Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

I’d try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

This really is a full service blog.

Not so fun when the rabbit gets the gun, is it?

After roe, women are no longer free.

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

Republicans are radicals, not conservatives.

Let there be snark.

When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

Usually wrong but never in doubt

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

When someone says they “love freedom”, rest assured they don’t mean yours.

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

I really should read my own blog.

Republicans in disarray!

Fuck these fucking interesting times.

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires republicans to act in good faith.

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

Let’s finish the job.

The republican caucus is already covering themselves with something, and it’s not glory.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Because of wow. / At the DNC

Reader Interactions

260Comments

  2. 2.

    Comrade Mary

    Don’t tease us with promises of fist fights and passing references of nosebleeds without delivering. Can’t you at least link to some YT footage of hockey fights?

  5. 5.

    eldorado

    dude. dude, you are on a road trip with two super hot and spicy individuals. girls love guys that are hanging out with other pretty girls. abl and the companion should be able to get you hooked up with some cutie there.

    go for it.

  8. 8.

    becca

    Are you wearing khakis and one of your new shirts-the gray one?

    Cuz I think I just saw you cheering Rahmbo.

  9. 9.

    Comrade Jake

    Lots of crowd shots on the teepee. This convention looks quite a bit different than the RNC. I don’t know what it is. Just can’t quite put my finger on it…

  10. 10.

    BGinCHI

    Check your pits before you participate in the wave, Cole.

    Also, bet you can get a paper airplane to the stage.

  18. 18.

    Comrade Mary

    kAL pENN SHOUTOUT: “yoU DON’T EVEN HAVE TO PUT PANTS ON.” yOU HAVE ARRIVED, jOHN cOLE.

  20. 20.

    ? Martin

    I’m guessing Cole has that 130 decibel voice in him. I wanna hear a ‘TUNCH!’ during one of these speeches. Cal Penn’s would have been ideal, but I’ll take one of the later ones.

  22. 22.

    mclaren

    So when Barack Obama deep throats the RIAA/MPAA robber barons and the Wall Street crime lords and the military-surveillance-torture complex, we’d all like to know:

    Swallow?

    Or spit?

  25. 25.

    Tim F.

    Whoever at NPR decided to balance out their commentary team with Matthew Continetti should just resign. WTF, Michelle Malkin was busy?

  30. 30.

    The Dangerman

    Kal Penn endorses the John Cole pants free election.

    Hey, nice Pubes!

    /suddenly craving White Castle

  31. 31.

    Mnemosyne

    @Tim F.:

    I have never wanted to punch someone in the throat as much as that asshole. And I only heard him for 10 minutes on my drive home from work.

  35. 35.

    SIA

    Kal’s adorable and funny. Watching on CSPN and yes it’s much better. And aren’t the Dems so much looser and happier than the GOP!?? OBAMA BIDEN 2012!

  45. 45.

    redshirt

    LOL! I remember thinking back to an ancient era when there seemed to be no difference between the parties, so who did it matter who you voted for. Did I dream this?

  52. 52.

    Linda Featheringill

    @Culture of Truth:

    She doesn’t have a classic speaking voice and manner but she moved several women to tears and many more to shouts of approval.

    Good for you, Lily!

  54. 54.

    Shawn in ShowMe

    I have no doubt that Mrs. Ledbetter could break Chuck Norris over her knee. Seventy-four year old Amazon warrior queen.

  55. 55.

    JGabriel

    __
    __
    Just Some Fuckhead:

    Oh lord, I just saw Terry McAuliffe. Tell me that slimy fucker isn’t speaking.

    Nah, Macauliffe is just gonna project his thoughts into the audience with his vampiric mind-talking skill.

    Sucking blood has its advantages, apparently.

    .

  57. 57.

    jl

    Lily Ledbetter reminds me of the local Dem GOTV coordinator when I was in HS. Same accent, same drive, same self confidence. Things didn’t get done, she’d kick ass and take names, believe me. Need more people like that our there.

    Edit: almost forgot: same sass!

  58. 58.

    slag

    @General Stuck: She rocked it! The SO listened to her speech and said she should have been put in prime time (he previously had no concrete idea what the LL Act did beyond “equal pay for women”). I admit it’s hard to imagine topping her.

