Take Back America had to close doors....over a mile long outdoors.

[madfloridian]

http://www.ourfuture.org/press/convention/pr20040727.cfm

SNIP..."AREA HOTEL FORCED TO SHUT DOORS BY LAW ENFORCEMENT
Democratic Convention Delegates, Progressives Pushed Away
Elected Officials, Labor Leaders Restrained from Entry

CAMBRIDGE, MASS. – Thousands of delegates and area residents today were forced out of a hotel across the bridge from the Democratic convention when about one hundred law enforcement officials couldn't contain the excitement around a progressive rally organized by the Campaign for America's Future. Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., Los Angeles City Councilmember Antonio Villaraigosa and AFL-CIO President John Sweeney were barred from entering the building where thousands of progressives gathered to outline their alternative to right-wing policies that are not working in America.

Former Governor Howard Dean, D-Vt., filmmaker Michael Moore, former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich and Campaign for America's Future Co-director Robert Borosage were among the headliners at the event held at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge. Event organizers created a second rally site on the hotel lawn to capture the energy of those who couldn't get in. Moore and Dean spoke on both stages.

Today:
"The Campaign for America's Future plans to hold a debate between former Senator Gary Hart, D-Colo., Amb. Joe Wilson, Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, and The Nation editor Katrina vanden Heuvel at the same location tomorrow afternoon. Event organizers are looking into how to expand the size of the venue."

Dean speaks to overflow crowd from balcony:

[Sabriel]

1. Oh, to be there, instead of here.

Sounds like something attendees will remember for a long time to come.

[Sugarbleus]

20. Hoo boy, you speak my thoughts exactly. I've never wanted

to be someplace so badly in all my life. *sigh*

[redqueen]

2. FAN-CHENEYING-TASTIC!

Thanks for posting this great news!!!!

What is the debate going to be about, I wonder...

:party:

[madfloridian]

5. About the new progressive movement, I think.

All of these folks coming together for change is so new, that no one is quite sure how it will go. Go here and check out the daily schedule, it tells a little more.

http://www.ourfuture.org/projects/dconrsvp.cfm

Here is Thursday's description, which in part tells a lot about the conference. There were over 2500 at the June event, still up at C-Span. They covered Dean, Hilary, Soros, and others then.


"Organizing to Take Back America (2-5pm)

This session will showcase the new progressive infrastructure — the groups waging the war on the ground, the air, and the web to Take Back America. The right-wing apparatus is finally being contested. Meet leaders who are making it happen.
(Co-sponsored by Progressive Majority)"

[Cha]

3. What a Great picture! Say "a picture says a thousand

words"!

[madfloridian]

13. I agree about the picture.

I think Moore went outside to talk to them as well. That is good they had such crowds.

[DODI]

4. Chills, this just gives me chills

The DNC is going so well! It seems the side events are even better than the actual convention. The whole mood is coming off as one of hope. I don't think that is how the RNC is going to appear. All you RNC protesters start practicing:

"The whole world's watching, the whole world's watching"

[madfloridian]

6. Not actually DNC, though many of the same folks.

A little different.

[redqueen]

8. This group will be working to *improve* the DNC

over the next few years, methinks. :)

[madfloridian]

11. Methinks.

As well. :hi:

As well as Democracy for America working for the candidates at local levels. Like the Dean Dozens.

www.democracyforamerica.com

[DODI]

12. It gets confusing -- by DNC I was referring to the Convention as

Democratic National Convention -- not the DNC, Democratic National Committee. I have little use for the DLC or DNC. Go Progressives!

[Robbien]

7. This is the event that Symbolman posted about

Wasn't Will Pitt also supposed to be there?

[madfloridian]

10. My post below was in response to yours. Sorry, responded in wrong place.

:hi:

[Wind Dancer]

15. Yes, he is supposed to give us

an update soon. He hoped to interview Joe Wilson after his speech.

