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Tonight’s keynote speaker is San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, but Michelle Obama is really the star of the show, President Obama promises to get misty-eyed as he watches from home with his kids.
Here’s the Speaker List for this evening. You can watch right here online.
9:00 PM – 10:00 PM (LOCAL)
The Honorable Ted Strickland
Former Governor of Ohio
The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius
The Honorable Rahm Emanuel
Mayor of Chicago, Illinois
Former White House Chief of Staff
Remarks
Kal Penn
Actor/Producer
Former Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement
Remarks
Craig Robinson and Maya Soetoro-ng
Brother of Mrs. Obama and Sister of President Obama
Stronger Together Video: Equal Pay
Remarks
Lilly Ledbetter
Women’s equality leader and namesake of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
The Honorable Deval Patrick
Governor of Massachusetts
10:00 PM – 11:00 PM (LOCAL)
The Honorable Martin O’Malley
Governor of Maryland
Introduction of Keynote Speaker Julián Castro
Joaquin Castro
Brother of Mayor Julián Castro
Candidate for the US House of Representatives, Texas
Keynote Address
The Honorable Julián Castro
Mayor of San Antonio, Texas
Michelle Obama Video and Remarks
Elaine Brye
Remarks
Michelle Obama
First Lady of the United States
Benediction
Jena Lee Nardella
Founder and Executive Director of Blood: Water Mission
Recess
170 Comments
It sure looks more like America than the RNC!
Parts of San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro’s keynote speech.
EVERYBODY’S YELLING TONIGHT.
How many push ups is Michelle up to/day so her arm muscles will show off in her sleeveless?
Yelling is a substitute (or is it a distraction, I get so confused) from thinking.
presstv doing coverage on D convention too.
Outside… with protests.
Strickland hit Romney hard and good.
Too bad what he said about Obama was so untrue.
Have you been reading about Kevin’s “adventure” down there?
he got off some good ones
“even his money needs a passport”
Left a couple of unanswered comments.
Rahm. (think Seinfeld saying Newman.)
Rahm lies again.
We will always fit the bill for Wall Street.
Damn. I’m so sick of these liars on both sides.
Rahm always shows up at the wrong convention.
Rahm should be at the Sh$T for brains convention or as some people call it the RNC.
What’s the drinking game? I hear with Gingrich (I’m always so far behind the times) it is that 1 drink/every ‘fundamentally’.
With Michelle is it every time she leaves the “g” off of “ing” word ending? Or is that only Barack?
Obama didn’t do anything about equal pay for women.
Just the ability to sue to get equal pay.
Yeah, that’s the ticket. Get a lawyer and maybe you will get some back pay but don’t count on it.
I thought Strickland did a good job.
yeah – some memorable digs
This convention seems so much different than the RNC? Maybe it’s just I like the speeches.
Crumbs or substantive?
Hitting Romney hard on his millions.
Good luck at liking speeches.
Hopey changey.
I won’t be watching one minute or listening to one more bald-faced lie coming from the craven, murderous maws of the Democratic Party. Fuck Barack Obama.
Vote third party: A.B.O.O.R – anyone but Obama or Romney
The Dems delegates have much better hats than the Rs.
can someone tell me why I dont get the streaming live video? All I get is a “Starting Soon” banner?
and also why the convention is not being shown on the one of the big 3 networks? I dont have cable because there is generally nothing worth watching. I had to endure the republican convention on non cable network tv…why is the democratic convention not being broadcast? WTF? Its not on CBS, NBC or ABC…WTF?
“If Mitt was Santa Claus, he’d fire the reindeer and outsource the elves.”
“even his money needs a passport”
Romney is worth a billion.
The $250 million is a smoke screen so the serfs don’t freak out that he is a billionaire and think he cares about them.
The text is on HP.
Do you get PBS?
It’s on there.
I think it will be on the networks at ten
As for now, C-SPAN
Lily Ledbetter is a good public speaker.
thanks ready…found it there.
