…and that hasn’t happened yet. I am getting increasingly nervous about the number of undecided voters showing up in the polls. Are they really undecided or afraid to be labeled as one thing or another (I think the word I am having trouble with is racist).
The antidote for this is to make sure that every vote that can be cast has been cast. Here, in Florida, we expend a lot of energy on getting out the vote, but that goes for my friends in other states as well. Please make sure that everyone you know votes, and votes correctly. No one can be complacent enough to decide that their vote is really not necessary. Their vote is very necessary and becoming more so with each poll that comes out on realclearpolitics.com.
This email is to not request, but rather to beseech you to help in your area to get out the vote. Guilt them into it if you need to, but I beg you – do whatever you need to do to help us get out the vote…wherever you live….no matter how partisan the area may be. Use the vision of Sarah Palin if that will help. Again, pull out all the stops.
There is that great video going around where you insert a name and blame just one person for the wrong guy winning. That is almost not funny.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Getting Closer to the Election
Yesterday, I observed the Obama field workers in action. It was really something to see. We had over 250 volunteers from Weston, my home town. The demographics ran the gamut from high school students to 90 year old men and women. The word of the day was enthusiasm. Another word might be joy.
You could tell from the electricity in the room, that there was a real chance for the state to go Democratic....something we are not usually used to. We were told that there would be a team of the best lawyers in the country at our beck and call for any emergency that might happen....very reassuring when you live in Florida. As a Democratic Leader, I really felt statewide victory and came away elated.
I somehow became very emotionally engaged in this election. I dislike the Republican team so intently and adore the Democratic team. I really do see hope when Obama Biden is in charge of our country. I just wish it was all over already. It almost is. Absentee ballots were received Friday and I will be voting today. At least it will be over for me.
You could tell from the electricity in the room, that there was a real chance for the state to go Democratic....something we are not usually used to. We were told that there would be a team of the best lawyers in the country at our beck and call for any emergency that might happen....very reassuring when you live in Florida. As a Democratic Leader, I really felt statewide victory and came away elated.
I somehow became very emotionally engaged in this election. I dislike the Republican team so intently and adore the Democratic team. I really do see hope when Obama Biden is in charge of our country. I just wish it was all over already. It almost is. Absentee ballots were received Friday and I will be voting today. At least it will be over for me.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Note From Karen Thurman, Florida Democratic Party Chair
She put it so well - that really was what it was like:
Dear Friends,
I just wanted to write you all a quick note saying thank you for helping make the 2008 Democratic Convention a success. I think we all had a great time seeing old friends, meeting new ones, watching history being made, and working together.
I have heard from so many friends across the nation about how the Florida delegation always seemed to be at the center of everything. People noticed that our delegation was most enthusiastic and fun delegation – constantly dancing and partying on the convention floor. They commented positively on our delegations coordinated dress – whether it was the tropical/Florida attire; the red, white, and blue dress complete with the blinking Mickey Mouse necklaces; or the Obama themed night.
The beach balls flying around our delegation were also noted – and several other delegations copied the idea on Thursday night. I don’t even need to mention the great seats that we had all week.
Floridians lead the lineup at the podium with Rep. Robert Wexler, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Rep. Kendrick Meek, Rep. Kathy Castor, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, Marine Corps Gen. John Estrada (Orlando), Janet Lynn Monaco (Brevard), Pastor Joel Hunter (Northland) all speaking. Iraq War Veteran Mike Wilson (Brevard) had the unique honor of nominating Barack Obama.
The Villages resident Marsha Shearer was one of ten people nationwide who were chosen to meet with Senator Obama during the convention through the Backstage with Barack online program.
While many people, including Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Joe Biden and others gave inspiring speeches, Barack Obama’s was one for the history books. He looked and sounded presidential while making the case for how he will bring the change we need to America. Obama laid out his detailed policy platform, spelling out how he will rebuild our economy and keep our nation safe. He also illustrated how John McCain represents more of the same, including questioning McCain’s judgment in supporting George W. Bush more than 90% of the time.
While I regret that there were some logistical issues that arose during the week, many of which were unfortunately out of our control, I think we had an extremely successful convention. If you had any specific issues that you would like to discuss or great memories you would like to share, please feel free to contact me.
As always I look forward to working with you as we continue building the wave of support to elect Democrats up and down the ticket.
Sincerely,
Karen
Dear Friends,
I just wanted to write you all a quick note saying thank you for helping make the 2008 Democratic Convention a success. I think we all had a great time seeing old friends, meeting new ones, watching history being made, and working together.