  59. 59.

    PsiFighter37

    Too bad she can’t run for office. Well, she could, but being from Alabama…I’m sure it’s going to be slim pickings there.

  61. 61.

    Nina-the-first

    “More interested in having the job than doing the job”–Deval knows the RMoney agenda, he does.

    Oh yes, glad I was a volunteer for Deval–he’s grown into the job, just as Barack has :-)

  66. 66.

    Culture of Truth

    “It’s time for Democrats to grow a backbone and stand up for what we believe!”

    well sure, but he’s from Massachusetts.

  74. 74.

    Bostondreams

    Wow. ‘It’s time for Democrats to stand up and grow a backbone.’
    Just wow. My home state governor. I hope he can be my president one day.

  77. 77.

    General Stuck

    wow. Duval is on fire, maybe this convention can finally get the dem party out of the Reagan inspired crouch of fear it’s been in for such a long long time.

  81. 81.

    Violet

    Wow, just look at that crowd. Looks like America. A beautiful multi-hued America. That’s my country!

  86. 86.

    Seanly

    Lily & Deval kickin’ ass and takin’ names. It’s because of strong and fair-minded people like them that I am a hardcore Democrat. Four more tears!

  93. 93.

    Robin G.

    I just threw my panties at the TV. Wow. Speech of the night, and I think we’ve seen damn good speeches.

  94. 94.

    PsiFighter37

    Okay, THAT was a speech.

    The fact that David Brooks is whining about it on PBS suggests it was really good.

  100. 100.

    ChrisNYC

    This election is so O V E R.

    Oh to be a fly on the wall in Boston watching this explosion of energy. Second only to watching the real time reaction to Clint.

  101. 101.

    Elizabelle

    Our future president, Martin O’Malley.

    Driving around in Maryland and seeing all the Obama signs and bumperstickers does my heart good.

  104. 104.

    PsiFighter37

    I know the Netroots (or at least Kos) is pretty high on O’Malley, but he’s got an awfully hard act to follow. I don’t care that he’s got signs in the stands helping him out with this. “Forward, not back” doesn’t do it.

    Deval Patrick crushed it tonight.

  106. 106.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Culture of Truth:

    I figured it out
    I figured it out
    With a pencil and a pad I figured it out!
    Seven and a half cents doesn’t buy a hell of a lot,
    Seven and a half cents doesn’t mean a thing!
    But give it to me every hour,
    Forty hours every week,
    And that’s enough for me to be living like a king!

  107. 107.

    Comrade Nimrod Humperdink

    Deval Patrick, Lilly Ledbetter, and little Zoe’s mom, in three speeches, are about as stark a contrast as you can get to the horseshit in Tampa. I’m not sure how many people will see any of those speeches, but they’re about as powerful a rebuttal as you can get.

  112. 112.

    Patricia Kayden

    All the speakers at the DNC are so good that I am really looking forward to President Obama’s speech. Nice to see diversity among the speakers and in the audience.

  113. 113.

    gogol's wife

    Patrick was incredible. I never saw him before (heard of him, of course). This kind of reminds me of Obama’s ’04 speech, but feistier, less poetic. Very good. I can’t watch much of this, it’s too rich for my blood, but that cheered me up.

  114. 114.

    Shawn in ShowMe

    Martin O’Malley apparently is the host of a new game show “Forward Not Back.” I’ll take Mitt’s Swiss Bank Accounts for $500, Martin.

  119. 119.

    Robin G.

    This is an awful speech. I really hate O’Malley, and I pray to God I won’t be forced to vote for him.

  120. 120.

    jl

    @Violet: A little back and forth chant at a convention is good, silly or not. Get people fired up and ready to go. Too bad he started slow and undersold the Old Line story.

    I’ll take it. good speeches tonight overall so far. Better than the competition.

    Wadda people want, and empty chair, or some ‘ample’ stingy shouty guy fluffing himself for 2016?

  121. 121.

    Nina-the-first

    O’Malley just described the Bush presidency–“when being a woman was a pre-existing condition”–someone had to do it, after all, since RMoney was running from it. So thanks, gov!

  126. 126.

    ? Martin

    I have to admit, aside from the first-time speakers being a bit (understandably) unpolished, this has been much more solid than I was expecting. Lily really brought it in a way that Patrick and Penn and O’Malley can’t. They all gave great speeches, but Lily personifies the issue in a way that the others can’t.

  130. 130.

    jl

    @raven: thank you. Listen to the wise Raven. Everyone can’t be the big charismatic star. Everyone pitches in, does what they can. We R Dems.

    What do you want? the GOP convention was last week. You didn’t tune in for drama queens, prima donas, and self promoters, you snoozed and you losed.

  133. 133.

    LanceThruster

    @Comrade Mary:

    I did like the card stunt visuals of the FORWARD signs popping up and then the NOT BACK (though they only had it sync’d a couple of times in the middle for some reason).

  136. 136.

    PsiFighter37

    If that speech sticks, Deval has to be considered as a serious contender, if he wants it, for 2016.

    Julian is not lighting it up so far.

  138. 138.

    Shawn in ShowMe

    What the hell got into Deval? He was Larry Holmes at the 2008 convention. He was Muhammad Ali tonight.

  139. 139.

    Faux News

    @Poopyman: Same here. I hope our Gov. O’Malley gets a wonderful appointment under President Obama’s second term. US ambassador to Ireland would be great. That way LT Gov. Anthony Brown could be our next Gov and move on up from there!

  141. 141.

    Baud

    This is why Chuck Todd earns the big bucks:

    Chuck Todd ‏@chucktodd

    Passion so far at Dem convo is clearly FOR president. Last week, passion at the GOP convo was less FOR Romney and more AGAINST POTUS

  142. 142.

    Spaghetti Lee

    I know it’s easy to get caught up in the emotion of it all, but man, it sure seems like there’s been one home run after another tonight.

    Some speakers have been better than others, but it seems like they’re all owning and embracing what it means to be a liberal and a Democrat. No running towards the middle. Must be why Bobo and Sullivan are so bummed out.

  145. 145.

    mamayaga

    @Baud: Tweet posted at GOS:

    The Democratic party bench is so deep every candidate has a twin ready to go in their place. Deal with it.

  147. 147.

    mclaren

    @Culture of Truth:

    “It’s time for Democrats to grow a backbone and stand up for what we believe!”

    Stand up for what we believe! Torture, kidnapping of American citizens, murder of children without accusing ’em of committing a crime, warrantless wiretapping of all American citizens, groping and frisking of Americans everywhere they go without charging them with a crime, unlimited GET OUT OF JAIL FREE cards for every Wall Street crime lord and endless monopoly rights for every greedy corrupt ISP and medical industrial monopoly and big pharma company and bribe-taking doctor.

  149. 149.

    Anya

    The Democratic party bench is so deep every candidate has a twin ready to go in their place. Deal with it. #dnc2012
    — @pourmecoffee via TweetDeck

  152. 152.

    fleeting expletive

    Julian Castro is gorgeous! His twin brother is too, but I think they are fraternal twins. I’m enjoying the C-SPAN coverage.

  157. 157.

    jl

    Glad word went around to always remind people that Romney is a good man, an honorable man, no one comes to damn him… Just totally wrong about everything is all.

  158. 158.

    ChrisNYC

    I think Castro’s doing really well. He’s sort of in his body, responding to the crowd. Not a barn burner but what he’s doing — he’s holding the crowd, they’re listening — is hugely hard, I think.

  166. 166.

    ? Martin

    @Culture of Truth: Texas will be a Dem state within 8 years either way, but yeah, he’s hot shit. If he can pull a national campaign together in 4 years (a tall order for a mayor, btw) he’ll carry the state. The only thing Texas needs is latino turnout.

  169. 169.

    jl

    @Poopyman:

    Obomney care back handed compliments have little Toddler flumoxed?

    Kick ass sassy tough as nails blond Southern lady scare him? Todd doing quick ball checks, what?

  172. 172.

    Baud

    Judging by the reactions on this thread, Castro should have given this speech without pants (or as we like to say, a la Cole).

  173. 173.

    ChrisNYC

    @Violet: Yes, gorgeous. Big fan of the 40s hair, all slicked.

    This crowd is going to have collective coronary when Michelle steps out. Pumped.

  174. 174.

    Bill E Pilgrim

    @ChrisNYC:

    > I think Castro’s doing really well.

    I agree.

    I was worried that the headline from tonight would be about a large-boned man on stage arguing with an empty cat. Wearing no pants. And the man wasn’t either.

  182. 182.

    Shawn in ShowMe

    “My mom fought hard for civil rights so I instead of a mop, I could hold this microphone.”

    Nicely played, Julian.

  185. 185.

    Grumpy Code Monkey

    Patrick was a firecracker, but Castro’s getting the job done.

    And yeah, deep frickin’ bench for 2016. And not just deep, but young. These guys are going to be around for a while.

  187. 187.

    LanceThruster

    This is making me anxious to see President Obama open a can of whoop-ass on R-money in the upcoming debates. Same for Biden giving Ryan Popeye’s old twisker punch.

    “A-gah-gah-gah-gah-gah-gah!”

  190. 190.

    Schlemizel

    Who was the guy from Ohio that was first off, ahead of the ex-gov of Kansas?

    I thought that was a hellofa speech he gave. That was what Dems should have been saying all weekend when asked the BS question about “are we better off?”

  192. 192.

    El Cid

    Castro gave a good speech, but it was written by his secret father Fidel and sent via Kenya to his teleprompter.

  193. 193.

    PsiFighter37

    Castro got better towards the end. That said, it is going to be hard beating what Deval laid on the convention tonight.

    Well, unless Michelle crushes it.

  195. 195.

    dead existentialist

    I wasn’t going to watch any of this, but, man, am I glad that I took a look-see. Most of this has been inspiring.

    And now Her Awesomeness is up next.

    I need a towel . . . .

  196. 196.

    plaindave

    @mclaren

    Let’s say you’re right about every complaint you make. Do you think Romney will approach even one of those issues in a way we’d agree is an improvement? Even you must realize Obama is at worst the lesser evil. Try to focus. You only get to choose one. One of them will be president. When you fail to vote for Obama you’re voting for Romney.

    Take your medication, please.

  201. 201.

    mai naem

    @Schlemizel: Ted Strickland. I can’t remember he either lost the governors or senate race. He was the governor. He’s almost as good as Sherrod Brown.

  202. 202.

    ChrisNYC

    @Grumpy Code Monkey: Gotta love how the Dems talent spot and raise people up. I mean, GOPers had 8 years with GWB and pfft. Pulled up the ladders. And that’s how you end up with Dick Armey running your “new” movement.

  203. 203.

    MikeJ

    @Baud: I hate to be the Chuck Todd defender, but that’s not a horrible observation. A bit shallow, especially for those already in the know, but your typical NBC viewer is an idiot and has no idea what’s actually happening in the world.

  204. 204.

    Nina-the-first

    “It’s a relay, not a sprint”–yes, we build it together, work together, Mr RMoney.

    Oh yes, yay CSPAN!

  206. 206.

    Steeplejack

    I am trying to do my duty and watch the convention, but Bob Schieffer is breaking my balls. Seriously. Balls. Breakin’ ’em.

    P.S. Eclare, working on an e-mail to you!

  210. 210.

    Baud

    @MikeJ:

    A bit shallow, especially for those already in the know, but your typical NBC viewer is an idiot and has no idea what’s actually happening in the world.

    Fair enough, except it was a tweet. Maybe there are a lot of uninformed people who follow Todd’s tweets, but I’m doubtful.

  211. 211.

    Schlemizel

    @mai naem: Yeah! His delivery needs work but he had some great lines
    “Mitt Romney never saw the point of building something when he could profit from tearing it down.”

    “Barack Obama is betting on the American worker. Mitt Romney is betting on a Bermuda shell corporation.”

    “Barack Obama saved the American auto industry. Mitt Romney saved on his taxes.”

    “Barack Obama is an economic patriot. Mitt Romney is an outsourcing pioneer.”

  213. 213.

    LanceThruster

    Like I’ve mentioned earlier, I don’t do sports but when comparing conventions, this is like a blowout against a team you just can’t stand. They can put in injured reserves and still rack up the points.