Actually I can make the case he is worth a good deal more than a billion but he never said so.
She is kick ass. I bet she was pissed when she found out about the pay difference.
I agree. She did a good job too.
the Dems are great at speaking and sounding like the kids of FDR, JFK, MLK, etc. etc. however they govern the evil offspring of Reagan.
the RNC was built on the idea of keeping poor whites under control and dumb, by telling poor whites, that blacks are the reason your poor, not rich people.
the Southern Strategy is on it’s last legs, so the RNC “aka RICH people” will need to develop new ideas to keep poor whites under control and stupid.
the main threat to the rich has always been poor whites, and one day they will kill their masters. and that day may be coming soon
Obama living in the WH has drove poor whites insane!
the DNC looks like the USA
I agree,
It is people like Lily Ledbetter that makes the USA great.
Going all William Lloyd Garrison on elections.
Reading a bio of him. No one can hold a candle to him today.
He refused to consider voting until moral situation of U.S. had changed to abolition.
Thus, by analogy, and focus on elections today is an abandonment of any moral principle.
Which is why I’m all for the Rs taking it all come Nov 6th.
So when they cut the throats of the poor whites they will finally know who their enemy is at long last.
There will be no hiding it anymore.
Did anyone hear anything like what Patrick said? Words only, I know. But who talks like,that for the Rs.
It was a great speech. He really fired the place up.
D. Patrick brought it!
The rich of the USA have always feared poor whites.
this is why BLACK SLAVES were brought to the USA
“enslaving poor whites would have not worked”
the deception has always been “tell poor whites, they are poor because of blacks” once this deceptions wears off, hold on to your seats.
…said no voter ever.
Never going to happen. There will always be captives no matter what the Rs do. You will wait your life out for that.
Patrick, like Obama, like Powell, like Booker, like like like, are the Edited by Moderator.
PQ reported winnah in Quebec. No %s yet.
Ooops 59 seats, vs. 63 needed for majority.
No, change is coming.
Maybe, maybe not.
I find that state extremely offensive. But thanks for playing.
“statement”
I found it pretty offensive to. Glad you said something.
You guys are a tough crowd. Maybe even a bit mean. The speakers are doing a great job and Deval Patrick is, as far as I know, doing a fine job in Massachusetts. What’s with the hate?
Patrick gave an awesome speech
it hard for RNC speakers to talk about being Rich and Super Rich
keep in mind the RNC hates the poor
the RNC elites tells morons like Joe Plummer that he will one day be a Millionaire.
the elites of the RNC tell people like Sarah Palin, she is a genius because she can see Russia from her house.
the elites of the RNC tell idiots like Paul Ryan, you are an Economic GURU.
the RNC is full of Fools
That could be right. But then it could be a self fullfilling prophesy.
Just remember, what seems permanent won’t last forever.
Even evil can be defeated. Change is coming.
So what do you think will Texas turn blue one day?
There’s one thing I’ve learned in life, what you think can’t happen – can.
Life is surprising that way.
yes!
even some RNC leaders think it will soon become purple
this may be the last time the RNC can use the southern strategy to win the WH? Lindsay Graham a GOP senator says they are running out of angry white guys.
NC voted for OBAMA in 2008, anything is possible
My local Texas town just voted to increase their own taxes to help our public school district by a 67%-33% margin.
I’m with Ready. Change is coming.
Julian Castro is a good antidote for all those Cubans!
didn’t bother me;
Fidel Castro is the Keynote Speaker ?
This *proves* the Dems are Fookin’ Communists !
And, yes, I like the crowd. It reminds me of the America I happen to live in. Of course I don’t live in La Jolla….. or the Cayman Islands.
that is great news!!!
the death of TV and News papers may help us educate americans
think god for the internet and FDL
The faces of this party are so much different than the Rs. And they at least offer hope, not hate.
the DNC does look like the USA I live in
And, where, by the way, is Mr. Romney listing himself as a voter these days? Surely not in his son’s basement. New Hampshire, perhaps, at the vacation home? Anyone know?
