Michelle Obama, Ted Kennedy Rally Dems

Dems Pay Tribute To Ailing Senator Who Appeared In The Hall; Michelle Obama Shows Husband's Personal Side

(CBS/AP)  Ailing and aging, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy issued a ringing summons to fellow Democrats to rally behind Barack Obama's pioneering quest for the White House Monday night in a poignant opening to a party convention in search of unity for the fall campaign.

"Stop doubting and start dreaming," seconded Michelle Obama in a prime time speech. She said her husband - bidding to become the first black president - would bring "the change we need." She also pledged he would end the war in Iraq "responsibly," revive a sputtering economy and extend health care to all. (Michelle Obama's Speech: Video | Text)

Democrats opened their four-day convention in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains as polls underscored the closeness of the race with Republican John McCain. And there was no underestimating the challenges confronting Obama, although he moved to head off a divisive roll call later in the week.

Under an emerging agreement with Hillary Rodham Clinton, it appeared likely both their names would be placed in nomination, and the former first lady would eventually call for his nomination by acclamation.

Besides lingering bad feelings from the Democratic primaries, Obama also faces alternately mocking and searing attack ads from McCain and his Republican allies, and a reminder that racism, too, could play a role.

"There are people who are not going to vote for him because he's black," said James Hoffa, president of the Teamsters union. "And we've got to hope that we can educate people to put aside their racism and to put their own interests No. 1." He spoke in an Associated Press interview.

Kennedy and Obama's wife were the bookends of an evening that left the delegates cheering, one representing the party's past, the other its present.

"The fact that the line of Democrat leadership from Kennedy to Carter to Pelosi were paraded across the stage without the Clintons said volumes about what the campaign wanted Monday night," said CBSNews.com senior political editor Vaughn Ververs. "For a year and a half, Obama’s name has been intertwined with Clintons. Tonight, the separation was clear and purposeful." (Read Ververs' full analysis.)

"The work begins anew, the hope rises again and the dream lives on," Kennedy said in a strong voice, reprising the final line of a memorable 1980 speech that brought a different convention to its feet. The senator has been undergoing treatment for a malignant brain tumor. (Ted Kennedy's Speech: Video | Text)

Obama's wife, eager to counter a Republican claim that her husband is an elitist, said his story is classically American, his family one that scrimped and saved "so he could have opportunities they never had themselves." Obama was largely raised by grandparents after his parents, a white woman from Kansas and a black man from Kenya, divorced.

Among his values, she said: "that you work hard for what you want in life, that your word is your bond and you do what you say you're going to do, that you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don't know them, and even if you don't agree with them."

She shared a post-speech embrace on the podium with daughters Malia, 10 and Sasha 7. Moments later, Obama appeared via satellite from Missouri, praising her speech and drawing cheers from delegates. (Watch the video)

The convention's opening gavel fell with Obama and Clinton still struggling to work out the choreography for the formal roll call of the states that will make him the party nominee.

Michelle Obama included a tribute to her husband's former rival, crediting her with having placed "18 million cracks in the glass ceiling" that constrains women's ambitions.

"There is no doubt in anyone's mind that this is Barack Obama's convention," Clinton told reporters early in the day. And yet, she said, some of her delegates "feel an obligation to the people who sent them here" and would vote for her.

Kennedy's speech was an implicit appeal to her delegates - and the 18 million voters who supported her in the primaries - to swing behind Obama.

He said the country can meet its challenges with Obama as president. "Yes we can, yes we will," he said, echoing Obama's own signature refrain.

"This is one of those great moments in political history," said CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer, referring to how Kennedy's press secretary last night still didn’t know whether Kennedy could make it into the hall, much less to speak. "You know there is nothing quite like the Kennedy name to light up any Democratic gathering… It was a moment that these delegates will never forget."

As the delegates took their seats in the Pepsi Center, Obama campaigned in Iowa, the first in a string of swing states he is visiting en route to Colorado.

Howard Dean, the party chairman, rapped the opening gavel precisely on schedule at 3 p.m. Mountain Time - before only a smattering of delegates.

"We are ready to compete in all 50 states in November," he said, even though Obama has already written off large portions of the South and Mountain West.

In one of their first orders of business, delegates ratified a party platform tailored to Obama's specifications. It backs "complete redeployment within 16 months from Iraq," as well as health care for all, a new economic stimulus package and higher taxes on families earning over $250,000 a year.

"The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman's right to choose a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay, and we oppose any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right," it said.

Obama delivers his acceptance speech on Thursday at a football stadium, before a crowd likely to total 75,000 or more. Then he and Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, his vice presidential running mate, depart for the fall campaign.

