by Jessica Sall

Supporters of Presidential candidate John McCain arrived today at the Colorado Convention Center. They attempted to be heard by protesting against the Obama campaign. “We want to support our candidate,” stated protest leader of the supporter group, Charlie Smith, referring to Sen. John McCain.

“It’s a good thing for us to have the alternative view point out here,” Smith said, “As people become more familiar with Obama, the celebrity aspect of him will pass.”

The McCain supporters consisted mostly of college students from around the Denver area. “There’s a lot of youth support of McCain that doesn’t gets out there,” said Smith. According to Smith there will be other McCain supporter groups waking around downtown Denver with McCain signs, trying to get their message out. They will stay the length of this convention before continuing to the Republican National Convention next week.

By Derek Stanek

Yesterday in downtown Denver educational leaders from across the country gathered in the Space Theater to discuss education reform. The 2008 Rocky Mountain Round Table featured panelists such as former Colorado Governor Roy Romer, Founder of the Broad Foundation Eli Broad, Best Buy VP of Industry and Public Affairs Paula Prahl, Co-Founder of Knowledge is Power Programs (KIPP) Mike Feinberg, National Educational Association Executive Director John Wilson, The Aspen Institute President and CEO Walter Isaacson, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Massachusetts Foundation 2020 Chris Gabrieli, and other notable educational leaders. A quick speech was also given by Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper.

Right away they dove into the major issues as to why American schools are in such bad shape. They noted that out of 30 industrial nations America ranks 21st in science and 25th in math. Governor Romer was very vocal on the point stating that, “We’re falling behind fast”, that “We are being challenged by people who are higher skilled,” and “[ranking] 25th in the world, means ranking 25th in line for a job.” However, his most powerful comment came when he stated, “How much time do we have left?” Governor Romer pointed out that American schools are simply running out of time, and asked, “Where is the national will behind this issue?”

Solutions were quick to come to the forefront of the conversation. Walter Isaacson suggested recruiting the best kids out of college to become teachers. Prevalent in the conversation was the notion that Americans are not doing enough to drive the idea that teaching is a great service to this country.

John Wilson called for, “Changing standards to embrace the 21st century.” All of the panelist agreed that more technology needs to be implemented and utilized in today’s classrooms.

Paula Prahl made the point that national standards were looked at as a point of weakness when she said, “We have national standards for thermostats, is it to much to ask for national standards for education.” The panel all agreed that it would be great to see fifteen states come together to create national standards for education and to encourage other states to follow their lead. Governor Romer touched on the topic and called for more research into a “good authentic test.” According to monitor Tom Touch, $8,000 per kid was spent on education last year, while only $25 per kid was spent on testing and test development.

It was a rather somber mood in the theater yesterday afternoon and was summed up best by Chris Gabrieli when he stated, “We’ve flat lined since the 70s’.”

“At last [women] have a seat at the table,” Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D – CA) exclaimed to a crowd of cheering supporters at the Symposium for Unconventional Women in Denver. Notable Congresswomen and other champions of women’s causes spoke on the issues facing women’s participation in the federal government. Protesters from anti-war organization Code:Pink interrupted Pelosi’s speech on several occasions to voice their opposition to the American military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In her speech Pelosi encouraged working women to run for federal office. “Isn’t it better to have working moms looking to Congress and seeing working moms?” she said. Pelosi’s words were echoed by Senator Claire McCaskill (D – MI) and Amy Klobuchar (D – MN) who recounted their experiences running for office as mothers.

The symposium also included women’s rights leaders Allana Goldman of She Should Run and Page Gardner of Women’s Voices, Women Vote. They noted the lack of single women running for office. Gardner said, “We can no longer afford to have single women sit on the sidelines of democracy.” Allana Goldman noted that while women tend to win elections at the same rate as men, too few are encouraged to run for office, a major reason that women constitute only 16% of Congress.

As Pelosi, the highest ranking female to hold office in the US, took the stage, members of Code:Pink rushed holding signs and pleading with the speaker to remove troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. One member denounced Pelosi from a balcony for supporting waterboarding and American military involvement in Afghanistan before being removed by security. Several members continued to interrupt Pelosi’s speech from the crowd, many insisting that Pelosi end the war. “I will stop the war,” Pelosi responded, while also saying she wished the protesters would “put their energy into voting for Barack Obama.”

by Emma Hills and Jessica Sall

At an anti-abortion rally today in Skyline Park downtown Denver, CO. a speaker said, “The holocaust is here.” Kaitlyn Mahoney, a coordinator of the event, described the protest as a peaceful “prayful” presence. The rally was comprised of multiple pro-life organizations from around the country, most prominently the Christian Defense Coalition and Stand True. Brian Kemper, the president of Stand True, explained their presence at the Democratic National Convention by saying, “The Democratic party says they stand for social justice. We just want them to stand for social justice where it begins: in the womb.”

