Mullings A Political Cyber Column By Rich Galen

�

Click here for the Secret Decoder Ring to this issue!

It Should Have Been on American Movie Classics

Wednesday, August 16, 2000

From Los Angeles, California
The Democratic National Convention

For a party which insists it is looking toward the future, the line up of speakers last night paints a slightly different picture: Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg drew the delegates back 40 years to her father's convention; Ted Kennedy - in the twilight of his career; Jesse Jackson - a force decreasing in potency by the day; Bill Bradley - a ex-Senator for (according to these delegates) way too long; and, Charlie Rangel - an old-time Liberal from New York if ever there was one.

If Gore's campaign had gone back any farther in time, it would have been flirting with singularity.

After day two of the Democratic National Convention one thing is clear: This convention is not going nearly as well for Al Gore as the Republican National Convention went for George W. Bush two weeks ago.

First, there is the simple matter of staying on schedule. Bill Clinton ran over on Monday. Last night one of the true bright lights of the Democratic Party, Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. didn't get to the podium until just a few minutes before 11:00 pm in the East, so his Keynote Address was largely ignored by the networks. A senior Democratic strategist just shook his head at the organizers' inability to get this right.

Even MSNBC cut away from Ford's speech to go to an interview with the real stars of the night: Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg and her uncle, Senator Ted Kennedy.

Last night was "energize the base" night with every left-wing activist, every labor boss, and every liberal Member of Congress and Senator they could round up. Monday night was "energize the base" night with the two-car Clinton parade. Thursday night will be "energize the base" night with the nominee. Is it possible the Gore campaign thinks it has a problem?

Pop Quiz: If you removed Bill Clinton's name from the legislative accomplishments he listed Monday night, which Tuesday night speaker would have thought they were good things?
     Jesse Jackson?
     Tom Daschle?
     Charlie Rangel?
     Ted Kennedy?
     Bill Bradley?

Ok. Ok. It was a trick question. The answer is: F. None of the above.

The Gore people were so confident of Jesse Jackson's performance they put him on at 5:00 O'clock PDT or eight Eastern time, meaning there was absolutely no chance Jackson would be seen in prime time in ANY time zone.

Democrats here were cheering the event in Michigan - that would be the Michigan which is a couple of thousand miles away, mind you - where, they claim, Clinton finally passed the baton to Gore. Clinton didn't actually pass it, he's allowing Gore to hold it as they run, awkwardly, side-by-side.

Al Gore will only be successful if Clinton finally has the self-discipline to let it go.

So, Al Gore's future is dependent upon Bill Clinton's self-discipline. Hahahahahahahahahahahahah.

I recognize that people in the East think that people in the West live in a fake time zone. At eleven in the morning Eastern time, we think everyone in California should be in their office or we, privately, think they are slacking. I got a call from someone in Washington yesterday morning.
     "How 'ya doin'," he asked?
     "What time is it where you are," I responded.
     "8:30."
     "Where am I?"
     "Los Angeles�Oh, did I wake you?"
     "Yes."
I hung up.

More evidence this convention is not going as well as the Gore people would like: Here are the five headlines from yesterday's LA Times - all above the fold:
     Two stories about that crippled Russian sub
     "Opening Night at Convention is Clinton's Show"
     "Police Forcefully Break Up Melee"
And finally,
     "Gore Still Lags on Leadership Issue."

The campaign was probably tempted to buy up all 1.1 million copies.

Tonight will be Joe Lieberman's night. Yesterday Lieberman went to the Congressional Black Caucus which was floating the notion it might not endorse Gore/Lieberman because of Lieberman's moderate voting record. Yesterday afternoon the CBC's Maxine Waters announced they had met with Lieberman and decided he would do.

Current Issue | Secret Decoder Ring | Past Issues | Email Rich | Rich Who?