NH is in the HOUSE!!!

What an amazing night last night!  If you saw any of the coverage of the Convention last night you probably saw some familiar faces  – on the “floor”, which includes the actual floor and the lower sections around the floor.  We are seated to the right of the speaker at the podium, and I was in the front row of fixed stadium seating (not the folding chairs on the actual floor).  This meant I was raised a couple of steps above everyone in front of us, including the increasing number of press as the caliber of speakers increased during the evening.  There was a short platform below us where it looked like pages were seated.  As the evening progressed there was a notable face in the crowd – Jesse Jackson.  He was getting tired, standing at length, so stadium staff found a chair for him, and set it on the platform right in front of me.  When he needed to stand again, he turned to me and asked if it was ok for him to stand up – he didn’t want to block my view.  We had a chance to chat for a moment before the next speaker started, he couldn’t have been nicer.  Of course I had no issue with him standing in front of me – and I could see the podium just over his shoulder, and had a clear view over him when I stood to acknowledge the speakers’ points.

The list of speakers was incredible – I’m sure you saw at least some of the names:  Governor Martin O’Malley, Governor Deval Patrick, Lilly Ledbetter, Mayor Corey Booker, and on and on.  There were also regular citizens, like the mom who talked about her daughter who was facing incredibly tough choices as her daughter with a heart condition needed surgery just after birth and then continued care as she healed and recovered – she was quickly maxing out the lifetime benefit cap (and may face more surgery, even a heart transplant in the future) but they could not change to a better plan because of the pre-existing condition preclusion.  Now, thanks to President Obama, her daughter has received all the care she needs, the family is able to manage their portion of the medical bills, and her daughter is absolutely beautiful – clapping and dancing on the stage.

One speaker you really need to google is Tammy Duckworth.  She is a congressional candidate in Illinois.  She is a veteran, wounded in Iraq.  She was the first female Blackhawk helicopter pilot to fly a combat mission in Iraq.  She lost both of her legs when an RPG hit her helicopter in 2004.  Her fellow soldiers were able to get her to safety, and after months of surgery and rehab she is able to walk with two prostheses.  But she didn’t stop there – she spoke out for wounded veterans and now she is running for Congress.

Of course the most anticipated speaker was Michelle Obama and she did not disappoint.  I'm sure you have seen the coverage, but let me say that I am positive the TV experience did not do it justice.  What an amazing First Lady!

It was an inspiring evening to be sure.  As David Simas, Director of Opinion Research for President Obama, just told us at the Wednesday NH Party breakfast, last night made us proud to be Americans and proud to be Democrats.  He told us the story of David (advisor to both Presidents Clinton and Obama) and Susan Axelrod who as young parents found their baby girl blue, in her crib.  They found out the next day that she had a seizure disorder and would experience 7-8 seizures a day for 18 years.  He said you just can’t imagine the pain of being a parent and just wanting to hug your daughter and make it all ok.  On the day Obamacare was deemed Constitutional by the Supreme Court David said that forever forward, parents would never again need to go through what he and Susan did with the health insurance battles over coverage caps and pre-existing conditions.  Elections do matter.  (David Simus’ emphasis)

Jeanne Shaheen just spoke, on her way to an interview with Chuck Todd.  HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is just addressing us now – and then we are off for another day of conventioneering!  As Governor Martin O’Malley had the auditorium chanting – FORWARD, NOT BACK!!