# The Democratic National Convention **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 17, 2016, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-national-convention/760158 "2016-07-17T21:58:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 20
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-national-convention/760158/381 "2016-07-27T16:38:05Z")
I just wish CNN had presented the entire roll call uninterrupted by commercials . . . and especially uninterrupted by incessant blathering of Wolf Blitzer and Jake Tapper. At one point I actually yelled at them to shut the fuck up so I could hear what was happening. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-national-convention/760158/382 "2016-07-27T16:38:39Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Here’s what this week has done for me, a reluctant Hillary supporter: The convention (speeches, videos, etc) has shifted my thinking from “Hillary has a relentless drive for power and the presidency that I can’t imagine any other human being ever having” (a negative perception) to “Hillary is a tireless public servant who has spent her entire career helping other people and sees the presidency as the ultimate position to do the most good” (a positive perception). > > Perhaps I’m being naive and getting sucked into the emotions of it, but the convention has been successful thus far in shifting my perceptions of her. I think I was closer to your conclusion than you were at the start of this convention, but it has helped re-assure me. I did feel myself thinking of all the accusations and portraits painted of her by people who are not on her side (and thus not on my side) and it kind of all got to me like “well maybe they are right…?” But this convention so far has reminded me that “No, they are not right they are just loud.” I don’t know that there will be too many people who could be swayed from one side to the other that are actually watching this convention. However, those of us who are now more solid in our choice of Hillary Clinton can be armed with more facts and anecdotes that can hopefully help sway others. In fact, I found and shared these two articles on Facebook today: > **[The most thorough, profound and moving defense of Hillary Clinton I have ever...](https://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/6/11/1537582/-The-most-thorough-profound-and-moving-defense-of-Hillary-Clinton-I-have-ever-seen)** > > First of all — this is not my writing.  It's a Facebook post by someone I don’t even know, a man named Michael Arnovitz in Portland OR.  But as a Facebook post it passes the fair use test and I’m quite certain he would not object that I... > **[Thinking About Hillary — A Follow-up](https://medium.com/@michaelarnovitz/thinking-about-hillary-a-follow-up-2e01a963a632)** > > Putting it mildly, my piece about Hillary Clinton ended up getting a lot more attention than I ever expected. Quite frankly, the level of… ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-national-convention/760158/383 "2016-07-27T17:04:26Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I just wish CNN had presented the entire roll call uninterrupted by commercials . . . and especially uninterrupted by incessant blathering of Wolf Blitzer and Jake Tapper. At one point I actually yelled at them to shut the fuck up so I could hear what was happening. CSPAN does the whole thing live from gavel to gavel, with no talking heads, and no commercials. This is my first time watching one of the conventions on CSPAN. Now I’ll never watch a political event anywhere else. The DNC is also live streaming on YouTube if you don’t get CSPAN. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-national-convention/760158/384 "2016-07-27T17:26:19Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > CSPAN does the whole thing live from gavel to gavel, with no talking heads, and no commercials. This is my first time watching one of the conventions on CSPAN. Now I’ll never watch a political event anywhere else. > > The DNC is also live streaming on YouTube if you don’t get CSPAN. For those who get UVerse, there is a temporary DNC channel (I believe 214 or 1214 HD) where you get the whole thing, no commercials, no commentators. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-national-convention/760158/385 "2016-07-27T18:14:58Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > CSPAN does the whole thing live from gavel to gavel, with no talking heads, and no commercials. This is my first time watching one of the conventions on CSPAN. Now I’ll never watch a political event anywhere else. > > The DNC is also live streaming on YouTube if you don’t get CSPAN. I was watching the Washington Post feed, without commentators, it was probably the DNC feed. Though I didn’t like that there was no running count of delegate votes. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-national-convention/760158/386 "2016-07-27T20:22:29Z")
> [@AnalogSignal](#): > > Instead of “change maker,” he should of used the refrain “Hillary made it happen!” which the crowd would have repeated with him. That would’ve been good. Bubba excels at call-and-response. > [@SaharaTea](#): > > I think Maddow’s problem with the speech was the “boy meets girl, girl puts her own political aspirations on hold for boy’s political career.” It was meant to appeal to married white women, and I thought it did a good job of humanizing Hillary. But I can also see how younger women would see it as anti-feminist - especially given Bill’s infidelities. At one point during his speech I said to my wife, “Funny how Bill, as much as he admired and loved his wife all those years, kept cheating on her.” > [@iiandyiiii](#): > > My impression of Hillary is of a very smart and capable, extremely ambitious, and compassionate person, with a large ego and a lack of humility, a good bit of paranoia, and a tendency to be sloppy in her personal work habits, as well as a politician’s tendency to say what she thinks her audience wants to hear. Not bad - not bad at all. Add “awkward interpersonal skills” and “tendency to self-inflict political wounds,” and I think you’ve got her. > [@leftfield6](#): > > CSPAN does the whole thing live from gavel to gavel, with no talking heads, and no commercials. This is my first time watching one of the conventions on CSPAN. Now I’ll never watch a political event anywhere else… Agreed. C-SPAN is the political junkie’s destination channel. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-national-convention/760158/387 "2016-07-27T20:33:33Z")
Watching his speech now. Wow. He’s definitely still got it. ---