I have heard from so many friends across the nation about how the Florida delegation always seemed to be at the center of everything. People noticed that our delegation was most enthusiastic and fun delegation – constantly dancing and partying on the convention floor. They commented positively on our delegations coordinated dress – whether it was the tropical/Florida attire; the red, white, and blue dress complete with the blinking Mickey Mouse necklaces; or the Obama themed night.
The beach balls flying around our delegation were also noted – and several other delegations copied the idea on Thursday night. I don’t even need to mention the great seats that we had all week.
Floridians lead the lineup at the podium with Rep. Robert Wexler, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Rep. Kendrick Meek, Rep. Kathy Castor, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, Marine Corps Gen. John Estrada (Orlando), Janet Lynn Monaco (Brevard), Pastor Joel Hunter (Northland) all speaking. Iraq War Veteran Mike Wilson (Brevard) had the unique honor of nominating Barack Obama.
The Villages resident Marsha Shearer was one of ten people nationwide who were chosen to meet with Senator Obama during the convention through the Backstage with Barack online program.
While many people, including Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Joe Biden and others gave inspiring speeches, Barack Obama’s was one for the history books. He looked and sounded presidential while making the case for how he will bring the change we need to America. Obama laid out his detailed policy platform, spelling out how he will rebuild our economy and keep our nation safe. He also illustrated how John McCain represents more of the same, including questioning McCain’s judgment in supporting George W. Bush more than 90% of the time.
While I regret that there were some logistical issues that arose during the week, many of which were unfortunately out of our control, I think we had an extremely successful convention. If you had any specific issues that you would like to discuss or great memories you would like to share, please feel free to contact me.
As always I look forward to working with you as we continue building the wave of support to elect Democrats up and down the ticket.
Sincerely,
Karen
Saturday, August 30, 2008
My dance with Mo Rocca on the Leno show
This one was the Leno piece - I thought Mo was just a very rude delegate. I didn't realize that he was joking until I saw the Tonight show microphone. Once I saw that I played along and we had a great time - but my son was correct.....boy did I look stupid!!!
Funny thing, though.....my family told me to avoid Comedy Central at all costs....they just forgot to mention the Tonight Show
Funny thing, though.....my family told me to avoid Comedy Central at all costs....they just forgot to mention the Tonight Show
Friday, August 29, 2008
The Celebration Is Over - Time To Get To Work
Incredible experience. That is the only way that I can express yesterday's convention sendoff.
Our day started with our delegation breakfast where we were told that things were not going to be easy that day and that we should get to the field very early. The convention buses were starting at 2:30, but shuttles downtown with rail transport was available.
I had little or no patience to sit and wait for the delegation bus - so off I went to brave beautiful downtown Denver and the "common people"! Turns out my trip was a great adventure.
I hooked up immediately with two guys who had both traveled from far places. One was from Bermuda and the other one was from West Palm. Neither one of these guys had tickets to the event, but they had traveled to Denver to be part of the happening. As it turns out, both got tickets. I was blown away. Almost everyone on the train was going to Invesco Field. All lived far away and traveled by plane and none were convention delegates. All were drawn by the incredible historic evening.
The event at the field was not to be believed. The delegates were seated on the floor and Florida's spot was directly in front of the podium. All of our elected officials from Bob Graham and Bill Nelson down were sitting with the delegation. Celebrities were walking around and mingling with everyone and it was common place to walk with the likes of Jesse Jackson.
The amazing thing was that we were sitting and looking up at the stands. They were filled to capacity. All 80,000 were cheering, holding signs and out there with the moment.
The speakers started to come out. Noteworthy were Al Gore and, of course, Barak Obama. Gore was incredible. He looked wonderful, lost both weight and the beard, and was sharp and on task. He ripped into the Republicans and Republican tactics. He reminded us of what was done to him and assured us that would not happen again. Barak would not allow it.
Stevie Wonder and Cheryl Crow were among the entertainers and the crowd went wild. The dancing in the aisles reached its crescendo by the time Barack Obama came to the podium. The crowd was blown away. His speech aced everything that could possibly be thrown at him. His positions were made clear and euphoria was everywhere, from the delegation down front to the people in the farthest reaches of the stadium. Fireworks exploded, confetti rained down (red, white, and blue). We were all standing on chairs watching Barack and Joe with their families waving and cheering along with us.
Yes, if this convention did nothing else, it brought Senators Obama and Biden into the mainstream and they are now Barack and Michelle, Joe and Jill, people of the people. Our candidates were sold throughout this convention as down home people and we bought it, hook, line and sinker. We fell in love with our candidates and I know the Florida delegation will go back and work like hell to bring in this slate.
