Democratic National_Convention

Marc interviews Tom Schaller and Bob Moser

justin — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 09:29:58 -0700

Marc interviews Tom Schaller and Bob Moser in Denver during the DNC. Tom Schaller writes for Salon and is the author of Whistling Past Dixie. Bob Moser is a contributing writer to The Nation and the author of Blue Dixie: Awakening the South’s Democratic Majority. They discuss different views on Democratic politics in the south, and more. Running time is 23:14.

Ted Venetoulis and Tommy D'Alessandro at the DNC

justin — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 07:59:56 -0700

Marc interviews Ted Venetoulis, former Baltimore County Executive, and Tommy D'Alessandro, the former Mayor of Baltimore, in Denver during the DNC.

Gay Republican Trading Cards

justin — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:37:58 -0700

Marc interviews the creators of a deck of Gay Republican trading cards during the DNC. Check out the cards at www.gayrepublicancards.com.

Maryland Dem Leaders at the DNC

justin — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:12:33 -0700

Click below to hear Marc Steiner interviewing Mike Cryor, the Chairman of the Maryland Democratic Party, and Quincey Gamble, the MD Dems' Executive Director. It was recorded on the convention floor during the DNC. Running time is 3:53.

Elijah Cummings at the DNC

CEM — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 10:05:07 -0700

Marc sat down with Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings during the DNC and recorded this interview. Hear what Cummings has to say about Obama, and more. Running time is 16 minutes. Click the podcast player below to listen, or use the mp3 link below to download.

How did Dr. Mary Washington sleep last night?

CEM — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:57:53 -0700

My nephew, Logan, was born in March of 2007, just about a month after Barack Obama announced his candidacy for the Democratic Presidential nomination. I desperately want to use his 17 months on the planet as a metaphor for this 2008 primary season. But I won’t. Instead, I will simply say that after hearing Barack Obama’s acceptance speech, I slept like Logan.

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My sister tells me that last night, Logan watched the entire speech, mesmerized. He hasn’t really gotten into TV so it rarely holds his attention, but last night he pointed at the screen, talked and looked back at her and my brother-in-law and smiled. I’d like to think that in looking at the face and eyes of the man that would dare to be president, Logan saw the same bright future that I and his parents wish for him and his sister, Ryann. When Logan fell asleep, he was grinning ear-to-ear and so were we.

I slept like Logan last night, not because I think Barack Obama has this election in the bag. Indeed, quite the contrary. The Obama campaign and its allies will have to work even harder because, as Obama made clear in his speech, the 2008 election is not just a competition for the White House, but is more importantly and more lastingly a competition for the hearts and minds of the American people and our way of life. Last night, in just under 40 minutes, the improbable reality that the Democrats could very well win this thing became very real for a lot of Bush Republicans. They will not take this laying down.

I slept soundly, despite the fact that I know that the Rove machine will redouble its efforts and that the McCain campaign will seek to galvanize the too many people in our Nation, who are reliably swayed by their fear and prejudice, their self-interests, and their out-dated world views. That they, in sharp contrast to Barack Obama, will appeal to the basest of instincts that inspire a narrow-minded cronyism and simple unwillingness to truthfully engage the real threats to American security that has destroyed our moral authority in global arena.

I spoke to many of my friends and family and they also reported sleeping well last night, despite knowing that there is so much to do and so little time to do it. With the stakes so high it would seem natural like-minded Democrats, Independents and Republicans committed to Obama’s election would feel anxious about making the personal sacrifices necessary to conduct massive voter registration drives, raise tons of money, volunteer thousands of hours to go door-to-door canvassing and being a part of a Get Out the Vote effort like no one has ever seen in electoral history.

And yet, millions of us went to bed with a smile on our faces because for the first time in a very long time we stopped holding our breath and exhaled. We relaxed because once again, the Barack Obama campaign demonstrated in the acceptance speech and throughout the Democratic Convention, the temperament, judgment and leadership needed to win this election. We just have to believe and follow. Not a hard thing to do on the 45th Anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. We slept peacefully, because we knew our candidate and campaign was ready. No more preparation was needed. It was time for a good night’s rest because in the morning the real work would begin.

Mary

Marc, Blogging live from Invesco Field!

marc — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:40:03 -0700

10:14

This stadium is hushed during this documentary about Barack
Obama. His is an American story. Yes, there are many things from
FISA to his lack of willingness to take on the financial industry but
his story is the American story. I look at my three daughters age 40,
38 and 11 and how much they are moved by him. My two oldest are women
of color who are Obama. My youngest is enthralled by him. He looks
like so much of her family.

America is changing. The mythology of America was blown up in the
fifties and sixties with the battle to end segregation, and Vietnam War.
Now, it is seems they want the dream of America to be its reality.

So, no matter who wins this election, America has made a turn. I
only hope we can redirect ourselves to save this nation, this earth
and life for my children. We can't give them a heaven on earth but we
can't leave them with this hellhole of environmental and human disaster for them to wade through. `

He is walking on stage ...let's see ... we will talk together later

9:31 I guess most of you who are reading this have been watching or
listening to all of this. I am curious about your thoughts on Gore's
speech. I thought he told it like it is. I want this planet to
survive for my kids and grandkids and their kids w when they get here.