**Author:** ![ebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@ebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ebb)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-national-convention/760158/388 "2016-07-27T21:19:59Z")
Did anybody else find it odd that Hillary Clinton connected in live from New York? I guess I had always assumed that the candidate was kept backstage somewhere at the convention , all the better to shake hands, make connections and be on the spot for last minute decisions. Certainly Trump was all over the place for the whole duration of the Republican convention. I hadn’t given it much thought, though. Is it typical for the presidential candidate to be somewhere else and then just come in as the closer for the end of the convention? ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-national-convention/760158/389 "2016-07-27T21:58:48Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > CSPAN does the whole thing live from gavel to gavel, with no talking heads, and no commercials. This is my first time watching one of the conventions on CSPAN. Now I’ll never watch a political event anywhere else. > > The DNC is also live streaming on YouTube if you don’t get CSPAN. I wish that Comcast in my area had CSPAN in HD. Alas. Even PBS has the talking heads… ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-national-convention/760158/390 "2016-07-27T22:37:21Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > At one point during his speech I said to my wife, “Funny how Bill, as much as he admired and loved his wife all those years, kept cheating on her.” Heard one commentator this morning remark that [paraphrasing]: That was a nice little love story, but I think he left out a few chapters! 😃 “And as wonderful a Hillary is, and she is the love of mah life, I think ya’ll can understand when you got a nice 21-year-old intern willing to, well let’s just say do things that ol’ Hill just isn’t up for anyone… I mean, how could I say no???” ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-national-convention/760158/391 "2016-07-27T22:50:20Z")
> [@ebb](#): > > Did anybody else find it odd that Hillary Clinton connected in live from New York? I guess I had always assumed that the candidate was kept backstage somewhere at the convention , all the better to shake hands, make connections and be on the spot for last minute decisions. Certainly Trump was all over the place for the whole duration of the Republican convention. I hadn’t given it much thought, though. Is it typical for the presidential candidate to be somewhere else and then just come in as the closer for the end of the convention? I think it’s customary & traditional for the candidate to keep away until the nomination is secure, and let their staff handle all the smoke-filled roof stuff. This maintains the illusion that we’re still in the time when candidates could be genuinely surprised that they were nominated for President. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-national-convention/760158/392 "2016-07-27T23:03:28Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > I think it’s customary & traditional for the candidate to keep away until the nomination is secure, and let their staff handle all the smoke-filled roof stuff. This maintains the illusion that we’re still in the time when candidates could be genuinely surprised that they were nominated for President. A tradition that of course Trump could not stick to. He was out at least 3 of the nights of the RNC, maybe all 4. He is the very definition of attention whore. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-national-convention/760158/393 "2016-07-27T23:10:52Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > I think it’s customary & traditional for the candidate to keep away until the nomination is secure, and let their staff handle all the smoke-filled roof stuff. This maintains the illusion that we’re still in the time when candidates could be genuinely surprised that they were nominated for President. Smoke-filled roofs? Hehe. I guess that allows the smoke to dissipate in the open air. Better for the lungs. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-national-convention/760158/394 "2016-07-27T23:31:10Z")
A rousing speech by Martin O’Malley! And now here’s Ripley! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-national-convention/760158/395 "2016-07-27T23:41:06Z")
Where the heck is Al Gore? ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-national-convention/760158/396 "2016-07-28T00:01:26Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Where the heck is Al Gore? Not attending. although he did make a statement supporting Hilary. He did not attend in 2012 either. He has somewhat stepped back from party politics, except in connection to climate change. He seems more interested in that one issue than in being a force in the Democratic party. Fine with me, he has worked hard as a Democrat for years, and he is still doing good. He has earned the right to put his focus where he wants it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-national-convention/760158/397 "2016-07-28T00:05:42Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > Not attending. although he did make a statement supporting Hilary. He did not attend in 2012 either. He has somewhat stepped back from party politics, except in connection to climate change. He seems more interested in that one issue than in being a force in the Democratic party. Sure, but I didn’t just happen to mention him right now for no particular reason; they just had Sigourney Weaver talk about climate change to introduce the short film on climate change before having a Democrat who ran for President step up to the podium and talk about why Hillary Clinton should win the election for to combat climate change. So I got to thinking, _wait, don’t we have a guy for this speech?_ ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-national-convention/760158/398 "2016-07-28T00:15:03Z")
Suppose its possible that things are not altogether healed up between the Clintons and Gore. Clinton offered to campaign for Gore, Gore mounted his high horse and said no. And lost. Clinton wouldn’t even _have_ to say “Told you so, dumbass!”, his eyebrows would twitch the message. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-national-convention/760158/399 "2016-07-28T00:17:35Z")
Gore turning down Clinton’s help could have been his biggest campaign mistake. And, as well we all know now, it cost the nation. Big time. Gore is a good man, and focusing his advocacy on a specific, critical issue makes a lot of sense. I doubt anyone in the DNC begrudges how he spends his time and energy. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-national-convention/760158/400 "2016-07-28T00:28:32Z")
Ha–Cagney and Lacey! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-national-convention/760158.md?page=19) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-national-convention/760158.md?page=21)