Day 1: Sunday, August 24, 2008
6:15 am
Hey folks, it’s Bernita reporting in from the DNC Convention in Denver. I will be blogging here and at Tondee’s Tavern over the course of the week. My blogging will be informal – just like I’m having a conversation with you in Catherine’s and Mel’s livng room – oh wait I am.
Arrival:
Arrived yesterday around 1 pm (all posted times will be in Mountain Standard Time). We successfully made it to Denver in The Unity Express RV. Big thanks to everyone who made the trip possible. It was an awesome trip with loads of laughter and memories. I will update the Unity Express site as soon as I get a chance.
We scared the bejesus out of the Secret Service (yeah they are everywhere) when we arrived at the hotel. We pulled up in a 30 foot RV and started furiously uploading the beast. The RV place charges $25 per hour that it returned late. So we were just madly moving our stuff from the RV to the front of the hotel. Secret Service guy no likey us.
After we returned from dropping off the RV, we met up with a few Georgia delegates and had a huge lunch. We then set off to go walking to shops near our hotel. I lasted for about 1000 ft and turned to Angela and Nikema and said “pick me up whatever you guys are getting because I have to go to bed”. I was physically exhausted.
Slept for 5 hours. HEAVEN!!
Later that evening, I met Jane Bradshaw for a drink at the hotel bar. Jane attended the Stonewall event and heard Gov. Sebelius speak. Jane says it was a good speech.
Being a Clinton Delegate:
Let’s just say that within my first hours of being awake and alert in Denver that I am over the damn paranoia people are having towards Clinton delegates. Here are some of the issues which annoyed me last night while sitting at the bar:
1) My opinion reflects the opinion of Bernita. It does not reflect the opinion of Georgia Clinton delegates or the hundreds of other Clinton delegates. It most certainly does not reflect all the opinions of Senator Clinton. My Senator Clinton mind reading and opinion assessment tool is broken. So please stop asking me “if all you Clinton delegates don‚Äôt support the entire ticket are you guys really going to stay home and protest the ticket”. I don‚Äôt know what the hell any of the hundreds on Clinton delegates will do on Nov. 4. I‚Äôm voting for the Democratic ticket. End of Story. Done.
2) “There seems to be an acrimonious atmosphere amongst the Clinton delegates and you guys need to get united with the Party”. Aw hell no, are they going to paint the dysfunctions of the Democratic Party on the Clinton delegates.
a. First, when the hell has the entire Party ever been completely united behind its Presidential nominees? Let’s not act like the Party enjoyed Dean throwing a wrench into their set plans when he ran or that rebel Governor from Arkansas or that peanut farmer from Georgia. Let’s not pretend to ourselves that this is the first time that there is a division/split in the Party. Before anyone even comments – previous elections were just as important as this election.
b. Second, contrary to popular BS, Democrats lost elections not because we were not unified; we lost because we had weak and uninspiring candidates with zero messaging. The activists have always been with the Party no matter who was anointed by the powers that be. So let’s not start blaming the activists now just because all of them no likey the nominee.
3) “How long are you going to say that you are a Clinton delegate” – Ummm, until she releases her delegates.
4) “If the Clinton delegates shut down the convention it will be bad for the Dems nationwide. Senator Clinton needs to stop this from happening”. I have mixed opinions on this issue. On the one hand it would be funny as hell to see the looks on Dean‚Äôs and Pelosi‚Äôs faces when they can’t herd in all the cats. Folks will go limp when the po-po man came to escort them. Fists UP. Nothing but a revolution. On the other hand, the Rethugs would replay the video over and over again making inferences that the Dems couldn’t control their own Party activists so how will they control the government. So not good.
a. I don’t know who or what or how many Clinton delegates will really protest and shutdown the convention. All I know is that this sista will not be in the middle of anything that involves real or plastic handcuffs. I‚Äôm here to network, have fun, and enjoy being a Democrat.
The hotel:
Not bad. But then again I just spent the last 6 nights sleeping in an RV. Definitely not a 4 star place. But all the Georgia Delegation team is here so we’ll make the most of everything.
Congressman Lewis is 4 doors away from me. Oh it’s going to get crunked on the 8 floor!
Hotel food – bagel with cream cheese + a side of bacon = $8.06. When the convention fully starts on Monday, we won‚Äôt have to pay for breakfast. Breakfast will be provided by the Democratic Party of Georgia.
I will check-in later today. This evening is our first Georgia Delegation Party. Looking forward to seeing everyone.
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