petition. And yet Obama wants to raise taxes?Obama wants to turn America into another Pittsburgh. And when it goes wrong take the Jim Burn and Onorato approach in blaming it all on a Republican. In their case Jim Roddey.So I say, stand up Democrats. We have seen what you can accomplish. Take pride in bankruptcy and drop out rates. Potholed filled streets that only get fixed if you know the local politician. Unions that have caused the mass transit to be so far in debt the problem is critical. Take pride in this because this is Obama's view of America. And hang onto the blow up doll just in case you need a date.
A lot of Obamicans (as well as Independents and Democrats) have figured out that Obama's America-wide life experience puts him more in line with the national Dems, rather than the local Dem machines. (No argument that single-party rule can get mighty corrupt.) Obama's not about "whose cousin can we employ." You'll get your shot at health care, we'll stop hemorrhaging $3 billion-and-counting-and-where-did-it-go-oh-yes-Haliburton in Iraq. But after that, you better step up and work your butt off if you want to do well. And that's as it should be.
Finally, if you've ever asked, "how come some people feel entitled to pay" or "how come those guys on the corner can't be bothered to do something for themselves," remember this: elect Obama, and no one can ever again, with a straight face, wave their skin color or their daddy's religion or their mom's single motherhood in your face, and tell you that "they could never get a fair break in America" or "it's not like my kid could grow up to be president."
I hear bitching about that on right-wing radio all the time. Heck, I see eye-rolling on all sides of the aisle when that attitude comes up. I'll break all possible PC codes and say, it's self-defeating and morally weak for people to cut themselves and their kids down, just so no-one else can do it first.
When I hear "yes, we can" I hear a repudiation of sitting and waiting for the gravy train. I hear a condemnation of the mentality that says it's OK or normal for kids to be wandering the streets in packs and throwing stones at rear-view mirrors.
I hear a call to hit the books, get in shape, volunteer for your community, and stop waiting for someone else to do the heavy lifting, or open the magic pocket book.
I also hear a call to discuss the good and bad points of all rational plans offered in good faith, whether they help Democratic donors & voters...Republican donors & voters...or "just" the American people.
Taking solutions off the table without discussion just leaves people mad, confused, offended and uninformed. Let's talk about why most offshore drilling is wrong for US coasts, instead of saying "that discussion is over." We might all learn something, enviro's included. Let's discuss who is, and who is not, actually hurt by federal inheritance taxes (are you going to be getting that much more than 2 million?)...and ask whether tax rebates have been an effective way to juice the economy. (This isn't a snarky statement--I'm bona fide curious, and tired of not being able to hear some civilized analysis.)
Finally, the US had some fine times when the world admired us. They gave us some nice trade deals, so our economy roared along (the 50's). I'm not saying we need that--we can presumably dig ourselves out, laboriously--but I'm ready to enjoy some of that again, if it's out there.
Better than free trade with the drug-shipping areas.
Better than having the Saudi's (& co) buying up our land, while we send them money for oil.
If Obama were a radical or a muslim--which he isn't--there is not a THING that he could do that would help reactionary and radical Muslims MORE than what Bush, Cheney and all of us are doing by spending so many good American dollars for Saudi oil, and on Persian gulf soil. Saudi official policies are wretched, and their Bin Laden-inspired radical are worse: 16 of 19 hijackers.
John K: What I hear from Hussein Obama is a call to get even. For every trite, every offense ever done, for every slight. Him and his wife are angry. They went to an angry church. His wife had so much suppressed anger she had to get a makeover to make her more palatable.Hope that he gets elected so he can institute change and stick it to anyone who they think need it stuck to.H. Dean has the same message. Hear his gaffe over "white" Republicans? Local Democrats operate under the same rules. They fail to recognize that they have been running SW PA for 72 years.My point, vote Obama and hope you ain't the one he intends to stick it to.
"I much prefer a President that likes to fuck than kill."
...and I prefer a president who, while maybe not perfect, will take the proper course of action and the moral high ground when necessary, instead of one who bumbles around doing nothing in a time of crisis.
I also prefer a presidential candidate who will continue to follow that course of action, as opposed to one willing to abandon it for political gain.
I'll try to answer your questions regarding McCain, Jaywillie. First the war patriot John won was the get rich quick war. He dumped his first wife for a rich one. Second, McCain is a true patriot the NV tricked him into signing the false confession-hey when you finish five from the bottom of your graduating class you get tricked easily. Third the only names brave John gave were the Steelers starting offensive lin, er I mean the Packers starting offensive lin, er I mean the starting pitching staff of the Arizona Diamondbacks er I mean anybody he could think of. Fourth why do you say war hero John got preferential treatment. Just because he wrecked four planes before he was shot down. Just because he was flying so low when he was shot down a shotgun would have brought him down,just because he ejected improperly causing his injuries, Anyone of us would have been named squadron leader just because daddy was an Admiral had no bearing on this. You're just being picky Jaywillie.
So what you're saying John K. is that when Obama was getting his security clearances as a Senator, no one noticed he was a secret Muslim without a proper birth certificate?
But again, John K., I'll ask you the questions I did earlier:
Is Cindy McCain still addicted to prescription pills? The campaign has not said that she isn't. Why is the right covering this up?
Some say that McCain suffers from PTSD. Why won't he deny it? Why won't he subject himself to cognition tests to certify that he is of a sound mind? Why is the right covering this up?
Why did McCain throw punches at Rep. Renzi? Why does he have a reputation for accosting his fellow senators both verbally and physically? Is their a history of physically violence in McCain's past? Why is the right trying to cover this up?
Why won't McCain give the press all the time they need to look at his health records? If he didn't have anything to hide, why did he limit the viewing to a brief period of time? What is John McCain hiding about his health? And why is the right, in their silence, covering up for him?
What is the truth about McCain's relationship with Iseman? As you have said, men who cheat on their wives will lie about anything. And McCain cheated on his first wife. So why should we believe him when he says he wasn't having an affair with Iseman?
George W. Bush . . . "maybe not perfect"
Why the "maybe?" How much chance do you see that he is the perfect president?
nice post, joy.
thank you.
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