August 2008 Archives

Nature and politics are serving to tone down the Republican National Convention this week.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is among the no shows -- he is staying in
California to try to get Republican legislators to agree to a budget, which will also affect a number of GOP lawmakers.
Also, because of Hurricane Gustav, Sen. John McCain has ordered a toned down event, devoted to the business of the party and little on other else.
A full release of the GOP's plans, as they stand as of Sunday afternoon, follows.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's pledge to avoid signing a state budget unless it includes long-term fiscal reforms has put him in a tight spot. AP in the Daily News.

Such steps will require voter approval, but the window for placing additional measures on the Nov. 4 ballot is shutting fast and the Legislature appears no closer to a budget compromise than it was two months ago.

So what happens if the reforms Schwarzenegger has insisted upon can't be put before voters this year?

Hoping to better track the people who are paid to influence city policy, the Los Angeles Ethics Commission will begin considering this week revising the city's lobbying law. Kerry Cavanaugh in the Daily News.

The proposed changes are supposed to clarify who is and isn't a lobbyist - and to make it easier for officials to crack down on people who influence city leaders yet do not register as lobbyists.

"We know the public has strong ongoing concerns about the appearance of lobbying and what lobbying can do," said LeeAnn Pelham, executive director of the Ethics Commission.

With a slumping economy and a spike in financial-aid applications, college student Tiffany Dorgan found getting help for school was so tough this year that she had to use her credit card to pay for tuition. Connie Llanos in the Daily News.

"It is risky," acknowledged Dorgan, a physical-therapy graduate student at California State University, Northridge.

"But I had to. This is a product of this horrible economy."

Schools across the country are seeing a tremendous increase in demand for student aid this year, fueled both by the slumping economy and rising tuition costs.

Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown gave his views of the convention to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The lines were terrible, but as conventions go, the Democratic gathering in Denver was the best I've ever been to.
Having said that, let's get real. The buzz rarely lasts, and in the end, the biggest goal of any convention, Democratic or Republican, is to get out of town without any major embarrassments.
And the Democrats did.
Not one big fight. Not one awkward moment.

A chain-link fence shrouded in green nylon defines the shape of the next big thing coming to the West San Fernando Valley. Gregory J./ Wilcox in the Daily News.

The barrier marks the boundaries of The Village, where the Westfield Group plans to develop a $750 million mixed-use project that will link its Topanga and Promenade malls, creating one of Southern California's biggest shopping and entertainment destinations.

Westfield announced plans for The Village last year, saying it will include multifamily housing, offices, shops, restaurants and a four-star hotel.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was at the Democratic National Convention in Denver all last week. But our paths did not cross until he spoke Thursday morning to the California delegation. Greg Hernandez in the Daily News.

His appearance followed the passionate remarks of San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom just moments earlier.

It was no easy act to follow.

A poster of Barack Obama covers most of a display window at Jackie Ryan's Afro-centric boutique in South Los Angeles' Leimert Park Village, just one indication of the fist-bumping pride that Obama's presidential bid has inspired in the historic cultural hub of the city's African-American community. Tony Castro in the Daiiy News.

"As an African-American, it's a benchmark for us," Ryan, 70, said Friday morning, the day after Obama became the first African-American presidential nominee of a major American political party.

"It brings hope for people who haven't had (any) for three (hundred) or four hundred years.

Dr. Judy Chu, chair of the state Board of Equalization, provides her views:

