http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/08/24/2008-08-24_barack_obamas_team_pleased_with_dnc_chai.html

DNC Howard Dean has gotten a solid review from Barack Obama's campaign team.

Barack Obama's team pleased with DNC chairman Howard Dean

BY KENNETH R. BAZINET
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU

Sunday, August 24th 2008, 6:25 PM

...

"We've accomplished a lot and quite frankly a lot more than I thought we would," Dean told the Daily News as the party prepared for its Denver convention. "The only thing I care about now is getting Sen. [Barack] Obama into the White House."

...

"We like him. He's doing well in his role, which is building the party outside of Washington and registering voters," said a senior Obama aide. "He's out there now on a bus tour registering more voters, and it's going well."

Obama aides and others hail Dean's two-year-old "50-state program," which moved the party away from focusing only on party-friendly Blue States and into Republican strongholds.

...

http://www.kunstler.com/

   As the political conventions descend like the soggy forces of nature they have become -- the tropical depressions of politics -- the Republican party will be seen, with growing clarity, as the party that wrecked America. So many shoes are about to drop, and so many dominoes lined up to fall 'out there' on the financial landscape that the thump and clatter of crashing institutions will sound like the percussion section of the renowned USC marching band as the nation tramps toward the general election.

At the moment, two of the biggest elephants in the room, so to speak, are going tits-up with X's where their eyes used to be. These would be the "affordable housing" enablers Fannie and Freddie, who managed during the past decade to make housing virtually unaffordable for any normal, responsible person unwilling to game the system -- with the additional consequence that not only the housing market but the general credit-and-lending apparatus of the US has entered a state of morbid failure. These two corporations are now dead, incurring a legacy of obligation that will add five trillion dollars to the national debt at one stroke. Nobody knows what the exact results of this debacle may be -- and the current silence about it is deafening -- but odds are the effect will range somewhere between destroying the currency and bankrupting the United States altogether.

I'm rather convinced that the carnage on the money scene will be so extreme this fall that the nation will seem to have been transformed from a superpower to a basketcase before November 4th, and that the blame for this state of affairs will be blindingly obvious: the people in charge for the past eight years looted the treasury, destroyed the currency, and left the machinery of capital a smoking wreckage.

And so, with the fucking nonsense of the Beijing olympics being over, let the real games begin.

http://www.demconwatchblog.com/2008/08/convention-speakers-and-agenda.html

Democratic National Convention Podium Schedule
Monday, August 25, 2008 – ONE NATION

Time Shown as local – Denver, Colorado MST

3:00 PM - 7:00 PM (LOCAL)

Call to Order
The Honorable Howard Dean
Chair, Democratic National Committee
Former Governor of Vermont

...

Remarks
Maya Soetoro-Ng
Half-sister of Barack Obama
High School teacher - Hawaii

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Remarks
...

Senator Edward M. Kennedy Tribute 
Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg

...

Michelle Obama
Wife of Presidential Candidate Barack Obama

...

Recess
The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius
Governor of Kansas

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20080825_hedges_afghanistan_worsening/

As the conflict in Afghanistan has intensified, so has the indiscriminate use of airstrikes, including Friday’s, which took place in the Azizabad area of Shindand district in Herat province. The airstrike was carried out after Afghan and coalition soldiers were ambushed by insurgents while on a patrol targeting a known Taliban commander in Herat, the U.S. military said. Hundreds of Afghans, shouting anti-U.S. slogans, staged angry street protests on Saturday in Azizabad to protest the killings, and President Hamid Karzai condemned the airstrike

Hujo-Kunstler-hear hear.

+++++++++++++++++

I just happened on this post from MostlyOpera about Mein Herz Brent (My heart burns or my heart is on fire).  It's a symphonic song cycle based on Rammstein lyrics.  What makes this post special is she (I think MostlyOpera is a she) juxtaposes Youtubes of Rammstein versions with the Rasch/Pape versions of Mutter - which is a rage against the mother (an aborted fetus talking?) - and Mein Herz Brent which is in a nutshell about the boogeyman under your and my bed.  The Rammstein versions are much less painful than I anticipated and as for the Rasch/Pape version, I already have a ticket for the London Phil in May.

http://mostlyopera.blogspot.com/2008/07/ren-pape-mein-herz-brennt.html

It's the post for Saturday 19 July 2008 if it doesn't pop up automatically.

is doing all they can to ensure a horse race.  Click for all the articles from real clear politics.  My head is ready to explode.  And what's up with the nonsense about *only 1/2 of Hillary's voters support Obama?*  Oh give me a break - this happens each and every election.  I find it hard to believe that they will all go to McCain

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/

may be at the convention in person per The Boston Globe.  I will be watching this convention for sure. 

One more thing -- Bill Clinton needs to get over himself.  I'm just sick of his antics.  Grow up,Bill!