Petro!!
Cayman’s?
Oh that’s his money’s address
TBogg:
Jan Brewer wants to see that little girls papers.
The message of inclusiveness and social justice stands in stark contrast to the Rs IMO.
Elliiott! I have to say I just turned it on and could hardly stand the R convention, but the visuals, the signs with RWB and such, really do make the place look hopping and for those who like that sort of thing, patriotic. Also the crowd, very diverse, unlike the OWM in the R group.
What’s missing? Kittehs.
{{{ Elliott }}}
Deval Patrick was great but Lily Ledbetter, Tammy Duckworth & Stacy Lihn clearly show which direction we need to be moving in …
Wonder what Michelle thinks of Barack selling out the middle class and poor of this country to serve the criminal elite?
Yeah, incredible difference
Really? Don’t you think she is on the same page as her husband?
Jeebus, Michelle’s Arms are bigger than Paul Ryan’s Neck …
Yes, you don’t want to mess with her.
BO can kiss my ass. I’m voting for Jill Stein! Fooled me once…
the RNC leaders have to be terrified, the GOP has become the party trap in the 1960′s “Southern Strategy”
The DNC with all of it issues, still looks more like the current USA
these two conventions are showing that there are two Americas and they look nothing a like!
She’s been a great First Lady
absolutely
Maybe the gardening she promotes is so people can grow their own food and not starve.
Had to tell with these elites. They are so good at hiding their true selves.
Agreed ! Dr. Biden has been tremendous too.
Another contrast, the lower and middle class versus wealthy. So where do you find home?
Yes!
I sure hope she’s going to be able to transition to the unemployed and newly poor to tell them how this President has a plan so that they can get where her family got.
Agreed!
That’s wonderful, Kris! (hi, there, Mr. Power Broker!)
This is where we start, just like the R’s did thirty years ago. I’m so glad your effort was successful; we who followed it know how hard you worked on it.
Now…may I be parochial and say…didn’t our Mayor Julian hit it outta the park? Honestly, I think that’s one of the best syntheses of real Democratic beliefs I’ve heard in ages. And he did it really well, didn’t he? I know he’s a politician, but so far, he seems to be a good guy.
Yeah Michelle? Too bad the elites have taken away building a decent life from most Americans now.
Uh oh.
Senator !
Dave Pell:
I like to think that Michelle Obama is the type of wife who would say: “Dude, the dog is riding inside the car.”
Tejana !
Mayor Julian was very good, indeed !
*heh* Michelle proves the old wife’s tale true, that behind every strong man, there’s a stronger woman…! ;-)
707 !!!
Looks like the Kochs will have to come up with even more money to wint this one.
Really? Good jobs? More then half the jobs created since this depression began have been low wage without benefit jobs.
One third of the nation is now freelance Michelle.
Should I tell you what that means?
It means no stability, no health insurance, no way to buy a house, no guarantee of being able to pay the rent next month. No retirement.
I’m watching Michelle now. She is having a good arms day but a very bad hair day.
Well, she’ll probably have a better hair day when she goes on her next Let Them Eat Cake tour with 30 of her closest friends after her husband is re-elected.
I hope her husband would not need to be told that. Did you see her on Letterman? He asked her if Bo would ride on top of the car.
*cough* … is the little woman reading over your shoulder, buddy ? *g*
Good line, hold the door for the next person.
bgrothus! Glad to see you here…and I have to agree [ ;) ]. OT for a sec: was there a Pull Up a Kitteh on Sunday? I was at my mother’s and had no internet, as expected.
Back on topic: Maybe it’s just my bias, but can there be a starker contrast than the stories of Julian, Lilly Ledbetter, Michelle and yes, Barack compared to the wanna-be up-from-poverty tales told at the RNC? Ryan and Romney think they started in tough circumstances and made it on their own? Just another couple of entitled twats, compared to some real up-by-their=bootstraps (with some help from family and school and even, ohmigawd, government) folks.
