Boston

1984 - Mario Cuomo DNC Keynote Speech

August 27, 2008 by Thought Theater

Thank you very much.

On behalf of the great Empire State and the whole family of New York, let me thank you for the great privilege of being able to address this convention. Please allow me to skip the stories and the poetry and the temptation to deal in nice but vague rhetoric. Let me instead use this valuable opportunity to deal immediately with the questions that should determine this election and that we all know are vital to the American people.

Ten days ago, President Reagan admitted that although some people in this country seemed to be doing well nowadays, others were unhappy, even worried, about themselves, their families, and their futures. The President said that he didn't understand that fear. He said, "Why, this country is a shining city on a hill." And the President is right. In many ways we are a shining city on a hill.

Rocky Mountain Roundtable: Health and Wellness/Prevention

August 25, 2008 by BlueGrassRoots

Liveblogging

Before the roundtable began, I got to see the corporate and non-corporate sponsors in a slide show. Amgen, Pfizer, UnitedHealth Group, and the Center for American Progress. Safeway! Speakers to include Tom Daschle, Hilda Solis of California. Samuel Nussbaum of Wellpoint.

The Emcee declares that, with such an important selection taking place in Denver, discussions of real substance should take place.

Today's focus is health, prevention, and health care. 40K/year is being spent per person.

Daschle is the moderator. His new book is Critical: what we can do about the Health Care Crisis.

More below the fold...

Daschle: Preventable and chronic disease is a serious and increasingly prevalent problem in the USA. By 2025 nearly 50 of all Americans could suffer from some chronic disease. Obesity is a major contributor to this.

Proven preventive services already exist. Cancer could be reduced by 29%. 70% of those with high blood pressure are not having it controlled properly. Wellness and prevention play a very important role in our future.

Patty Gabow (Denver Health): Americans get a score of 72% on their health, overall. Health should include mental, emotional, and spiritual qualities. Health care reform must start at social determinants and behaviors. Poverty is a major factor. Education is a factor.

Democratic Convention: Denver 2008 vs. Boston 2004

August 25, 2008 by Future Majority

I’ve just arrived in Denver for the Democratic Convention. This will be my second convention and the two experiences couldn’t promise to be any more different.

In 2004, I road-tripped it to Boston along with the rest of the Music for America crew. We threw a show at the Middle East Downstairs attended by locals and delegates alike. It was a packed house and I think Ted Leo and the Pharmacists was the headliner. This was right around the time that the Future Soundtrack/ of America was launched and I think we were giving them away or selling them at the show. That was the extent of my “official” DNC 04 activities. The rest of the week we spent trying to scam our way into parties, and attending whatever events were free or public.

DNC 08 Journal: Ask me a question about the DNC '08 Denver experience---what do you want to know about here and now?

August 25, 2008 by MOMocrats

The thing about busy, action-packed amazing conference experiences like this---this DNC convention---is that you barely have time to breathe much less reflect. I've shifted from watching the events of this election and current politics to being inside it.

Nothing made that more apparent than being interviewed by a reporter at The Star-Ledger of New Jersey. Why does she want to interview a blogger? I wondered. We aren't the news, we write about it.

But, the truth is, we are part of the news

As part of its continuing commitment to engage a broad spectrum of audiences in new and creative ways, the Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) today announced that a record number of blogs have been credentialed as members of the media for the 2008 Democratic National Convention at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colo. These blogs will help ensure that communities across the country are connected to the Convention through the eyes and ears of a growing, diverse group of online voices.

All in all, there are 120 credentialed blogs here at DNC '08 versus the handful (30) credential for Boston in 2004.