Wes at Texas Democratic Convention
Submitted by Defoliate Bush on June 9, 2006 - 10:42pm.
Just got back from attending an appearance by Wes at the Texas Democratic Convention where he gave the keynote speech tonight and here are some of my thoughts...
First of all, I consider myself to be an Independent and didn't have any delegate credentials, but these types of minor details don't usually affect Defoliate Bush's decision to crash a party where Wes is concerned (actually, their website said the convention was open to all...so I took them up on their offer). I arrived at the Convention arena at about 7:10 pm and Wes was already giving his speech. One of the first things I did was to count the number of people in a row, then multiply that by the number of rows on the floor, then extrapolate that coverage to the number of people sitting in the upper levels around the floor...my very unofficial estimate is that there were something like 3,000 people listening to Wes there.
We've all heard a number of points that Wes brings up in his speeches, but there were still a number of people there who had not heard him before and I was paying particular attention to some of their reactions. Always good to hear comments like 'this guy really should be President' from these people. Towards the end of the speech there was a rising chant of 'run Wes, run' reverberating around the arena and bouncing off the roof (something that sent a chill down my spine).
One point that Wes was trying to make to us Texans in the audience was that our Founding Fathers put absolutely everything (life, fortune, sacred honor) on the line and that what he was asking of us was to simply reach into our back pockets and contribute (like it or not, money is the engine that drives the politics of today). Despite some of our failings like being the breeding ground for the likes of Tom Delay, George W Bush, and Karl Rove, at least we do supply a good deal of money to political parties including the Democrats. I would hope that the National Democratic Party would some day wise up and quit pissing it away on candidates who absolutely have no chance here (Dukakis, Kerry, [Hillary?]).
After the speech, a number of Clark supporters congregated in a meeting room adjacent to the Convention Arena and waited for Wes to drop by. I'm estimating that something like 100 people were in attendance in that room. Bob Gammage (former candidate for Texas Governor and major Clark supporter) made various remarks on how he 'found' Wes prior to Wes coming in (I actually talked to Bob for a bit beforehand and asked if he remembered my father-in-law who was a high school football teammate of his). If I have some time later to add to this diary, I'll add some of the comments that Wes made or perhaps some of the other bloggers I saw in attendance can fill in these details.
After this meeting I wanted to tell Wes something, but didn't want to interfere with some of the 'first-timers' who were getting a chance to meet Wes for their first time. I know that Wes is quite a history buff and I'm not sure if he was aware that he was standing approximately 100 yards away from the place where President Kennedy gave his last speech on the morning of Nov 22, 1963. I was approaching my 6th birthday on that date and so I've wondered for a long time what it would have been like to really believe in a political candidate. I'm glad I lived long enough to have that experience in 2004 and hopefully in 2008.
I do hope you have time to post remarks Wes made to his supporters. We've seen live blogging of folks who were at his speech to the convention, and that sounds fantastic.
Once you've caught your breath, do tell us about Wes's meeting with his supporters.
No detail is too minuscule. (sorry for bringing up Dole ;)
This is not a time for a candidate who will offend no one; it is time for a candidate who takes clear stands and kicks ass.....Molly Ivins
...unfortunately, time is at a real premium these days with my father-in-law having a serious illness and spending the last 5 weeks in various hospitals along with my mother-in-law being disabled with Parkinson's - up to my wife and myself to take care of them. Was really fortunate that things were somewhat under control today and had the chance to attend the Convention event.
This is not a time for a candidate who will offend no one; it is time for a candidate who takes clear stands and kicks ass.....Molly Ivins
Great job, also read anna's post on Daily Kos, sounds like Wes had them rockin'....I feel energized...thanks again...more...
Thanks so much. Interesting bit of history, too!
I'm praying these people left that convention with complete happy Wes fever! :D
Wow! Great report, Defol.
Co-incidence: I was thinking, earlier today that General Wes is the first one since JFK that gives me that same feeling that I had with JFK.
Gave ME chills up my spine (in truth) when I had that thought
. Even more so than JFK, I think. And he's not even President (yet)
Thanks for the wonderful read, Clearsky
With everything going on in your life right now, I'm so happy you got to take the time to attend this event, and then come here and report to us! It means the world to us and like Mad said, no detail is too small.
Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right. - Hunter/Garcia
I want to add my thanks to your taking the time - when you have such a full plate already - to letting us know of your experience at the convention.
Carol (Pilgrim), my sister, is there too (we live in Houston), so I'm sure I'll hear a lot of fun stuff when she gets back.
...I think Wes shook the SW big time this day! That was an earthquake you felt. ;)
Great post, Defoliate, and I'm sorry to hear about the medical troubles in my family. Been there, done that, no fun.
Surely...somewhere...Wes's speech got recorded on video...
Stan Davis
Lakewood, CO
BE THE CHANGE you wish to see in the world.
If not us, WHO? If not now, WHEN?
When Wes was in Iowa last month at the end of his speech he said how important money is to the party. He said it at the very end of his speech. I wish he would have inserted it somewhere else in the speech. Democrats and money are like oil and water, in Iowa anyway. In California or New York or even Texas it would probably play better. Of course money is very important but that realization would have been taken better at a different point. What would otherwise have been a roaring applause ended with a quiet groan.