Yo, diversity. Way.
Are we to believe Michelle your husband is being blackmailed to sell out the middle class and the poor of this country because according to you he is so wonderful and cares for people so much?
No internets for me over the weekend.
Heh. I tend to agree.
Hey, Petro! I believe Julian may fulfill the promise that ex-Mayor Cisneros p”ed away. Hope so, anyway. I should be utterly cynical about speeches by now, but that one actually made me feel good. So glad I was home to hear it (I’ve been away, got home a few hours ago).
It’s what we do. They haven’t a clue.
That was a very good line, in a night of terrific one-liners …
Right. Too bad the reality doesn’t match the story Michelle is telling us.
maybe the public sucks more?
“Now, there’s one thing you might have noticed I don’t complain about: politicians. Everybody complains about politicians. Everybody says they suck. Well, where do people think these politicians come from? They don’t fall out of the sky. They don’t pass through a membrane from another reality. They come from American parents and American families, American homes, American schools, American churches, American businesses and American universities, and they are elected by American citizens. This is the best we can do folks. This is what we have to offer. It’s what our system produces: Garbage in, garbage out. If you have selfish, ignorant citizens, you’re going to get selfish, ignorant leaders. Term limits ain’t going to do any good; you’re just going to end up with a brand new bunch of selfish, ignorant Americans. So, maybe, maybe, maybe, it’s not the politicians who suck. Maybe something else sucks around here… like, the public. Yeah, the public sucks. There’s a nice campaign slogan for somebody: ‘The Public Sucks. F*ck Hope.’” -George Carlin
the bankers, oil gangsters, who wrecked this nation and planet are our neighbors, family members, friends, etc. etc.
the people who f up the USA were not born and raise in IRAN, no they were raise right here in the USA.
maybe the public sucks?
Uh oh, sacrifice. Yeah, I know what that means.
How much more “sacrificing” does Michelle think Americans can take?
I do love the crowd. And they have a ton more passion than the r crowd.
Then you haven’t been paying attention.
Comedians are some of the wisest people I know and George Carlin was as wise as he was funny !
I see the trolls are out tonight. Two by two, similar to TBogg’s last couple of threads, and throwing out similar Obama-is-the-worst themes. Betraying themselves with the stuff they can’t help throwing in, like “a very bad hair day.” WTF? She looks great, head to toe. Trolls just can’t help it, can they?
I’m not falling for this sentimental, well-delivered speech.
I’ve watched and lived the last 4 years since Obama took office and I am 100% sure he choose the elite over the people.
Why? I don’t know. But he did.
not exactly Republican Family Values
WOW … Go Michelle … preach it Sister !
eCAHN !
Their daughers are amazing. What a change in 4 years!
This convention has a lot more energy than the GOP convention.
Sure it does. It’s powered by Predator Drones and GE.
I did not see AnnRmoney, so can’t compare, but Michelle is inspiring. I know she is popular. I loved her on Letterman, as much as she reminds me of her husband, they laugh a lot and alike. BO makes me mad, but I do like her, and it is hard not to like him, even though he pisses me off.
The talking heads are saying we need to hear about the crushing debt and what is going to be done about it.
Hey talking heads, I’ll tell you, make the rich pay because it’s their debt and WE WON’T PAY!!!!!
I agree with a lot of what you say
BUT?
who runs the USA? Politicians? really?
we can beat up politicians all day!
big money runs the USA and always has, their puppets in DC take orders
sometimes one of the puppets a FDR, JFK, stands up for the middle class.
FDR may not have like some of the things he had to do, but he knew it needed to be done, to save the USA
Govt biggest role is to protect Capitalism from itself!
Greed always leads to Death
until the Public forces the big money out of politics we will always have political leaders who obey their masters more than they obey the citizens who got them into office
The personality game is theatre.
