Invesco: Risk & Reward
EmailSenior Producer Stu Schutzman on scene: When you’re Barack Obama and you commit to holding the speech of you life in a 75,000-seat football stadium, you’ve automatically given the expectations game Super Bowl status. As they tweak the sound system here at Invesco field (using Obama’s 2004 convention speech), some Democrats are extremely edgy about the enormity of the event, and the rock concert atmosphere that accompanies it. Political handlers are nervous nellies by nature, but for this one there is plenty of added angst. The Obama campaign committed to this event before Obama went on his overseas tour and before John McCain began characterizing him as an out of touch celebrity. For some in the Obama sphere, second thoughts abound: Could this backfire? Is this really the forum from which he can best embrace the country? And speaking of forums, the McCain campaign has wasted little time releasing a press kit called "Proper attire for the Temple of Obama" — referring to the ornate Greek architecture on the podium. JFK was the last Presidential nominee to address his convention this way. He delivered his 1960 acceptance speech in the 80,000-seat Los Angeles Coliseum. From many accounts, his speech was a disappointment. Those who remember say Kennedy was distracted –bothered by the light, bothered by the security helicopters hovering overhead. The polls confirmed it, showing little or no bounce. Barack Obama’s taking a big risk tonight, but if he pulls it off it could give his campaign an enormous boost. And on the birght side, literally, today’s weather is great, sunny and warm. No rain on this parade.
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Sold our tickets for the big show in Denver tonight and sent the money to the McCain Campaign!!! John McCain 08
I am a PUMA and Hillary supporter. The DNC is corrupt.
Posted by: Fae | August 28, 2008, 3:22 pm 3:22 pm
The corrupt media will cheer and prop Obama up regardless of how the speech goes tonight. His campaign knows this.
The media protected and failed to report on the real John Edwards.
The media continues to protect and fails to report on the real Barack Obama.
Check out today’s Chicago Tribune and Obama’s attempts to bully and restrict the speech of those who criticize The One. An Obama regime would not be good news.
Posted by: Jack | August 28, 2008, 3:28 pm 3:28 pm
Looking at McCain’s jabs at Obama compared to other republican campaigns, makes me wonder if they hired Rove’s grandmother to do the torpedoing.
Posted by: DAVID NH | August 28, 2008, 3:30 pm 3:30 pm
Wow. The DNC convention is burning down the house. Americans are enthralled.
The Rasmussen Presidential Tracking Poll for Thursday shows hints of a modest convention bounce building for Barack Obama. The Democrat gained a point from yesterday and now attracts 45% of the vote nationwide while John McCain earns 44%. When “leaners” are included, it’s Obama 47% and McCain 47%
Posted by: Beth | August 28, 2008, 3:34 pm 3:34 pm
Close your eyes. Visualize a grey headed man sleeping with deep snoring. The phone on the bedstand rings, and rings, and rings. Can the grey headed man wake up to answer the phone? The answering machine finally takes a message.
How many times did Reagan fall asleep at cabinet meetings? Think about it, but not while you’re sleeping.
Posted by: ET | August 28, 2008, 3:40 pm 3:40 pm
By the way, the phone was ringing at 3:00AM.
Posted by: ET | August 28, 2008, 3:42 pm 3:42 pm
‘THE CORONATION OF ZEUS’ as debra called it on a blog last night deserves a large venue.
i find this disrespectful to the memory of mlk however.
but who knows the spectacle may be a success.
Posted by: sonia trevino | August 28, 2008, 3:56 pm 3:56 pm
On the subject of Obama’s celebrity, I thought Michael Kinsley’s column in the Washington Post recently was very incisive:
“The greatest strength of this year’s Democratic candidate, Barack Obama, is his eloquence, his charisma, his ability to create excitement and draw a crowd. This could be a legitimate debating point if the Republicans were saying that, on some particular issue or even many, Obama is using his charm and way with words to disguise a lack of substance in what he says. But Republican ambitions are grander: They are attacking Obama’s charisma, as if popularity itself were a disqualifying factor and whoever draws the larger crowds is by definition the lesser candidate. This is truly perverse. It comes close to being an attack on democracy itself. Can the Republicans possibly score with such a preposterous argument?
“Oh, probably.”
I don’t cite Kinsley to be partisan. I like both sides in any campaign to stick to the issues.
Posted by: Josh Braun | August 28, 2008, 3:57 pm 3:57 pm
It’s about Obama’s over-the-top arrogance, Josh.
Now the following is hilarious — and right on point.
“It’’s only appropriate that Barack Obama would descend down from the heavens and spend a little time with us mere mortals when accepting the Democratic nomination in his Greek temple,” said Republican National Committee spokesman Danny Diaz.
“We would have expected to read something like this in The Onion” a McCain adviser told The New York Post.
Posted by: Kyle | August 28, 2008, 5:30 pm 5:30 pm
You’re right – that’s a real zinger, and this ceremony may end up being over the top as Schutzman says. But I see both sides. I think his supporters are genuinely excited – and there’s no sense making fun of them for their engagement. And this sort of language risks involving them in the critique – even alienating them. I doubt McCain will win many votes that way.
Posted by: Josh Braun | August 28, 2008, 6:04 pm 6:04 pm
…of course, I can see the rebuttal already, which is that alienating those who are part of Obama’s crowds isn’t a big deal, as they’re not likely to vote for McCain anyhow.
Posted by: Josh Braun | August 28, 2008, 6:53 pm 6:53 pm
I about fell over when he said it wasn’t about him. He said this while he was at his own rock concert, in front of a GREEK TEMPLE. What a joke!
Posted by: midwestlady | August 29, 2008, 3:14 am 3:14 am
The only things I really wonder about at this point are:
a) HOw much did it cost?
b) Who paid for it? (I hope it wasn’t me.)
Posted by: midwestlady | August 29, 2008, 3:15 am 3:15 am