The mood on the bus going back to the hotel was camp style. We were calling across the bus and cheering all the way to Stapleton. We all went into the bar, where MSNBC was replaying the evening, and became silly teenagers again. What fun that was, but like all good things, must come to an end. This is just the beginning.
My roommate had a meeting of the DNC downtown this morning, and I am going to take my book to Panera and chill out. After that I intend to do what every red blooded woman does. I'm going shopping. It is time to see if Denver malls are any different from any others. I will be back home tomorrow and ready for the next big event in my life.
My Emma is being Bat Mitzvah a week from Saturday. Very big party. We have family arriving from different parts of the country. Time to start concentrating on family.
Have a wonderful day everyone and get out and make sure everyone you know votes for the Obama Biden ticket.....you know, my friends Barack and Joe.
Our day started with our delegation breakfast where we were told that things were not going to be easy that day and that we should get to the field very early. The convention buses were starting at 2:30, but shuttles downtown with rail transport was available.
I had little or no patience to sit and wait for the delegation bus - so off I went to brave beautiful downtown Denver and the "common people"! Turns out my trip was a great adventure.
I hooked up immediately with two guys who had both traveled from far places. One was from Bermuda and the other one was from West Palm. Neither one of these guys had tickets to the event, but they had traveled to Denver to be part of the happening. As it turns out, both got tickets. I was blown away. Almost everyone on the train was going to Invesco Field. All lived far away and traveled by plane and none were convention delegates. All were drawn by the incredible historic evening.
The event at the field was not to be believed. The delegates were seated on the floor and Florida's spot was directly in front of the podium. All of our elected officials from Bob Graham and Bill Nelson down were sitting with the delegation. Celebrities were walking around and mingling with everyone and it was common place to walk with the likes of Jesse Jackson.
The amazing thing was that we were sitting and looking up at the stands. They were filled to capacity. All 80,000 were cheering, holding signs and out there with the moment.
The speakers started to come out. Noteworthy were Al Gore and, of course, Barak Obama. Gore was incredible. He looked wonderful, lost both weight and the beard, and was sharp and on task. He ripped into the Republicans and Republican tactics. He reminded us of what was done to him and assured us that would not happen again. Barak would not allow it.
Stevie Wonder and Cheryl Crow were among the entertainers and the crowd went wild. The dancing in the aisles reached its crescendo by the time Barack Obama came to the podium. The crowd was blown away. His speech aced everything that could possibly be thrown at him. His positions were made clear and euphoria was everywhere, from the delegation down front to the people in the farthest reaches of the stadium. Fireworks exploded, confetti rained down (red, white, and blue). We were all standing on chairs watching Barack and Joe with their families waving and cheering along with us.
Yes, if this convention did nothing else, it brought Senators Obama and Biden into the mainstream and they are now Barack and Michelle, Joe and Jill, people of the people. Our candidates were sold throughout this convention as down home people and we bought it, hook, line and sinker. We fell in love with our candidates and I know the Florida delegation will go back and work like hell to bring in this slate.
The mood on the bus going back to the hotel was camp style. We were calling across the bus and cheering all the way to Stapleton. We all went into the bar, where MSNBC was replaying the evening, and became silly teenagers again. What fun that was, but like all good things, must come to an end. This is just the beginning.
My roommate had a meeting of the DNC downtown this morning, and I am going to take my book to Panera and chill out. After that I intend to do what every red blooded woman does. I'm going shopping. It is time to see if Denver malls are any different from any others. I will be back home tomorrow and ready for the next big event in my life.
My Emma is being Bat Mitzvah a week from Saturday. Very big party. We have family arriving from different parts of the country. Time to start concentrating on family.
Have a wonderful day everyone and get out and make sure everyone you know votes for the Obama Biden ticket.....you know, my friends Barack and Joe.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
The Best Night Yet
Each session, I decide is the best one yet. Nothing can top it. Wrong...the session we had today was the best ever. OMG we had everything, including hometown heroes.
The first order of business was the placing in nomination of Barack Obama for President of the United States. The name was put into play by our own Debbie Wassserman Schultz. I am President of Debbie's home club, so it became a particularly personal moment for me. I was very proud.
Once that was taken care of we had the roll call vote. The vote was stopped when it got to New York as Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton moved that we nominate Barack Obama by acclamation, thereby ensuring a show of a united party to all the outsiders. The roll call vote was exactly the way it appears in the movies, with each state touting itself and then announcing it's totals. When Hillary came to her state's mike, the room went crazy.
