I agree with most of the material that has been reported on and also want to thank the DV crew who made it possible for us to enter the world of the DNC.  My report will mostly be on what we didn't hear and one very important point that I actually agreed with Roemer on, which will probably get me slammed, but I will do it anyway.  

I also want to mention that I agree that the "powers that be" were not expecting us, nor did they welcome us. (although I availed myself of the refreshments beforehand) In fact, the staffers or salaried muckety mucks hung around the "guest" area in the back where some of us also sat and disregarded the instructions of turning off their cell phones, held conversations with each other and generally made it difficult for us to hear what was being said.  Hopefully someone from one of the offices will read this blog and keep that in mind for the next time. They may have been bored with hearing these speeches again, but we were there to be informed and to learn what the candidates had to say.

I was disappointed that when the candidates DID mention issues, not one of them mentioned anything having to do with foreign policy. Now, maybe issues are not supposed to be a part of the chairman's job, but if that is true, why bring up social security, healthcare, education, etc. and leave out the one thing that we SHOULD stand squarely in opposition to the Republicans on? I am so sick and tired of hearing about Homeland Security, when what we should be talking about is how to be treating other countries and cultures so they don't want to attack us.  

They all awkwardly sidestepped the media reform question as well.  It was totally ignored, even though they were asked about it point blank!

Now, on the issue that Roemer brought up (again I must say I totally disagreed with everything else he had to say) about reaching out to those who worship (or whatever the current politically correct term is) or people of faith.  I think this point is going to be missed because of some of the knee jerk reactions some of us have whenever religion is mentioned.  What his message was is that there are mainstream, progressive and liberal "religious" democrats.  Not to be confused with keeping church and state separated, but realizing that religious leaders are NOT being given good framed messages about how there is more than ONE issue that can be "spun" to these faithful.  That to vote with the "right" because of one issue IS not following the tenets of their faith.  That caring for the poor, giving aid to those without health care, shelter, education, etc. should be even MORE important issues on which to make their spiritual decisions on how to vote.  

As a person who has heard religious leaders struggle with these issues from their pulpits, I wholeheartedly agree that we need to provide them with good powerful framed messages to help their followers make rational spiritual decisions.  At no time did we do this during the last 8 years.  Many of the Hispanic voters were lost because of this.  Each of the candidates mentioned trying to win them back, but without understanding the importance of religion in their lives, it won't happen.  (Also many African Americans who worship conservatively, were lost to the right--I've seen and heard this with my own eyes)

All in all a great learning experience for me, I'm going to do a bit of research on just how one does get to be in the DNC, become a delegate, etc., as many of us were also wondering about this process.