Bigass Poltical thread Part V: The Democratic Convention

[rufuspaul]

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/201...nt-obamas.html

CHARLOTTE, N.C. President Barack Obama will now deliver his acceptance speech Thursday at Time Warner Cable Arena after forecasts about severe weather led officials to move the event out of Bank of America Stadium.

The switch means the approximately 65,000 members of the public who received community credentials for the stadium won’t be allowed to go inside the arena, which the DNC has said is holding about 15,000 for the convention.

Instead, the arena seats will be limited to those delegates and convention officials, according to the Obama campaign.

On Wednesday, the Democratic National Convention Committee said officials had monitored weather forecasts in deciding whether to move the speech from the football stadium. With several reports predicting thunderstorms on Thursday, officials decided to relocate the event “to ensure the safety and security of our delegates and convention guests,” convention CEO Steve Kerrigan said in a news release.

Brent Colburn, Obama for America communications director, expressed sympathy with the community credential holders who will be affected.

He and other officials encouraged them to watch the live broadcast at home and hold block parties.

“We share their frustration and disappointment,” Colburn said, adding that he felt the campaign made the right decision at the time it decided to use the stadium.

“This isn’t a decision we wanted to make,” he said. “It was a decision we felt we had to make.”

Obama campaign officials had said they expected about 90,000 to attend the president’s speech at the football. That figure included the 65,000 community credentials, along with about 21,000 delegates, party officials and others.

Colburn said officials hope to keep as much as the original stadium program in tact as possible despite the move to the arena.

But Democratic officials admitted the change had tons of implications for local law enforcement, and meetings were ongoing. Among those implications were changes in security around uptown. Some street closures need the arena were set to go away overnight Wednesday with new ones opening near the football stadium on Thursday.

Campaign officials said they didn’t have information on road closures for Thursday; the Secret Service will handle that and they expect to have information sometime later Wednesday.

Officials also noted the stadium speech was also viewed as a “capacity building event” that would include voter registration opportunities.

The plan now is for those people to be emailed a phone number for a “massive conference call” with the president.

Democratic officials yesterday expressed concerns that Republicans would “turn the decision into a political attack.” However, they likened it to safety decisions the Republicans were forced to make during the passing of the Hurricane Issac during their convention a week ago.

On Wednesday, the Republican National Committee quickly reacted to the decision with an emailed statement to reporters.

“Enthusiasm for President Obama is so low that he’s being forced to downgrade his convention events left and right,” said RNC spokesman Matt Connelly. “First the DNC had to cancel their opening event at Charlotte Motor Speedway due to low enthusiasm, now President Obama is being forced to move his acceptance speech to a smaller venue just to avoid the embarrassment of speaking to an empty stadium. After four years of failure on the economy, it’s clear that Americans are looking for actual solutions, not another speech full of empty promises.”

Even as officials announced the move to the arena, construction crews were continuing to work Wednesday morning at Bank of America Stadium on what were supposed to be the main stage and seating areas for the acceptance speech.

The floor seating appeared to be mostly in place and while work was continuing on the main stage facade construction.

Charlotte will see a 40 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms during the day Thursday, and that probability will decrease to 20 to 30 percent Thursday evening, said James Oh, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Thursday’s high temperature will be around 87 degrees, while the evening’s low will be 70 degrees, Oh said.

Heavy rain and thunderstorms have been a constant during recent days, raising questions about whether the Thursday speeches would have to be moved. On Tuesday, DNCC officials confirmed they had been considering the arena as a backup spot.

Nan Robertson’s husband Geoff stood in line for seven hours to get tickets for him and his 16-year-old daughter to see the president’s speech. The family eventually ended up with three credentials, so all of them were planning on attending.

Now Robertson, 57, assumes she and her family won’t be able to attend.

“It is a disappointment, but I thought it was a fabulous idea to give people this kind of once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” she said Wednesday. “We are not in control of the weather. I certainly don’t hold the DNC responsible for anything. I hope they try it again sometime in another city.”

Robbie Akhere, a statewide Obama delegate from Mecklenburg County, said Tuesday she expects the president will get a rousing reception regardless of the venue. She called the arena an excellent backup choice.

