Democratic National Convention 2024

 

(This is a television review, not any more political that I can resist. )

 If you missed the 2024 Democratic National Convention, you really missed a lot, and I am not merely referring to the four nights of television.  By now, if you missed them live, you have surely heard excerpts of the main speeches.  They are probably available on You Tube (is anything not?).  I’m going to report on Day 2—just a synopsis, because all of it is on  CSPAN.https://www.c-span.org/democratic-national-convention-2024/day-2/

            One thing that fascinates me about conferences and conventions is the organization that goes into them.  I have volunteered at conferences, but was never part of the planning and organizing (more the ticket-taking).  A four-day event totaling twenty-five hours or more?  That’s a lot of organizing!  The complete list of speakers for each night was not even known in advance (hence, a few surprises, like Oprah Winfrey).  Think of the logistics:  someone had to be sure that all the speakers and performers were backstage at the right time waiting to go on.

            I was also intrigued by the camera work.  Switching between distance views and close-ups, both of speakers/performers and the attendees made very good television.  I could see that this arena has a rather small central floor, surrounded by three tiers of graduated seating.  The cameras focused on the floor and the first tier, so I wondered about the upper tiers, which I could not clearly see.  Later I read that the United Center, which is the largest arena in the U.S., was full to its 21,000 capacity.  (That’s a lot of ticket-taking and bag checking!) But who were these people?  The convention website states that “Only credentialed delegates, media, and guests can attend the convention in-person.” In other words, the general public was not invited.  However, the convention encouraged members of the community to volunteer in roles like security, event staffing, technology, and transportation.  In the end there were 12,000 volunteers (out of 30,000 who applied), over 4,000 delegates, and, oh yes, 15,000 media persons in attendance!

            The convention ran from 5:00 p.m. Central time until 10:00 p.m. or later each evening.  I watched on CNN and MSNBC, both of which started live coverage at the opening time (which was, of course, 3:00 p.m. here in the west).  I should probably have watched on CSPAN, which showed the whole thing without interruptions for commercials.  Also, that way, one could have seen every bit of the evening, whereas the news channels used time, during the lesser-known speakers or entertainers, to have interviews and commentaries.   Still, the latter could be interesting.   On Tuesday,  news hosts noted that most of Monday’s speakers used double their allotted time (and unlike at the Oscars, there was not band playing music to urge them off the stage!).   On MSNBC, Lawrence O’Donnell complained about the late hours, and suggested that the convention should begin earlier each day.

            I took copious notes, as I so often do, but—as usual—my notes do not come with a warranty for accuracy.  This year’s convention had a title "For the People, For Our Future." Each night had its own theme, and Tuesday’s was "A Bold Vision for America's Future."

            Notable Tuesday speakers early on included Rep Malcolm Kenyatta of Pennsylvania, who declared that he had read all 900 pages of Project 2025 and proved it by citing chapter and verse:  “It would stop Medicare negotiation, page 465…. cut overtime pay, page 487,” etc.  

      The exciting and delightful innovation of this convention was Tuesday’s roll call.

Though Vice President Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz had garnered sufficient votes in a virtual roll call held before the convention itself, the DNC went ahead with the traditional roll call--except that this one was anything but traditional.  All during it,  a DJ on stage  played music.  Confession:  It was only later that I learned that he had played a different song for each state and territory!  To me it all just sounded like loud noise—rhythmic and peppy, but…um, noise. 

            Delegations from each state and U.S. territory and certain other entities were interviewed close up on the floor of the arena.  Usually a couple of people spoke and one announced the number of votes being cast.  There were no votes (that I heard) given to some other candidate (as I recall happening in some long-ago convention I saw)  but there were a few “present” votes included by many delegations. 

Usually the states and territories took the opportunity say something about themselves.  For example, we learned that Illinois was the first state to ratify both the 13^th and the 19^th Amendments.♥  Hawaii reminded us that it was the first state to legalize abortion, and the first state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.♥ (I checked this out:  indeed, the legislature of Hawaii ratified the ERA the very same day that the U.S. Congress approved it!  However, so far the ERA has not been added to the Constitution.)  Not to be outdone, Wyoming boasted the first female governor in the nation, and was the first to allow state suffrage to women.  For some states, delegates dressed alike—Nebraskans were all in yellow, while Wisconsin delegates all wore big cheese hats, which looked rather uncomfortable.

            There seemed to be an effort to highlight female delegates and black or other minority delegates.  As just one example, the white male governor of Illinois was introduced by a black woman. 

            The roll call was in alphabetical order, but California passed, opting to go last, which was appropriate, as it has the largest number of votes to offer.  When California’s time came, it cast 482 votes for Harris/Walz.  (What I noticed was how Governor Gavin Newsom towered over everyone else—he’s really tall!)  The next largest number of votes came from New York (298), Texas (263), and Florida (243).  I mentioned Territories, and you might be thinking, Puerto Rico…what else?   The others are Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands (yeah, I had to look those up on the map; the largest of the Marianas is the island of Saipan). 

