Kudos to Tom Gordon for his former comment about “The Speech”. Having said that……we find it rather minimalized by simply saying that what happened last night at Invesco Stadium in Denver, Colorado….was mearly “Another Speech”!
The historic night at Invesco…brought out a crowd that only John Elway might…. have matched…. at his height of excellence. 84,000 people is not an easy number to either accomodate or dig up at the drop of a hat. Obama and Biden brought the conversation of a very divisive Democratic Party up to a level of inclusion for all Democrats, Republicans and Independents. Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow or our old pal Michael McDonald aside……this was an event for the ages.
If no one noticed….there was not a dry eye in the house! We were watching a new page for US History 101. Watching the attractiveness of the Candidates and their families was not only touching but telling. The days of hardline Democratic attack dogs put out by the Clinton Cabal…..are over! The elements of honor, kindness and caring….seem to be the new paradigm for American Political thought. As we watched young whites, boys and girls, old black ladies, older folks of every ethnicity….shed tears of joy and great pride……regarding the direction of their country…….it was touching!
We might remind everyone…..that less than one year ago….the Candidates were considered to be: Either Mitt Romney, Rudy Guiliani or Fred Thompson and the lay down favorite for the Democrats: Hillary Rodham Clinton! Well, that was then….this is now. The unlikely pairing of Barack Obama and Joe Biden against the most unlikely pairing of John McCain and Sarah Palin….the Governor of Alaska! How this election of 2008 plays out….how the litany of furtive political attitudes or comments impact the result…..will certainly be of great interest to historians. Will Conservative Republicans buy the McCain-Palin plan for America or will they cross over to vote for the first black candidate for President of the United States? Will disgruntled Hillary Democrats cross over and vote for McCain-Palin? Will Independents have any impact either way? Will Decline to State people be movtivated to vote in this election? All those questions will be answered by November 4th, 2008!
What we all may wish to focus on greatly will be the team of bureaucratic professionals that would be chosen by either team of candidates. Can we really be excited by the thought of eight more years of Madeline Albright? Or eight more years of the influence of Henry Kissenger? What about the Bureau of Land Management? Will Indian lands be protected from greedy International Oil Companies? Which party will drive the prices of gasoline and oil lower over the next eight years? Which party will keep building our job base domestically..rather than outsourcing every job possible to another foreign country? Which candidates will protect our country best from the many possible terrorist groups….around the globe?
One thing can be said….that has not: Obama has peaked our imaginations, and has created an image that almost anything is still possible! His brave move to bring in the strongest running mate possible and his desire to bring a semblance of balance back to America…..is noteworthy.
Whatever happens in just over two months, will be historic…one way or the other! God bless those that are willing to look beyond their color bias, their label bias or age bias and cast their vote with a complete knowledge and forethought. The event at Invesco….was amazing! May that decorum set the tone through election day!
*Forgot to mention…..38 million Americans watched this historic political event on television. That doesn’t count…how many that will download additional viewing opportunities.
That number was larger than the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games and fast approaching the Academy Awards and the Super Bowl..