The entire day yesterday was spent getting to, being at, and getting out of Invesco "Mile High" Stadium to watch Barack Obama speak as he accepted the nomination for President. There was great anticipation of the speech, and great anxiety on how to get there. At the California Democratic breakfast, I was approached by a woman who said, "You look important. I desperately need a ticket to the stadium. Can you get it for me?" When I said I didn't have any way of getting her one, she said, "I know you can get it for me. It's divine intervention. This is a supernatural moment! It was meant by Jesus Christ for you to get it for me." I tried my best to slip away from her.
At the breakfast, California Democratic Party Chair Art Torres pulled a surprise and had me get up and say a few words - in between the featured speakers, Mayor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa! Fortunately, I had a great story about how Art's mother helped me get my start in politics, how she urged Art to endorse me, and how great it was that Art obeyed his mother.
Before the event, the greatest discussion for delegates centered around logistics. When are you leaving on the shuttle bus? Are we going to be sitting in the sun all afternoon? Bring your sunblock! I'm buying a hat
Getting into the stadium was a physically grueling process. The shuttle busses took over an hour. The security lines took over an hour. The lines were extremely long, and in the hot sun. Some people felt faint and needed medical attention; some people were getting grumpy.
But once inside the stadium, the event was magical. There were 84,000 people in the stadium! There were people in every crevice and corner, crushed against one another. There were people seated seemingly, a "mile high," thus I could understand the name for this stadium.
Every speaker and musical act was increasingly more astounding: Sheryl Crow, Al Gore, Stevie Wonder, and Joe Biden to name a few.
The enthusiasm and energy was boundless and infectious. For over six hours, people chanted, yelled and screamed their sentiments. They waved flags and signs. They swayed to the music and stood up so many times that people in seats behind them had to yell at them to sit down so they could see the stage. It was interesting to watch Gray Davis jump up and down, and wave his flag with so much enthusiasm that one delegate yelled out, "Gray Davis! Down in front!"
When Barack Obama spoke, the entire stadium of 84,000 people was spellbound. His speech was powerful and forceful. He defined himself as a candidate for a cross section of America's people. He talked convincingly about what we needed to do to address policy issues both domestic and international. He took on McCain's accusations forcefully and drew a sharp contrast.
When the Obama and Biden families took to the stage, and the fireworks lit up the stadium and confetti was released over the entire stadium, we all looked up and about in utter amazement. Some people had tears in their eyes. As it finished, some people took the signs laying about and got autographs from one another so they could remember this moment.
As we rode the shuttle bus home, one delegate said to the bus, "Tonight was a great moment in history." That said it all

With the state legislature deadlocked over submitting a sales tax to voters, Secretary of State Debra Bowen advised county elections officials to move forward with their legally required duties in preparation for the November 4, 2008, General Election.
"Rumors have swirled about changing timelines for last-minute ballot measures, so I want to reiterate: The statutory deadline for placing legislative measures on the ballot was June 26," Bowen said,
"In the past, the Legislature and the Governor have chosen to waive laws and place measures on the ballot after the deadline. We are at the point where that is unacceptable. At this late date, 67 days before the election, any more changes would seriously jeopardize the integrity of the election.

Lisa Gritzner gives her views on the final day of the convention at Fox and Hounds Daily

I don't even know how to begin to explain the experience of being at the Mile High Stadium today. I guess you could say that is exactly how I felt - at least a mile high.

It wasn't easy to get there - not for the Obama campaign nor for any of the 80,000 or so people who braved the whole of humanity to be there for this once in a lifetime shot at history. But all in all the stadium held up well. There were some moments where the stadium food vendors thought they were going to run out and some touchy times over getting back to your seats if you left at inopportune times, but overall, the joy of the experience was felt by all.

And, while you may think that sitting in a stadium for 8 hours in the hot sun would be a bad experience, it felt like no time had passed at all. Everyone was jockeying for good seats and getting to know their seatmates. Cell phones, cameraphones and blackberries were so heavily used that we all started to notice lags in the network and many of us powered down to save our juice. I won't be surprised at all if there were record numbers of texts, calls and emails.

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Sen. Dianne Feinstein says she's actively considering a run for California governor in 2010, but wants to see the results of the November election before she makes a decision. Mercury News

Feinstein, who didn't attend the Democratic convention in Denver because of a broken ankle, told the San Francisco Chronicle that she might choose to stay in Washington if Democrats gain a large enough majority in Congress to move major legislation.

