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From Los Angeles, California
The Democratic National Convention
Democrats, here, were hoping Bill Clinton would use his speech last night to pass the baton to Al Gore.
Bill Clinton held up the baton, waved it in Gore's general direction, and tucked it back into his jacket pocket. No baton was passed last night.
Clinton's entrance was remarkable. I thought, by the time he was through, he was going to appear in KISS makeup and appear in mid stage stepping out of a ball of fire and flame looking like a 54-year-old Gene Simmons.
Al Gore gets teased - properly - for his claims of having invented things. Bill Clinton - again - does Gore one better: He creates things. Listening to his speech last night, it sounded like he created the whole universe starting in 1993.
He didn't get around to "the Gore thing" until the last ten minutes of his speech.
['Fess up alert] In the media center, there was a great deal of discussion as to how long Bill Clinton would speak. Most thought about an hour - which was about right. I said there was a possibility he would do a full Fidel Castro and still be speaking at midnight Pacific Daylight Time.
The delegates ate it up. If there had been a vote on the floor to repeal the 22nd Amendment, it would have passed unanimously.
Hillary's speech was flat. She will not have the opportunity to speak to as many New Yorkers again, before November 7th and she punted it. I suspect most in the hall thought her speech was fine, but certainly not anything to stop the presses.
In the SpeakOut.com on-line dial poll (on a 0 - 100 scale) Democrats watching from home scored it an average of 67 overall; Independents, 47; and, Republicans 36.
For the President's speech, Democrats gave it a 75; Independents a 48, and Republicans only a 29. It was not intended to excite Republicans.
For a full look at the dial-poll results, go here:
Blue Cross/Blue Shield and BellSouth have sponsored a media lounge at the two conventions. The food has been representative of the two cities. In Philadelphia there were Philly cheese steak sandwiches. In Los Angeles - home of limos, show biz, and self-absorption - the food yesterday was, appropriately, hot dogs.
You think "self-absorbed" is too much? The Los Angeles times spent column one of its front page yesterday telling us rubes what's REALLY important here: Where you sit.
This was the opening of Amy Wallace's piece:
It was the kind of blistering Hollywood memo that sets fax machines humming.
"Be aware that the only thing separating my hands from your neck is the fact that there are 3,000 miles between us," it began. "Be aware that in 15 years of producing movies and running companies, I have never been treated so disrespectfully, rudely, insolently or been dismissed . . . by any low-level flunky as I have by you this afternoon."
Then, Scott Rudin, the prolific movie producer, got to the point: The seats he wanted but did not have. "By my count there are 671 people who, in your infinite wisdom, are more important than my guests on Monday night," he wrote. "Please forward to me a list of who they are. I am anxious to know."
Mr. Rudin meant to say, of course, that he was "eager to know," but I'll bet the low-level flunky didn't fax that usage tip back.
Nevertheless, I am having that quote made into a sign for my office.
Loretta Sanchez, the Orange County Democrat who had planned to hold a fundraiser at the Playboy mansion, finally moved her event elsewhere after she was threatened with losing her standing as a national co-chair of the Democratic party.
In retaliation, she backed out of her speaking slot at the last minute Monday. But a close examination of my convention credential shows the real reason a settlement had to be found: Ms. Sanchez' name is on every one.
If both sides had held to their positions, the Democratic National Committee would have been faced with some 50,000 credentials featuring the name of a fired party official; or would have faced the cost and expense of printing new ones.
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