Brian Schweitzer downplaying the importance of his speaking role at the DNC.

[Wetzelbill]

"If you look at the list, you can see that anyone who's ever shot a gopher's got a speaking engagement here," he said.

:rofl:

[Egnever]

1. I like this guy more and more.

[DangerousRhythm]

5. Me too!

I am watching his speech again on C-SPAN right now and he was amazing. It's very humble of him to downplay his speech. He whipped up that crowd. I think the only one who might have possibly been more animated was Dennis Kucinich, and that's saying QUITE a lot considering that speech! I loved the audience participation thing Schweitzer did though. :thumbsup:

[Adelante]

12. I loved him

I'd never heard him speak, although I'd read about him, of course. But he was such a Will Rogers type character, I enjoyed every minute :)

[Cha]

17. Same reaction..I didn't even know

what he looked like! When someone posted last night before I saw him that Schweitzer was channeling his inner Jackie Gleason..I had no idea what they were talking about:D

[Wetzelbill]

22. he's a throwback in style

Old school populist. I saw some blogger saying he it was like he was rousing Tammany Hall, lol.

[Cha]

26. He's a rarity and he is who he is..

1st time in office, he said..he's a natural.

[Wetzelbill]

32. He first ran in 2000, for senate

He nearly upset Conrad Burns, he virtually had no shot, but he came out of nowhere and made traction. It was close, he lost be a few points. I think just by force of will and his natural skills he was able to give an entrenched incumbent like that a go, truly set the blueprint up for Jon Tester to come in and take out Conrad in 2006. Brian is gifted and smart though, he's a soil scientist who specialized in irrigation, he speaks Arabic and lived in Saudi Arabia for several years working on irrigation projects. He's a rancher and does that down home stuff well, and it is authentic, but he's a sharp cookie too. He's an innovative policy guy, he gets alot of that from his staff, including a guy named Hal Harper who is as policy smart as they come. Brian's leadership skills and ability to soak it all up and know policy isn't all that unlike Bill Clinton, who didn't miss too much when it came to policy and political knowledge. Brian is a master at using words for effect. He can tout environmentalism like a tree hugger and never get called one because he says stuff like "we need to preserve our beautiful country for huntin' and fishin' and our future generations etc." He's awesome at that.

[Cha]

37. I'm glad you know so much about him because I wanted

to know more. And, he speaks Arabic! It would be so boring if we were all alike..I hope we take MOntana!

[TwilightGardener]

2. Ick, He's like a Democratic Fred Thompson. Enough with the homespun-isms.

[Wetzelbill]

3. He's a Montana farm hick

Just like me, trust me, he's authentic.

[apnu]

27. And there's nothing wrong with that.

Hey the tent's big enough, pull up a chair.

[Inuca]

6. Did you see him yesterday?

I caught part of it. He was quite good. And most definitely not in the "I am better than Ambien" category.

[TwilightGardener]

11. Saw just the tail end of it--he did energize the crowd.

[Cha]

19. Wow, what's not to like about a

real Democratic?

[TwilightGardener]

20. I hate an act--especially a down-home rednecky one. Makes my skin crawl, no

matter which party it comes from. Schweitzer is a decent guy and Gov, by all accounts, and I'm glad he fired up the crowd, but I just am not into the "shootin' gophers", "mah dog don't like no DC skunks" crap. Just a matter of personal taste, that's all.

[BklynChick]

4. he's so cute... !

[Cha]

28. He's adorable.. One of a

kind..and it takes all kinds to help in our Democracy.

[Wetzelbill]

33. damn all the girls dig the bolo tie

Maybe I better get one? :)

[Sensitivity]

7. He was GREAT! Did a service for Obama more than most

[blondeatlast]

8. Cue the hysterical m$m: "Hillary shot a gopher!"

I love that guy!

[Wetzelbill]

15. hahaha

Yeah, but then Mike Huckabee cooked it in his popcorn popper and had it for lunch, so where's the evidence?

[OwnedByFerrets]

9. I rate Dennis's speech #1 and Brian's #2.....

they were both great speeches. We need more animated speakers. Warner was snooze inducing.

[Wetzelbill]

14. although, I'm pretty sure DK has never shot a gopher

lol

[theoldman]

10. He can preach in my church any time.

No one would be asleep.