"I can't say that since this (convention) started I haven't thought about it, because I have," Feinstein, 75, said Thursday of a possible run. "I want to see how close to 60 votes we can get in the Senate, what the committee structure is and how best I can use my time."

Welcoming administrators back to school Thursday, Los Angeles Unified Superintendent David Brewer III outlined new measures to track student performance and urged educators to work harder to improve test scores. George Sanchez in the Daily News.

Also, following a school year in which there were several reported cases of sexual abuse by teachers, Brewer said the district has developed a new system to report abuse.

About 1,800 principals, assistant principals and administrators attended Brewer's annual address, held at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Councilwoman Sherry Marquez said she is suspending her efforts to proclaim English the official language of Lancaster and will instead focus on passing English-only federal legislation.Karen Maeshiro in the Daily News.

After consulting with the city attorney and the city manager, Marquez said a local English-only ordinance would lack teeth and that city efforts would be better expended elsewhere.

"I'm just leaving it alone for right now," Marquez said Thursday. "Looking at what's going on and everything we're trying to do, we may be better served if the city attorney works on all the other things."

Dr. Judy Chu, chair of the state Board of Equalization, has been offering her views:

There is an increasing crush of people descending upon Denver as we get closer to the day of Barack Obama's acceptance speech. This includes celebrities. As we California delegates watch the claustrophobic mass of people trying to move on the floor, we spot celebrities.
'Look, there in the white hat. It's Spike Lee!'
Those news cameras over there. They're talking to Jamie Foxx!'
That shiny bald head right there. It's James Carville!'
Daniel Kim from Lost!'
Up there in the balcony! Chelsea Clinton!'
I asked someone who was the strangest person they've seen. She said, 'Mitt Romney. He seemed to be scurrying to CNN to do Republican spin.' She showed me a picture that she took of the back of his head, every hair in place.
CNN and FOX have been trying to portray this convention as being very divided and contentious. I don't see this at all. I have talked to many Hillary delegates, who talked about being heartbroken after Hillary lost. I have the button with '300' on it, referring to the 300 signatures needed to ensure that Hillary's name is placed in nomination. But the sense that I got was that the delegates wanted to ensure that Hillary got the dignity and respect that she deserved in this convention, after having run such a pioneering campaign.
I was thrown for a loop yesterday morning when I discovered that the California delegation had to vote early because we were so large. Thus, we had to vote at the California Democratic delegation breakfast, before the official convention vote took place. I am 100% behind Barack Obama, but at the same time, I am an appointed elected official delegate for the Hillary Clinton campaign. What were we supposed to do?
I asked several people, and there was no definitive answer or direction from the Hillary campaign. However, I finally got the impression that we were free to do what we felt we had to do. Since I was appointed by the Hillary campaign, I voted for Hillary, assuming that somehow a later vote would ensure Barack Obama's nomination.
There were many Hillary delegates that felt the same way. Early that afternoon, Hillary spoke to her delegates and said, 'I've cast my vote this morning for Barack Obama. But I understand it if you feel you were elected to be a delegate for my campaign. I am releasing my delegates, but do what you feel you must do.' Ultimately, the California delegation vote was 273 to 166.
Later in the afternoon, both names were put in nomination, and the roll call commenced. State by state, the votes were announced, though California passed temporarily. When Illinois came up, everybody assumed that they would be the ones making Barack Obama's nomination. But they ceded to New York, and suddenly, there was a huge commotion over in the New York section. Hillary Clinton was coming down the aisle, and in the most dramatic moment of the day, stopped the roll call vote and asked that the convention endorse Barack Obama's nomination unanimously. The crowd went wild.
It was a night of incredible speakers, but I asked delegates which ones were the most memorable. The one most often named was Bill Clinton. They said, 'He's the master speechmaker,' 'He knows how to put things in the right perspective,' and most importantly, 'He made it okay for me to fully support Barack Obama.' The words and actions of Bill and Hillary Clinton were healing and the turning point in the convention.
The other person most often named was Beau Biden, the son of Joe Biden. He talked about the circumstances that Joe Biden faced in being elected, but not yet sworn in to his Senate seat, when there was a car crash that killed Biden's wife and daughter , and seriously hurt his two young sons . I saw several people wiping tears away as they listened to the story. As one delegate said to me, 'For anyone who is a parent, it is unimaginable to have faced those kinds of circumstances.'"

