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August 5, 2004
A rising star
A presidential convention must have two soul stirring events to
be considered a success. One is a dynamic speech from the presidential
candidate who is nominated, the other is a riveting keynote address
that inspires the delegates and the viewing audience with a fresh
understanding of the principles and values of the party.
The recent Democratic National Convention in Boston had both.
However, perusal of the Boston dailies on Wednesday gave the distinct
impression that the keynote address had been eliminated from the
program. Elsewhere, across the country, political pundits were
excited about the emergence of a new force in the Democratic Party.
Barack Obama, the black Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate
from Illinois, scored a personal political victory with his keynote
speech.
Obama understands that the future political success of African
Americans depends upon the ability of political leaders to make
it clear that the important issues of the day affect the lives
of all Americans. All Americans must be concerned about the welfare
of others, because as Obama declared, "…alongside our
famous individualism, there’s another ingredient in the
American saga. A belief that we are all connected as one people."
Obama’s words leaped over racial boundaries, regionalism
and class with the words of the Declaration of Independence still
ringing in the delegates' ears. "We hold these truths to
be self-evident, that all men are created equal. That they are
endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights. That
among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
Few speakers in recent memory have been so successful in encouraging
a racially-mixed audience to "affirm the greatness of our
nation" that respects diversity. Obama proposes an understanding
of America that frees blacks from their anachronistic dependence
on civil rights as the most promising avenue to equality. Obama
sounded the call for the formation of a new coalition that would
improve the status of all those who have not prospered under the
present administration.
The most perplexing question is why the Boston Globe and the Herald
failed to perceive Obama’s speech as important enough to
deserve more than a footnote.
Worthy of praise
The news media are often excessively critical, especially in Boston.
Perhaps that is because of an eagerness to be the first with a
genuine exposé. Unfortunately, the steady drumbeat of negativity
often casts a pall over planned events.
Now that it is over, the press will have to admit that the recent
Democratic Convention was an unmitigated success. The stature
of the city has greatly improved as political activists from across
the nation came here and were able to dispel from their own experiences
the myths that had developed about Boston over the past 30 years.
Mayor Menino was willing to take a great political risk in bringing
the convention here. Had it been a disaster there would have been
a great political price to pay. Wisely Menino hedged his risk
by appointing the very skillful David Passafaro as the president
of the convention host committee.
Now the journalistic community owes the mayor accolades at least
equivalent to the volume of negative press he received as a result
of the disruption to the city because of the security measures
which were imposed by Washington officials.
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