Confessions of a Convention Junkie

Okay, so I'm a convention junkie. I've been to every Democratic National Convention since 1956, and my view of what's happening in Denver, 2008 I confess, is warped by remembrance of conventions past.

Thus, while most of those roaming the Elitch Gardens "Welcome to Denver" Saturday night party (billed as "A Celebration With Altitude"), were buzzing about Obama's selection of Joe Biden for Veep, my thoughts went back to the Democratic Convention in Miami in 1972. That was the year that George McGovern designated the ill-fated Tom Eagleton as his running-mate (later replaced by Sarge Shriver after the shocking revelation that he had undergone shock therapy). But as not many remember, that was also the year that Endicott "Chub" Peabody, the former governor of Massachusetts, announced his campaign for the Vice Presidential nomination under the slogan, "Endicott Peabody, the number one man for the number two job!" When I asked Dick Tuck, who had a sort of underground reputation as the Kennedys' court jester, what I should know about Peabody he said, "He's the only man in Massachusetts history who has had four towns named after him: Endicott, Peabody, Marblehead and Athol."

This time around, not even Hillary campaigned for Vice President. But it nevertheless seems apparent that the only really spontaneous (in the sense of unplanned) moment will be on Hillary speech-night, when nobody knows what the diehard Hillary delegates will do, I think back to 1968 when I was covering the proceedings in Chicago for the New York Times Magazine, and I remember looking out the 18th-floor window of the Newsweek suite at the park across the street from the Hilton, where Allen Ginsberg, Jean Genet and others were working the crowd. One of the speakers interrupted his message (urging his listeners to "off the pigs") and shouted, "Everyone in the Hilton who agrees with us, blink your lights!," after which Newsweek's lights started blinking. I was standing next to Jim Ridgeway of the Village Voice, who turned to me and said, "It's a fucking revolution," at which point all non-Newsweek personnel were ordered to evacuate the premises.

Although rallies and counter-convention panels and protests and marches (including one by a group called "Recreate Sixty Eight") are scheduled, my own suspicion is that this time around, the closest thing to serious protest action at the Denver convention itself, will come, if at all, from the Hillary camp. Not from Hillary, who today announced that she has released her delegates. But those who are involved in choreographing her convention moment, and those whom Gloria Steinem (a post-Hillary call-for-unity Obama supporter) and Trudy Mason of Common Good, have memorialized in an anti- PUMA Party button that reads: Hillary Supports OBAMA: SO DO I!!!! As Trudy Mason explained to me, a latecomer to the PUMA party, which has attracted much back-and-forth on the Internet, PUMA stands for "Party Unity My Ass."

Comments (26)

1. "I still don't think her supporters will be moved for her calls for unity.----Posted by frankgrits at 08/24/2008 @ 7:25pm

   Going to "save her from herself", FRANK?

   LOL

   Posted by Maskdelta at 08/24/2008 @ 7:29pm

2. I still don't think her supporters will be moved for her calls for unity.

   Posted by frankgrits at 08/24/2008 @ 7:25pm

   So supporters doesn't necessarily mean followers.

   Gallup has it even at 45/45.

   Every vote is going to matter in this one. It'll be a nailbiter.

   Posted by Benchrest at 08/24/2008 @ 7:32pm

3. Street theater in 2008?Abbie et al stood trial for it 40 years ago...you have to be really brave to be really funny...who's funny today? jon stewart? do you see him in jail for anything?

   Posted by jenniferrogers at 08/24/2008 @ 8:22pm

4. Posted by Benchrest at 08/24/2008 @ 7:32pm

   FG thinks most if not ALL "Hillary supporters" are like him and PUMA.

   Posted by Maskdelta at 08/24/2008 @ 8:46pm

5. I just got a bad feeling for Joe Biden. Hope he's taking good care of himself.

   Posted by hsuBfools at 08/24/2008 @ 8:55pm

6. Posted by Maskdelta at 08/24/2008 @ 8:46pm

   Well, Frank has a slight ego problem when it comes to all things political.

   However.....

   I am curious to see how things go down at the convention and to hear her speech.

   After that, it will be easier to gauge their reaction.

   You know what they say about a woman scorned. Could the plural be worse?

   Posted by Benchrest at 08/24/2008 @ 9:15pm

7. Posted by 2HAPPY at 08/24/2008 @ 9:00pm

   HAPP...WHO will GW skeptics vote for this fall?

   Hmmmm?

