Unity, Emotion, and Resolve As Obama Becomes Official Nominee

By: Josh
Published On: 8/27/2008 7:39:08 PM

Today at the Democratic National Convention, Hillary Clinton unified the party and affirmed the official nomination of Barack Obama as the Democratic Party's nominee for President of the United States.  Overwhelmed with emotion in the momentous and historic moment, Delegates and party leaders steeled themselves for the brutal election season ahead.

"I can't describe it," said Governor Kaine, his face streaming with tears. "It's the greatest thing we've ever worked for.  How do I feel?  I feel like we've got 10 weeks of hard, hard work ahead of us and we've just got to bring it home."

Senator Henry Marsh was filled with pride and hope, his face washed in tears. "I'm overjoyed, but not just because Obama is the first African American nominee for president.  If he was white, I'd be just as happy.  I'm happy, because he is the right man for America and for the world at this time.  When America elects Obama president, it will validate the sacrifices of our fathers.  My father worked and died for our family, and he is smiling down, right now.  This isn't over.  The hard work is just beginning."

IMG_2666Hampton Democratic Committee Chair Gaylene Kanoyton, was too overwhelmed in the moment, and I couldn't think to ask her a question.  Dabbing her eyes, I asked her if I could give her a hug.  There was simply nothing more to say.

DPVA Chair, Levar Stoney, set his chin and focused on the battle ahead.  "It's beautiful.  Democrats united, what more could you ask for.  If I were a Republican, I'd be scared by the united Democratic Team."  

Congressman Bobby Scott, too was looking ahead.  "We have our work cut out. We're looking at a fight like Jim Webb and Tim Kaine and Doug Wilder.  If we register the voters, and get the turnout in Northern Virginia and from young people, Virginia will go Democratic for the first time since 1964.
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Comments



This is great (Alicia - 8/27/2008 7:52:00 PM)
and I'm glad to read such emotional strong support for Obama.
Thanks Josh!


PS LOVE THOSE PICS (Alicia - 8/27/2008 7:52:59 PM)
sure do wish I was there!!


Wish you were here (Josh - 8/27/2008 7:59:33 PM)
what a moment... I'm overwhelmed


Did anyone you know get a picture of Keith Scarborough, PWC Obama delegate ? (Tom Counts - 8/27/2008 8:24:29 PM)


Picture of Keith (Shawn - 8/28/2008 11:05:49 AM)
Thank vauniongirl .... http://www.flickr.com/photos/2...


Found another shot of Keith (Shawn - 8/28/2008 11:14:42 AM)
IMG_0798


i agree, you captured the elation of each moment perfectly! (sammi fredenburg - 8/27/2008 10:47:32 PM)
these are photos that will go down in the history of the democratic party in Virginia.  you have a way of taking us there with you . . . . . thanx for that.  great great awesome moments, thanx for sharing them with us.

stay close,

ssmmi =)



Ali is in the hall to hear the Big Dog! n/t (aznew - 8/27/2008 9:00:32 PM)


Great pics. Thanks, Josh n/t (aznew - 8/27/2008 9:01:14 PM)


Terron Sims (Lowell - 8/27/2008 10:16:58 PM)
Congratulations to Terron Sims, an Iraq War veteran who ran for Arlington School Board this past spring, for making the Steven Spielberg movie!  


First REALLY jarring note of the convention (Lowell - 8/27/2008 10:20:28 PM)
for me was seeing Claudia Kennedy up there.  It's NOT because she endorsed Harris Miller over Jim Webb, I don't care about that anymore. It's because of how nasty she was, accusing Webb of being a misogynist. That was a disgrace I will never forget.


A great night . . . (JPTERP - 8/27/2008 11:57:45 PM)
I was moved to tears of joy a few times myself.

Kerry too I thought exorcised some demons tonight.  If he had the kind of fire 4 years ago he might have just walked away with the election.  That was the most concise and passionate that I've seen him.

Clinton, the Bidens, et al were also great.  Great documentary too about service members and Biden.  Looks like the Speilberg military service documentary had Jim Leher chocked up on PBS too -- a rare sight.  

Of course, Fox News didn't even bother to show the video.  They cut into the Mark Warner speech last night too so that Hannity and Rudy G. could defame Obama with the Ayers slander.  Not surprising, but it still turns my stomach that people like that are given a major media platform.  



JK (NP - 8/28/2008 12:08:03 AM)
They didn't show John Kerry's speech either.  Instead those stations just yak on.  The only station that does not cut is cspan.  I watched PBS for commentary.  I'm still shaken by tonight.


I switched back and forth . . . (JPTERP - 8/28/2008 12:15:26 AM)
between PBS (WETA) and NPR.  The Kerry speech was played in its entirety on NPR -- I'm glad that I was able to catch it.  That was a great moment that really deserved a broad audience.

Talking Points Memo has a clip of the speech available for those who might have missed it . . .

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/a...



Kerry was awesome (Ron1 - 8/28/2008 12:24:35 AM)
That was a rightfully fierce and impassioned speech that he gave -- I was actually a bit stunned by how forthright it was. President Clinton also really did a great job, I believe. Bill and Hillary did all that they could these past few days -- hopefully that will help unite the base.

Truthfully, I was underwhelmed by Biden's speech and delivery, although I think the content was important and is what we can expect him to harp on the next ten weeks. The combo of Kerry and Biden are perfect to take down McCain's false claims of superior judgment.

It's up to Obama now. I hope he has another great one in the tank (I suspect he does). HE needs to make the case as to why he's ready to lead, and the historic night in Denver on Thursday night will be his best chance to frame the election the way it ought to be framed.  



It occurs to me that Kerry could be a great surrogate (Josh - 8/28/2008 3:49:20 AM)
It would be very effective for the new, concise, energized, visceral and biting Kerry to go out as the #1 attack dog against McCain.   That would leave Obama well above the fray, and Biden to cultivate his own, new national persona which seems to be kind of a velvet hammer approach (gotta admit that Biden really is a charming guy).


Kerry is an asset . . . (JPTERP - 8/28/2008 4:31:41 AM)
one of the big take-aways too from the convention is that Obama has quite a few strong allies within the party -- people who can make a very forceful case both for Obama and against McCain.  

One area though were the GOP has beaten the Dems during the summer is in reference to message coordination.  McCain's surrogates were able to get some movement on both the "Drill here, drill now" line and the "Surge is working" line simply because his people kept repeating the refrain again, and again.  This is one area where the Obama campaign needs to do some work in the Fall campaign -- perhaps the convention is a preview of what's to come.  If so, I think we're going to be in good shape.

The other x-factor is President Clinton.  If Obama is able to get full buy-in from him and makes good use of President Clinton during the Fall campaign -- especially on economic issues -- it could be a huge plus for him.  Economic justice -- or economic fairness, as Sen. Webb calls it -- is one area where the Dems can really pound away at the GOP in the Fall -- especially if we're looking at a McCain-Romney ticket.