Who should give the keynote speech at the 2012 Democratic Convention? I suggest Senator Gillibrand

[banned from Kos]

should. Obviously I would support her in 2016 should she run for President.

Remember, this speech elevated Bill Clinton and Barack Obama into national status. It is very important.

Who do you think should?

[TheWraith]

1. I think that that's an excellent suggestion, and one we should organize to further. nt

[JackRiddler]

84. Especially because she voted against the criminal banking bailout of 2008 - both times!

[DJ13]

2. Elizabeth Warren

A speech by her would set the tone for the entire party and attract even those who arent political to vote.

[Chan790]

9. Too recent.

That speech is a springboard to high office, she's never held an elected office before. Surely there are a lot of people who want to run her for President come 2016 but I'd have doubts that she'd be viable at this juncture.

[eridani]

66. If she gets to the Senate and serves 2 1/2 years

--she'll be exactly where Obama was in 2007. Twice lucky?

[Chan790]

73. Obama had held elected office before. n/t

[monmouth]

11. I absolutely second that. She knows how to fire up a crowd...n/t

[Magoo48]

71. 2nd that...

[mod mom]

90. +1!

[WildNovember]

3. I think it's the other way round, right? The Party gives the spot to whomever

they've annointed as their next nominee?

[banned from Kos]

5. Who would that be? I am not in the party power structure n/t

[WildNovember]

15. No idea. I'm not either.

[in_cog_ni_to]

6. That's exactly right. There is no 'elevation' going on by that time. They're already on the

pedestal as 'the one' who-shall-be-the-nominee-no-matter-what-the-voters-say.

[TheWraith]

16. So you're saying that the competitive primary in 2008 was secretly rigged?

Even though most of the party hierarchy was supporting Clinton? And even though there wouldn't have been a 2008 primary if Kerry had won?

Please, can the conspiracy theories.

[WildNovember]

22. Gosh you read a lot into a question, and rude besides. Please don't

attribute views to me that I haven't expressed.

[TheWraith]

28. Yes, you did. If you believe that Obama was secretly annointed by the party in 2004...

Then you have to, by definition, think 2008 was rigged. You're simply backpedaling by virtue of having it pointed out what a silly conspiracy theory that is.

[WildNovember]

54. I'm not backpedaling at all, as I asked a question. But I will avoid you from now on, I think.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

4. I'm from the left coast and I'm not that familiar with her voting record

but at least I haven't heard any negative things about her. Can you be a bit more specific about why you think she could be launched into major-playordom by giving this speech? What impreesses you about her? If Gabby Giffords recovers her abilities to the point where she could give a convention speech, that's something I could really look forward to.

[bluestate10]

30. Gillibrand is centrist to slightly left of center.

She comes from a deeply rooted democratic family in upper NY state. The one downside is that she generally supports or did support registration free access to guns. Given that I am roughly in the same political sphere as she is, except for gun registration, I 100% support Gillibrand as a presidential candidate as long as she proves that she can handle the pressure of a primary campaign.

[JackRiddler]

88. Pretty much the best thing you could say about her...

is that she voted against the bankster bailout of 2008, both rounds.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[no_hypocrisy]

8. Delete

[TheWraith]

17. Yeah, so conservative, running for her House district on single payer healthcare.

And gay marriage.

You really need to grab for a sense of perspective on what actually constitutes left wing and right wing.

[Chan790]

19. I lived there.

There is a great deal more to her record than those two issues.

Note that Andrew Cuomo also supports both, at-least verbally; nobody is ever going to accuse Mario's boy of being a liberal or even a solid moderate most days.

[girl_interrupted]

46. You don't live here anymore

Maybe that's why your confused about what she has been doing. Besides supporting gay marriage, supported getting rid of DADT, she fought like hell to get health insurance for 9/11 responders.http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-january-4-2011/kirsten-gillibrand. And she has been fighting like hell to protect womens reproductive rights.