   Posted by Maskdelta at 08/24/2008 @ 9:39pm

8. Posted by Benchrest at 08/24/2008 @ 9:15pm

   She MUST make a good show of it, if a "show" is all it is.

   If Obama loses and there's even a HINT that "Hillary and Bill cost him the election"...

   she may find winning re-election to her Senate seat a problem in 2012....no need to even worry about the Presidency.

   That's why FRANK is engaged in the biggest SELF-DEFEATING strategy in history. His conflation of "McCain winning to get Hillary her shot at 2012" means if Obama DOES lose, her cultists (like him) have just ruined her chances for good!

   Posted by Maskdelta at 08/24/2008 @ 9:41pm

9. Posted by Maskdelta at 08/24/2008 @ 9:41pm

   Agreed.

   As you have said, she needs to shoot for Senate Majority Leader.

   The Presidency is gone for her.

   But...are her supporters aware of that?

   Posted by Benchrest at 08/24/2008 @ 9:58pm

10. Posted by Benchrest at 08/24/2008 @ 9:58pm

    And Majority Leader would be PERFECT for her.

    All the power, none of the responsibility. Any successes she can lay credit to with President Obama...any failures, she claims "The White House didn't sell the program/plan/etc."

    Plus she gets more face-time on the Sunday talks than just about anybody and she sticks it to Nancy Pelosi, with SML taking the place of the Speaker as "most powerful woman in the Congress".

    Of course "political experts" like You Know Whoits wouldn't get that.

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/24/2008 @ 10:12pm

11. Hillary has a great opportunity to get these supporters in line here and get behind the nominee for the Big Win. Then she will be in a much better position for her next run at the brass ring. Sometimes, the great diversity of this party can also shoot itself in the foot.

    Posted by gwats1957 at 08/24/2008 @ 10:51pm

12. Posted by frankgrits at 08/25/2008 @ 12:30am

    What are your thoughts on Hillary being Majority Leader?

    She could weild power for much longer than eight years, with Dem. majorities that could approach or exceed filibuster proof, helping her achieve a great deal.

    And regardless of who wins the White House, she would have relatively good relations with them, Obama because of party, and McCain because they're friends, and then beyond.

    I think that's your win win scenario Frank.

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/25/2008 @ 12:51am

13. I think I need a shower.

    Posted by frankgrits at 08/25/2008 @ 12:30am

    Now don't forget to scrub in between your ears....

    Posted by hsuBfools at 08/25/2008 @ 01:12am

14. You can always tell when FRANK gets flummoxed....he posts rapidly in succession.

    Plus, being FRANK (and a monumental egotist who thinks his 'brilliant strategies'...are brilliant)...he's making an even bigger fool of himself with this "Caroline Kennedy picked Biden...not Obama" silliness.

    A lame attempt to make it seem as if Obama is "just a pawn".

    BTW, watch how FRANK turns it COMPLETELY AROUND when McCain picks HIS veep the end of this week and says "McCain showed real leadership in picking _____. Shows HE knows the qualifications and experience needed to take over in case something happens. HE didn't allow his Veep panel to choose HIS Veep!"

    So why can't we say that whoever is running McCain's vetting process picked the Veep...and poor ol' Maverick HAD to take who they picked???

    Also, watch for McCain's pick to be COMPLETELY poll-driven...either an attempt to suck upto the Hillary voters (a woman) or to reinforce his base who are still unhappy with him (a hard-core Rightie).

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/25/2008 @ 09:04am

15. I still don't think her supporters will be moved for her calls for unity.

    Posted by frankgrits at 08/24/2008 @ 7:25pm

    FG thinks most if not ALL "Hillary supporters" are like him and PUMA.

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/24/2008 @ 8:46pm

    And of course you are wrong again. I don't think anything of the kind. But there are enough to elect McCain.

    Posted by frankgrits at 08/24/2008 @ 11:04pm

    Everyone who believes that Bill and Hillary really, really want Barack Obama to win in November please raise your hands.

    Posted by namron8255 at 08/25/2008 @ 12:11am

    If they don't they'll be in company with about half of the democratic party.

    Posted by frankgrits at 08/25/2008 @ 12:24am

    Frank, did you just tell a fib?

    oops.

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/25/2008 @ 11:38am

16. Posted by Benchrest at 08/25/2008 @ 11:38am

    Yep.

    Notice he doesn't say "half the HILLARY SUPPORTERS"...he says "half the DEMOCRATIC PARTY".

