C-SPAN: John Kerry to speak tonight at 9:15. Who is up for a liveblog?

[beachmom]

[YvonneCa]

1. Me...

...:7

[sandnsea]

2. I'll be around

and say something good.

[karynnj]

3. Me - but i'm a baaad typist

[YvonneCa]

6. But your insights are...

...invaluable! :)

[Mass]

4. Kerry's prepared remarks.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/aug/27/prepared-remarks-by-kerry/

[sandnsea]

5. OMG he's going to kick ass!!

That is great and boy is he going to take some people by surprise with some of those lines. I really can't wait now!!

[YvonneCa]

7. Oh man...I can't...

...wait! This is going to be EXCELLENT. Knock 'em, dead, Senator! Truth to power.:patriot:

[MBS]

8. I love it that he's right after Bill

I want people up on their feet. Go get 'em JK!!!!!

[YvonneCa]

9. In case Bill says something that...

...'needs clarification'. JK can clean it up. :7

[karynnj]

11. Good point

I wondered about that scheduling - as the media is likely to go to Bill analysis

[JI7]

12. yeah, i can't see anyone other than CSPAN airing Kerry's speech

[JI7]

10. Kerry got a better time slot than Clinton ?

[YvonneCa]

13. Because he is ...

...safer?? More trusted by the campaign??

[JI7]

14. just saw Teresa talking to Michelle

[MH1]

33. I saw Michelle lean over and say something to Teresa. I imagined

something like "you know you've got a hot man there, Teresa?" Okay maybe not exactly that, but it did appear to be very appreciative of JK's speech. :)

[Mass]

15. Clinton gave a good speech and was very acclaimed. Tall order to follow.

[JI7]

16. Kerry went in a different direction

which is a good thing.

too bad msm didn't show the whole thing. because he is doing good.

[YvonneCa]

17. He did great. I love to hear him talk...

...about patriotism.:patriot:

[karynnj]

18. Just over - he was fantastic

I love that he repeated his strong line on torture and spoke of patriotism as something Obama grew up with. His comments on McCain were letter perfect - damning, but completely verifiable and based on his huge shifts from "Senator McCain" to "Candidate McCain" and on the negative campaign that MCCain is running (calling it REove/McCain).

This was powerful.

[Mass]

19. He was great.

[politicasista]

20. Yep. Even TV One didn't cover it

He did great! :bounce: :applause: :yourock: :patriot:

[ginnyinWI]

36. d'you mean they cut him off??

The nerve! Luckily I was watching on the span. Also just saw Keith replay part of it, and I noticed that NBC didn't even have a camera to throw onto Barack's uncle when JK pointed him out, while C-span did. Which was a shame because it was a great moment. Here was this little old white man sitting next to Michelle, and they were clasping hands tightly and each of them was beaming at the crowd.

[JI7]

43. no, they just didn't show him at the start

the pundits were still listening to themselves speak. after a while they turned the cameras to JK and showed him .

[ginnyinWI]

21. Whew!!

I hope they don't touch the podium for a while, until it cools off! Wow, was he ever Activist Kerry tonight. Who could not vote for Obama after that?

:patriot: That man has a true, deeply felt and abiding love for his country. You can just tell--every fiber of his being showed it tonight. That's his core--he's a patriot before everything else.

I hope (for Biden's sake) that the future vice-president can top this in a little while. ;)

[YvonneCa]

22. He was great. It feels really good to be a Democrat...

...tonight.:patriot:

[JI7]

23. did Biden throw out a "thank you John Kerry" just before starting his speech ?

[Mass]

25. Yes, he did that twice, first by shaking his hand when he came on stage, then at the beginning of

his speech.

And Teresa was seated next to Michelle Obama tonight.

[Inuca]

47. I saw that but I wasn;t sure I heard it right

nice, very nice.

[MBS]

26. YES HE DID! Thank you, Joe.

Also, after Biden speech, when Obama came out and then walked to greet people on the stage. .
almost off camera --way way on the left edge of the screen -- Obama and Kerry greeted each other. Sort of a playful cuff: too me much more intimate than a hug. These guys really seem to be friends. They're certainly wanting to make the same thing happen.

