Monday Democratic National Convention running commentary thread

[DownWithTheLeft]

And good thing the Democrats aren't making this about race, when they pan the crowd I feel like I'm watching Showtime at the Apollo

Really? Sure you are just not focusing only on the black faces?

Not me, possibly the camera.  Although it was FoxNews

[True Democrat]

And good thing the Democrats aren't making this about race, when they pan the crowd I feel like I'm watching Showtime at the Apollo

Really? Sure you are just not focusing only on the black faces?

Not me, possibly the camera.  Although it was FoxNews

You do realize that 44% of the delegates are minorities. . .

[Beet]

The DNC has a proportional representation rule. It's a dumb idea if you ask me. It just creates more headaches for the delegate selectors.

[JSojourner]

A very good night, on the whole.  Michelle hit it out of the park.  Ted was terrific.  Jim Leach was...well...boring as hell.  But he was right.  And what's more, he served to remind us there used to be Republicans like that. Now, if only anyone had watched or if those who watched had not fallen asleep!

When Michelle was speaking, I kept thinking about some of the black women of the past who I greatly admire-- Sojourner Truth, Fanny Lou Hamer, Madame C.J. Walker, Barbara Jordan, Shirley Chisholm...I had to wonder what they would think if they could see what was going on.

I was proud.  And I am a fat, old, white guy.  Of course there were tears.  Those who think the tears were scripted...well...I feel sorry for you.

Oh yeah -- the kids weren't scripted in the least.  My little one is seven and that's exactly how she would have acted after not seeing Daddy for four days.  This family adores each other.  And I can guarantee you the McCain family is just the same way -- you talk to John McCain about his adopted daughter and he has the same light in his eyes that Barack has when his little girls are around. 

[Sbane]

And good thing the Democrats aren't making this about race, when they pan the crowd I feel like I'm watching Showtime at the Apollo

Really? Sure you are just not focusing only on the black faces?

Not me, possibly the camera.  Although it was FoxNews

You do realize that 44% of the delegates are minorities. . .

Huh? I thought they were doing it proportionally and 44% of America is not minorities...yet. It should have been closer to somewhere around 25-30% which is still a helluva lot more than you will see on TV or in movies. Also half the delegates are women. The Democratic party really is too cute.

[Meeker]

For those curious about the Democratic selection process, there are two big areas of requirement: gender and affirmative action goals. Half of all delegates elected, starting at the precinct caucus level, must be males and half of all delegates elected must be women. The affirmative action goals don't prohibit election (we don't tell people you can't be elected if you're not black), but we try to get a certain proportionality related to seven minority statuses: African-American, Hispanic, Asian-American/Pacific Islander, Native American, GLBT, disabilities, and youth.

How we rectify something being a little off of the affirmative action goals is with the at-large delegates elected at the state convention - those spots' primary purpose is to fill the affirmative action goals. But again, we don't prohibit election based on race. It's just goals.

On a random side note, I personally I think we should add veterans to the minority statuses.