    Thereby claiming that Hillary supporters ("that half" of the DP) don't want Obama to win.

    Or, to put it another way...

    "FG thinks most if not ALL "Hillary supporters" are like him and PUMA."----Posted by Maskdelta at 08/24/2008 @ 8:46pm

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/25/2008 @ 11:56am

17. Posted by Maskdelta at 08/25/2008 @ 11:56am

    No spinning out of this one, he just spilled the beans.

    I believe you are owed an apology by Frank. That'll kill him.

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/25/2008 @ 12:16pm

18. BTW, did you used to call yourself marybretbrad?

    Posted by frankgrits at 08/25/2008 @ 12:36pm |

    No, that would be Darn, the Troll.

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/25/2008 @ 12:39pm

19. Posted by frankgrits at 08/25/2008 @ 12:34pm

    That's your problem, FRANK...we pay TOO CLOSE attention.

    I rightfully point out that you think most if not all the Hillary supporters are against Obama....you deny it...

    and a few hours later tell us that "half the Democratic Party" (aka HRC folks) are "in the company" of people who don't want Obama to win.

    If we weren't paying attention, we'd miss all your important lies and the evidence YOU YOURSELF offer up to prove them lies.

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/25/2008 @ 12:51pm

20. Posted by frankgrits at 08/25/2008 @ 1:09pm

    FRANK, we're QUOTING you.

    Where does this "half the Democratic Party" come from, if not Hillary supporters?

    And since in your mind, ALL of them (half the DNC) would be EXACTLY what I said you thought...

    you proved my point and proved you were a liar when you denied it.

    Get your stories straight. Either you're in the majority of HRC supporters or you aren't?

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/25/2008 @ 1:12pm

21. Posted by frankgrits at 08/25/2008 @ 1:18pm

    No, FRANK, don't trust polls...only trust YOU.

    Which is why me and Benchrest QUOTED you.

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/25/2008 @ 2:22pm

22. Posted by Maskdelta at 08/25/2008 @ 2:22pm

    I don't think you're gonna get your apology.

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/25/2008 @ 2:54pm

23. Posted by Benchrest at 08/25/2008 @ 2:54pm

    It's okay, Bench...decided to be more gracious to FG.

    If McCain wins, will loudly and OFTEN proclaim what he has said here so often...

    that we need to THANK the "Hillary supporters" for giving us "President McCain".

    In fact, make sure (right upto 2012) that those two terms are intractably linked...

    just like FRANK wants!

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/25/2008 @ 2:57pm

24. I'm just curious as to how many of those in the PUMA Party are also members of the group that were/are "pissed off" at Ralph Nader for his perceived role in the 2000 election?

    Posted by ron cypert at 08/25/2008 @ 7:00pm

25. Obama's contradictions: 1. He said he's an agent of change, but he selects the oldest attack dog Biden. 2. He said hard work must be rewarded, but if your hard work goes over 250 K, you'll be punished like hell. 3. He said judging when life begins is above his pay grade, but in voting against he Born Alive Infant Protection Act, he's decided that baby's life starts only if the mother says it starts. Otherwise the babies must be left to die even if they're born alive after a failed abortion. He wouldn't care if the aborted babies live or not as long as the pro-abortion voters are happy and give him their votes. 4. He said he can unite the country but he's associated with all kinds of extremists like Ayers, Wright, Farakhan. And now he couldn't even unite Hillary's supporters. 5. He said he helps the poor, but up until now he doesn't even know he has a poor brother in Africa living on $1 a month. Of course, his brother can't vote and so doesn't count as a person. 6. He said he cares about your health, but the University of Chicago hospital where Michelle Obama works as Vice President for Community and External Affairs does everything it can to turn away uninsured patients. Never mind that her annual salary is $310,000, while an anesthesiologist doctor only earns $215,000. Of course, her husband is a Senator and has the power to give grants and funds to the hospital. This is the National Health Care in preview. 7. He said there's indeed Evil in this world, but he didn't mention those Muslim extremists who behead innocent people. Instead he said you can find evil everyday on the streets of America. If you vote for Obama, Michelle would be proud of America. If you vote for McCain, Michelle would conclude that America is just downright mean.

    Posted by Haha at 08/26/2008 @ 7:08pm

26. Posted by Maskdelta at 08/25/2008 @ 2:57pm

    Well, I see Frank still hasn't apologized.

    Good grief he is a stubborn man. Humility he does not know, and it is one of the finest of human traits.

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/26/2008 @ 7:43pm