... a new Dem administration, orchestrated in by Barack, Joe and Howard (on the heels of the Olympics) will bear that out -- the welfare, economic advancement and security of all the residents in the rest of the world, ties in with our own:

 http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/photo?slug=6951db84076232b5c98a805086930419-getty-81972615mw342_olympics_day_&prov=getty

BEIJING - AUGUST 18: (L-R) Silver medalist Tatyana Lebedeva of Russia, gold medalist Francoise Mbango Etone of Cameroon and bronze medalist Hrysopiyi Devetzi of Greece stand on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Women's Triple Jump Final at the National Stadium on Day 10 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 18, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

You are so right - I think many Americans have become so bloody nationalistic.  It's sickening, really.  I can't wait to see Michelle speak this evening.  She's a First Lady I would be proud of.

http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,164859_1,00.html

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/8/25/94943/2949/6/574601

... being "against the machine":

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/slideshow/photo//080824/480/3c3d6f4e064b4f2bb6847cb69da35c04/#photoViewer=/080824/482/2f3cd4efeb0c4dd6b176cb5e66366d88

People wait in line to place their name on a lottery list for for Rage Against the Machine concert tickets at the tent city set up for the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008.<cite id="captionCite">(AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)</cite>

I can't believe how any woman could vote for McCain, or any Repub for that matter.   I think most of the Hillary diehards are Repugs to begin with who supported her because the Repub Party wanted her as the nominee, but the VP would be almost as good.
I am beyond believing anything Hill or Bill say this week.   Hill could easily end this charade, but she doesn't.   She'll let it ride out to the last minute, and eke out every smidgeon of disconnect she can.  While we watch the convention, we can also see the Repug. commercials that Hillary has provided for them with her rhetoric of the Primary.  

all she has to do is call out the "democrat" in his ad

-- Obama for America campaign is now the largest campaign of DFA (ie. O for A has 360 members; it's only been in existence for six weeks, when it was created by Adam Quinn and Michael Langenmayr)  :

http://democracyforamerica.com/campaigns

1 to 30 of 382

Obama for America President of the United States IL 360 Supporters

Diane Trautman for Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector TX 357 Supporters

Darcy Burner for Washington Congress - WA-08 WA 210 Supporters

...

http://democracyforamerica.com/campaigns/2990-obama-for-america

...

Campaign Annoucements

 

By Adam Quinn, DFA Field Director on Jul 14, 2008 5:42PM

 

Did you know you can invite non-DFA members to join this group. Under "Voice Your Support" click on "invite friends".

Under "other" you can invite people one-by-one, use the "bulk" add to paste addresses directly in, or use our new tool...

...

The next Republican one will be a doozy.

We in Iowa very rarely have a majority behind the nominee until early summer because we are always split on caucus night, but we will carry Iowa for Obama, and I don't think it will even be close.

I'm hoping and wanting to believe you are right, but as of the moment i am in a "Catharsis up their arses" frame of mind.

they can all kick in $5 here and combine DFA,ActBlue and grassroots support for the ticket

http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/demfarmer

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5dCk/commentary#comments

...

...

Hey guys, just got back from our first delegation breakfast with Mark Warner. Great time.

Got a good night's sleep after a 24 hour marathon.

Last nite went to the Red Rock Amphitheatre with a concert with Sheryl Crow, Sugarland and Dave Mathews. The place is awesome and a wonder. Built by the WPA during FDR presidency. Made out of red rock. I was almost in tears, it was awesome.

I have my credentials and am ready to go. We are sitting right behind Illinois on the main floor of the convention center.

It is so exciting will check back when I can.

mostly Bill...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sirota/convention-dispatch-does_b_121159.html

linda b - I lived up the road from Red Rocks - up I-70 past Buffalo Bill's grave.  It is breathtaking, isn't it?  Look forward to more reporting.

Monday, August 25, 2008 – ONE NATION

Time Shown as local – Denver, Colorado MST

3:00 PM - 7:00 PM (LOCAL)

Call to Order
The Honorable Howard Dean
Chair, Democratic National Committee
Former Governor of Vermont

Invocation
The Honorable Polly Baca – Greeley, Colorado
Former Colorado State Senator
President & CEO Latin American Research & Service Agency

Presentation of Colors
Navajo Code Talkers Association
Keith Little, Frank Willeto, Bill Toledo, Jimmy Begay

Pledge of Allegiance
Angela Morgan –Alexandria, Virginia
Served 9 years in the Marines and now runs a leadership development small business

National Anthem
Colorado Children's Chorale
Group over 30-years old – Tad Koriath (piano)
Local children (7-14) performing throughout US & the world (China, Asia, Europe, etc.)