    F Mitt Romney for his shltty-ass “fire the coach” spew.

    Mitt will do to the country what Shrubya did to his ball team.

  218. 218.

    Brian R.

    Hey, remember when Republicans tried to make Michelle Obama this scary America-hating harpy?

    Yeah, nice try, assclowns.

  219. 219.

    LanceThruster

    Burn! A mom with 5 kids, most of whom are already serving. Wow! Just wow.

    Mitt…how are your spawn “serving” their country again?

  223. 223.

    Ash Can

    Did I hear right — FLOTUS is speaking tonight too? I saw in an earlier post that Cole got spiffed up for the occasion. For the most glamorous and brilliant First Lady this nation has quite probably ever had? He’d damn well better!

  225. 225.

    Brian R.

    I really wasn’t going to watch much of this, but daaaaamn, the Democrats have been bringing the high heat tonight. Wow.

  227. 227.

    LanceThruster

    Uh oh. No sleeves. Reagan respected the office so much he never even removed his jacket (except when he did).

    Why does Michelle hate America?

    (she’s so pretty and so sweet and so smart – must drive the neo-Klan crazy)

  231. 231.

    mai naem

    I don’t mean to sound shallow but Michelle’s hotter than Ann Romney. And I ain’t even going to mean girl. And, oh yeah, Ms. Obama did not have to do a stupid “we looove you women!!!”

  234. 234.

    Grumpy Code Monkey

    Just have to say, if you can’t be there live, C-SPAN is the one and only way to go for this. I don’t think I could deal with needless “commentary” from professional stenographers.

    God Michelle is gorgeous. And funny.

  237. 237.

    ChrisNYC

    Those Robinson parents really kicked ass all over the United States. I mean, normal people and they raise TWO really successful kids. Should write a book!

  239. 239.

    dead existentialist

    “They didn’t begrudge success . . . ” Sweet!

    “We learned that truth matters.”

    She just her hubby re-elected. God bless her.

  241. 241.

    mainmati

    Watching Michelle Obama. She is a natural public speaker. Of course, it helps that she is also seriously photogenic but mainly because we are hearing a serious intellect and a very articulate one at that. I only hope she doesn’t upstage Prez. :)

  246. 246.

    Culture of Truth

    Yes but energy is not the same as effectiveness. Castro was fantastic, but Michelle gets you on an emotional level.

    “The quiet moments, late at night.”

  251. 251.

    General Stuck

    @Mark B.:

    It is the FLOTUS roll to deliver ‘heartfelt’, and to humanize Barack. There is also steel in Michelle to go with the positive vibes.

  256. 256.

    LanceThruster

    I wasn’t keen on the tune in the background when she exited. Don’t know what I’d prefer though.

  257. 257.

    jimmiraybob

    I have to admit that I thought that the GOP had accomplished the seemingly impossible at making an inanimate wooden object seem human, and, of course, I’m speaking of the Chair. Tonight I dust off and proudly plant the 2008 Obama/Biden yard sign that I’ve been saving for this occasion.

    Sorry Chair. You were good, but Michelle, holy guacamole….and a guy named Castro, dio mio, were gooder. I’m sure that you’ll do OK. Bootstraps etc., etc. See ya in 2016.

  258. 258.

    ruemara

    Watched it from open to close. This how Democrats should have been in 2010 and it is awesome to watch. I predict a real convention bounce.

  259. 259.

    PurpleGirl

    Wasn’t sure about watching the whole night but I’m glad I did. (Thanks to arguingwithsignposts I switched to cspan and the livestream was very good.)

    Michelle’s speech was great.

    Deval Patrick rocked.

    Julian Castro is a comer. He was very good and got better as he went. As was his brother. I wish I could vote for them both. (I can’t stand Andrew Cuomo…)

    Lily Ledbetter and the military mother were great.

    On another thread I said I loved the diversity of the Democrats and all the stuff they were wearing. It was some crowd.

  260. 260.

    JR in WV

    @Emma:

    Emma,

    I agree with your description totally but don’t feed the trolls,
    it just gives them an egoboo to do it again.

    Go out tomorrow and volunteer to phone bank for Obama and a Democratic candidate for congress!

    JR

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