“Some people think the president is God and can control the weather,” Akhere said. “But I think they’d understand” if the event was moved. She also has heard talk about some nearby locations offering live-stream viewing of the president’s speech in the event of a venue change.

Akhere, attending her first convention, said she would not mind sitting in the rain to hear Obama speak. “We sit in the rain for football games. This would be a wonderful opportunity for the world to see us sit in the rain and hear” the president.

I had heard rumors that they were having trouble attracting enough people and were considering busing in people from other states so that the stadium wouldn't look empty on TV.

[KevinNYC]

I had heard rumors that they were having trouble attracting enough people and were considering busing in people from other states so that the stadium wouldn't look empty on TV.

Wasn't that kind of the plan all along? If you volunteered for 9 hours for Obama's campaign, you could get a ticket.

I don't think they were thinking they would get 65,000 volunteers from just around Charlotte.

[Godzuki]

I honestly don't get the Biden hate. Criticize his policies and stances sure, that's fine, but I mean his "off the cuff" personality. Isn't that what people have been crying for for...ever? A dude that doesn't bullshit and tells you what he thinks? Say Romney wins and at the presser for the Obamacare repeal an open mic catches Ryan saying "this is a BIG ****ING DEAL!" That shit would be lauded on the right, as it should be.

If you don't like his policy that's fine, I just don't get why people dislike his personality. I personally love the dude.

And **** whatever the right says, Deval Patrick murdered it strictly on the "it's time for Democrats to get a backbone" line alone. Because he's right. **** compromise, Republicans aren't doing it, stop kowtowing.

he belongs more as some union head motivating some union mob than VP to me. i don't like Biden at all. the way he carries himself and that smirk he always has annoys me.

[Rasheed1]

I honestly don't get the Biden hate. Criticize his policies and stances sure, that's fine, but I mean his "off the cuff" personality. Isn't that what people have been crying for for...ever? A dude that doesn't bullshit and tells you what he thinks? Say Romney wins and at the presser for the Obamacare repeal an open mic catches Ryan saying "this is a BIG ****ING DEAL!" That shit would be lauded on the right, as it should be.

If you don't like his policy that's fine, I just don't get why people dislike his personality. I personally love the dude.

And **** whatever the right says, Deval Patrick murdered it strictly on the "it's time for Democrats to get a backbone" line alone. Because he's right. **** compromise, Republicans aren't doing it, stop kowtowing.

I actually like Biden a bit more than most politicians also... He has a down to earth vibe about him

Make no mistake, he says dumb things from time to time, but even when he is making a mistake, he is going about it like a true human being...

When you see Paul Ryan on stage lying and then trying to moonwalk his way out of those lies a day later?

that looks ugly.. that makes Ryan look untrustworthy and it undermines him as a whole.. Im less likely to take Ryan serious EVER because he lies soo much... I cant tolerate a pathological liar.

But Biden comes off as the guy who says "the president is an articulate clean cut well spoken guy" and it will sound a bit like some white guy who isnt used to black people being that way, but when he corrects himself? He just says something like "My fault, I tripped over myself a bit"

That is totally fine and understandable....

Its not like he is TRYING to deceive you

He's a guy you can relate to...

[KevinNYC]

They definitely were expecting folks from all over the country. However, note the last part.

[QUOTE]Join President Obama at the Convention
On September 6th, President Obama will accept the nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.

It'll be the most open convention in history, and thousands of people will be there in the crowd from all 50 states

[KevinNYC]

i don't like Biden at all.

How can you not love this guy?

[rufuspaul]

They definitely were expecting folks from all over the country. However, note the last part.

Just yesterday Obama's people said the speech would be at the stadium rain or shine. Now they use the weather as an excuse to move inside. 30% chance of showers. That's typical Charlotte weather for this time of year. I don't buy it. But hey, if I were faced with a half-empty stadium I'd do the same thing.

[KevinNYC]

Just yesterday Obama's people said the speech would be at the stadium rain or shine. Now they use the weather as an excuse to move inside. 30% chance of showers. That's typical Charlotte weather for this time of year. I don't buy it. But hey, if I were faced with a half-empty stadium I'd do the same thing.

Do you think half-empty was a real possibility? They would have known for weeks how many tickets they distributed. And the way campaigns are run today, they would have had the name of all the folks.