            In addition, votes were cast by delegations from Washington DC, of course, and from “Democrats Abroad” which cast 21 votes.   There are about 2.8 million American adults living overseas, including military and their families as well as others working, retired, etc.  Absolutely fascinating research and statistics on how many overseas Americans vote and why/why not is here:  https://www.fvap.gov/info/interactive-data-center/overseas

            The famous speakers, of course, were the Obamas.  Afterwards, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow called Barack Obama’s “a great speech,”  but she declared that “Michelle Obama’s was one of the best convention speeches I’ve ever heard…a stunning speech.” 

            Here are a few excerpts I was able to note down:

Michelle Obama:

No matter how good we feel tonight, it’s going to be an uphill battle…. It’s up to us to be the antidote to the darkness (spread by Trump).  It’s up to us to remember what Kamala’s mom said to her:  Don’t just sit and complain, DO something!

 

Barack Obama:

Donald Trump only wants what will help him and other rich people.  He wants the country hopelessly divided.  Bluster, bumbling chaos—we don’t need this again.  We’ve seen that movie before and we know the sequel is usually worse.

Kamala Harris won’t be focused on HER problems, she’s focused on yours…. She won’t seek revenge on those who don’t kiss the ring…

Democracy is the value we live by, including those who don’t see the world exactly as we do… 

We’ve all got our blind sides…we need to listen to the concerns of those who disagree with us.

The rest of the world is watching.

We can’t eradicate every injustice in the world…but we have to be an example, we have to prioritize peace and saving the planet.

Let’s get to work!

 

 

 

Caifornia State Fair 2024

 

California State Fair, July 2024.  This is my belated report.  Maybe it’ll inspire you to attend a state or county fair.  Or maybe it’ll discourage you….!

            Ever since moving to Sacramento, I’ve felt lucky to live so close to the California State Fair.  All fairs are fun, but a state fair is the big deal.  I used to attend two or three during its run; even while in graduate school, I’d bring one of my books to read while sitting in the Farm area.  (To make up for the expense, I’d bring my own picnic lunch.)  I could catch a bus on my corner and then transfer to a northbound bus on 30^th which, on its way to the mall, would detour right up to the fair entrance.  It still does, but the bus on my corner has been eliminated.  I find the walk too tiring, so when heading for the mall, or the fair, I bike to another spot on 30^th where there’s a bike rack, and then catch the bus.  Bicycling is so much less tiring than walking!

            The passage of years brings an unhappy truth, however:  namely, there is nothing like an excursion to the fair to make manifest one’s incapacitations.  To some degree, these are related to aging, which is bad enough.  But even more, they are related to simply not staying in shape.  Some of you recall that when I reported on a visit to an old friend in Seattle, a couple of years ago, I lamented that I could not keep up with her when we walked on the college campus.  She’s my age, but she walks a good deal more than I do.  My vow to “get in shape” clearly didn’t last long.  Both last summer and this one, I was limited in how much I could see at the fair by the pain in my legs due to unusual activity, even though I sat down to rest at every bench I saw.

            This year I went on the Friday, July 26^th.  On Fridays, seniors got a two dollar discount; more importantly, the blazing heat had lessened for the weekend.  Senior Day meant that there were perhaps a few more older folks than usual, but there were also quite a large number of families.  In this photo, you see a clever cart for two little girls (among the tables in the food pavilion).

 

             There is one inconvenience in attending the fair nowadays that I’ve had to learn to work with: one is only allowed to carry into the fair a 12” x 12” clear plastic sack.   There are exceptions for diaper bags, I understand, and you can bring in food but water bottles must be empty or still sealed.   I am told that this rule is customary at big concerts as well, but for me the fair is the only time I have been faced with it.  For someone with a lifelong habit of not leaving the house without a big shoulder purse plus a tote bag, this presents quite a challenge.  Furthermore, I have no intention of walking around all day with all my things in a transparent bag.  Consider what a typical woman might have stuffed into her purse:  wallet, keys, ID, comb, lipstick, sunscreen, hand lotion, pen, notebook, sunglasses (when not wearing them), personal hygiene items, cell phone (for most people; I don’t carry one, but I do carry a camera), distance glasses (in my case), and she may in addition require a tote bag (in my case, for my bike helmet and a headscarf).  But dear reader, believe it or not, I cope.  Into a clear bag with handles (one that you get for produce at the farmers’ market, if not the supermarket), I put all the above items (except the helmet, which I carried), AND two folded-up cloth tote bags.  “Oh, you’ve got a clear plastic bag, go right in!”  Feeling as though I’d gotten an A for Good Behavior as I paid and had my ticket stamped, I immediately found a bench to sit on.  I put the helmet into one cloth tote bag and everything else into the other.  Then, after filling my water bottle at a drinking fountain, I set out with my planned itinerary. 

            I walked west towards the carnival area—spookily quiet at 11 in the morning—because that way I can reach the exhibit hall area without going downhill and then up again.  On this side of the buildings, one finds the September 11 Memorial Plaza.  It contains an actual support beam from the North Tower, a monument to the twin towers, and a floating granite sphere containing the names of all who perished that day.

