Bill Clinton's Barn Burner

Thursday, September 6th, 2012



My Dear America:


Wednesday Night at the 2012 Democratic Convention was certainly not the only time Bill Clinton had set the stage on fire at a National Democratic Convention.  He had done it several times before, twice for his own Nomination by the Democrats for his Presidency and in 2008 his Pro Obama Speech, along with his wife, Hillary's speech certainly set the stage for a United Democratic Party and a United Democratic victory in November of 2008.

Anticipation was high once again in 2012 about what Bill Clinton would have to say about his wife's onetime Presidential Primary Rival and now her boss.  Certainly Bill was not going to trash his wife's boss and his party's standard bearer.  But what, indeed, was he going to say?

Prior to Bill's main attraction speech there were many good solid but relatively  short speeches primarily talking about health care, the middle class, the poor and the tremendous shortcomings of the Republican Presidential and Vice Presidential standard bearers.

Two of my favorite speeches were given by Sister Simone of the Nuns on the Bus Tour talking about what was happening to real people she had encountered out in America on the Nun's Bus tour to point out the real life horrors of the Paul Ryan budget.

Elizabeth Warren also gave a great speech, from what I could hear, since I was dealing at that point with my Grandkids arguments about lost keys and whose fault it was they were lost.  When I finally got back to watching the Convention on my daughter's computer Elizabeth had nearly finished her speech.  But I know what she had to say and I know that she is a talented speaker.

I also liked the speeches by the people fired by Mitt Romney as a result of his Bain takeovers.  And there was also the man who was a founder of Costco who pointed out that in starting his business and keeping his business going well, when the middle class is doing well, his business is doing well and that was why he was supporting Obama.

Then finally, the main event.  Like he tends to do, Bill was long winded but instructive in his speech as he ticked off in a very effective and logical manner why Barack Obama and Joe Biden were right for America and why Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan were wrong.  Bill fired up the Charlotte audience but he also gave detailed reasons to the Television audience why they should be voting for Obama.  Clinton knocked down point after point the web of distortions, half truths and outright lies told by Romney and Ryan in Tampa and elsewhere    about Barack Obama.

At the end of Clinton's speech Barack came out and hugged Clinton in a very special moment of party Unity.  

Certainly to my mind, Barack owed Clinton that hug.

That effective, truthful, barn burning speech had probably just contributed greatly to President Obama's reelection in the fall.



Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher