This series of postings will describe my journey to the Democratic National Convention in Boston with media credentials and access to the main floor of the Fleet Center. Past postings are here:
Day 0 Posting 1 - Blogging: Journalism or Activism or Both?
Day 1 Posting 1 - Arriving in Boston: Saturated Air & U.S. Topography
Day 2 Posting 1 - Clinton a No-Show at Rock the Vote, Disappointed Grassroots Young Dems
Day 2 Posting 2 - a not-so-typical day for delegates and others
Day 3 Posting 1 - Teresa, Hillary, bloggers, and 5000 other "revolutionaries"
Day 3 Posting 2 - Altered Perspectives of Bloggers and Media - The Physical Logistics
After spending a day back home with my kids, I'm interested in sharing some more stories from my unusual week in Boston. This posting includes my reflections on Barack Obama -- whom I last saw when he was my law school professor in a 10-person seminar -- and on some high-profile folks I ran into in Boston.
Barack Obama's seminar at Chicago Law was one of my favorite classes in law school. I had a sense that he was a particularly remarkable person, but I didn't expect him to enter politics. He genuinely cared about making our country a better place, and had opted-- upon graduating from Harvard Law as Editor of the Law Review-- to work in the South Side of Chicago doing community economic development. His seminar explored various policies that could better allow for an even playing field regardless of one's race. I was one of maybe two Caucasians in the seminar, and felt completely comfortable as did the people of color in the seminar. Obama deserved credit for making it a comfortable class where we could honestly and respectfully consider the pros and cons of various policies, no matter if the policies seemed conservative, radical, socialist, impossible to ever pass, or unlikely to make a difference. It was clear that Obama was very passionate about the subject matter, yet also very level-headed, rational, and pragmatic.
Having left Illinois after graduating law school, I didn't learn until a year ago that he was a state senator running for U.S. Senator. But, it didn't surprise me that he was universally popular, considered thoughtful, and effective in working across the aisle in passing legislation. I wrote occasional comments in the Blogosphere beginning last fall and continuing through the Illinois Primary encouraging people to support him.
I looked forward to his speech at the Convention more than any other, and his speech last Tuesday exceeded my expectations. When he walked to the podium in a hall filled with more than 10,000 rally signs saying "Obama" as the keynote speaker of the Convention, I burst into tears. I was filled with joy for someone whom I had last seen in a small seminar room; most of the students at my law school in 1994 didn't take his seminar and didn't even know his name. He then delivered what many people have described as a classic political speech that will persist for the ages. You can read other people's reports of it throughout the mainstream media and the blogosphere. He became one of the biggest political celebrities in Boston for the rest of the week and the embodiment of the future of the Democratic Party. But, it was clear to me he was still the same person. Pundits noted that he came across as genuine, truly believing in democracy and the greatness of America and its potential for all. Yes, he is for real.
And, now for some surreal experiences... I really like science museums and had heard that Boston has a great one. On Thursday night, someone told me in passing that there was a party after the convention at the New England Museum of Science and I decided to go because I wanted to see the museum. I had no idea who was sponsoring the party and whether a ticket was needed. When I arrived at the museum, I learned it was a gala for major donors to the DNC. Hmm... I decided to give it a try. After three attempts, a young volunteer agreed with me that people who had contributed time should count as much as those who contributed money and he handed me a ticket. I truly was interested in the museum so I traversed the many exhibits in the 3-story 4-wing facility learning scientific facts and exploring the hands-on stations. The gala was taking place in the center courtyard, and I was far away in distant basements and halls.
Around 1am I turned a corner from a stuffed buffalo exhibit, and found myself in a small, private reception for Wesley Clark. I exchanged some words with the 4-star general and we shook hands. His was without any doubt the best handshake of the week. I had already shook hands with Gavin Newsom, Barbara Boxer, Howard Dean, Bill Lockyer, etc. etc. Clark wasn't my candidate in the primaries and I didn't expect to have this reaction, but his handshake was really spectacular. Perhaps it was the way he solidly squeezed my hand or the way he peered deeply into my eyes with his blue eyes giving his full attention. I don't know. I've heard that shaking Bill Clinton's hand is an amazing experience and maybe they teach that in Arkansas. Or, perhaps Clark's handshake is part of what helped him rise to prominence so fast over the years. All I know is that my hand was still tingling about ten minutes later, and not in pain, just good tingling. Very interesting.