THK next to Michelle for at least the whole primetime period.

[Inuca]

48. Did you also notice

the beautiful namaste gesture looking up toward where Michelle and Teresa sat? That's when I saw Teresa for the first time.

[politicasista]

67. That was awesome

Michelle and Momma T looked great together. :)

[YvonneCa]

57. He did...

..."God love him!" :7

[Inuca]

69. I heard that

and, being an idiot at times, for a moment I thought he was talking about McCain (don't ask me why!).

[MarjorieG]

24. MSNBC talking about not enough red meat, yet never showed Kerry.

[politicasista]

28. I agree

Wished that TV One (urban media outlet had showed it too) but thank goodness for PBS and C-SPAN. :)

[karynnj]

30. Chuck Todd who I usually like, idiotically

said that Kerry did have some red meat, but that the attacks on McCain would have had more fire if Biden said them. The thing is that the "candidate" and "Senator" McCain comparison was classic Kerry and his timing was perfect. He also had fun with the "for it before he was against it" Kerry is the best person to attack on McCain using swiftboating - he has the moral standing to do so.

He admited Kerry's were stronger than Biden's - but in reality it was not a competition.

[politicasista]

31. He is has been really Pro-McPain of late

OT: Erase the pm sent. I feel better now. :hi:

[MBS]

40. I'm so glad I was watching CSPAN

I've totally had it with TV commentators. They should just SHUT UP and show the convention already.
The night I was actually in the hall in 2004 (Tuesday, when Obama, Kids for Kerry, and THK spoke), I could see the media skyboxes from my seat: Jennings and Brokaw were facing AWAY from the convention, doing their interviews. That for me summarized everything that was and is wrong about network (including cable-shows) coverage of important events.

BTW , all these speeches should be archived as video at cspan.org and at the DNC video experience website.

[Inuca]

49. Yeah. Todd has been saying some idiotic things

recently. I hope it will pass, because usually I like him too. Matthews on the other hand, his erratic usual, has been saying some pretty hot things.

[Mass]

34. They should read the print media. A quick google shows how wrong they are.

Even Marty Peretz recognizes that. A miracle happened. He wrote something nice about Kerry!

http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_spine/archive/2008/08/27/in-which-i-say-something-nice-about-bill.aspx

...
The fact is also that, after a hesitant beginning, John Kerry also gave a wonderful speech, and it was wonderful not only in rhetoric but in substance and content.
...

[karynnj]

44. At that link, there is another TNR writer whosaid this

ohn Kerry and What Might Have Been

...And I don't mean 2004. I mean this convention.

Schweitzer was attention-grabbing. The Clintons were pitch perfect. Bill in particular made a stirring case for Obama. But, like Eve, I thought John Kerry came closest to what Democrats needed to achieve, which was to define John McCain. Only Kerry highlighted the miles-wide gulf between the 2002-era McCain and the McCain who's running for president. Better yet, Kerry framed the idea in remarkably pithy and memorable terms.

Team Obama should have inserted similar language into every speech this week (with the possible exception of Biden, the Clintons, and Michelle). If the convention falls a little short, that will have been the big missed opportunity.

--Noam Scheiber



http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_stump/archive/2008/08/27/john-kerry-and-what-might-have-been.aspx

[beachmom]

45. Didn't Kerry write the speech a bit last minute?

Remember he was in Worcester or something when the press asked him, and he sort of said -- oh, yeah, I'm appearing Wednesday, but I haven't started writing my speech yet.

So his stood out, because, well, HE wrote it. I am sure he was given quite a bit of leeway as to what he could say. The Obama people trust him.

[karynnj]

50. He did say that

Many parts were clearly from things he said in the past. The candidate McCain vs Senator McCain was a better version of his off the cuff MTP answer where he listed the switches of McCain having first referred to "presidential wannabee McCain" vs Senator McCain. The torture line was a derivation of many such lines.