Gore like Bill Richardson who attacked the integrity, honesty and
capability of the administration of the last four years. It is one of
the keys to there ability to win.
gotta save the power for Obama and later...

8:41 It is amazing I am not sure if I am concert or a convention ... actually it is a celebration of Democrats. This is one joyous diverse smiling crowd. Stevie Wonder is singing.

Crowd on its feet ... hard to move around and will be almost impossible for me to call into the show tonight on WEAA. So, I will blog for as long as the computer holds out. No outlets here, just people ... lots of people ...

You know if Obama wins Maryland could make out like a bandit. Two Marylanders would have serious access to the President, Congressman Elijah Cummings and Attorney General Doug Gansler. They came out for Obama early and it is remembered.

If you go to DNC on this site you will be able to hear the interviews we have been doing in Denver, some of which were on WEAA. I think my interview with Elijah is up now. It is moving and telling ... I asked him what he wanted to get out of this if Obama wins. He said "to be able to pick up the phone and call the President and say this is what Maryland needs, this is what the city needs, this is what America needs."

Well, more later ... hope the computer holds out .. forgive the typos .. writing fast and furious as Stevie Wonder jams

write back .. what do you think of all this?

Lea - LIVE FROM INVESCO FIELD!

lea — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:26:49 -0700

8:22PM - Well here we are! There are thousands upon thousands upon thousands here to mark, celebrate and take in this historical moment.

I am in the stands that are filled to the rafters. My fellow stand sitters are staring at me like I am nuts sitting here with a lap top ;-)

We walked and walked for over a mile in the blazing sun and it was worth every moment.

Gov. Bill Richardson just concluded to rousing applause. The lights are blinking and the sounds of Bon Jovi are in the background.

I will not be able to give a play by play as much as I would like, but make sure you listen to WEAA's live coverage. 88.9 FM!

at mile high, we're on the air!

justin — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:13:50 -0700

We're live on the air from Mile High Stadium, home of the Broncos, and home of Obama for tonight. Trying to put up a picture of our view, but my wireless connection is sooo slowww that I don't think that's gonna happen. Sitting next to Lea Gilmore, while she broadcasts via cell phone. Marc is down on the field with the Maryland delegation, or might be actually looking for a quieter place to be on the air from. Someone is giving a speech, but it's hard to tell who from here. You have a way better view from home, I'm sure..

So, tune in on WEAA 88.9FM. We'll be on from 8-11pm EST, the last night of our week of DNC coverage, culminating with Obama's speech.

Marc Steiner on this historic moment, and the power of big business

marc — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:06:54 -0700

A Historic Moment

On August 28th, 1963, I was among the hundreds of thousands on the mall in Washington marching for "Jobs and Freedom Now!" I will never forget the exhilaration of that day. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s speech brought all of us to our knees.

We have parsed his speech from that day down to four words: “I have a dream.” His speech was so much more than that. That day was the culmination of a hundred years of struggle. It was a moment built on the back of three years of sit-ins, freedom rides, community organizing and voter registration. It came after thousands had been jailed, beaten, killed and injured in the struggle to end segregation in our country. It was the most amazing moment of my young life as a teen-age civil rights activist.

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Tonight I will see a black man, an African American, be nominated for President of the United States. It is an amazing moment. It is numbing. I just think how far we have come in a generation. This is a very emotional moment. Every time I interview an African American about this moment their eyes well up and voices become choked with emotion. After 400 years of slavery, a hundred years of segregation and intimidation and forty years of struggle for a seat at the table in an America based on equality, Barack Obama is going to be the nominee of the Democratic Party and may be the next President of the United States.

When he stood up on stage I broke out into a huge grin. He is standing there on the shoulders on all those who sacrificed to create an America that brings truth to liberty and equality that our nation was founded upon.
I think about my friends who died in the struggle for freedom and those who sacrificed their well-being to fight for human rights. I think about my African American and white children and grand children. This is their moment. We fought hard and bled to see this moment.
Tears are welling up now in my eyes as I write. It is so difficult to convey in words how powerful and wonderful a moment this is not just for me but also for all of America.

Two Conventions

There are two conventions going on here in Denver, as there will be for the Republicans in Minneapolis. One is for the well connected and the well off, and another for everyone else.

Lobbyists are everywhere. They are having private receptions for all kinds of political figures and their wealthy patrons. Now, I have nothing against wealthy patrons and supporters of good work in America but what is going on here is unseemly.

An ABC reporter was arrested and really roughed up by Denver police when he tried to film and question guests going to one of these events. He was grabbed around the throat and manhandled. Other reporters have been threatened and roughly pushed by private security guards and police offices for trying to report this news.

DNC delegates are given bags with the logo of AT&T emblazoned on the side. AT&T threw a huge party for the Blue Dog Democrats on the first night to thank them for voting for FISA and ensuring that corporation could not be sued for eavesdropping. Democracy Now! reporters were pushed around by private security for trying to talk to people walking to the entrance.
Barack Obama and John McCain have profoundly different visions for America. The elephant in the room is the corporate political alliance that has access to power that the citizens of this country could never imagine.

The Democrats should be leading the charge against this. Perhaps if Obama is elected the other part of this democracy, the community and political activists who believe in a more open government will have a voice.

We have to hope so.
Talk to you all tonight...
-Marc Steiner