|
||||||||||||
|
|
Minnesota delegation's swing of things at Mile High party
The Democrats' Mile High pep rally is up and running in Denver, and Minnesota's delegation is right in the thick of the party. And it's an event laced with historic overtones. On Monday night they witnessed an emotion charged speech by Senator Ted Kennedy, who is being treated for brain cancer. Barack Obama's wife, Michelle, also delivered a strong pitch for her husband's quest for the White House. It was capped with a live appearance by her husband via satellite from Kansas City. "This is greatly exciting to me," Minnesota delegate Josie Johnson told KARE 11, "To be here at a time when we may seriously consider a person of color as our next president." It was 45 years ago this week that Josie Johnson heard Martin Luther King Junior's "I have a dream" speech, as part of the Twin Cities delegation to the March on Washington. The words Dr. King spoke that day in 1963 are at the top of Johnson's mind. "To know that America is willing to look at a person's character," Johnson said, "And abilities and capabilities rather than the color of his skin is wonderful." The spotlight shined briefly on Minnesota when Senator Amy Klobuchar took the stage to tout her colleague from Illinois as a true reformer. "Political inertia is a powerful force in Washington because people don't like change," Klobuchar told KARE 11 afterward, "He wanted to shake things up and change those rules so people wouldn't be selling their votes for trips to Scotland." There's no sleeping in for Klobuchar and fellow members of the Minnesota contingent in Denver. The DFL delegation starts everyday with a 7 A.M. breakfast meeting. Monday's speakers included former Vice President Walter Mondale who said he liked Obama's choice of Senator Joe Biden as a running mate. He said he'd make an excellent VP. "I have an interest in that office," Mondale remarked, "I used to be there, I like the office. I don't like the person in it now." Senate candidate Al Franken also weighed in on the presidential sweepstakes. "We have 71 days to replace the worst president in history," Franken said, "With a man who I believe will be one of the greatest presidents, in Barack Obama." Not every Minnesotan in Denver is singing Obama's praises. "I think there is an experience deficit in case of Obama," former Congressman Tim Penny told KARE 11 news. Penny, who served 12 years in Congress as a Democrat before joining the Independence Party, came to Denver on behalf of a group called Citizens for McCain. The group's media war room, set up northeast of Downtown Denver, was covered in posters challenging Obama's depth. The walls were coated in posters of Barack and the words, "Mile high and an inch deep." Their media crendential's included his likeness and the phrase "not ready in 2008." "I'm an Independent and it means if we've got a solid independent candidate that's where you'll find me," Penny explained, "In races where we don't I'll be looking for a Democrat or a Republican that shows the kind of independent streak that John McCain has shown over time." Penny and McCain joined Congress together in 1982, and co-chaired the "pork busters caucus"on Capitol Hill. "I've known his leadership skills and willingness to work across the aisle," Penny explained, "But frankly there aren't a lot of other Republicans I can get behind." The McCain camp's also watching the Democratic National Convention closely to see how Senator Hillary Clinton's supporters will feel when they leave this convention. "As I understand it a lot of people are putting their heads together, trying to decide how this is gonna go," Minnesota Clinton delegate Susan Gaertner, "I'll take my cues from Senator Clinton." Shanti Shah, another Hillary delegate from Minnesota was confident Monday that the Hillary backers will climb aboard the Obama train by the end of the onvention. "It will be a united party, and we want to move forward as one united party," Shah said, "It will happen. It will absolutely happen!"
|
 MORE HEADLINES |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