It was very clearly written by Kerry. I was surprised that so many on DU were taken by the "Are you kidding me?" which sounded as JK as anything I ever heard.

I thought it nice that Michelle and Teresa sat together through the prime time. They really seem to like each other.

[Inuca]

52. Michelle's reactions

to both Kerry's and Biden's (I missed most of Clinton's) speeches was truly moving at times. She seemed touched and especially grateful.

[karynnj]

46. From that link, two other TNR writers gave high praise too

john Kerry and What Might Have Been

...And I don't mean 2004. I mean this convention.

Schweitzer was attention-grabbing. The Clintons were pitch perfect. Bill in particular made a stirring case for Obama. But, like Eve, I thought John Kerry came closest to what Democrats needed to achieve, which was to define John McCain. Only Kerry highlighted the miles-wide gulf between the 2002-era McCain and the McCain who's running for president. Better yet, Kerry framed the idea in remarkably pithy and memorable terms.

Team Obama should have inserted similar language into every speech this week (with the possible exception of Biden, the Clintons, and Michelle). If the convention falls a little short, that will have been the big missed opportunity.

--Noam Scheiber



http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_stump/archive/2008/08/27/john-kerry-and-what-might-have-been.aspx

Here, is the "Eve" he refers to:

" Biden Treats His Friend Gently

Joe Biden, like practically every Democratic Senator who’s spoken, noted that he’s friends with John McCain—fine. But isn’t the idea (not evident these days) that McCain is a maverick a big part of what all these Democrats liked and found friend-worthy about him? I wish Biden had taken a page from John Kerry and expressed more personal disappointment in his friend: “I have known and been friends with John McCain for almost 22 years. But every day I learn something new about candidate McCain,” as Kerry put it. Biden just mentioned his friendship with McCain and then went on to critique his policies, as though they were two unrelated things. Kerry was sharper.

--Eve Fairbanks
http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_stump/archive/2008/08/27/biden-treats-his-friend-gently.aspx

You KNOW he hit it out of the ball park when THREE TNR writers praise him.

[Inuca]

51. My (completely baseless) speculation on this

There are friends and then there are (senatorial) friends. The link between Kerry and McCain seems to have been genuine friendship at some point (I have no idea about Biden), and it seems that, beyond the political stuff, it is a personal disappointment. I have been there, as I am sure almost everybody has. People you trust and truly like and who prove to be something else entirely. Disappointment in them and disappointment in yourself.

[jillan]

27. Kerry!!!!!

had the BEST speech of the nite!

He was awesome. Perfect. On fire.
Bill seemed too uncomfortable and Biden seemed too scripted for his personality.


woohoo Kerry!!

[politicasista]

29. ....

:hi:

[MH1]

32. Best speech yet of the convention - says Josh Marshall. Wow!

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/210892.php

I thought Hillary's speech was great; Bill's too. But in its own way I think the speech I just saw John Kerry give is the best one I've heard at this convention. And I do not have any doubt that it's the best I've ever heard from him.

I didn't get to see it all (will watch the full video later), but the part I did hear/see was incredible! I heard it on NPR when I was driving home from an environmental committee meeting (can you tell my town is run by republicans? grrr...) and during one of the applause points I bolted from the car to the house and turned on c-span - from what I was hearing I knew I wanted to be watching!

[whometense]

38. Karen Tumulty

http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/08/john_kerry_wow.html

(via Andrew Sullivan) http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/08/john_kerry_wow.html

Swampland, TIME
August 27, 2008 9:47
John Kerry. Wow.

Posted by Karen Tumulty | Comments (14) | Permalink | Trackbacks (0) | Email This

I was feeling sorry for John Kerry having to follow Bill Clinton in the speaking lineup, but he electrified the audience as I have never seen him do before. As Scherer just said to me: Zell Miller without the mean.

I'm kvelling.

[Inuca]

54. Zell Miller without the mean

:rofl:

WHat's "kvelling"?

[whometense]

56. Yiddish -

it means bursting with pride. :D

[Inuca]

62. Thanks! :-)

I am jewish but my yiddish is zero. My catholic husband who knows some German understands much more than I can with my splattering of Hebrew :-).