Welcome
Reverend Leah D. Daughtry
Convention CEO & Chief of Staff, Democratic National Committee

Video - "Welcome to the West"

Introduction of and Report by the Credentials Committee
The Honorable Howard Dean
Chair, Democratic National Committee
Eliseo Roques-Arroyo
Co-Chair Credentials Committee
Former Executive Director, Democratic Party of Puerto Rico
James Roosevelt, Jr.
Co-Chair Credentials Committee
Pres. & CEO Tuffs Health Plan (HMO) and grandson of FDR
The Honorable Alexis Herman
Co Chair Credentials Committee
Former US Secretary of Labor

Introduction of and Report by the Rules Committee
The Honorable Howard Dean
Chair, Democratic National Committee
Sunita Leeds
Co-Chair Rules Committee
Chair of the DNC Indo-American Leadership Council
The Honorable Mary Rose Oakar
Co-Chair Rules Committee
Former Member of the US Congress, Ohio,
President of the American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee
The Honorable David Walters
Co-Chair Rules Committee
Former Governor of Oklahoma
President of Walters Power International

Video - Changing the Course of Our Nation
Featuring Ashley Baia -Native of Pennsylvania and an Obama field organizer mentioned in Obama's Philadelphia speech. Know as the "sandwich girl" who, at age 9, convinced her mother she liked mustard & relish sandwiches to save money while her mother was fighting cancer. She is now twenty-three.

Introduction of Convention Co-Chairs
The Honorable Howard Dean
Chair, Democratic National Committee
The Honorable Shirley Franklin
Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia
The Honorable Leticia Van de Putte
State Senator, Texas District 26
The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius
Governor of Kansas
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the US House of Representatives
Member of the US House of Representatives, California
Permanent Chair of the 2008 Democratic National Convention

Turning Over the Gavel
The Honorable Howard Dean, temporary Chair of the Convention turns over the gavel to
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Permanent Chair of the 2008 Democratic Convention.

Remarks
The Honorable Doris Matsui, Parliamentarian
Member of the US House of Representatives, California

Andrew Tobias, Treasurer
Democratic Party Treasurer

Remarks by the Secretary and the Electronic Roll Call of Attendance
Alice Travis Germond - West Virginia
Secretary, Democratic Party
Member of the Democratic National Committee

Remarks – Presentation of Platform
The Honorable Patricia Madrid
Co-Chair Platform Committee
Attorney General of New Mexico

Judith McHale
Co-Chair Platform Committee
Business Executive (former President, Discovery Communications; Board of DigitalGlobal)

Remarks
The Honorable John Hickenlooper
Mayor of Denver, Colorado

Congressional Hispanic Caucus
The Honorable Joe Baca
Member of the US House of Representatives, California

The Honorable Grace Napolitano
Member of the US House of Representatives, California

The Honorable Silvestre Reyes
Member of the US House of Representatives, Texas

Remarks
Nancy Keenan
President, NARAL - Pro-Choice America

The Honorable Emil Jones, Jr.
State Senator, Illinois
Amanda Kubik
Young Delegate – North Dakota

Ret. Rear Admiral John Hutson,
Pres. Franklin Pierce Law Center in Concord – lifetime Republican

Reg Weaver
President, National Education Association

The Honorable Manuel Diaz
Mayor of Miami, Florida

Video - Changing the Course of Our Nation
Featuring Gabrielle Grossman
New Hampshire Obama Supporter "U2 mamma for Obama"

Remarks
The Honorable Lisa Madigan
Attorney General, Illinois

The Honorable Dan Hynes
Comptroller, Illinois

The Honorable Alexi Giannoulis
State Treasurer, Illinois

Randi Weingarten
American Federation of Teachers

The Honorable Amy Klobuchar
US Senator, Minnesota

Musical Performance
John Legend (vocals & piano) and accompanied by:
Agape Choir - International Spiritual Center, Culver City, CA
Trans-denominational Spiritual Community founded by Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith

Video/Remarks
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the US House of Representatives
Permanent Chair, Democratic National Convention

Video - First Time Delegates: Renewing America's Promise

America's Town Hall – Economy
Moderator: Senator Sherrod Brown - Ohio,
Panelists: Ned Helms, Lisa Olivares, Dr. Laura Tyson, Jon Schnur

Remarks
Margie Perez
New Orleans jazz singer & song writer from Musicians Village

President Jimmy Carter Segment
Jimmy Carter/New Orleans Video
Acknowledgment of President Carter

Remarks
Maya Soetoro-Ng
Half-sister of Barack Obama
High School teacher - Hawaii

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Remarks
The Honorable Jesse Jackson, Jr.
Member of the US House of Representatives, Illinois

Mike Fisher & Cheryl Fisher – Beech Grove, Indiana
Mike – Amtrak tech & Cheryl – hospital tech (hosted Obama for lunch)