I spent Thursday night at the Convention on the floor hanging out with the California delegation. I started out chatting with the delegates from my local Congressional District, but as the floor became crowded and the fire marshals became very concerned, I was pushed forward. I held my ground at the very front of the California section, because I didn't want to leave it and end up circling through the aisles all night as other media seemed to be doing. Instead I made myself very small and squished up to the front of the California delegation so that it looked like I was part of it. No one asked me to leave. At 8pm everyone on the floor learned that no one who left temporarily for food, drink, or restroom would be allowed back in, no matter how important or famous they might be. Many people, including Congressional Reps, complained of their need to use the bathroom or their thirst (or their reluctance to drink water despite their thirst because then they would need to use the bathroom). I had used the facilities around 7:45 and considered myself super lucky for so many reasons that night.
The front area of the California delegation had Senator Boxer and her family, Gray Davis and his wife, Cruz Bustamante, and other state leaders, some California Congressional leaders, chair of the California Democratic Party Art Torres, etc. As a freelance reporter for a small California newspaper, I didn't quite fit in a substantive way, but I worked hard to fit physically in my small place standing on the floor. It was an exciting view of the speeches. The floor is definitely more of a party atmosphere than any of the higher levels in the hall. The live band in the Fleet Center led to a lot of dancing. I found it very surreal to be dancing with California political leaders I read about all the time.
During Kerry's speech, I was hit in the head (not hard) by part of a huge TV camera. I watched the cameraman quickly travel down our crowded narrow aisle to the main aisle hitting a few more people. The side of his camera said "Fox News." He first filmed a person in the Colorado delegation who had an odd hat that looked like red and yellow dreadlocks made out of t-shirt material. For the most part, the delegates looked to me like well-coiffed fraternity and sorority alumni in their suits ready for parties - most likely the same way the delegates look at the Republican National Convention. But, Fox found the one "freak" on the floor. Next, the cameraman was delighted to spot Gray Davis cheering on John Kerry. He trained his camera on Gray for the entire speech. I felt so bad for Gray. Not just because he had hot white lights on him for 40 minutes, but because it seemed obvious that Fox was filming him so that they could splice into Kerry's speech some images of the classic "Democratic loser." At one point I was pushed by someone in the aisle into the seat next to Gray; I quickly moved away - I didn't want to be in the frame with "the loser" on Fox News. I felt bad to be somewhat complicit with others in disgracing him-- especially since Arnold Schwarzenegger is governing almost identically to Gray Davis just with a whole lot more charisma and thus popularity -- but a quick escape back to the aisle was what I did.
What else interesting did I spot in the Fleet Center? At one point on Wednesday evening, a great stir took place in the Virginia delegation. They looked in the Fox News box and saw Bill O'Reilly essentially making love to himself in the mirror. He was smiling and making kissy faces. I'm not kidding-- The O'Reilly Self-Love Factor. His make-up person then arrived and about a half-hour later he was live on TV.
I also counted four delegates wearing yarmulkes--I knew there were some Orthodox Jews who aren't hawks and it was good to see them included in the Democratic Party... still. I didn't see any cameras taking their pictures - maybe they don't fit the current story lines.
As I entered the Fleet Center on Thursday I saw three cameras taking pictures of a transgendered woman who wore a "Transgendered for Kerry" button. Once again, I wondered what was in her head - did she view this as an opportunity to represent patriotic transgendered Americans, or did she recognize that the media was taking her photo to show "freaks" at the Democratic Convention?
Leaving the Fleet Center hall required wading and stomping on a floor now consisting of 2' high balloons with more still falling. Can you say "overkill"? I had to get back up to the 5th floor where I had left my bag. Along the way I passed the area where people were leaving private suites. A strikingly black and white man was approaching from down the hall: spiky black hair, crisp white shirt, black suit, white skin. Something looked familiar about him. "Oh, yeah, that's John Cusack," I thought. He was staring at his shoes as he walked along; having grown up in L.A., I believe in giving celebrities their privacy and recognizing that they are just people too. He happened to look up as his feet approached my feet. I said, "hi" in that socially obligatory way when two faces happen upon each other. He returned the same sort of "hi," and continued on looking at his feet again.
Eight women rushed over to me, "Wow, you are so lucky! What did you do that he came over to you?" Huh? It wasn't all that thrilling, really. They explained they had been standing there for about an hour hoping for a celebrity greeting. Then, I met a guy in his early 20s who worked for either ABC radio or CBS radio (I forget which) whose job was to tape a quick interview with a celebrity. He had been hoping to interview John Cusack and was also standing there a long time. He now feared he would be fired because he hadn't gotten the coveted interview clip. He wondered if another celebrity would come soon, or if he would lose his job. I wished him luck and left the Fleet Center feeling sorry for celebrities who are there simply because they are patriots who want to use their performance skills to help the Democrats in an important election year--almost all those in attendance performed or spoke at a few events during the week. Yet, they were stalked at all times by fans and aggressive media hacks.
When I find time, I'll write another posting about how tons of security didn't really secure the Fleet Center, unusually friendly cops, excited chefs, and talkative taxicab drivers in Boston...