[dsc]

20. She didn't run for her house seat on marriage equality

she switched her position after her appointment. Her gay rights record was mixed before she was appointed to the Senate. As a Senator she has been spectacular. I am sorry now I opposed her appointment but there was good reason to doubt her record.

[TheWraith]

29. She was first publicly in favor of gay marriage in October 2006.

Prior to her election. I can state this pretty confidently--I know a lot of people in her employ.

[dsc]

58. No she wasn't at the federal level

http://www.thepoliticalguide.com/rep_bios.php?rep_id=19002526&category=views&id=20100428162205

*Dicker:* On gay marriage, do you have a position on that?

*Gillibrand*: I think we should have a federal protection for civil unions so that everyone can have the benefit of a private contract to allow someone to go to the emergency room, to the hospital …..

*Dicker:* … I Understand that but …

*Gillibrand:* But I think the state should decide what to call it. If the state wants to call it "marriage," (then) the state can decide.

*
… ... more

Dicker:* As a voter in New York State, do you think the state should legalize, as the governor would like and as Speaker Silver would like, same sex marriage?

*Gillibrand:* Yeah, as a New Yorker, I would support that.

end quote

Gay groups were very leery of her due to her stands on DADT and on DOMA. Turns out she was a great Senator for our issues but she wasn't when she was appointed.

[bluestate10]

38. There is no perspective in that ilk.

It is 100% impossible to achieve far left ideology or nothing. The wet dream of many on the far left is for the country to go to hell under rightwing control, forcing people of every other political stripe to recognize the absolute purity of leftist ideas.

There is zero realization that other groups will NEVER let the fucking right take control long enough to run the nation into the ground, George W Bush came close enough to that. Other political groups, sans the far left, will fight back. The far left during that life or death fight? They will have chained themselves to big city fences and will be getting the shit beat out of themselves by goons that are authorized to wear badges.

[eridani]

67. What you call far left is what the majority of the population wants

Higher taxes on the wealthy, cuts in military spending, preserving Social Security and Medicare, marijuana decriminalization, etc etc

[a la izquierda]

72. Tell that to the US Chamber of Commerce...

their ads on Sherrod Brown would have you thinking that most of this country wants a no tax, no government police state. :(

[eridani]

76. If all the people that knocked off SB 5 vote next year, he'll get back in n/t

[a la izquierda]

79. Let's hope. I like him. nt

[banned from Kos]

18. Senator Gillibrand went all out on DADT repeal and marriage equality

she serves New York splendidly.

[bluestate10]

41. She has a slight left of center record well before that.

Her one crime, which the far left will never forgive her for is having been pro gun.

[bluestate10]

31. The only conservative part of Gillibrand was her stance on gun registration.

Other than that, her record is centrist to left of center as both a member of the House and as a member of the Senate. Of course the bug eyed leftists on DU can support a centrist to left centrist, but the country as a whole prefer that type of person leading the nation.

[blue neen]

39. I find it odd that you mention her body parts and appearance.

What does that have to do with her political leanings?

:dem:

[no_hypocrisy]

10. Bill Moyer

Is there a strict rule about being an elected democrat in order to speak?

[banned from Kos]

14. No, but its a springboard speech - Bill Moyer won't be running for President.

Would love to hear him in another time slot though.

[Chan790]

12. I'd favor Martin O'Malley.

The guy's a liberal and he's a trench-fighter who made his political bones in the ghettos of Baltimore...it'd send a message that we're done playing nice and the Democrats are out for blood on the warpath. He's a capable and motivating speaker, he doesn't pull punches, he's done the talking-head circuit on Sunday mornings before, he's twice trounced the best the MD GOP has to offer in Bob Ehrlich along with Ehrlich's backing of Koch money. He's a Democrat that other Democrats can rally behind. He has the capability to be the field-general liberal like Wiener, Spitzer and Grayson were until the first two's indiscretions foisted them and Grayson started shooting himself in the foot by being bombastic and uncontemplative.