 

            The first exhibit hall was labeled Rustic Charm Marketplace, and in fact it did contain quite charming displays of craft items.  I wanted to photograph them all, but I didn’t.  However, I did stop to sniff each of the 24 different scented soaps at one display.  Most of the stands had no person there, so I am not sure how one would actually buy something; I believe the counter at the rear must have been the place.   The next exhibit hall was Candyland, which was really just a big hall full of candy bins.  At one end, there were a few cute installations where one could take a candy-themed selfie. 

            The third hall gets my award for Best Thing at the Fair this year, and it was a surprise as I had not read about it beforehand (the Fair website was scanty on information).  It was called Wild Things, and contained….real wild animals!  Well, sort of wild.  These animals were ones that had been raised in captivity and in most cases had been confiscated as they were illegal pets.  First there were two little otters who, alas, did not feel like showing off today, but just cuddled up together in a box full of colored balls.   

 Near the center of the room was a cage with two Australian kookaburra birds.  One visitor imitated their call to rouse them and get a loud response.   Near them were two young kangaroos, not, alas, demonstrating their hopping abilities at that time. The most startling animals—which I am sure I’ll never see up close again in my life—were two young reindeer named Holly and Tinsel.  Though born in captivity, they looked restless, moving about as if wishing they were out in the wilds of Finland.  

                    Next was the California High Speed Rail exhibit.  I was interested because I had recently seen a fascinating video showing the progress made so far on this controversial project.  There was a mock rail car one could walk through, and wall exhibits, plus pamphlets to take.  The train will eventually go from San Francisco to Los Angeles, but right now the work is being one in the central valley.  Note: If a person needed to cool off while at the fair, this was the place to go--it was freezing in there!

            In the Arts hall, I was fascinated by a painting of the Tardis (you know, that phone booth-looking thing that is a time machine/spacecraft on Doctor Who).  It was a trompe d’oeil, which took a different form as you walked past it.  Absolutely wonderful, but the painting had not won any prize.    The Arts and Crafts hall was where one found the embroidery, clothes, samplers, hand-painted china, etc., and, again, where one tries to figure out why certain items win prizes and others don’t.    The novelty this year at the fair was a hall devoted to cannabis—but I skipped that.

            I sat to rest on a bench outside each hall, but by now my legs were aching—and it was only noon!  After a side trip to the restroom—the fairgrounds restrooms always look dingy, no matter how often they are cleaned—I left the exhibit halls and walked along the row of stalls on the south side.  A friend says that the last time she was at the fair, a decade or so ago, there was a booth where you could have your photo taken with parrots on your shoulder.  There were no parrots this year, but I did snap a photo of the Hello Kitty booth.  I have a Hello Kitty bath towel,  blanket, and even a sparkly ring.  I don’t want more, but I couldn’t resist photographing this trove.

             Now it was time to trek over to the large buildings known poetically as A, B, C, and D.  I say “trek” because it feels like one, though it is not really far.  The thing is, you have to trudge up a long ramp, most of the time in the sun, and then enter the commercial exhibits and go downstairs to the part you want to see.  I photographed myself halfway up the ramp, more exhausted than I look.

             The ground floor of the first building used to feature county exhibits—almost every California county put up an exhibit lauding its special aspects, and you could vote for your favorite.  These have disappeared, but there are agricultural and food exhibits, cooking competitions (if you are there at the right time, etc.  There’s also a post office where you can find all the current stamps, as well as stamp décor.  What I always look for is the Authors’ Nook, where a few local writers display their works (usually self-published).  I chatted with Frank Luna.  Last year I’d bought his novel Red Storm, about a station on Mars and quite enjoyed the adventure, so I bought his new book, The Community. 

            Out the back door of this building you see The Farm, with educational exhibits and activities, plus a fresh fruit stand.  The Farm is evidently a permanent installation.  An ad for it online suggests that it’s perfect for weddings, and “there is even a log cabin on site, perfect for staging or using as a bridal suite.”   So keep that in mind!

             I figured my legs had done just about all the work they intended, so I headed out of the building in the general direction of the food concourse.  This meant strolling through the wine garden and then up a rise to Camp Smokey… and yes, there is a big statue of Smokey Bear, and yes, I got a forest ranger girl to take my photo with him.  She evidently thought I was in my second childhood, as she informed me that if I waited twenty minutes, the puppet show would start.  However, I did not wait….

             I managed to trudge through the sun to the shaded food area, where I bought an overpriced over-heavy snack, namely California Fries (greasy fries but with avocado, for health) and then stumbled up the hill to the entrance/exit.  Ahh….now I just had to wait for a bus, get off at J Street, fetch my bike, and soon I was home.  It had not been a *really* hot day, but nevertheless, after a short rest I did something very unusual for me: stripped off everything and jumped into a cold shower.  No soap, no shampoo—I just imagined that I was in a cool pond beneath a waterfall.  Of course, the next day I couldn’t even walk on my over-used legs, but it was an excuse to lie about reading.