August 25, 2008
Posted: August 25th, 2008 09:18 PM ET

From

DENVER (CNN) - One of the interesting things that happens at national conventions is that a lot of state and local politicians are slated to address the convention outside of prime-time hours, at hours when the audience is usually small and inattentive. Those are filmed and preserved, and used in political campaigns to show a politician addressing the convention, to try to raise his political stature.

I was at the 1984 convention when an obscure Southern politician gave a speech at an afternoon session in San Francisco that was a tribute to Harry Truman. It was an unusually interesting and articulate speech that talked about a Democratic party that Harry Truman would not recognize — it was surprisingly critical of what had become of the Democratic Party.

I wrote the speaker a note telling him what an interesting speech he had given. He replied thanking me, telling me that was the only note he got in response to his speech.

That politician was Bill Clinton. Unfortunately, I didn’t save the note.

Filed under: Democratic National Convention • Schneider analysis


G McClain   August 25th, 2008 11:56 pm ET

CNN had very poor coverage of the convention. Too much talking and making negitive remarks during presentations. I cant believe CNN was chasing someone down the halls with a camera. I had to change channels to C Span to hear the speechs. Too much unnecessay junk at the bottom of the page....with facts that were negitave and poor.

Arkansas   August 25th, 2008 10:50 pm ET

Yea the left wing of the party never liked Bill Clinton, but average Joe SixPack did. That is why Bill Clinton was the only democratic president who was reelected 2 times since Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Mary   August 25th, 2008 10:27 pm ET

Betty, Betty, Betty...the War for oil cry is wornout!!!!!! Whoever wins the game will still be played the same. Although I am hoping for Obama...need a new pitcher.

Proud PUMA!   August 25th, 2008 10:21 pm ET

You're making me sad that there are no Clintons I can vote for this year.. :(

PUMAs Unite – Vote McCAIN in 2008 – So we can vote HILLARY in 2012 !!!!!

READY999   August 25th, 2008 10:20 pm ET

C-SPAN HAVE BETTER COVERAGE. NO TALKING LIKE THE IDIOTS AT CNN!

MZ   August 25th, 2008 10:15 pm ET

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz . Dems you lost me.
MCCAIN '08 !!!!

Farrell, Houston, Tx   August 25th, 2008 10:07 pm ET

LET'S WIN THIS ONE FOR TEDDY.

Marie in California   August 25th, 2008 10:02 pm ET

If he's elected, the only change we'll get from Obama is what's left in our pockets after he finishes going through them.

NOBAMA!

Will my comment ever be posted?!?!?!!!   August 25th, 2008 10:00 pm ET

susie – ARE YOU INSANE?!?!?!?!?! Seriously. Grow up. Will ya?!

Betty   August 25th, 2008 9:58 pm ET

Who cares? You, Bill Schneider, are one of the OLD WHITE REPUBLICANS that doesn't believe in change that we are getting rid of.

We mean CHANGE - not more wars for oil, not fear-mongering, not falsehoods, not padded polls.

CHANGE

Jan Illinois   August 25th, 2008 9:55 pm ET

Now the Clintons are responsible for the out come of this convention and the win or lose of the election. After what has been done to Bill alone its a wonder they are even there, they called Mr. Clinton a racist. This is a lie and the people that he knew he could count on turned on him and his wife after he helped all of them. hard to blame them if they are bitter. You would be too.

anonymous   August 25th, 2008 9:51 pm ET

Why doesn't Barack Obama help his family? Good question.

Nevada dude   August 25th, 2008 9:48 pm ET

shame on you guys, if the media held themselves to the same standard they demand of the candidates you would actually make a difference.

janet, ohio   August 25th, 2008 9:44 pm ET

Yeah, too bad you didn't save it. You could have sold it on e-bay to someone who thinks it's cool for a president to drop his pants in the Oval Office and get a BJ

Louis   August 25th, 2008 9:39 pm ET

There was no option for comment in the "What you won't hear tonight"
ticker article so I will comment here. You said that the one thing you won't hear at the convention is Obama's middle name. True. Likewise, if Mitt Romney is VP at the RNC, you won't hear his actual name–Willard Milton Romney. You can look it up.

susan croci   August 25th, 2008 9:38 pm ET

Please, please, please, take all the graphics off the screen--we can hardly see what is happening nor can we get a full picture of the speakers. It's sooooo distracting take it off

Rhett Hirko   August 25th, 2008 9:37 pm ET

Fascinating comment. I will look out for some key speeches if they can keep me awake...

kathygeek   August 25th, 2008 9:37 pm ET

Your comments are interesting because CNN is not really featuring the early speakers unless the network plans on less commentary. Your coverage had me channel surfing to PBS and back because it was my feeling that Nancy Pelosi's speech was one that I wanted to hear from start to finish.

susie   August 25th, 2008 9:36 pm ET

How does Obama pretend to care about us when he lets his own brother live in a hut with $1.00 a month. Obama cares only for himself.

TheDude   August 25th, 2008 9:34 pm ET

Yet the modern Democratic party does not care about what FDR and Harry Truman stood for.

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