[madfloridian]

9. There is/was another conference as well this week.

http://www.berkeleydaily.org/text/article.cfm?issue=07-27-04&storyID=19327

SNIP.."The presidential aspirations for one Dennis Kucinich have ended—he endorsed John Kerry last Thursday night in Detroit—but the campaign lives on. Kucinich joins dozens of national figures this week in a series of “social forums” discussing almost everything: bringing the troops home, restoring Jean Bertrand Aristide to the presidency of Haiti, creating a universal healthcare plan, endorsing gay marriage, supporting Hugo Chavez in Venezuela. The agenda goes all the way to defining, in the words of Zogby, “what America will become.” This new organization is called PDA, or Progressive Democrats of America, and most of the issues raised by the progressives in Monday’s two-hour opening forum aren’t in the Democratic Party platform.

This was the first of nine such events during this convention week for Kucinich and the 300 supporter-entourage he has brought with him to Boston. The list of scheduled speakers for the week reads like a national progressive who’s who all-star team: Prof. Angela Davis, former California State Sen. and ‘60s icon Tom Hayden, U.S. Rep. John Conyers from Michigan, Sen. Dick Durban from Illinois, Actor Sean Penn, Global Exchange Executive Director Medea Benjamin, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., new-age author Marianne Williamson, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, and former LBJ press secretary and television personality Bill Moyers. It has become an ambitious project, to say the least.

[Nevernose]

14. This is something the pundits haven't figured out yet

None of the talking heads and few of the reporters, in my opinion, have really picked up on all of the ENERGY out there. In the last few weeks, being a Democrat has been electrifying.

[Pastiche423]

16. Maybe because they are looking in the wrong place?

It sure ain't at the convention.

Dean keeps making me prouder of all he has done and is doing!

[madfloridian]

17. Another picture of the overflow crowd.

[donsu]

25. thanks for this second pic

nt

[CHIMO]

18. Uninvited Guest: Michael Moore Takes Boston By Storm

MICHAEL MOORE: I don't know what it is with right wingers and Republicans. The--they seem to have hijacked over the years the word "patriotism", the American flag, these things. And it's an odd thing. I have been thinking about this lately. Because the true patriots are those who believe the important thing is to ask questions, you know. To dissent when necessary. And I know a lot of people have seen my film and the obvious----the bad guy in the movie is George W. Bush. But there's the unstated villain in the film. And that's our national media. You've seen the film. Right? (applause). A lot of them are mad at me right now because----I can't go on a show without them, you know. But I would be mad if I were them too, because the film outs them. It outs them as being for the Bush administration. It outs them as people who were cheerleaders for this war. It outs them as, to be kind to those who are actually good journalists, journalists who fell asleep on the job. Journalists who didn't ask the hard questions. The one thing I hear when people come out of the theater over and over again is I never saw that on the news. Right? Isn't that----I never-- why didn't I see that? I never saw those Black congressmen being shut down one after another. Did anyone see that?

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/07/28/1335239


If you watch or listen to it is about 50 minutes long.
They also have a connection to his speech outside after his presentation that is about 25 minutes in length.
Lots of good points and chuckles.

[madfloridian]

19. Will check that out tomorrow. Heard him on C-Span today.

He really rocked the room. I have not seen Dean's speech yet, but maybe Friday or the week-end they will replay it.

[Robbien]

21. Is the PDA supposed to be working within the Democratic Party?

I do not see how it fits in with the DLC platform. I'm confused.

[madfloridian]

22. I think it is Democratic. Here is my take.

I think it might be part of a movement, along with DFA, and Take Back America (Campaign for America's Future) to counteract the right wing pull of the DLC.

I do know that Dean has stated that his Democracy for America will work within the party, but not as a part of the DNC or DLC. It is to support candidates and keep together those who supported him.

There is also a group called New Democrats, but they are mainly DLC who are a little less extreme. They all overlap in an lot of ways.

The DNC is the actual party organization, and I think of the DLC/PPI and the other groups as sort of think tanks with agendas. I do not like the agendas of the leadership of the DLC/PPI at all, so the other movements look pretty darn wonderful to me.

I think you could say that those who do not like the rightish direction of the present party are organizing. I am sure someone will correct me on this if I have it wrong.

[Robbien]

23. So basically it is part of the left wing of the Democratic Party

but it (along with the DFA) are not strong enough to work outside the power structure so right now are trying to effect change working within the party.

[madfloridian]

24. That is just about my take on it.

Key words are "for now". Dean said many times this is no time for a 3rd party. Not now. When Dean started Democracy for America, he made it clear it would take a long time to effect real change. He pointed out that efforts like this have not had a good track record, but that you never knew until you tried.