Recap of 2nd Historic Democratic Convention 

We made it! The 2016 DNC Convention is over and the real work begins for Democrats. Democrats came together to make history again by nominating the first woman for President!

First, my arrival on day 4 and the final day of the convention was smooth and uneventful (thankfully). I was not shooed away from any golf carts/buggies and a very nice police officer drove me all the way to the media pavillion…right to the door! In fact, I noticed that security was even more tight than prior days. Probably because there seemed to be much more people. When I went inside the arena just after 4:30, the hallways were already full and the people kept coming. I saw, what looked like, more elected polticians and their families whereas before I saw more delegates  (regular folks). So I had a difficult time trying to find a seat at all, let alone one in a good spot. There were more tv monitors throughout the crowded hallways which is what most people were watching. Overall, there was a lot of excitement but, like with most crowded spaces, some people were rude and cranky. Also…by the time you get to the fourth day of any meeting, people are just tired and ready to go home. So on to a brief recap of another historic Democratic Convention. There were a lot of great moments but for the sake of brevity, I will skip to Chelsea Clinton’s introduction of her mom.

The Proud Daughter 
Chelsea Clinton introduced her mother by describing her through her own lens. I must say that it really helped make Hillary more personable. We are so used to Hillary the former First Lady, Hillary the former NY Senator, and Hillary the former Secretary of State that we forgot about Hillary…the mom. The love and bond between them are strong and when Hillary came out you could tell that for a brief moment there, she wanted to shed a tear but knew she couldn’t. The world is watching and although she is the first female presidential candidate for a major party – sexism is alive and well so her tears of joy would have been quickly misconstrued as being a sign of weakness.That’s okay though because there were many people who were crying tears of pride and joy for them. Oh…and just before that, how about that video of Hillary’s rise, showing her from a little girl! WHAT bad thing can you say about a video produced by Shonda Rhimes and narrated by “God”…umm, I mean Morgan Freeman?!

The Democratic Presidential Candidate -Hillary Clinton 
Finally, Hillary took her place in history to accept the Democratic Party’s nomination to run for President of the United States! Although she is not known as a great orator, Hillary did an excellent job of providing several very memorable lines…many about Trump. Each line reminding you why he is not “presidential”. My favorite lines are:

1. Americans don’t say: “I alone can fix it.”  We say: “We’ll fix it together.”
2. It’s just not right that Donald Trump can ignore his debts, but students and families can’t.
3. Donald Trump says he wants to make America great again – well, he could start by actually making things in America again.
4. I will be a President for Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. For the struggling, the striving and the successful. For those who vote for me and those who don’t; For all Americans. Together.

Those are just a few. The last night was very patriotic and unlike with the RNC Convention, I felt proud to be an American instead of ashamed. I also felt like it was safe to go outside again. Seriously! After Trump’s speech, I felt powerless and thought that maybe it was time for me to load up on canned goods and build an underground shelter! After Hillary’s speech, I now feel hopeful and like there is something I can do. Actually, there is something we can all do…vote in November.

The purpose of this blog is not to tell you who to vote for, but to encourage you to form your own opinion and vote…period.

Thanks for listening to me whine and I hope my whining has made you think. If so, please tell your friends/family/colleagues that you heard it through the Political Great Whine!