"Some of them put on their cowboy boots and put their feet up on the desk." -Wes Clark
I'm so happy you made the effort to attend and report on it for all of us. You've obviously got a lot going on right now. I'm in a similar position with my own F-in-L right now. It doesn't leave much room for blogging.
I'd love to hear your comments on Wes's remarks, if you have time to get them down for us later. Thanks so much for thinking about us, here!
in 2004, my husband and I attended the TX Dem Conv as delegates. This time we went for the pure pleasure of seeing and hearing Wes Clark give one of his speeches.
I purposely did not take notes, because I wanted to concentrate on what he was saying and how the audience was reacting. I think most of us have heard many of things he was bringing to the Texas audience; he did, indeed, stress the MOST important thing we can do for the 2006 candidates is donate to their campaigns....
In his floor speech, he received many standing ovations; so much so, some of his speech was drowned out by applause and hollering (we holler in TX, you know). My husband and I were sitting in the balcony in the back of the hall, facing the podium. The podium was center stage; there were two huge screens, positioned on either side of the podium. It was Wes Clark in surround sound.
The Meet and Greet that was to be held before his giving his speech was scheduled for just after his speech. As he left the stage, many in the audience left also, including my husband and I and a few others in our section. We made it down to the caucus room ahead of Wes. What had started out earlier in the day as one small conference room was opened up to include at least three other rooms. By the time Wes got there, it was standing room only within the room and outside in the hallway. We were seated at the back of the room and I could see when Wes came down the hall. He looked like a Pied Piper. He was trailing people!
Many in that breathtaking crowd were being exposed to Wes Clark for the first time. One gentleman I knew came because he just wanted to shake Wes' hand. His day was completely made when Wes shook his hand as he came into the room. Hearing Wes' speech and seeing him at the Meet and Greet was just icing on the cake for this gentleman. I was really proud to see how happy he was.
At the Wes Clark Caucus earlier in the day, I really expected to see some of the Old-timers (Clarkies who worked on the 2003-2004 campaign). There was a good amount of Clarkies there; but the majority of the crowd, from my vantage point, were over 50. And they were extremely interested in whether or not Wes was going to run and what his stance was on certain issues.
Kathy Oefinger, Bob Gammage, and (I can't remember the other fellow's name. He is with TX WesPac) did a terrific job trying to answer these VERY serious questions. Kathy did a superb job of directing those interested to the Clark04 site, to the Issues section and then to the Securing America's Future site. I noticed many in the audience were writing down these links. (There are many still out there who DO NOT KNOW about Wes' website.
One thing I would like to say here....and my husband and I talked about this on the long ride back home today.....the OPENNESS of this convention. You did not have to be a delegate to get in to this convention to hear some pretty terrific speakers. All you had to do is come in the door, sign in as a guest or whatever, and there you were. You were totally free to sit in on some really good conferences. If there was security there; i.e., uniformed security walking the hallways, we didn't see any.
It was a colorful mixture of people...... it's always a wonder to behold to see all these fellow citizens, gathering in a hall, to learn how to keep our Democracy intact.
Anita
....you're account is icing on the cake.
I love to hear about people discovering Wes Clark. It gives me shivers!
This is not a time for a candidate who will offend no one; it is time for a candidate who takes clear stands and kicks ass.....Molly Ivins
There are fairs and events coming up all summer. We may not be everywhere, but anywhere we are would mean something good was happening. I know a fine graphic artis who has said he would design them for free. Alexm quoted me a price of about $3,000. I suppose since he's gone, that offer is gone too. But if there were a way, I would like to help make this happen.
You have not converted a man because you have silenced him.--J. V. Marley
The proposal is in my e-mail, but I think that anything is better than nothing. Maybe just ordering piles of those sticky circles, more cards, and some bumper stickers wouild get the project off the ground. There are Hillary and Warner people at every Dem. function. Anyway, it is time to get serious. I'll be finished with school next Friday, and in a better position to get active.
You have not converted a man because you have silenced him.--J. V. Marley
it's great to sense the level of energy, excitement and insights from each of your posts here at CCN! Turn Texas Blue! :)
in the morning Clark caucus, I think many in that room mainly wanted to hear **is Wes Clark going to run**
I'm not sure if people just are not grasping that THIS YEAR is one of the most critical election year's in a very long time. That Wes Clark's main concern is getting a change in at least one of our branches of government.....
and that all the people sitting in that room were vital to making this happen. I just don't know how many ways this issue can be presented to people and have it understood. At least, I hope this was getting through....2006...then 2008.
Thanks Anita for the report. Each report adds to the picture. Great. Just Great.
Now, I hope some New Clarkies were born today. Wes Clark is a gift to our nation. Whenever I hear him speak, or whenever someone passes on his words, I'm renewed with the sense that someone out there is putting America and Americans first.
You have not converted a man because you have silenced him.--J. V. Marley
Terrific report, Anita.
I think it's a Party rule that such functions are open to the public. There's usually a section or sections for the delegates, with open seating on the sides and in the back, if the venue is large enough.
