Dem-O-Con '06

Just got back from the Democratic State Convention in lovely downtown Fort Worth, where the west begins. I did not sit in Bloggers Alley, for two reasons: one, I didn't know about it at the time, and two, I was a delegate so, unlike the other bloggers, I couldn't even pretend to be a journalist. Also, I can't imagine lugging my laptop around like Jacob Marley's chains. The speeches went as expected: Wes Clark has a great stump speech now, much better than his stiff, wooden delivery in 2004; he doesn't sound like someone who's running for Hillary's VP slot. Someone needs to tell him that Daniel Boone was not at the Alamo, however, and it's William Barrett Travis, not "Brett Travis." Chris Bell is mildly energizing, David Van Os is crazy but in a good way, Hank Gilbert was brilliant. Chet Edwards delivered a very strong address on behalf on the Congressional Delegation, leading to some speculation that he might be interested in higher office, maybe against Cornyn. Considerably less Bush-bashing than you might have expected. I supported Boyd Ritchie for State Chair, not because I doubted Glen Maxey's ability, but because I knew that if he won, everyone Republican in the state would be running against him. That's not fair, of course, but this is Texas. Maxey was clearly the sentimental favorite, and frankly I thought Ritchie (who, God love him, is boring as dirt when it comes to public speaking) would lose in a runoff. I assumed the majority of Charlie Urbina-Jones' delegates would support Maxey, but evidently I was wrong. Maxey ended with a great concession speech. Overall, a good convention. Democrats are NEVER united, but there was less back-stabbing and bitterness than usual. Hell, the delegates even applauded politely for the bi-annual candidate representing Lyndon LaRouche (that is, after Bob Slagle yelled at us not to boo her).