The master of ceremonies in the theater auditorium at Denver's Westin Hotel stalled for time before a restless audience Wednesday. Sacramento Bee

"Elvis is in the building," he insisted an hour into a "Better Tomorrow Forum" featuring authors, economists, venture capitalists and other political deep thinkers. "Mayor Newsom is moments away."

But it was one rare appearance that this Elvis of the Democratic National Convention wouldn't make.

Delegate Lisa Gritzner gives her views for Fox and Hounds Daily of the convention:

One of the things I wish I could take home with me from Denver is the rekindling of the spirit and soul of American politics that I have felt so greatly here. In every restaurant and every bar, on the streets and in every conversation - people are invested, interested and engaged. I have to keep reminding myself that this isn't "real life" - but I wish it was. Wouldn't it be amazing if when our political leaders spoke, people really did stop their idle chatter and pay rapt attention to the words and the issues?
Well, for one week here in Denver, government means something, our future makes a difference, and people everywhere feel a sense of ownership.
And I think that's what makes this time in our political history so special. For the first time in what has been a long, cold winter, people are shedding the apathy and disenfranchisement of the past 8 years and are waking up to a new America. One where things don't just happen but where people have a voice and a say in their future.

The seminal moment in the lives of many African-Americans who came of age in the 1960s often is related to the civil-rights movement: the Supreme Court desegregation of public schools, the freedom marches in the South, the "I Have a Dream" speech by Martin Luther King Jr. Tony Castro in the Daily News.

But Morris Pichon, himself a son of the South, says the most pivotal moment in his life occurred this year.

"The Iowa caucuses," said Pichon, a 66-year-old retired Lockheed Martin Corp. manufacturing analyst who lives in Pacoima with his wife, Barbara. "When I saw that Caucasians in Iowa were going to the polls and voting overwhelmingly for Barack Obama, a black man, I knew that for the first time, after all these years, Americans had woken up.

Assessors in Los Angeles and Ventura counties on Wednesday warned homeowners to be on the lookout for a "Property Tax Reassessment" letter that asks recipients to pay $171 for a reassessment and threatens a $67 late fine if the service is not used.Troy Anderson in the Daily News.

Ventura County Assessor Dan Goodwin said property owners are receiving solicitations from private companies offering to help homeowners lower their property tax bills, a service the assessor provides free of charge.

One solicitation in particular - asking homeowners to send a $171 fee to "Property Tax Reassessment" at a post office box in Los Angeles - has the appearance of "almost being a bill," Goodwin said.

Well, tonight's the big night. Barack Obama is set to make his big Democratic National Convention speech at Denver's Invesco Field. Greg Hernandez in the Daily News.

I won't be there because I don't have a ticket. But a lot of the Hollywood stars who are in the Mile High City this week will be - and they shared their feelings about the big speech with me.

"It's such an exciting time," said Lynn Whitfield, who won an Emmy for "The Josephine Baker Story." "I will be there. I cannot wait."

Don't let the recent dip in gas prices fool you. Sue Doyle in the Daily News.

Despite the declining costs, fewer Southern Californians will be hitting the roads this Labor Day weekend, opting instead to lounge in their inflatable backyard pools or flip burgers on the grill.

This weekend, holiday travel -- which includes driving and flying -- is expected to be 1.4 percent lower than last year, when the number of Labor Day vacationers rose 1 percent, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California.

