Diary of a Democratic Delegate - Day One

"Barack knows the American dream because he has lived it." - - - With those simple but elegant words, self-described First Mom Michelle Obama wrapped up everything happening in Charlotte this week. With those words and others well crafted and well delivered, she told America that her husband and his party  have earned another Four Years because of his roots, his ideals, his beliefs, his plans and his visions. - - - MRS. OBAMA WASN'T THE ONLY SPEAKER, but she headlined a six-hour political lollapalooza that represented the best string of convention speeches I can ever remember.  She didn't back away  from defending her husband's sometimes controversial policy views, but she also captured the filter that led to them. She talked about "being very young and very much in debt" as a predicate to defending support for Pell grants and low income student loans. She talked about his grandmother being passed over for better jobs because she was a woman as a predicate for Barack's position on equal-pay (wasn't Alabama retiree Lilly Ledbetter terrific!). And she talked about his early legal work with laid-off steelworkers as a predicate for his support for manufacturing, and, yes, Detroit.  - - - THE BAR IS VERY HIGH for Wednesday headliner Bill Clinton and Thursday headliner the President himself. And somehow, I think both will be okay with that since as great speakers used to partnerships with strong women. They will put more patches on the quilt being made here in Charlotte, a finely-crafted product they hope will cover America by Election Day. - - - I CAST THREE VOTES at the convention yesterday, one on the credentials committee report, one on the rule committee report, and by far the most important, one on the party platform. It is a masterful document I encourage everyone to read ad compare with the GOP counterpart. While I suspect the Reeps will be running away from the neanderthal positions in their platform, Democrats are amazingly united in arguing for an inclusive, diverse, informed and transparent future. - - - THERE WERE TOO MANY terrific warm-up speakers to comment on them all, but I loved the warm and touching comments from keynote Julian Castro (who may be our first Latino president someday) . . . The tough love from Mass. Gov. Devall Patrick ("we can't stand by and let him be bullied from office") . . . .The truth from Minneapolis Mayor RT Rybal ("pyromaniacs shouldn't blame the fireman," alluding to the GOP's just-say-no attitude to ANYTHING this President proposed.) .  . . Wisdom from Newark Mayor Cory Booker ("being asks to pay your fair share is not class warfare, it's patriotic"). . . And much, much more.  I loved the Teddy Kennedy tribute and laughed when they ran a clip from the Kennedy-Malleable Mitt senate debate where Mr. R advocated many things he is opposing now.  I loved the taped remarks from 88 year old Jimmy Carter. I loved all the Detroit and auto references, including Ill. Gov. Pat Quinn's references to his Chrysler Belvidere plant going from 200 employees to 4000 since the auto rescue.  I loved hearing the stories of ordinary folks helped by Obama initiatives such as universal health care, and it was interesting to hear from former proud Republicans who said that their right-wing-driven party has left them.  The messages certainly hit home and electrified those in the arena. . . .The folks here hope they touch a nerve out there, too.