Obama speech symbolizes the arc of civil rights
By ROBERT RUPP, Special to The NewsEditor's note: Robert Rupp, a political historian at West Virginia Wesleyan College, is providing a daily journal of analysis and happenings from the Democratic National Convention. Also, see Wood County Democratic chairman Walt Auvil's blog from the convention at www.newsandsentinel.com
DENVER - The acceptance speech Thursday by Barack Obama symbolizes the arc of civil rights in America over the past three generations.
At the 1924 Democratic convention - which nominated West Virginia's only presidential candidate John W. Davis - there was only one black delegate who was an alternate. And he allegedly had to be escorted from the floor to ensure his protection. Although that 1924 convention defeated a condemnation of the Ku Klux Klan by only one vote, the national image of the Democratic party was that of a white man's party.
A generation later, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I have a dream" speech.
Barack Obama at the time was only 2 years old, and the number of black delegates at the 1960 convention had risen to only 22.
Now, exactly 45 years to the day since King spoke, Obama gave his acceptance speech at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. The audience at the stadium Thursday not only heard a good speech, but also became eyewitnesses to political history.
When the roll call was started Wednesday, West Virginians saw a familiar face in the "Madame Secretary" who conducted the proceedings - Shenandoah resident Alice Travis Germond. As secretary of the Democratic National Committee, she is responsible for calling the roll at the convention for the nominations for president and vice president.
Before Germond called for the states to vote, Madeline Albright gave a speech supporting Obama. She served as President Bill Clinton's secretary of state and as U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton's foreign policy adviser during the primary campaign. Tuesday, she sat with the West Virginia delegation in the same row as many of the state delegates. Apparently, it was one of the few empty seats in the center that the first woman secretary of state could find.
The night of nomination ended with a vote of acclamation for Obama's nomination offered by Clinton, D-N.Y. All delegations had cast their votes at 4 p.m., well before the roll call vote. So the votes of the West Virginia delegates were cast and counted, but because the roll call was stopped, the Mountain State was one of many that did not get to announce the result.
The existence of a contingency plan in the voting procedure reflected the continued concern that some Clinton supporters would stand firm. But the careful ritual of public unity went off as planned, as Hillary Clinton had the opportunity to ask for a voice vote for her nomination rival.
These arrangements were known to the West Virginia delegation ahead of time. The delegates came to the convention meeting dressed in their yellow polo shirts - an attractive color that makes it easier to read the blue print on the shirts.
When the rules were suspended, the West Virginia delegation erupted along with the other 5,000 delegates in the arena. One of the delegates received a text message saying, "The delegation looks good. Now raise the roof." According to the noise level inside the Pepsi Center that night, instructions were followed by everyone.
It was ironic that Hillary Clinton would call for a suspension of rules to accommodate a vote by acclamation. During the last few weeks of the hard-fought contest, she was engaged in a rules debate over the seating of the Florida and Michigan delegations.
But Obama's narrow margin allowed this convention to become a coronation.
And it avoided repeating the nightmare of 1924 - the convention that nominated John W. Davis after more than 100 ballots.
Until the 1930s, nominated candidates went through the ritual of having a delegation come to their hometown and officially notify them. The notification ceremony reflected a time when candidates did not come to the convention and continued even after they did come.
Franklin Roosevelt broke that tradition when he became the first winning nominee to address a convention. In summer 1932, he arrived dramatically by plane from New York.
Obama's surprise entrance was less theatrical, but still dramatic. As he walked on the stage in casual attire, he praised his wife, the Clintons and his running mate, Joe Biden - each of whom told a compelling story and made a pitch for party unity.
On Thursday, Obama went to a stadium and had time to tell his story and make his pitch for party unity. His historic speech marked both the end of the 2008 Democratic convention and the start the 10-week sprint to the November general election.
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bobzim
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08-29-08 6:30 PM
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Did any of you notice that there is no place to comment on the article about McCain picking his running mate? It's okay to comment on a story involving Obama, but the News and Sentinel who like to support the republicans, don't want you taking shots at the republican candidate. So much for their position on being unbiased!
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CliffH
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08-29-08 12:32 PM
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It truly amazes me about how many people take shots at each other regarding the presidential race. Our forefathers did not fathom this kind of insanity. When the process of electing a president came to pass, it was supposed to be for the good of the country. There is no way you can tell me that either Obama or McCain are the countries best two choices. You can also bet that our forefathers weren't into spending millions of dollars on namecalling, and yes both candidates are doing a great job of that, and then making stupid statements about the middle class. Obama, last night took alot of cheap shots at McCain, and you can be sure that McCain will do the same at the RNC. You shouldn't lessen you opinion of McCain for being wealthy, he obviously did something right to get to that point and you shouldn't criticize Obama for being young or choosing a religion, this is an American right. Wake up America, the mirrors are fogging.
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Parrothead
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08-29-08 8:50 AM
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When John McCain has the ability, or need, to hold an event in an 85,000 facility, let alone FILL IT, then we can attack Obama ego. This is one of the problems with the republicans. McCain and his supporters, they can not identify and then address needs and problems. Obama and the Democratic Party saw the need, addressed it, developed a solution and solved the problem. They then hosted one of the most extraordinary political events in the history of our Great Nation. It had nothing to do with ego! That is the mind set and ability that our country needs and must have in times like these. No one but those who buy the lies about Obama being “muslim” looks at him a trying to be “The Messiah” or “some sort of god, like he's the 2nd coming”. He is a young man who is promoting chance for our country and the world, that’s all. But then again if history shows us anything, the conservatives have always looked at change as something bad and “crucified” those that called for it.
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Parrothead
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08-29-08 8:40 AM
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The man we are seeing on the campaign trail is not the “true” John McCain! His ads that he “approves” are starting to show signs of his true character – a bitter old man who will throw anything and do anything to promote himself! It has nothing to do with “Country First” and it most definitely has nothing to do with you, me or any citizen of the United States! This man does not understand, or doesn’t care, about the majority of those he is asking to support him. “Country First”. I think not!
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Parrothead
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08-29-08 8:40 AM
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Come on MrAlex; be “fair and Balanced” here. You can have negative opinions about Obama, but anyone with a open and half functioning brain MUST have negative opinions about McCain also! Why would anyone want a president in these tough financial times that was connected to the Keating 5, someone who has been wrong on the withdrawal of our troupes from Iraq (even the Iraqis want a withdrawal plan now), someone who is so out of touch with the real word that he believes that someone who makes 4,900,000.00 a year is “Middle Class”? I respect his service to our country, but does being in the bottom 10 of your academy class show the intellect that the leader of our country needs to possess? Has his temperament been that of someone who we want making the final decisions that affect us all?
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MrAlex
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08-29-08 7:01 AM
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I was surprised that they could actually fit obama's EGO in to that stadium. The Messiah. This no talent, no brained, worthless "American Idol" is such a joke. HOW can so many Americans be falling for this PR, media made phony? He tries to paint himself as some sort of god, like he's the 2nd coming. There has NEVER been a more WORTHLESS, EMPTY candidate for president ever before! obama is promising to "fix" everything and give everyone everything. IF he wins, be ready for nothing to "change" except for his tax increases and higher gas prices. Are THOSE "Changes" we can live with? Come On, Folks. Wake up. obama is nothing but a media made phony with no experience doing anything.
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