Read a Pacific Northwest, liberal perspective on world, national, and local politics. From majestic Redmond, Washington - the Northwest Progressive Institute Advocate.

Monday, August 25, 2008

LIVE from Denver: Ted Kennedy!

I really love the part of town that the Big Tent and Alliance Center are located in, with the wonderful indie bookstore and old brick buildings and many drink and food establishments. We were well provided for here, with pizza, burritos, sandwiches and several types of local ale (I am relishing my Fat Tire).

So far we have either "live" MSNBC or CNN coverage on big screen televisions and I basically don't "do" network cable infotainment, but have no choice until they figure out how to honor our request for the C-SPAN live feed.

That said, I did love just now seeing John Kerry on the floor and Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg is speaking now. She is emphasizing that Obama and Biden have come along just when our nation needs them the most. Obama offers the change we need and she has heard from people all over the country who feel hopeful, just as people did when her father was running.

"I have never had someone inspire me the way people tell me my father inspired them but I do now - Barack Obama." She went on to talk about "Uncle Teddy" and how he has made life better for people all over this country and throughout the world during his forty six years in the United States Senate.

She is highlighting his work to enact a decent minimum wage, preserve Social security and all the other services that help people from early childhood through old age. For all of these, "Teddy is your Senator." As Caroline says, he also helped end apartheid and spoke out against the war in Iraq, and has seldom missed a special event concerning one of his sixty or so close relatives.

Personally, I supported both John Kerry and Barack Obama because of the blessing of Ted Kennedy. It is a thrill to now hear Caroline introduce the tribute to Senator Kennedy. I'm going to sign off now and watch. I hope you're watching too.

It was wonderful, and now the crowd is going wild for Ted Kennedy himself. The bloggers in this dimmed room are rapt.

"It is so wonderful to be here," he starts, "and nothing is going to keep me away from this special gathering tonight."

He speaks of changing America, restoring its future, rising to our best ideals, and electing Barack Obama the President of the United States. He pledges to be there next January on the floor of the United States Senate when Obama is inaugurated.

(Chants of "Teddy, Teddy" erupted on the floor) He then speaks of a season of hope for justice and prosperity for the many not the few.

"This is the cause of my life - new hope." His oratory style has not dimmed at all. The reaction shot of Joe Biden is awesome.

"We can meet these challenges with Barack Obama - Yes We Can and finally, Yes We Will." This is an inclusive speech, an inspiring speech.

Our soldiers must be committed to a mission not a mistake, he said. He reminds us that JFK didn't say it was "to far" for us to go to the moon and there is still an American flag on the surface. "We scale the heights...I know it, I've lived it... and we can do it again."

"The hope rises again and the dream lives on."

The crowd went wild again and I myself am remembering my sixteenth summer when the flag was planted on the moon, and that it's been forty years now since RFK was taken down by a bullet.

"Still the One" began playing as he finished.

I would be happy to just remember it this way, without it being analyzed by a bunch of pundits, so I believe that's what I'll do. It's also amazing to think that all this is going on within easy walking distance from us!

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