The Convention
By Mike Signer | September 7, 2012 | No Comments
We returned late last night from an incredibly inspiring time in Charlotte. I had to be back in Arlington today for meetings, so missed last night’s speeches, but the prior two days — especially the speeches by Bill Clinton and Michelle Obama — were epic.
Clinton’s speech explained to millions of people why a vote for this President is a vote not only for a man, but for a whole way of governing, of dealing with the real challenges our nation faces, and of approaching the future.
And the First Lady revealed — for a fairly private President — why he understands our problems so well, the tenacity that has helped him achieve such victories so far, and the intelligence that has helped him guide so many through tough issues.
Some of the best moments were spent with dozens of friends in the Virginia delegation, who were so fired up and ready to go it was a little ridiculous. Everyone knows how critical Virginia is to the election. Valerie Jarrett came by the delegation breakfast yesterday morning and was hugely warm, inspiring, and said that Virginia would continue to receive a large amount of attention from the campaign.
And then there were countless interactions on the street or at events with old friends from Democratic years past — the voter protection programs we’ve been doing for a long time, prior conventions, and various organizations I’ve been involved with. The ThirdWay party on Tuesday night was terrific, as was a great party at Emeril’s new restaurant with the Democratic Attorneys General Association — including some particularly inspiring characters like Jack Conway of Kentucky, Doug Gensler of Maryland, and Peter Kilmartin of Rhode Island.
All in all, a great time was had by all. In the wake of the Olympics, it felt like the launch of a sprint to the finish, with millions cheering and our standard-bearer running strong, torch in hand.