I like Marty, he's my governor but I've known him since I was in college and he was running for mayor of Baltimore. The guy's a stone-cold killer and a good solid lib.

[banned from Kos]

21. Excellent suggestion. Thank you. n/t

[bluestate10]

32. I like O'Malley. He would be a good choice as the party's 2016 standard bearer,

with the task of keeping the Presidency in the hands of democrats.

[Peregrine]

13. Paul Krugman or Robert Reich

The economy is key. Anyway, I want either of these gentleman to replace Biden on the ticket.

[liskddksil]

23. Tammy Baldwin, Elizabeth Warren, Shelly Berkely or Heidi Heitcamp

All important Senate races.

[JoePhilly]

24. This should be an easy question for those who have been calling for a PRIMARY of Obama!

I mean ... there should be a long list of candidates for 2016 who could be launched at the next convention.

Or better ... we could just have Hillary do it.

The right wing nuts have been praising her as a way to split the left since Obama won the Dem nomination for 2008 ... it would be hilarious to watch those nuts have to back track if she were the nominee in 2016, probably against Jeb Bush.

:rofl:

[MerryBlooms]

25. I think it will be Gabby Giffords. No presidential expectations, but -

I think she's the obvious choice.

[bluestate10]

43. Do you realize that Giffords was a bluedog democrat? I don't know where she is now.

But she was a member of the bluedog coalition. I think Giffords is a specially talented politicians, in particular around renewable energy policy, where she was and likely still is a star thinker in that and many other areas of policy.

[Tx4obama]

63. It will be 'years' before Gabby's ability to give a speech returns. n/t

[WCGreen]

26. Sherrod Brown.....

He should be considered in 2016...

[limpyhobbler]

69. +1 for Sherrod Brown

:dem: :thumbsup:

[inna]

27. oh no, K&U

[TheWraith]

33. Care to provide any actual content to that post? nt

[inna]

45. i do not

[democrank]

34. Elizabeth Warren

[banned from Kos]

35. I love Liz Warren but she needs to win an election before Democrats put

her into the Presidential race limelight.

[Scuba]

37. Disagree. She's not only ready, but will attract millions. n/t

[Tx4obama]

61. I'm going to have to disagree with you regarding Warren. The only thing she has experience with is

financial issues.

She needs to be elected as a senator and gain knowledge of a variety of issues first before even thinking about her as presidential material.

[pa28]

40. Another distinguished first time senate candidate gave the keynote in 2004.

Elizabeth Warren would be an excellent choice IMO.

[banned from Kos]

42. Touche'! Got to give you credit there. n/t

[Tx4obama]

65. See comment #61 n/t

[Rowdyboy]

60. Are you talking about that black guy Obama Baraka or something? I remember him I think....

Elizabeth Warren would be the perfect choice.

[Tx4obama]

62. Obama was already a State Senator when he gave the keynote in 2004

Warren has never yet held elected office.

[Scuba]

36. Warren, Grijalva and Ellison.

[bigwillq]

44. Gabrielle Giffords (nt)

[msongs]

47. Bernie Sanders - the nation's last democrat nt

[inna]

48. in the Senate, that is.

[FailureToCommunicate]

51. Yes! Bernie!

...Even though he's an independent.

[defendandprotect]

64. +1 --

[tabbycat31]

49. I don't agree with him on everything but if you want a rising star

Look at Newark, NJ mayor Cory Booker. When I first saw him speak in 2009, I said he was the next Obama.

[Scuba]

74. Hi is very good. Thanks for adding him to this list. n/t

[Snotcicles]

77. Deleted by poster. nt

[Warren DeMontague]

50. I'm gonna go with Elizabeth Warren, too.

It's not about previously or currently held offices, it's about message, articulation, brains and overall timing. She's the right person for the time.

[Pab Sungenis]

52. The General Assembly of Occupy Charlotte

and the speech should be mic checked, not amplified.