John Kerry came out and reinforced the damage that was done to him and that we will never allow to happen again. He was followed by Melissa Etheridge who tore the house down with her music. Another favorite Florida son, Representative Robert Wexler spoke next with his passion for Obama and why our country needs him.
Finally, the moment we were all waiting for. President Bill Clinton was the next speaker. Bill Clinton was introduced by our own Kendrick Meek. Another feather in South Florida's cap. President Clinton aced his speech and nailed exactly what we needed. He placed Barack Obama at the helm of the country and likened the campaign to his campaign. The Clinton's were the stars once again.
Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana followed and charmed us with his charismatic personality. I had a chance to speak with him. He thanked me for my efforts in Florida and I thanked him for his efforts for the country.
By this time, the room was rocking. We were all dancing and carrying on and because of the placement of the delegation, the media was with us the whole time.
Representative Pelosi then came out and asked for a motion to accept the nomination of Joe Biden for Vice President. The room screamed out the motion and when it came to seconding, my son told me that according to CNN I was the one who seconded the name of Joe Biden. How did we ever live without text messaging?
Beau Biden, Joe's son and the Attorney General for the State of Delaware came out to introduce his father following a biography of Joe Biden. He is an amazing person and an absolute man of the people. By the way, his wife is a teacher and still teaches. He spoke beautifully and eloquently about the need for change in our country. He talked about his son, who is leaving for deployment to Iraq in October. We were cheering throughout the speech and our cheering reached a crescendo when the Biden family came out...children, grandchildren, mother, brother, nieces and nephews. The climax to the whole thing came when Barack Obama marched out to surprise the Biden family....what a beautiful moment.
We were done for the night - it was time. Tomorrow is the big event at Invesco Field with 80,000 people participating.
Oh, ane by the way, my son called me as we were on the bus coming back to the hotel to tell me that I was on Jay Leno's show dancing with Mo Rocca. He told me I looked silly, but was having lots of fun. That was the case for this whole convention. Definitely the experience of a lifetime.
The first order of business was the placing in nomination of Barack Obama for President of the United States. The name was put into play by our own Debbie Wassserman Schultz. I am President of Debbie's home club, so it became a particularly personal moment for me. I was very proud.
Once that was taken care of we had the roll call vote. The vote was stopped when it got to New York as Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton moved that we nominate Barack Obama by acclamation, thereby ensuring a show of a united party to all the outsiders. The roll call vote was exactly the way it appears in the movies, with each state touting itself and then announcing it's totals. When Hillary came to her state's mike, the room went crazy.
John Kerry came out and reinforced the damage that was done to him and that we will never allow to happen again. He was followed by Melissa Etheridge who tore the house down with her music. Another favorite Florida son, Representative Robert Wexler spoke next with his passion for Obama and why our country needs him.
Finally, the moment we were all waiting for. President Bill Clinton was the next speaker. Bill Clinton was introduced by our own Kendrick Meek. Another feather in South Florida's cap. President Clinton aced his speech and nailed exactly what we needed. He placed Barack Obama at the helm of the country and likened the campaign to his campaign. The Clinton's were the stars once again.
Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana followed and charmed us with his charismatic personality. I had a chance to speak with him. He thanked me for my efforts in Florida and I thanked him for his efforts for the country.
By this time, the room was rocking. We were all dancing and carrying on and because of the placement of the delegation, the media was with us the whole time.
Representative Pelosi then came out and asked for a motion to accept the nomination of Joe Biden for Vice President. The room screamed out the motion and when it came to seconding, my son told me that according to CNN I was the one who seconded the name of Joe Biden. How did we ever live without text messaging?
Beau Biden, Joe's son and the Attorney General for the State of Delaware came out to introduce his father following a biography of Joe Biden. He is an amazing person and an absolute man of the people. By the way, his wife is a teacher and still teaches. He spoke beautifully and eloquently about the need for change in our country. He talked about his son, who is leaving for deployment to Iraq in October. We were cheering throughout the speech and our cheering reached a crescendo when the Biden family came out...children, grandchildren, mother, brother, nieces and nephews. The climax to the whole thing came when Barack Obama marched out to surprise the Biden family....what a beautiful moment.
We were done for the night - it was time. Tomorrow is the big event at Invesco Field with 80,000 people participating.
Oh, ane by the way, my son called me as we were on the bus coming back to the hotel to tell me that I was on Jay Leno's show dancing with Mo Rocca. He told me I looked silly, but was having lots of fun. That was the case for this whole convention. Definitely the experience of a lifetime.
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