I think the other fellow you mentioned was Bill Oxford, Jr., according to a post either here or in another blog.
Arky mentioned flyers/pamphlets. If anybody is interested in a grassroots-designed "Meet Wes Clark" flyer, e-mail me and I'll send you the PDF or original Publisher file for tailoring. Specify which.
Stan Davis
Lakewood, CO
BE THE CHANGE you wish to see in the world.
If not us, WHO? If not now, WHEN?
n/t
The republicans .. "unwise in policy choices, unamerican in constraints on fredom of speech and the invasion of privacy, they're incompetent in foreign policy and responses to natural disasters" - Wes Clark - Texas Convention
Over the weekend was my first time to attend the State Covention as a delegate, and also my first time to hear General Clark in person. Since the convention was held in my town we got front row seats, and I can tell you that after his inspiring speech everyone around me went straight to meet him, or straight to the General's booth and bought 'General Wesley Clark for President 2008' buttons. I've been a strong supporter of the Generals since before I could vote, and I'm glad to see there are so many more!
Since before you could VOTE? How old are you? And how/when did you learn about him?
And do you know who was selling the buttons?
I'm 19 and became active in the Democratic party when I helped collect signatures for Al Gore in 2000. I'm sorry, but I'm unaware of who was selling the buttons. I learned about General Clark in early 2003 when his name was dropped to be our next President. I researched him and his positions and fell in love with his causes. I've been on this web site a lot, and I figured today was the day to join, so thank you for the welcome.
19? I might have been 19 at some point, but I'm not sure.
Anyway, I'm glad you're here. Recruit a few dozen of your friends.
Stan Davis
Lakewood, CO
BE THE CHANGE you wish to see in the world.
If not us, WHO? If not now, WHEN?
you are 19 and decided to join today. We have a youth team that will be working on topics to post on the front page. Think about joining them. We also are always in need of people with computer skills to help all the teams. Those who grew up with computers are at such an advantage over many of the rest of us:)
I would love to join the team you mentioned! I'm great with computers, and since I can't do much financially for any campaign until I'm out of college, I help when and where I can in other ways. Thank you for the heads up!
So glad you joined in. Look forward to hearing more from you.
"Some of them put on their cowboy boots and put their feet up on the desk." -Wes Clark
I really commend you for getting involved so early in your life. I hope that you at least got to vote in 2004. Regardless, You done Good in 2000, .. we REALLY did win with Gore! But now, your generation will be fighting through crisis after crisis, while I'm suppose to be enjoing my retirement. Hope more of your peers come aboard, because I don't plan to swim or paddle as much in 2040.
Glad you made it official. This weekend with YK - TX conventions the energy is really exciting.
It would be interesting to know what kind of politics your friends are into too? The 18 - voters have influenced elections big time - I think someone at YK called them the millenium generation... we'll see if that term sticks on the blogs .... then we'll know what to call you :-)
Enjoy the space - looking forward to your comments.
We sure need to hear from you young folks, and we desire feedback from your generation as well. Wesley Clark is looking for supporters from people like you. We need your energy!!! :)
Come often, and spread the word about www.securingamerica.com! 
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060611/ap_on_go_co/iran_reid
EXCERPT: Senator Harry Reid YKos
Sun Jun 11, 1:58 AM ET
LAS VEGAS - Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid made a pitch Saturday to enlist bloggers as a Democratic force in upcoming elections, and said he'll ask Congress for stiffer reporting requirements for the president and the intelligence community.
"I know fighters when I see them. You're fighters," Reid said as he began a warmly received keynote speech to the YearlyKos Convention of Internet bloggers at a Las Vegas Strip resort.
Reid, D-Nev., said he intends to introduce legislation in coming days to hold senior Bush administration officials accountable for statements on Iran — similar to the Democratic fight to hold them accountable for their statements about the Iraq war.
"The White House cherry-picked and politicized intelligence to sell the war," Reid said. "All of us as Americans need to know if we were intentionally misled, I think we were, to go to war in Iraq, so we can make sure it never, never happens again."
The audience of about 1,000 at the Riviera hotel-casino ballroom included members of a liberal blogosphere who became involved in politics during Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean's bid for president in 2004.
They cheered a video produced by a 15-year-old conference attendee that cast first-ever conventioneers as patriots, motivators and — over images of headlines reporting President Bush's low approval ratings — representatives of a national majority.
"This is a paradigm shift taking place," said Ann Reinhart, 45, a writer from Los Angeles who said she contributed money recently to campaigns in Montana and Connecticut. "People are finding their voice. People are doing it themselves."
Many waved placards that were provided reading "Give 'Em Hell, Harry," and applauded Reid's declaration that "Iran cannot and will not be another Iraq."
"Because of you, no attack will go unanswered," Reid told the audience. "Because of you, no lie will avoid the truth."
Reid's proposed bill, called the Iran Intelligence Oversight Act, would require an updated national intelligence estimate on Iran, with an unclassified summary made public.
It also would require the president to report to Congress his objectives and strategies for Iran.
Wonderful report! :)