Also, it's not simply showers they are worried about, but lightning and the off chance of hail.
They forecast is isolated or scattered thunderstorms all day long on Thursday. They are not just worried about the speech time, but workers setting up.

Could you imagine the headlines if a worker got hit by lightning?

Narcissistic Obama puts image above worker's safety!

[rufuspaul]

Could you imagine the headlines if a worker got hit by lightning?

Narcissistic Obama puts image above worker's safety!

The dems would spin it: Crowd Electrified By Obama's Speech!

[KevinNYC]

Yes, but the Third Party groups would go crazy!

This message was paid for by Americans Who Don't Want to be Hit by Lightning, LLC who is solely responsible for its contents.

[Godzuki]

Just yesterday Obama's people said the speech would be at the stadium rain or shine. Now they use the weather as an excuse to move inside. 30% chance of showers. That's typical Charlotte weather for this time of year. I don't buy it. But hey, if I were faced with a half-empty stadium I'd do the same thing.

what exactly are you criticizing them for? even if it was going to be half empty due to weather? how are they spinning it when thats a reality of having an event in rain? and obviously they don't want half empty seats and trying to broadcast speeches in a downpour? i mean to try and attack this as the Democratic party spinning is just reaching desperately to criticize them

[JMT]

what exactly are you criticizing them for? even if it was going to be half empty due to weather? how are they spinning it when thats a reality of having an event in rain? and obviously they don't want half empty seats and trying to broadcast speeches in a downpour? i mean to try and attack this as the Democratic party spinning is just reaching desperately to criticize them

Unfortunately, that's all the campaign is from the GOP side. They could certainly attack Obama's performance over the last 4 years, but instead they prefer to attack ridiculous, non-events like this.

It's the kind of approach you have to take when your own candidate has no believable policy platform or plan. You just make it about how bad the other guy is.

[rufuspaul]

what exactly are you criticizing them for? even if it was going to be half empty due to weather? how are they spinning it when thats a reality of having an event in rain? and obviously they don't want half empty seats and trying to broadcast speeches in a downpour? i mean to try and attack this as the Democratic party spinning is just reaching desperately to criticize them

I just think it's funny that the dems were all gleeful about hurricane Isaac plaguing the republicans and now it's biting them in the ass. That is if you really believe the weather story. I live walking distance from the stadium and I can just about guarantee you that tomorrow at 10:00 pm the weather will be just fine. They wouldn't cancel a Panthers game with this forecast. Same weather is predicted tonight for the Cowboys-Giants game and they're sure not canceling that. I know you think political spin is just a republican thing. You keep on thinking that and drinking the koolaid.

[JMT]

I just think it's funny that the dems were all gleeful about hurricane Isaac plaguing the republicans and now it's biting them in the ass. That is if you really believe the weather story. I live walking distance from the stadium and I can just about guarantee you that tomorrow at 10:00 pm the weather will be just fine. They wouldn't cancel a Panthers game with this forecast. Same weather is predicted tonight for the Cowboys-Giants game and they're sure not canceling that. I know you think political spin is just a republican thing. You keep on thinking that and drinking the koolaid.

So you believe that suitable weather for a professional football game is same as that for a series of political speeches?

[Godzuki]

I just think it's funny that the dems were all gleeful about hurricane Isaac plaguing the republicans and now it's biting them in the ass. That is if you really believe the weather story. I live walking distance from the stadium and I can just about guarantee you that tomorrow at 10:00 pm the weather will be just fine. They wouldn't cancel a Panthers game with this forecast. Same weather is predicted tonight for the Cowboys-Giants game and they're sure not canceling that. I know you think political spin is just a republican thing. You keep on thinking that and drinking the koolaid.

it IS a consistent Republican thing and on a level that is nowhere near Democrat spinning. you never seem to account for degree, rather than acting like they're constantly both at fault when one is consistently much worse than the other in how bad they spin. you should watch the most recent episode of Bill Maher, and how he completely wrecks this GOP black guy(think he was a Ryan advisor?) for his use of 'GOP facts'. it really showed the false reality the GOP uses to counter whats true and backed by science/studies. Its really like they make up their own realities just to counter Democratic pushes.