Notes From D.R. | Random Thoughts on the Passing Scene

This month marks the fifth anniversary of one of the greatest disasters in Massachusetts history: the 2004 Democratic National Convention.

The four-day shindig at the TD Banknorth Garden (then known as the FleetCenter) benefited one person—and unfortunately for Presidential aspirant John Kerry, it wasn’t him. Overall, the event was a dull, uninspiring affair, one that may have temporarily raised the spirits of loyal Democrats but in the long term did little to help the party’s prospects of wresting power from then-President George W. Bush.

The convention wreaked havoc on the average Bostonian’s work schedule, damaged small businesses and ultimately didn’t do much for the city’s economy. In short, it was a near-complete wash.

The Democrats were especially motivated in 2004. The economy was still on somewhat shaky ground in the wake of the early-2000s recession, and the controversy surrounding the Iraq War was increasing along with the body count. Anti-Bush sentiment was seemingly off the charts, with Fahrenheit 9/11 in movie theaters and Air America on the airwaves.

Note that it was anti-Bush sentiment, not pro-John Kerry sentiment. The progressive Massachusetts Senator lacked Bill Clinton’s charisma and Howard Dean’s appeal to the party’s hardcore base; he only became the Democratic nominee due to the perception that he was “electable.”

In early-July, Kerry selected North Carolina Senator John Edwards as his running mate, prompting the Boston Herald to declare that the ticket was to the left of Ted Kennedy politically. Edwards certainly had far more personality than Kerry, but it was hard to envision Edwards being one heartbeat away; if anything, Edwards was the Sarah Palin of 2004 in terms of perception. Nevertheless, Kerry prepared for Boston and for Bush.

As it turns out, it was poor preparation. With one notable—and historic—exception, the ’04 DNC was a never-ending series of sleep-inducing speeches from past Democratic luminaries—Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Jimmy Carter, Ted Kennedy, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton(!). The lame catchphrase “Stronger at home, respected in the world” was repeated over and over and over and over and over. John Edwards’ “Two Americas” speech came across as dated and hackneyed. Teresa Heinz Kerry’s speech seemed to be a parody of feminism, instead of an expression thereof. Kerry “reported for duty” on the last night of the convention, only to deliver a horrible acceptance speech that should have qualified him for a dishonorable discharge.

Of course, there was one moment of greatness in the otherwise mediocre convention: Then-Senate candidate Barack Obama’s keynote speech on July 27. Even if you regard Obama as The Ultimate Socialist, you cannot deny that his speech was strong, insightful, intellectually stimulating, patriotic. With stirring, clear rhetoric, Obama declared that the American Dream was still alive, and that his life story was a testament to its vibrancy. As he put, “the true genius of America” is “a faith in simple dreams, an insistence on small miracles; that we can tuck in our children at night and know that they are fed and clothed and safe from harm; that we can say what we think, write what we think, without hearing a sudden knock on the door; that we can have an idea and start our own business without paying a bribe; that we can participate in the political process without fear of retribution, and that our votes will be counted — at least most of the time.”

Obama wisely attempted to change the perception of the Democrats as the party of chronic government dependency:

“Now, don’t get me wrong. The people I meet — in small towns and big cities, in diners and office parks — they don’t expect government to solve all their problems. They know they have to work hard to get ahead, and they want to. Go into the collar counties around Chicago, and people will tell you they don’t want their tax money wasted, by a welfare agency or by the Pentagon. Go in — Go into any inner city neighborhood, and folks will tell you that government alone can’t teach our kids to learn; they know that parents have to teach, that children can’t achieve unless we raise their expectations and turn off the television sets and eradicate the slander that says a black youth with a book is acting white. They know those things.

“People don’t expect — People don’t expect government to solve all their problems. But they sense, deep in their bones, that with just a slight change in priorities, we can make sure that every child in America has a decent shot at life, and that the doors of opportunity remain open to all.

“They know we can do better. And they want that choice.”

In the best portion of the speech, Obama condemned the politics of division:

“Now even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us — the spin masters, the negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of ‘anything goes.’ Well, I say to them tonight, there is not a liberal America and a conservative America — there is the United States of America. There is not a Black America and a White America and Latino America and Asian America — there’s the United States of America.

“The pundits, the pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States; Red States for Republicans, Blue States for Democrats. But I’ve got news for them, too. We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don’t like federal agents poking around in our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States and yes, we’ve got some gay friends in the Red States. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and there are patriots who supported the war in Iraq. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America. In the end — In the end — In the end, that’s what this election is about. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or do we participate in a politics of hope?”

By the time he walked off the stage, every intellectually honest Democrat wished Obama had been the nominee instead of Kerry—and every intellectually honest Republican wished Obama had Clarence Thomas’ politics along with Ronald Reagan’s gift of oratory.

Obama became an icon that night; he was the only winner in a convention of losers. Kerry left the convention convinced that he would replace Bush as President; little did he know that the circus surrounding the convention (Michael Moore and Carter palling around, the aforementioned Sharpton speech, etc.), would only energize Bush supporters.

Five years later, the memory of that convention is both hilarious and depressing. The Democrats certainly didn’t cover themselves in glory with that event, Obama’s stellar speech notwithstanding. However, the outcome of the election was the destroyer disguised as savior for the Republicans, as Bush stumbled through his second term and unwittingly set the stage for Obama’s Electoral College landslide four years later. Boston certainly witnessed a disaster, but the disaster only lasted four days. For the Republicans, the disaster ended up lasting four years…and it hasn’t ended yet.