The rally featured the story of Brandi Lozier, a woman whose mother tried unsuccessfully to abort her. “Just because a baby is in the womb doesn’t mean it’s not a baby,” she told the crowd. When asked if she would be voting for Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) she said, “He didn’t vote for me, why should I vote for him.”

Besides the music, prayer, and the speakers in Skyline Park, members of the rally have walked to the Pepsi Center where the DNC is being held where they placed roses in the fence surrounding the center to symbolize fetuses that have been aborted. “We hope to have 3,000 roses placed for the 3,000 babies that are killed each day,” Mahoney said.

The Talk Radio News Service is at the Democratic Convention 2008 – Full photostream at Flickr.

Kansas Governor, and Presidential hopeful Kathleen Sebelius says that the Democratic National Convention will incorporate both voices and people from across America, including people who have not had an opportunity to participate before (:45)

 

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“We have plans not only to include voices from across America, but also people from across America who have never had a chance to participate before”, said Kansas Governor, and Democratic Vice Presidential hopeful, Kathleen Sebelius at a conference call discussing the nightly themes for the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver. She went on to say, “We felt that the Democratic Convention was a great way to kick off the momentum for change.”

Sebelius said that the overall theme for the convention will be “America’s Townhall”, and that each night would have a theme of its own marked with a keynote speaker. Monday’s theme will be “America at a Crossroads”, with the speaker being Sen. Barack Obama’s wife Michelle. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) is scheduled to speak on Tuesday night when the theme will be “Renewing America’s Promise”, which will deal with economic issues and access to health care. On Wednesday, Sebelius said the theme will center around the contributions of veterans, as well as those currently serving in the US military, with the speaker being Obama’s Vice Presidential running mate, who will be selected before the convention. Sebelius also stated that the theme for Wednesday does not necessarily imply that Obama’s Vice President will have a substantial background in veterans’ affairs, though the selection will definitely be knowledgeable in the area.

When asked if she had been vetted by the Obama campaign for the Vice Presidential slot, Sebelius responded by saying, “I have made it clear since I enthusiastically endorsed Senator Obama that I would be enthusiastic about doing anything I can to help him be elected to the president of the United States [...]“. She added that all information about Obama’s selection for Vice President would have to be answered by his campaign.

Anita Dunn, Senior Campaign Advisor for Sen. Obama, responded to a question as to whether Elizabth Edwards, the wife of former Sen. John Edwards would be speaking in light of recent news regarding his extramarital affair by saying neither will be attending the convention.

On a Democratic National Committee (DNC) conference call, Brad Woodhouse, DNC Senior Communications Advisor, describes the purpose of the DNC’s new website www.TheNextCheney.com. He says any running mate chosen by Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) will mean a continuation of the Bush presidency. (0:51)

 

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The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee held a press conference to discuss elections being held in November. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) told the press that Saturday, July 29 begins the 100 day countdown to the November election, saying that the DSCC has overwhelming evidence that Americans are looking for change and finding it in Democrats.

Schumer said polls indicate that Americans are more concerned over topics like health care and education rather than national security and abortion, a concern he said shows a preference for Democratic policies. He noted Mississippi, which he described as the most conservative state, is leaning Democratic in November and becoming a swing state. Schumer, who said that only 3 of the 35 seats contested in the fall are in blue states, said Sen. Barack Obama’s popularity in the Republican Deep South is a valuable asset for Democratic senatorial contests. Schumer said Democratic senatorial candidates are well ahead in Virginia, New Hampshire, Colorado, New Mexico, and Alaska while candidates in Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska are behind but gaining momentum.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) stated that elections are also looking promising for Democrats on the House side of the Hill. He said that the DCCC is focusing on early contact and persuasion, launching “Get Out and Vote” campaigns in 50 districts throughout the United States. With a Democratic-controlled White House and Congress, Van Hollen said policies concerning stem cell research, children’s health care, Iraq, and gas prices would be successfully addressed.

DNC Chairman Dean says though the democratic primaries were long, voters must remember that the election is not about Obama and Clinton but working to end Bush-McCain policies that have damaged the United States, saying that the Democratic Party will be unified by the election. (1:09)

 

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