When the Republican convention opens Monday night, its prime-time lineup could be missing one of its biggest draws: California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Associated Press.
Shackled by the mundane business of state government, Schwarzenegger is vowing to remain in California if lawmakers fail to reach agreement on a state budget, now two months overdue.
"I made it very clear to Sen. McCain when I spoke to him yesterday and I made it very clear to his people that I am honored to be asked to speak at the convention ... and that I would be honored to do anything to help him win the presidency, but that the state of California and the budget is the most important thing," Schwarzenegger says. "So that if I don't have a budget, I cannot speak at the convention."

Delegate Lisa Gritzner is filing reports for foxandhoudsdaily.com

So its the topic on everyone's lips here in Denver. Every person you run into, its the first question they ask. Your answer determines your place in the social hierarchy...you answer incorrectly and believe me, your stock is tanking faster than Countrywide.
Its not what state you're from, its not who you're voting for. No, it's far more important than that folks - it's "what parties are you going to?"
Yes, I thought I would wade into this convention scene slowly. I thought you should hear about the big thinking going on, the beauty of the city, the greatness of our future (fingers crossed) first lady.
So now, I can tell you the truth.
It's not about the politics, it's about the party.
And I don't mean Democrat or Republican...I mean GQ, Rock the Vote, Recording Industry of America (RIAA -THE hot ticket), Sex, Cocktails, and Politics (Planned Parenthood smartly branding themselves), Politico, and Gavin Newsom.

Dr. Judy Chu, chair of the state Board of Equalization, offers her views of Day 2:
Yesterday I had breakfast with about 20 leaders of Asian American Pacific Islanders for Barack Obama. Who then showed up? Maya Soetoro Ng and Konrad Ng, the sister and brother-in-law of Barack Obama.
Maya had just finished speaking at the Democratic National Convention the night before. She said that the most nerve wracking part of it was speaking in between Jimmy Carter and Ted Kennedy! She thought, 'How did I get here?'
Maya is a high school history teacher, and Konrad teaches at the University of Hawaii. Konrad is a Chinese Canadian but went to the University of Hawaii to get his Ph.D., and that is where they met. They are both intelligent, articulate and down to earth.
It is startling to think about this fact because America tends to view race relations as black and white, but Barack Obama's story is also an Asian American one. He was 9 years old and living in Indonesia with his mother, when Maya was born to an Indonesian father. The family eventually moved to Hawaii, where both Barack and Maya grew up.
Maya says that when her father died, Barack decided he had to become the father to her. He took her to visit colleges and universities to see which one would be the best. Family is important to him and raising children with good values is also important. And so she tells the story of taking Barack's two daughters out for ice cream.
She wasn't supposed to because it was close to dinner time. So Maya said to Malia, the older daughter, to not tell her mother.
Immediately, Malia started crying. Maya asked why she was crying, and Malia said, 'Because I can't lie to my mother.'
At the convention last night, there was a cavalcade of Governors and Senators speaking, and the crowd became restless. They were talking so much to one another that I found it hard to hear the speeches. It was actually easier to hear the speeches by listening to the televisions in the hallway. However, there were three exceptions.
The California delegation was ecstatic when State Controller John Chiang spoke. The cheers from our section were loud and strong, and rang throughout the convention center. John is a hero because of his stand against Governor Schwarzenegger's order to cut state workers down to minimum wage. He did a magnificent job on his speech.
The second person to grab the delegates' attention was Governor Brian Schweitzer from Montana. He was quite the character in his cowboy outfit, and is a gun-toting Democrat who does not hesitate to speak his mind. He did not seem like the type to give a major policy speech on energy and the environment, but that he did in a funny and lively way. He exhorted the crowd, getting them to their feet to stand for Barack Obama.
And then there was Hillary Clinton. For her delegates who are going through the five stages of death and dying as they grapple with the fact that she will not be president, this was a difficult and poignant moment. I saw Roz Wyman wiping away tears as Clinton started to speak. I was sitting next to Congresswoman Jackie Speier. As two women elected officials that both had tough times getting elected ourselves, we commiserated on what might have been had there been the first woman President. Hillary was articulate and graceful. She strongly and clearly expressed her support for Barack Obama, and told us all to do the same. She waved, then turned around and disappeared into the curtain behind the stage."