I’d prefer gloomy Pat Paulsen and a little bit of Progressive Policy to big ol’ smiling Predator Drones and no Habeus Corpus.
Ann Rmoney started off on the same “emotional bonding” tangent but then segued on to ” Just do what I say cuz Mother knows best !”
Dearie, you might want to scan this site.
This post is particularly on point.
I’ve only seen clips of Ann. She did all right, but she’s no Michelle Obama. *g*
I could not stand to watch, so I didn’t, but yeah, that sounds right, from what I saw afterwords.
Mmm, if there were an edit button, I would add to my 132, Ann’s task, to “humanize” Mitt, make him seem down-to-earth, was much tougher than Michelle’s. You might even say impossible.
Yeah, got it. Which is why fawning over Michelle is just keeping the kabuki alive.
Yes, she was light years better then Anne, but so what?
What’s that have to do with the criminal rich running the country?
good night all!
I do think the First Lady did a really good speech.
And the winner was? The American people, of course. We won a chance of 4 more years of ” the closer you get to your destination, the more it keeps slip, sliding away. Slip, sliding away. Slip, sliding away. ” And that’s just the way they’ve planned it. For, in America, your reach should always exceed your grasp. For the return to Glass-Stegall, for a living wage, for real healthcare with dental, too. For a true level playing field instead of the baloney both party’s leaders feed us on a 24hr. loop tape provided by the MSM.
didn’t see it; was MO as good as Ann Romney
Way better. I still have no job.
did criminal rich you speak of come from RUSSIA? no
they are our friends, neighbors,
they went to USA high schools, Colleges,
remember Lincoln he had to keep the USA together
these criminals have always been here
keep in mind 1% of USA citizens fight for our freedoms
how did this happen? the elites and the left got rid of the draft?
think about it
Yes.
Like you the unemployed don’t need nice words. They need a job. There is no doubt about it.
I’m not sure what you are saying.
Yes, our fellow Americans will work for the criminal elite to sell the rest of us out and be well rewarded for doing that.
Yes, there have always been criminal elite. But now our government is completely captured.
And there isn’t even the pretense of the rule of law anymore for them.
I watched the whole thing tonight. Couldn’t do that for the Rs. Good night all.
lol.
I only wish they really believed and followed the pretty words they fed us tonight.
Unity, strength, caring, resolve, ensuring everyone in America has a real opportunity.
But it’s all hollow words anymore no matter how well delivered.
Thanks, I’ll follow it. I’m always willing to learn. I still like Deval Patrick.
TJ, how was your hometown mayor
how was my hometown mayor
i didn’t see a thing
We heard great speeches in 2008 and had our heartstrings tugged with words of hope and change.
We saw a campaign that actually WON AWARDS for messaging in the advertising industry.
Many of us feel betrayed and have come to hold Barack Obama in contempt.
Are we not allowed to be a little cynical and to this time hold Obama under a microscope and question the veracity of his supporters and his own motives?
i hope we’re allowed to– ’cause i certainly am
On to next post.
Wassup?
The infamous neutron bomb was designed to kill people and leave property intact. It’s like a neutron bomb has hit the Democrats. It’s a perfectly fine convention. Nothing hateful or reactionary as with the Republicans. Diverse crowd. Some very good speeches. It’s just that the Democratic soul has been killed.
Would love to put Lily Ledbetter up against Jeff Sessions in 2014 just to watch the debate between them.
Would love to kick out Arne Duncan and put Deval Patrick as Secretar of Education.
On those two, just out of curiosity to see what would happen.
Worst of the night: Robert Wexler delivering the instructions from Bibi.
Second worst: Rahm flipping off the viewers as he talks.
Key facts: Joe Kennedy III is 31; Julian and Jaoquin Castro are 37. Joe and Jaoquin are candidates for Congress.
That’s how I feel. Michelle Obama projects a lot of warmth and strength and comes across as a good person.
