"No Red Meat from Warner Speech."

Here is a footnote, and nothing more than that, from the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

We're finally done with all that speculation about former Virginia Governor Mark Warner becoming a national political player.

Sure, Warner drew a bad card when Democratic National Convention organizers scheduled the keynote address on the same night as Hillary Clinton's address to the convention.

But the Virginian, who this year is likely to win a Senate seat, failed to rise to the challenge.

His speech barely drew the attention of the crowd. Many delegates wandered out to get something to eat or otherwise prepare themselves for the Clinton speech.

Indeed, more seats were filled during Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer's bouncy speech, which came just before Clinton's, than Mark Warner's address.

Those who stayed in the hall heard nothing memorable.

The headline from the Washington Post review of the governor's speech summed things up pretty well: "No Red Meat from Warner Speech."

Comments (12)

1. Sounds like he belongs in the Senate, never in Obama's cabinet.

   Posted by sloper at 08/27/2008 @ 05:04am

2. It was a bit ho-hum.

   Posted by leftofcenter at 08/27/2008 @ 09:20am

3. Mr Nichols, before you write off Warner entirely for one bad speech at a Democratic Convention....

   might I remind you of ANOTHER Southern moderate who made a bad speech at a Democratic Convention (in 1988)...

   and came back four years later to win the nomination!

   Posted by Maskdelta at 08/27/2008 @ 09:31am

4. Not sure if I agree. Firstly, I think the Washington Post "review" cited was actually a preview; it was posted on Mon 25, well before Warner took the stage. Secondly, watching at home, where I couldn't be distracted by folks taking bathroom/snack breaks, it seemed as if a number of lines stuck, key among them "maverick-sidekick." But maybe that's just how my and wife and I felt it.

   Posted by klean2 at 08/27/2008 @ 10:26am

5. I caught a few minutes of it. Death, dead, dying. Bad speaker, bad speech.

   I live in NJ and I already got what I think is a polling call with several incongruous questions that included, inexplicably, Warner. Already testing the waters for '12 & 16?

   Posted by pennysworth at 08/27/2008 @ 12:34pm

6. In part, Warner's speech seemed to be a "remember me in 2012" effort. When he spoke of his initial business failures and eventual success he babbled about how the US is the one country where this could be done. What nonsense!

   Posted by toronto at 08/27/2008 @ 12:54pm

7. Seems to me you missed Warner's message. He took a red state, turned it purple if not completely blue, paved the way for a second Democratic governor, won popular support in the most red part of the state -- the southwest, and administratively saved Virginia from financial ruin due to the no-tax policy of the previous Republican governor. While maybe not sexy and rousing, it is the kind of message that sells to a diverse audience. When we get beyond titillation and a kick-ass mentality, we're more likely to appeal to a broader audience.

   Posted by zookeeper at 08/27/2008 @ 1:34pm

8. I was very impressed with Warner's speech.

   Posted by larwar at 08/27/2008 @ 2:10pm

9. Most of the DNC speeches fell fairly flat. The real star, the one who gave what should have been the keynote speech, was by Congressman and former Democratic candidate Dennis Kucinich. (http://www.alternet.org/blogs/video/96539/) He spoke to a half-empty hall, but brought those present to their feet cheering, some in tears!

   Many of us love Dennis, for his courage, his clarity, his passion and the way he calls forth our better selves, calling on us to join together to take our country back! Now he is passionately calling us to throw ourselves into the task of electing Obama/Biden and defeating McCain. Let's honor the trust and love he has won from us by taking heed and rising to the challenge!

   Don't look for the DP leadership to honor and respect him, to raise him to leadership in the campaign or give him a cabinet post. He represents the potential for an insurrection within the DP, the possibility of the rank and file throwing out the humbugs with their cozy deals with the moneybags. The possibility of a democratic Democratic Party!

   The Clintons, the Bidens, the Pelosis and the Obamas are terrified of Kucinich and of what he represents. But this is not the time to challenge their leadership. Rather, the next few months are for taking on the battle to clear Darth Vader out of the White House, to rally the people to save what's left of America's democratic institutions, to block the path to war and to and create an opening for progress. A time for creating an opening for a great ongoing movement to fight for progressive solutions to the unfolding catastrophe!

   Kucinich has the winning message, but the DP leaders are not going to embrace and use him. That's our job! Let's forward this video to everyone we know, and then let's get out there and win this fight!

   Posted by chrishorton at 08/27/2008 @ 2:43pm

10. The whole show is a little ho-hum, if you're the jaded and cynical typ. If you're not that jaded, it may have made you want to scream. The Obama-Biden team is not likely to change the trajectory of the past 60 years: an unholy and death-oriented alliance of Congress, the military, and the corporations who profit from supplying the needs of permanent war will continue to rule the country. They will suck the resources and the life out of ordinary people's dreams. They will eat young people and shit money into the pockets of Lockheed-Martin's CEO. They will ignore the real needs of the majority of people: safe communities, good food, clean air, meaningful work, security from intrusive government, universal healthcare, free high-quality education, respect from their own government and people around the world. This is what the Obama-Biden ticket means to me. The McCain-Whoever ticket means a somewhat faster ride to hell, continuing and in many ways worsening the Bush-Cheney policies.

    Posted by Goat at 08/27/2008 @ 3:15pm

11. I thought Warners speech was Great!!! Also I have wanted Dennis Kucinich as President since he first ran I was living at the coastr in Oregon and the whole coast was for him as his message hit home to all of us. But this year we have to get the shrub (bush) out of the White House and Obama in!!! Then in 2012 maybe Kucinich will be able to get the BIG JOB done!!! Done the way A true Leader for the People Will!!!

    Posted by jancoast at 08/27/2008 @ 7:10pm

12. He did have one good line - the maverick/sidekick line - but other than that, it seemed to me as if he was doing a campaign speech for himself.

    Posted by oldduke20 at 08/27/2008 @ 9:00pm