[ukgod1]

the only experience old mccfart has is being a prisoner of war. everytime he is ask a question he dosnt have the answer or makes him uncomfortable, he starts to talking about his time as a pow.

mccain what about the economy? well when i was a prisoner

mccain what about the war; my experience as a pow tell me...

mccain what about high gas prices? well when i was captured

mccain how many homes do you own? well when blah blah blah blah balh

if you vote for this moron i think you need to get your head examine

[eddynewhope]

Why aren''''t you grateful for what you''''ve GOT instead of what you haven''''t got!

We''''ve been to war before, run up humongous national debt before. We''''ve always overcome both!

So what''''s your deal? Why the great panic button?

Posted by WellHell3 at 06:26 PM

WellHell is back cashing in his McCain Frequent Liar Miles. How many bucks did you earn with your slander today WellHell - the poster formerly known as RowdyTexan, then RowdyWicca, etc.? You have no allegiance to this country, just the PR firm to whom you *** yourself.

[taotxzen]

Listening to McCain''''s talking heads that come on the Network (corporate) media and repeatedly state that McCain has so much more experience and leadership in foreign affairs and domestic policy and yes on the RNC.org website there is no policy, no ideas, no plan for America, only smears and attacks on Obama and now Biden.

If McCain really were so much more superior to Obama on any issue wouldn''t they want to stress that rather than smearing their opponent. The truth is McCain and his Republican brethren are the ones that have ran this country into the ditch. In every single case, on every issue, they have sided with corporate America over the interest of working families. Go right down the list: Iraq, the economy, tax cuts to the wealthy, health care, energy and the environment.

(cont)

[taotxzen]

(cont)

They have time and time again opened the back door for Halliburton and other contractors that have fleeced this country nine ways to Sunday in Iraq to the tune of $23 billion and counting. They let big pharmaceuticals write the perspiration drug plan, Big oil write the energy policy, bailed out their fat cat friends on the mortgage meltdown while telling working families that they are on there own. Sided with big insurance companies against the families on the Gulf Coast after Katrina. They continue to gut the environment and still claim there is no climate change.

And these paid shills have the stones to come on network (corporate) TV and claim that they have the experience to help you! And the lame, clueless network ''''personalities'''', they are by no means journalist, smile and thank them for their time.

The only thing even more mind-boggling is the uninformed sheep that blindly line up to vote against their own self-interest. That is the biggest irony of all, it would be comical if it were not so tragic.

Time to start connecting the dots folks. Because you get the government that you deserve.

[taotxzen]

The Scum Also Rises

Britney-boating Republican scum festival is more embarrassing than devastating, but that doesn''''t make it any less intolerable.

Posted by Joe Klein, TIME

Eugene Robinson nails it today on the quadrennial Republican scum festival that begins in August of every presidential election year. It seems to me that Britney-boating isn''''t going to be as lethal to Obama as swift-boating was to Kerry--indeed, it is more embarrassing than devastating--but that doesn''''t make it any less intolerable. I mean, we''''ve got two wars, an energy crisis, an economy teetering on the edge of real serious trouble--and this is the campaign John McCain wants to run?

[taotxzen]

An Ah-Ha Moment

The far right wing-nuts are always preaching, Why don%u2019t %u2018these people%u2019 go out and find jobs? Why are they always looking for a hand out?

Well now you have Barack Obama

Coming from a single parent family he attended Columbia University in New York City, where he majored in political science with a specialization in international relations. Obama graduated with a B.A. from Columbia in 1983.

After four years in New York City, Obama moved to Chicago to work as a community organizer for three years from June 1985 to May 1988 as director of the Developing Communities Project (DCP), a church-based community organization originally comprising eight Catholic parishes in Greater Roseland (Roseland, West Pullman, and Riverdale) on Chicago''s far South Side.

Obama entered Harvard Law School in late 1988 and at the end of his first year was selected as an editor of the Harvard Law Review based on his grades and a writing competition. In his second year he was elected president of the Law Review, a full-time volunteer position functioning as editor-in-chief and supervising the law review''s staff of 80 editors. Obama''s election in February 1990 as the first black president of the Harvard Law Review was widely reported and followed by several long, detailed profiles. He graduated with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) magna *** laude from Harvard in 1991.

(cont)

[taotxzen]

(cont)

In the November 2004 general election, Obama received 70% of the vote, the largest victory margin for a statewide race in Illinois history.


In July 2004, Obama wrote and delivered the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts

Obama was sworn in as a senator on January 4 2005.

By any stretch of the imagination this man has done exactly what you have asked, he has overachieved at every level.

