Dennis Kucinich is speaking. "You had a m ini revolution in this state last year and we're going to do it next year nationally!"
"I ask you to vote the strength of your convictions."
"We don't need a Democratic president to end the war in Iraq, we should end it now!" Place goes nuts.
On Bush and Cheney: "There is no statute of limitations on war crimes!" Kucinich knows this is his last stand, he is making the most of it.
"We need to bring back that old religion, I'm not talking about theocrats coming into power, I'm talking about FDR!" He's losing the crowd. He's getting a little out of control, flailing about. Now he sounds like a robot. What the hell is he doing?
Impeachment is a big applause for him. This crowd loves them some impeachment.
Hillary Clinton is up next. Huge applause and staning O it should be noted. Hmm, there might be more READY signs than CHANGE YOU CAN BELIEVE IN signs. Tough call. Wow this is some greeting, she loves it. "Are you ready to pick a president?"
"It's time for us as Democrats to make our voices known across the country." I count "change" 3 times. Oops, make that 7 times. "Make change by working really really hard" got a big cheer, I think shouting down some opposing shouts.
She's speaking at length about health-care, more than she did even at the rally this morning. Damn, how many healthcare speeches does she have? "I'm not running for president to put a bandaid on our problems, I'm running for president to solve our problems" got a big big applause.
Ripping on No Child Left Behind got a big response as well.
"A new beginning" seems to be her latest rhetorical device; a way of saying "change" without saying "change."
"And I will let the Iraqi government know that the blank check George Bush wrote them is no longer valid." Nice.
Here are the two questions she posed this morning for Democrats to ask: "Who will be the best president on day one?" Crowd chants Hillary! "Who will be the best candidate to go the distance against the Republicans." Some shout "Obama!" Hillary supporters drown them out. Not surprisingly, this partisan crowd is EATING UP all the red meat about the Republicans, "they should be ashamed, they should give up the presidency." The crowd this morning didn't.
"I am a proud Democrat." Neither Hillary or Obama said that this morning. I suspect Barack will say it tonight as well.
Bill Richardson is up. "The most important issue of America and that is the compelling need to end the war in Iraq and get all of our troops out. And I raise the issue again because the national media has kind of put the Iraq war aside and the President has begun the drum beat that the surge is working...They say only 37 troops died in November and I say, that's 37 too many!" He's saying that only by ending the war in Iraq will we be able to accomplish our domestic priorities.
He's calling the new fuel efficiency standards pathetic. Good. The importance of people not currently in congress remaining in the race.
And Richardson is the only candidate to consistently talk in depth about education. Scrap NCLB, raise teacher pay...
Overall, I just don't think he's moved very far from his speech I saw in April.
Barack Obama up next. His supporters are already shouting "Fired Up, Ready To Go!" and gathering up front. This is going to be a thunderous entrance. "For safety concerns" everyone has to take their seats.
And the house is on their feet.
"In four days, you can do what Iowa last night...in four days, you can do what America will do all next year is transform the nation."
"We are one nation, we are one people and our time for change has come!" Huge applause.
"We started last night. We expanded the reach of the Democratic Party, not just the tried and true Democratic Party but Independents and Republicans." He mentioned the turnout of young voters, the place goes wild.
"The vision of a new coalition to sweep a progressive agenda across this country."
"We are on the cusp of a new majority in this country."
He used this "In four days time..." construction and it really does work well. He's much better tonight than he was earlier today.
Speaks about changing healthcare, creating a green economy and ending the war in Iraq. "America is back!"
"You will have the opportunity to elect a president who has taught the constitution, who believes in the constitution and who will obey the constitution...!"
Amazing that "the politics of hope" over "the politics of fear" still gets such a strong response.
Wow, it seems like he's giving his whole stump speech. What did Richardson have, 10 minutes if that? Ahh, the benefits of congressional endorsements.
A strong indictment of Hillary: "We can't expect to keep the same players in Washington and expect different results."
D'oh, the "4 days time" suddenly became "4 years time." Ah, more hope. "He's a hope monger." Always good for a laugh.
The speech was far better than his one from earlier today but this one could have been cut by a few minutes. But still, he had this room, clearly. Dangerous for Hillary. Puts even more importance on tomorrow night's debate, where I'll be as well.
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