Then you remember that her husband asserts the right to kill you or imprison you for life without a trial, that he has engaged in undeclared drone war against numerous countries, that he hasn’t closed Guantanamo, that he hasn’t allowed investigations into CheneyBush torture at home or abroad, that his economic braintrust is drawn from the same Wall Street criminals who destroyed our economy in 2008, that he said during the 2008 Presidential campaign that he’d oppose retroactive immunity for the telephone companies for their massive illegal electronic spying upon the American people and then voted to grant them immunity (and that that illegal wiretapping is still in progress), etc., etc., etc.
And then you hear Michelle Obama talk about “Barack’s vision for America.”
What vision? The man is a trimmer and a hack. A charismatic one, with an inspiring life story, but a trimmer and a hack nonetheless.
Then you’ll love Vermin Supreme of the New Pony Party. He did his “chafing” stump speech to the police line today and seemingly de-escalated a kettling situation into permission to march on the sidewalks. Or not. But the “chafing” speech is a classic.
Brilliant.
I just posted this to my Facebook page.
Thanks for the quote
That’s how I feel. Michelle Obama projects a lot of warmth and strength and comes across as a good person.
Then you remember that her husband asserts the right to kill you or imprison you for life without a trial, that he has engaged in undeclared drone war against numerous countries, that he hasn’t closed Guantanamo, that he hasn’t allowed investigations into CheneyBush torture at home or abroad, that his economic braintrust is drawn from the same Wall Street criminals who destroyed our economy in 2008, that he said during the 2008 Presidential campaign that he’d oppose retroactive immunity for the telephone companies for their massive illegal electronic spying upon the American people and then voted to grant them immunity (and that that illegal wiretapping is still in progress), etc., etc., etc.
And then you hear Michelle Obama talk about “Barack’s vision for America.”
What vision? The man is a trimmer and a hack. A charismatic one, with an inspiring life story, but a trimmer and a hack nonetheless.
***
(to whom it may concern: I previously posted this, and it somehow got corralled into the ‘awaiting moderation’ pen from which it has yet to be liberated. if any of the mods wish to contact me and explain why my post was held up, I’ll be all ears.)
You hit 95% of the points I would mention if my arthritis and miserable typing skills would allow
Your statement is historically inaccurate. Many of the white people who came to this country came as indentured servants.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part1/1narr3.html
Here’s some history for you.
I agree.
Had I not been paying attention here at FDL and at emptywheel’s site since Obama was elected, I would think Michelle Obama was inspirational tonight.
Seems to hit all the right notes.
However, since Michelle’s unqualified praise of Barack basically requires her to neglect all the travesties you highlighted in your comment above (although, how could she brag about them to an uninitiated public?), I think Michelle is either out of touch with reality or more likely very cognizant of the issues.
Either way, she cannot be trusted. Effective speech, nonetheless– for the low information voter.
This quote had a double entendre for me:
“I have seen firsthand that being president doesn’t change who you are – it reveals who you are.”
In related news, Democratic registrations are at an all-time low, and Obama’s personal approval rating is at an all-time low.
http://youtu.be/0sTye4wUlkY
Double entendre indeed. I guess he’s always been a sadistic, lying, and murdering POS.
yup. Their camera crews don’t have to do contortions to find any brown people. Nor do any of the brown people have to worry about peanuts being thrown at them.
Didn’t see the convention on TV, but have been “following” via watching people’s comments.
Nobody is talking about Rahm or Wexler. Everyone’s talking about Michelle.
Whether that means that people tuned out Rahm and Wexler, or were repulsed by them, is up for debate.
I hear you. There are some people out there who are in love with the idea of despair and suicide but want to talk others into a suicidal state first before they themselves take the plunge. (Or, maybe, instead of they themselves taking the plunge.)
I was surprised how effective I thought Rahm was; I expected more snark, etc. I thought he did well.
Thank you for your kind words, Blu. I hope you’re feeling better.
Bingo.
I’m with you 100 percent, my friend.