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa met with editors and reporters from USA Today and Gannet New Service while at the Democratic National Convention and continued to reject questions about whether he is running for governor in 2010.
"One office at a time:" Asked if he's running for another office -- governor of California, Villaraigosa says "I'm running for mayor again."
"That's the only office I'm running for right now," he adds, with a bit of laugh. "One office at a time."
The transcript and video are available here.

Councilwoman Wendy Greuel, via Fox 11:

As part of my role as a delegate to the convention, I was honored to be selected to serve on the Rules Committee. We actually debated many of the Rules of the Convention and the Democratic Party.
The highlight of our meeting was the establishment of a Democratic Change Commission. The committee will consist of 35 members equally divided between men and women and will be geographically and demographically diverse.
After a long and competitive primary campaign, we all felt that it was important to see if there were any ways to improve the nominating process. The Change Commission will consider postponing the first primary or caucus until February; spreading out primaries and caucuses so that there is not a repeat of "Super Tuesday"; and, reviewing caucus rules to ensure everyone has an opportunity to vote.
I'm very excited for my husband Dean and my five-year old son Thomas to arrive soon and enjoy the convention with them.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has had his issues with Barack Obama. But now Obama may be a key piece of Newsom's gubernatorial ambitions. Capitol Weekly

Newsom, who backed Hillary Clinton for president, was snubbed by Obama early in the campaign season. Newsom sources complained that Obama refused to be photographed with the San Francisco Mayor as Obama explored a presidential bid.

Newsom gained national attention for performing gay marriages in San Francisco in violation of state law. In the wake of the 2004 election, in which Republicans used the gay marriage issue to appeal to social moderates in swing states, Newsom was viewed as radioactive by many in the Democratic Party Some even suggested Newsom was part of the reason John Kerry lost to George Bush..

From the Mercury-News:
The Democratic convention is a four-night TV miniseries carefully scripted to win over viewers. But there are also moments of real drama, genuine news and media oddities. How is it playing on the tube?

Life for Bradley D'Aunoy of North Hills is all about making sense of numbers: 1,375, 971, 404. Tony Castro in the Daily News.

He has to raise his family of seven on a $1,375 monthly disability check. And when he pays his mortgage of $971, he is left with $404 to feed, clothe and take care of himself, his wife, a 16-year-old daughter and four grandchildren who live with them.

"It's hell trying to make ends meet," said D'Aunoy, 48, a former studio animatronics and robotics machinist down on his luck. "All you can do is sit there and wonder if you can cover the next bill."

D'Aunoy is among the poorest of the poor in the San Fernando Valley and part of the poverty equation in California, where Census Bureau data released Tuesday showed that nearly 4.6 million Californians, or almost 13 percent, had incomes below the federal poverty line in 2007, up from about 4.4 million the previous year.

San Fernando Valley housing prices continued their free fall in July, plunging 29 percent as foreclosures mounted at a record pace, an economic research center said Tuesday.Gregory J. Wilcox in the Daily News.

The median price tumbled to $453,500, down nearly $20,000 from June and a whopping $186,000 below the median in July 2007, said the San Fernando Valley Economic Research Center at California State University, Northridge.

At the same time, foreclosures jumped 221 percent, flooding the market with deeply discounted homes seized by lenders. Sales ticked up 5 percent.

In yet another stinging audit of Los Angeles County's Department of Children and Family Services, a new investigation has found that hundreds of social workers in the past two years racked up $1.1 million in vehicle-damage claims that included a host of questionable payouts, officials said Tuesday.Troy Anderson in the Daily News.

Auditors said one social worker sought reimbursement for vehicle damage while off-duty, others forged supervisors' signatures on claims and dozens of claims for windshield damage were paid out at an average cost of $950 when the usual cost is about $265.

In one case, auditors said, a social worker claimed a vehicle was totaled and filed a claim exceeding $10,000 - more than the vehicle's fair market value - even though a police report described the accident as a minor "fender bender."

