DNC Update

I've been watching the Democratic National Convention this week (on their site and on PBS) and the prime time speakers have been awesome, tonight especially. Michelle Obama declaring "this time...we committed ourselves to building the world as it should be." Hillary Clinton with this: "It makes perfect sense that George Bush and John McCain will be together next week in the Twin Cities. Because these days they're awfully hard to tell apart."

Tonight Bill Clinton, John Kerry and Joe Biden tore the opposition to shreds. If Kerry had spoken that forcefully back in '04 he might have won (instead we got people dressed as flip-flops and this stupid shit). Here is my favorite bit from Bill:

Look at the example the Republicans have set: American workers have given us consistently rising productivity. They've worked harder and produced more. What did they get in return? Declining wages, less than one-fourth as many new jobs as in the previous eight years, smaller health care and pension benefits, rising poverty and the biggest increase in income inequality since the 1920s. American families by the millions are struggling with soaring health care costs and declining coverage. I will never forget the parents of children with autism and other severe conditions who told me on the campaign trail that they couldn't afford health care and couldn't qualify their kids for Medicaid unless they quit work or got a divorce. Are these the family values the Republicans are so proud of? What about the military families pushed to the breaking point by unprecedented multiple deployments? What about the assault on science and the defense of torture? What about the war on unions and the unlimited favors for the well connected? What about Katrina and cronyism?

America can do better than that. And Barack Obama will. But first we have to elect him.

Transcripts: Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, John Kerry, Joe Biden. Also the DNC site linked above should have archive videos of the speeches if you prefer the TV lookybox over text.