Tom Balanoff
President, SEIU Local 1 (Chicago)

Senator Edward M. Kennedy Tribute
Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg
Daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy

Video - Edward M. Kennedy Video

Remarks
The Honorable Miguel Del Valle
City Clerk of Chicago, Illinois

Candi Schmieder
Delegate Chair, Iowa County Convention

Jerry Kellman
Hired & supervised Obama at Developing Communities Project - Chicago, Illinois

Introduction of Jim Leach by
The Honorable Tom Harkin
US Senator, Iowa

The Honorable Jim Leach
Former Republican Member of the US House of Representatives, 1st District, Iowa

Introduction of Claire McCaskill by
Austin Esposito
Son of Senator McCaskill

The Honorable Claire McCaskill
US Senator, Missouri

Video - Michelle Obama Package

Introduction to the Michelle Obama Package
Craig Robinson
Older brother of Michelle Obama

Remarks
Michelle Obama
Wife of Presidential Candidate Barack Obama

Benediction
Don Miller -Portland, Oregon
Best-selling author & public speaker focusing on Christian spirituality

Recess
The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius
Governor of Kansas

###

About the DNCC:

The 2008 Democratic National Convention Committee is the official arm of the Democratic National Committee responsible for planning and organizing the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver. www.demconvention.com

Paid for by 2008 Democratic National Convention Committee, Inc.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

Aug. 25: Rally: Thank You Howard!

Aug. 26: Rally: Thank You Howard!

Aug. 26: Social Event: DFA Celebration at the Democratic National Convention

Aug. 28: Training: Think Precinct Training at the DNC in Denver

Aug. 28: Rally: Thank You Howard!

I'm looking forward to that portion of the convention when Sen. Clinton delivers her prepared remarks and Chairman Dean sits among the dignataries in the audience, drinking champagne as if she wasn't even there.

By mary vb on Aug 25, 2008 10:42 AM EDT

He is worthy of lots of praise but so are the rest of the athletes.  Phelps didn't ask for the attention -- but the networks did a major dis-service to all the other deserving athletes at the Olympics.

----------

!!!

Glad Rd and Mary brought the subject.

It is worthy to note how individual (or team, if its a team sport) achievement turned by "politics" into subject of "patriotic pride".     If many (still not most?) people do agree that "guilt by association" is a wrong approach, why then "pride by association"  is not?

Patriotism as a tool not to unite but to separate people has became anachronism.    Olympics where designed with sportsmen in mind, not Governments and States.

Anyway and that's why...lol, Go Ron Paul!!!

... (Get It On)":

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/25/sasha-obama-gavel-banging_n_121169.html#postComment

Seth Colter Walls

Sasha Obama Gavel Banging ...

August 25, 2008 12:59 PM

I spent about two hours on the floor of the Democratic National Convention this morning, and the most recognizably human behavior on display came when a six-year-old girl impulsively reached for a gavel and gave the podium a joyous whack.

...

Michelle took the gavel at the podium and raised it halfway into the air, posed again for a moment, and then set the gavel gently back down.

At which point Sasha stood up on her tippy-toes and grabbed the gavel herself. After raising it as high in the air as her arms would allow, Sasha brought the gavel down hard, and let out an accompanying squeal of delight.

...

Is it possible, or reasonable to assume, that something about the message transmitted to supporters by the Clinton campaign led them to assume that voting for McCain, or otherwise helping him to win, would somehow further their interests, or advance the purported agenda of a Clinton presidency, in a way that voting for Obama would not?   I mean, what are they thinking?

is on C-Span if you can avoid the nasty call-ins from desperate Repugs.

C-Span has a good thing going without all the McCain coverage mixed in like the MSM has.

Maybe I'll watch Keith for a while if they behave this evening.

I know just where the VA delegation is sitting, saw it on the C-Span layout. Keep us posted when you can.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/25/tom-brokaw-chris-matthews_n_121215.html

NBC should put that old putz back out to pasture--He's just another repug stenographer

Tom Brokaw said Sunday at a panel in Denver that MSNBC hosts Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann have "gone too far" in their campaign reporting.

"I think Keith has gone too far. I think Chris has gone too far," the veteran NBC newsman said at a forum sponsored by Harvard's Shorenstein press center. But Brokaw said that they are "commentators" and "not the only voices" on MSNBC and that viewers could sort it out.

Hi everyone. 

I'm watching convention on CSPAN too.  It is going to be a great convention, I'm so excited about seeing all the speakers. 

linda b, I'm eagerly awaiting your reports.

glad you're back...

Looking forward to seeing Kennedy speak this evening.  Sadly, one must sit through Tom Brokaw's longwinded nothingness.  sigh...

needs to get back to Montana - let Brian Williams be *the anchor* for NBC and shut the hell up.  To criticize Keith and Chris publicly is really bad form.