Backing off his pledge to sign no bills before lawmakers adopt a state budget, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday approved legislation designed to strengthen wording of the high-speed rail bond measure on the Nov. 4 ballot. AP in the Daily News.

The Republican governor announced Aug. 6 that he would sign no bills sent to him before lawmakers approved an overdue budget. He had hoped the threat that their bills could end up being vetoed would force lawmakers to compromise.

But on Monday night, Schwarzenegger sent legislative leaders a letter urging them to immediately send him four bills so he could sign them in time to put them on the November ballot.

There wasn't blood on the floor of the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday night, but there was a deep scratch, and maybe some bruising. Associated Press.

Laura Chick, the controller for the city of Los Angeles, was sitting with California delegates when she grabbed an Associated Press reporter's arm.

"This man just took my chair, knocked into me, look at this!" she said, showing a bright red nick on her arm, and then pointing to her ankle, which she said he had stepped on.

The man in question, who would not identify himself, said: "I am a Clinton delegate and these Obama delegates are mistreating us," prompting groans and eye rolls from those seated around him.

Chick was furious but said she will handle it.

"If he does it again, I'll kick his" rear end, she said.

Becca Doten offers her take on Monday's events and has posted pictures at her web site:
Once the event really got rolling, we got to see just how impressive the production was. The stage has huge video screens that wrap above the stage to the ceiling, where images, colors and shapes are played, accenting the speaker. For instance, for the innvocation and benediction, they played what looked like stained glass. For the Sen. Kennedy introduction, there was a video and behind the major speakers are shapes or color

Dr. Judy Chu, chair of the state Board of Equalization, offers her views of the convention:

The Democratic National Convention is a blizzard of events, each event more crowded than the last. At the luncheon that I attended for my union, the American Federation of Teachers, someone told a story. She said that when she landed at the Denver Airport, she took a taxi.
Making small talk, she asked the taxi driver what country he came from. He said that he was from Ethiopia. She said that she was in town to help Barack Obama become president of the United States.
He looked back in the rear view mirror and said, 'The whole world needs you to help him.'
She was taken aback and said, 'I'm so sorry that I don't know who the president of Ethiopia is or what is going on there.'
He said, 'It doesn't matter. The president of Ethiopia cannot hurt or help you here in the U.S. Your president can do a lot to help the people of Ethiopia or hurt them. That's why the world needs you to help him.'
On the first night of the convention, there was mass confusion as people tried to figure out how to get to the Pepsi Center and where to sit. There were, however, plenty of volunteers providing direction. With heavy traffic and a crush of buses, it took an hour to get there on the shuttle bus and to get checked in through security. Some delegates had gotten there as early as 2:30 p.m. I got there later, and was relieved to find a good seat with the California delegation. Then I realized we'd be sitting there until 9 p.m.
Since this is my first convention, I asked the person I was sitting next to, David Sanchez, President of the California Teachers Association, 'Is this what we delegates do? Listen to speeches all night?'
"'Yep,' he said.
But actually the convention is an overwhelming experience with a crush of people, rousing musical interludes with singers like John Legend, moving videos...and speeches. There was an intricate orchestration of a multitude of signs, held up by the delegates, saying such things as 'Common Values, Common Purpose' one moment, and then 'Michelle' the next.
Most delegates agreed that the most moving moments of the night were the speeches of Ted Kennedy and Michelle Obama.
Sen. Ted Kennedy's appearance was entirely unexpected by the delegates, and there was a gasp when he appeared. I suppose people had assumed that because of the brain tumor, it would be too difficult for him to speak. But he delivered a powerful, flawless speech, and it was only when Caroline Kennedy helped him walk around the stage that people could see how frail he was. Then he greeted all the young members of the Kennedy family who were on stage with him. It was very touching to see the different generations of this iconic and compassionate family together in front of us.
Michelle Obama gave a powerful speech as well, showing people that she was a person that middle American could relate to. But the moment that delegates commented on the most was when