Tuesday night's events featured failed presidential candidates Dick Gephart and Howard Dean. Senator Tom Daschle also spoke on Day 2 as did Ted Kennedy. The Democrats were also quite proud of the fact that Ron Reagan, Jr. stepped to the podium to advocate stem cell research. This really is not the coupe that it may appear to be at first glance. Ron Jr. has never followed his father's beliefs, either political or religious. In addition, Ron Jr. dislikes President Bush. So, it was really no surprise that he was able to carve out some time from his busy schedule as television commentator of the Eukanuba Dog Show circuit.
In primetime, the Democrats trotted out 12 year-old Ilana Wexler. Wexler is the founder of Kids for Kerry. She sort of resembled Little Orphan Annie, and she played up the cutsie thing to the max. She discussed the fact that Dick Cheney used "a very bad word" in a conversation with a Democratic senator. She said that she would have been given a "time out" if she had used such a word and suggested that the Vice President be given a "long time out." It was all very cute, but I don't know of any 12 year-old who still gets sent to time out. Also, Wexler didn't mention what sort of punishment John F-ing Kerry should receive for his repeated use of the F-word in a Playboy interview. She also didn't comment on the filthy references made by Whoopie Goldberg at a recent DNC fundraiser or the foul language that is sprinkled throughout the DNC website. But, I digress ....
The keynote address of the evening was given by Teresa Heinz Kerry. She spent a lot of time talking about how women have views that should be heard. This seems like a message more suited for 1960 than 2004, especially since there are nine female Democrats currently serving in the Senate. Then Heinz Kerry said that the Peace Corps was the best face of America to the world. This is also a very 1960's message. It's also a weird sentiment when there are American soldiers currently fighting for freedom. Perhaps the weirdest aspect of the speech was that Teresa didn't say anything about John Kerry. Overall, I think that it is fair to say that this was a slightly bizarre, very self-indulgent and fairly boring speech.
Rumor has it, this speech wasn't really broadcast on the three major neworks. I don't know about this because I didn't stray from C-SPAN during Teresa's address.