[jwirr]

53. Elizabeth Warren or Alan Grayson. However they will not be asked.

Too outspoke.

[Rowdyboy]

55. Hands down Elizabeth Warren......with Gabby Giffords as backup

Top that Willard.

[brooklynite]

56. Why?

I don't object in principle, but you've said nothing about her speaking ability or relevant issues she can talk about.

[SidDithers]

57. Darcy Richardson, of course...nt

Sid

[LWolf]

59. Anybody worth listening to won't be asked. nt

[eShirl]

68. Elizabeth Warren

[ellisonz]

70. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis

Hilda Lucia Solis (pronounced /sɵˈliːs/; born October 20, 1957) is the 25th United States Secretary of Labor, serving in the Obama administration. She is a member of the Democratic Party and served in the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2009, representing the 31st and 32nd congressional districts of California that include East Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley.

Solis was raised in La Puente, California by immigrant parents from Nicaragua and Mexico. She gained degrees from the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) and the University of Southern California (USC) and worked for two federal agencies in Washington, D.C. Returning to her native state, she was elected to the Rio Hondo Community College Board of Trustees in 1985, the California State Assembly in 1992, and the California State Senate in 1994. She was the first Hispanic woman to serve in the State Senate, and was reelected there in 1998. She became known for her work toward environmental justice and was the first female recipient of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in 2000.

Solis defeated a long-time Democratic incumbent as part of getting elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000, where she focused mainly on labor causes and environmental work. She was reelected easily to four subsequent terms. In December 2008, President-elect Barack Obama announced his intention to nominate Solis as the next United States Secretary of Labor. She took office after being confirmed by the United States Senate in February 2009, becoming the first Hispanic woman to serve in the U.S. Cabinet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilda_Solis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBpuFK1QE64

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPeWmV_Tv00&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw7rOJRfsok

What do I win?

Economics, Women, Latinos = FTW 2012

P.S. I saw Hilda speak in April 2004 at East Los Angeles Community College with Howard Dean in support of John Kerry.

[ellisonz]

75. Hilda! Hilda! Hilda!

:kick:

[eridani]

80. I like her, but we haven't heard diddlysquat from her during the last couple of years of

--truly massive attacks on labor. Why not?

[ellisonz]

82. Media doesn't cover it.

[eridani]

83. Surely some alternative source does?

If you have references, please post.

[ellisonz]

86. Here's some coverage.

You can read her wiki and see some of the measures she has taken, but like the rest of the Obama administration, the Republican intransigence in Congress has slowed change.

In Wisconsin last winter: http://whitehouse.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/26/labor-secretary-solis-elections-do-matter/

Interview with the LA Times this year: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-morrison-hilda-solis-20110903,0,5002680.column

2010-2011 Department of Labor Accomplishments: https://www.dol.gov/laborday/accomplishments.htm

I'd point out that the Unions by-and-large are happy with the Obama administration's record so far.

[eridani]

89. Thanks--wish this stuff was more wiidely available n/t

[ellisonz]

91. It's not like they put her on the Sunday shows or anything...

...in fact there's basically been a blackout on everyone but Clinton and Holder in terms of the cabinet.

Some liberal media...

[Snotcicles]

78. Congressman TIM RYAN D- Ohio. nt

[The Straight Story]

81. Skinner!

:rofl:

[Jack Rabbit]

85. Perhaps we should have a collective key note speech

Several key note addresses, each one themed on Obama's 2008 campaign promises, real or widely assumed.

For example, Bradley Manning could deliver the address on the new era of government transparency in the wake of the dark, opaque Bush era.

Jesse LaGreca can talk about how the Obama administration has aggressively restored public confidence in financial markets.

Perhaps we can even get Dick Cheney to discuss how pleased he is with the way the Obama administration has resolutely prosecuted Bush Junta war criminals.

[county worker]

87. Mic Check