DNC Presentation Report: Day 2

The Working Class Three

There were a trio of speakers that were clearly intended to carry the message that Obama cares about white collar workers, the voters that identified with Hillary Clinton's campaign.

 The first was Gloria Craven from North Carolina whose story about being laid off from a textile factory is compelling.  Her plain, unflattering dress and stiff, nervous demeanor are examples of authenticity.  In her case, not appearing to be slick or polished helps establish her credibility. 

The second was Lilly Ledbetter, Ledbetter sued Goodyear because she learned that they were paying significantly less than her male counterparts.  Her case went all the way to the Supreme Court.  They ruled that she did not file her suit within a suitable time frame, which was 180 days "after the alleged unlawful employment practice occurred" according to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

 The third was Anna Berger who worked for the Service Employees International Union.  Though her story may be compelling, her speaking skills are so poor, my wife and I didn't hear it.  We were so distracted by her style that her story was lost on us.  Examples:

Other Notable Speakers

Janet Napalitano Gov. of AZ. – I enjoyed her feistiness.

Kathleen Sibelius Gov. of Kansas (was on Obama's short list)

She is an attractive, striking woman who looks great on TV.  She had a well-crafted speech but her lack of vocal energy made her boring.

Frederico Pena

Former Mayer of Denver and 12th United States Secretary of Transportation

He used pause very well and had strong vocal energy.

I liked the metaphor of "liquid leash" referring to oil, which he saw as "choking our prosperity."

Sen. Bob Casey of PA.

He had a warm demeanor conveyed by his pleasant smile but tended to sway from side to side, which makes him seem unstable and lacking in resolve.

He had some terrific lines which would make for good sound bites. 

When referring to John McCain's voting record – agreeing with President Bush "90%"of the time, he characterized McCain in this way: "That's not a maverick.  That's a sidekick!"

Addressing a possible McCain presidency, he said, "4 more years?  How about 4 more months?"  The crowd liked this line so much, they started to chant it spontaneously.

Former Gov. Mark Warner employed an effective metaphor with "the race for the future." He wove that theme into the fabric of his talk with:

"The most important contest of our generation has begun.  Not the campaign for the Presidency. Not the campaign for Congress. But the race for the future." 

 Later, he returned to that theme with:

"The race is on, and if you watched the Olympics, you know China's going for the gold." 

For his conclusion, he reiterated his race metaphor with,:

"This race is all about the future. That's why we must elect Barack Obama as our next President. Because the race for the future will be won when old partisanship gives way to new ideas. When we put solutions over stalemates, and when hope replaces fear.

Tonight, looking out at all of you, and with a deep faith in the character and resolve of the American people, I am more confident than ever that we will win that race and make the future ours." 

I liked his line, "In a global economy, you should have to leave your home town to find a world-class job."

His story about Lebanon, Virginia was a compelling personal story with vivid characters, vulnerability and conflict.

 

Deval Patrick, Gov. of Mass was one of the strongest speakers of the night, opened with a nice personal story.  His use of gesture, in particular, was exemplary.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer charged with warming up the crowd for Hillary Clinton, without a doubt, was the speaker who was having the most fun.  His line about "petro-dictators" is likely to be quoted by the mainstream media and in the blogosphere.

So many others have reviewed Hillary's speech that I only add a few observations here:

Her timing, deliberate pace and use of pause were superb.

Her line, "No way. No how.  No McCain" is another one you're likely to read and hear elsewhere.

The story of the single mother who adopted 2 autistic kids, then was diagnosed with cancer was moving and compelling.  She painted Hillary's name on her head and asked her to fight for health care.

I enjoyed the humor of Hillary's line, "the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pantsuits."