[TayTay]

35. Hey you! Welcome back

Yeah, the good and true Senitah from Massachusetts done good tonight.

Ahm, if I fawn over something that someone I work for said, and it was truly great stuff, does that look bad?

[whometense]

41. Please pass along this comment - one among many I've seen so far -

http://letters.salon.com/news/feature/2008/08/28/biden_speech/permalink/597d8a966c36f22a1bb9d5f2123f4af0.html

Walter Shapiro

Thank you for mentioning Kerry. That was the biggest shocker of the night. I knew Bill and Joe had it in them, but Kerry was stunning! My jaw is still dropped. His stock went through the roof tonight!
-- Santos L. Halper

Thursday, August 28, 2008 01:04 AM

I'm so happy for him.

[Inuca]

53. Agree

Biden's speech seemed to have two distinct parts, the first where he was himself which was absolutely wonderful, and the second part where he was obviously reading words that others had written and was less natural and less effective. I hope that the campaign has learned from this experience and they will let him be himself more often, much more effective, even with the risks of the possible mis-speaks :-).

[MBS]

61. very perceptive! That totally explains why

I liked the first part so much more than the second!

[beachmom]

37. Sorry I didn't live blog on my live blog thread. :)

That speech was AMAZING. Dare I call it a "catharsis"?

My opinion, shared by Josh Marshall, is that this is the best speech of the convention. I ASSUME that Obama will eclipse it but obviously not doing the attack dog stuff Kerry did tonight.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/210892.php

Maybe tomorrow we can dissect some of the amazing things in that speech. For tonight, I am just going to enjoy the high I got seeing Kerry give such a passionate, truthful, and hard hitting speech.

I just read a reaction on Sully's blog. You know what some are calling it? "Zell Miller without the mean." Heh.

[YvonneCa]

58. ...

...There you are! :hi:

[BlueIris]

39. It's always nice to see JK. I thought he looked great. nt

[Mass]

42. If I had $1 for each time somebody in the media wrote that they were surprised by

Kerry making a good speech in the last 4 years, I would probably be rich.

If there is a place where the media indulge in group thinking, this is probably there. And, once again, everybody from Karen Tumulty to the Nation to RW papers are surprised. How many times do they need to be surprised to stop this groupthinking.

[karynnj]

55. It is kind of shocking -especially as he came to public notice

for the first time because of a speech, that he wrote in a short time and gave before the SFRC in 1971. His speeches have always had both substance and eloquence.

I agree you would be quite wealthy.

[YvonneCa]

59. 'Group-thinking' is the perfect word...

...to describe this. If they were objective...and REALLY did their job as journalists...how could they be surprised? How can we here expect this of him and NOT be surprised...when we 'watch and ponder' :7 his every move... and they (whose job it is to pay attention) never noticed before?

Bias, maybe?:sarcasm:

[sandnsea]

60. that and "where was that Kerry in 2004"

:crazy:

[Inuca]

63. That drives me NUTSSSS n/t

[TayTay]

64. I get annoyed by that one as well

What really happened in 2004: A Guide for Pundits and others in too much hurry to actually pay attention!

Sorry you media guys and perennial critics missed the memo. "That" John Kerry was kept secret and from the press corp. He was only brought out at debates, house parties, chili cookouts, hall speeches, outdoor speeches, indoor speeches, interviews and, ah, this series of 3 debates with a sitting US President that was kind of a big deal at the time. Apparently the best way to hide something really is to put it in plain sight. Well, at least the best way to hide something from a media that doesn't want to see it anyway.

Sorry you missed it. You really should have paid attention. "That" John Kerry was a hell of a candidate, speaker and Democrat. Please try to pay attention this time. It really does matter you know.

[MBS]

65. Excellent : ) n/t

[YvonneCa]

66. Oh, that is a great comeback...

...May we 'borrow' it? ;)

[beachmom]

68. It was actually a "Memeorandum" item.

http://www.memeorandum.com/080828/p18#a080828p18

Cool.