[bushisanidiot]

13. I love that guy!!

:)

[Cha]

16. Oh yeah, 'cause I just watched him again

on C-Span and alerted all I could that he was on again. I don't think I'll ever get tired of watching him give his energetic, alternate fuel, anti-mcccain, Pro Obama speech at the DNC last night..

Here's a Schweitzer clip from Political Videos..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x175886

[Wetzelbill]

21. I have it in full on my blog, as well as several others from the last two nights

http://blog.myspace.com/billwetzel

[Cha]

24. Oh thank you!

[Wetzelbill]

25. I'll add plenty more tonight and tomorrow too

:)

[Cha]

31. I'm saving this

link! :)

[Shakespeare]

40. oooh--thanks for posting that!

That's the only speech I missed last night that I was SAD I missed.

[Wetzelbill]

41. Happy to do it.

:) I have lots of others up too.

[theboss]

29. I described him as the "Kind of guy who calls the County Commissioners a bunch of pussies" last nigh

And I meant that as a compliment.

[Wetzelbill]

35. that's almost like he is, haha

When he was first governor he wanted to pass some type of legislation but the state Republicans were wavering on it, so he called several GOP State Reps and state Senators into his office one at a time and laid the law down on them. Said he'd go campaign in their districts against them and everything if they didn't pass a good bill that deserved to be passed etc. All those guys whined so much about how Schweitzer was a bully etc, that one reporter wrote something like "You would have thought he was giving out knuckle sandwiches in his office as much as they all cried around about it." lol

He has a problem though, state Republicans are out to get him. They stonewalled all of 2007. Didn't do anything, one prominent GOP lawmaker went on a tirade about Schweitzer, that's still on youtube I think. Mike Lange. Basically, he's cracked their heads and had them on the run enough that they want to pay him back for it, but so far he's come out looking better than ever. He's more popular than the State Lege and he's taken the high road on the dispute. But he may have trouble these four years getting anything done because the state GOP wants to sink him.

[Cha]

43. My money's on Schweitzer..

He was my Keynote Speaker and inspiring to me like Obama was in 2004!

More my style. Mark Warner did a good a great job to those he spoke to and I was happy he did it but it wasn't me. And, then along came
SCHWEITZER!

[Wetzelbill]

46. Mark Warner had a tough chore

He followed Obama's keynote from 4 years ago, so you know he couldn't top that. Then he was the keynote speaker on a night that was really Hillary's night. Then Kucinich lit everybody up early on. People like Janet Napolitano and Deval Patrick were solid. Then Warner somes up with a good message, that was good but somewhat flat. He probably could have gotten away with it, but Schweitzer completely rocked the house. Then Hillary hit probably her best speech ever. So Mark Warner, who actually did fine, looks pretty boring in comparison. Not the best position to be in for him. :)

[SusanaMontana41]

18. Proud to call him my governor

Schweitzer really knows how to pump up a crowd.

[Wetzelbill]

23. Yes he does

He's lots of fun, has a genuine gregarious personality.

[LisaM]

30. Nobody could have done a better job warming up the crowd than he did

He really got everyone in a festive mood. I predict that he will be in heavy demand for fundraisers this fall. Heck, I'd pay to see him! His line about all of McCain's back yards - hilarious, and his own reaction to it was priceless.

[Wetzelbill]

34. he looked like he cracked himself up, lol

[Cha]

39. It was hysterical! It should

have soundbite legs!

[rucky]

36. Meanwhile, Fred Grandy schedules a press conference.

[Demi_Babe]

38. I've had my eye on him for about a year...I like the guy

[Born_A_Truman]

42. Gotta love him!

Wearing his bolo, jeans and cowboy boots and working the crowd!

[grasswire]

44. and he takes his dog to work at the Capitol!

The big ol' beautiful Montana Capitol with its Charlie Russell murals and gray granite. And the governor takes his dog to work. Ha!

[faithfulcitizen]

45. everyone but Clark. This really dissappoints me.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

47. I'm disappointed as well

Clark can deliver a great speech. In fact, he's one of the best public speakers they've got.

[ronnykmarshall]

48. He was fantastic.

Warner wazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!