"We Believe" - and the story of Tag Number 720

In Case You Missed It---Nancy Keenan of NARAL Pro-Choice



Thanks for the great party, Nancy. It was worth the long walk.

Ben Jealous

From his short, clear, cool and precise speech to the Connecticut Delegation:

"It isn't about race, it is about whether you love all people."
"Reactionary suppression of the vote is an historic issue."
"Either we are a Democracy -- or we are not."

"... are we aspiring to be some sort of Weird Monarchy?"  
"Liberty and Justice for All."

A Quick Glance

The heART of the matter.

American Innovation at the CT Dems office suite

Time is our Most Precious Thing

How are you going to spend your time over the next 2 months?
 

• Taking care of your family's health and home and well being.Cooking, Cleaning, Feeding, Washing, Driving.
• Working at your job and not pissing anyone off.
• Helping Pro-Choice candidates get elected.

Nancy Keenan, President of NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut, was introduced at the first meeting of the Women's Caucus by a young woman who is the first Latina President of the College Democrats. Keenan looked over the crowd at the Women's Caucus and noted all the grey hair in the audience. Hey, she said, The Menopausal Militia!

She noted that these are the women who marched, argued, wrote, and worked for women's reproductive rights - not just for themselves but also for their daughters, nieces, granddaughters and all the women who come after us.

"In the next 63 days we need to Connect the Personal to the Political"

• Reach out to neighbors -  Door to Door & Vote by Vote
• Post on Twitter
• Share on Facebook
• You need to take them to the polls.

Women need to show up at the polls!

Small Truths around the Dem Convention in Charlotte

Politicians are often better in person...Don't Engage the Crazies...Media people look monstrous


The Good

• Debbie Wasserman Schultz is very very pretty and petite.
• John Kerry is kind of handsome.
• The Mayor of Boston is a hoot.
•  Politicians love babies. Democratic politicians love Kennedy babies. Patrick Kennedy has a new babie.
• Elizabeth Warren is a freakin' Superstar.

The Bad
The police closed off the half block from the Convention Center tot he Planned Parenthood Rally, so that there was a long 4 blocks up-2 blocks across-4 blocks back down route to be negotiated, then creating a trap that left the ProChoice rally attendees stranded at an intersection dominated by AntiChoice protesters with a Microphone.

The result was human voices versus an amplified tirade of accusations. It was hard to hear the Our Bodies: Our Choice chant.  After about 40 minutes of chanting towards fake photos of baby body parts and hearing about Jesus, 50 riot police showed up. The pink T-shirted Planned Parenthood volunteers and supporters, in what the Antis will no doubt spin as a victory, decided to leave.

Police (I have yet to see a female cop - #Justsayin' ) caused this encounter by shutting down the streets.


The Ugly
Horrible moment when the sidewalk became filled with black suited bodyguards surrounding a tall blind automaton. White Blond hair, huge bug lens sunglasses, being guided and held upright by a tall fat man who whispered solidly into the ear of the creature.

Turned out it was Mika Brzinski (I don't care how it is spelled) on platform spiked Christian Louboutin $800 shoes so tall that she could barely walk, clearly stoned to the gills, being led down the street by Joe Scarborough.

Dems Prez Convention 2012 - Women Take over the Ball Rooms

At the Women's Caucus in the Convention Center

Nancy Pelosi started with a speech and there was a standing ovation for Gaby Giffords but OMG (oh My Girls!) Donna Brazille brought down the house with her "Shake Your Tailfeathers" speeech.

Fired UP - Ready to GO

___________________________

Cecile Richards is following this up with her own style (Texas, not Louisiana). As she travels throughout the US she keeps seeing signs that say

I can't believe I have to fight this shit
all over again

Cecile says: "But we will...But we Will."

___________________________

Debbie Wasserman-Schultz to speak. It is amazing to see her in person, (this is the third time I have seen her in 1.5 days!) because she is soooooo tiny. She is also quite "fine" as some would say.

"Women are: The Backbone of the Economy.
The Backbone of the Family."

Talking about her breast cancer diagnosis and Obama doing healthcare reform so that she and her daughters, who carry the cancer gene, are able to get treatment as needed, and "being a woman is no longer a pre-existing condition."

2012 is Personal. This is Personal.

Dems Presidential Convention - Gearing Up

Too much to do.

For some reason I didn't know that Romare Beardon was from North Carolina. He was born 101 years ago.

It is best to go to a convention with a gang, so you are single mindedly on target for your events.

Sunday was great, as we had time to figure out the turf by taking the light rail transportation into Charlotte and then walk the Uptown area. Everyone's issues are based on transportation confusion and timing.

We were able to see what I am most interested in watching: behind the scenes setup. Rugs being unrolled. Lighting gear and sound systems being installed and checked. A guy repairing the sand sculpture that had been damaged in Monday night's downpour.

Then, at noon, we got to volunteer for NARAL Pro-Choice America.  

A very generous person had donated their house for the volunteer work, and everyone was upbeat and happy to be helping out.

"Not-that-Mike-Brown" is on the Board of Directors of NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut and I am on the PAC. We are both volunteers with Planned Parenthood in Connecticut as well.

I can tell there will be no time to blog from here.