And do you hold him up as the example of what can be accomplished by a disadvantaged black person in America? No, you slander and smear him, you make fun of his name, you attack his family with racist hate that would make Jesse Helms cringe, you smear this example of what every young kid of any color should aspire to be.

And then it dawned on me, there you set having never faced most of the challenges that this man has had to overcome. Where are you? How has your life turned out? THAT is your problem with this man, he has overcome the challenges time and again and will overcome the hurdles that you continue to place in front of him. Which also begs the question, do your really want disadvantaged minorities to succeed?

[zerato-2009]

Obama Rezko and 14 million dollars

Posted by popstom1

Waht is the future presidnt, a convicted felon and the cost of one of mccains houses.

[popstom1]

Obama Rezko and 14 million dollars

[ragnar30066]

Whooee! Look at the new Michelle Obama. A contented cookie baking stay at home Mom, right?

How stupid do they think everyone is?

[wellhell3]

Hey BagdadsHere2, have you not been paying attention to what has happened in this country in the last 8 years. How Bush=McCain=Fiasco and ruin for the people? The White Wing Wackos of the country had their chance and have failed. Completely and utterly. Time for Change!


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Posted by noloyalisti at 05:55 PM : Aug 26, 2008

You people act like the world is coming to an end when you live in the freest damned country in the world! Can you eat whatever you want to, do whatever you want to, go anywhere you want to.

Why aren''t you grateful for what you''ve GOT instead of what you haven''t got!

We''ve been to war before, run up humongous national debt before. We''ve always overcome both!

So what''s your deal? Why the great panic button?

[wellhell3]

Hey BagdadsHere2, have you not been paying attention to what has happened in this country in the last 8 years. How Bush=McCain=Fiasco and ruin for the people? The White Wing Wackos of the country had their chance and have failed. Completely and utterly. Time for Change!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by noloyalisti at 05:55 PM : Aug 26, 2008

Exactly what has happened? Besides the fact that we were attacked by radical Islam, and we''re at war with them on two fronts?

And the fact that global economy is starting to affect outs, which puts our dollar into competiton and it declined value?

And that we discovering an energy crisis because we''re having to compete in the world oil market?

And that people have fallen for credit card scams, and sub-prime lending scams and decided to live on the edge instead of living within their means?

Exactly WHO has been ruined? That we''re experience a little hardship?

[noloyalisti]

Hey BagdadsHere2, have you not been paying attention to what has happened in this country in the last 8 years. How Bush=McCain=Fiasco and ruin for the people? The White Wing Wackos of the country had their chance and have failed. Completely and utterly. Time for Change!

[bagdadshere2]

Sen. KENNEDY went to denver to announce he"s closing his School_Of_Brainwasheds because a brain tumor is killing him. Funny fate for a guy who has spent his life brainwashing the far-Lefties.

[mcvet-1]

Inside sources say Obama''''''''s recent plane trouble was an orchestrated publicity fraud to gain public sympathy and take away attention from his pattern of distracting and polarizing the public with playing the race card and the rich against poor card. Apparently Obama is full of them!!!!! This may be another one of them....

Posted by dasfarg at 04:52 PM : Aug 26, 2008

It is HIGHLY unlikely YOU can operate a Search Engine but IF you can you need to look up the subject and the AIRLINES report on what happened. THAT is public record and did NOT come from the Reich or your Magic Swastika!! The Fascist are truly scraping the bottom of the barrel for people to post now... I mean LOOK at the facts of that day and it''s clear to a 6 year old that Obama would have been FAR better off if NOTHING happens to the plane. But does that matter to someone like this??? No way! The "Party" is all that''s important and no lie or deception is to low. Sieg Heil McSlime

[mcvet-1]

Obama''''s Campaign of Intimidation is disgusting.

Posted by ForeverTru at 05:12 PM : Aug 26, 2008


By your post I assume you want me to vote for the Fascist and McSame! Now the ECONOMY is my MAIN concern! I believe the nation should go away from the failed Bush Policies.... what does McSame offer me. So far all I''ve seen is MORE of the same.

[leftyintexas]

Obama''''s Campaign of Intimidation is disgusting.

Posted by ForeverTru at 05:12 PM : Aug 26, 2008

Hahahaha! Intimidation? Hahahahaha!

[forevertru-2009]

Obama''s Campaign of Intimidation is disgusting.

[leftyintexas]

Posted by trrrorislam3 at 04:47 PM : Aug 26, 2008

Did you ever finish grade school? Doesn''t sound like it. It''s amazing that ALL you bushites are so intellectually barren. I never realized we have so many total fools living among us. A good reason for abortions on demand.

[trrrorislam3]

BOO HOO BIDEN,,, lol

hahaha

VIDEO: BIDEN CRIES...
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=5658898