My nine year old is a bit too much into the convention, I think

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

Last night, she was in the living room watching the entire roll call and standing and applauding when the votes were for Kerry. She would randomly shout "whooooo!!". She was also using a calculator to "double-check" CSPAN's numbers. That kinda cracked me up.

But the funniest part? She fell asleep on my bed watching it (we had moved in there and they were re-running Edwards' speech) and when I picked her up to take her to bed, she yelled out, "NO! My state goes to John Kerry!!!" She didn't even open her eyes. I put her in bed.

How young were you when politics first interested you? I have to admit I didn't even pay much attention until 2000.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

1. Fifteen. That would seem about normal, I think.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

3. I must have been a big-time late bloomer

to this politics thing. But I am trying to make up for it now, lol!

[GOPisEvil]

2. My first DNC was at age 4 (according to my parents).

My reaction: "Why is it called the Democratic Party if there's no cake?" :D

I've been into politics pretty seriously since high school.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

10. Hee hee

cake.

[trof]

4. 2000 got my attention too.

Independent until then.
Now...well look at my sig.

woops, sigs not up.
<ALABAMA YELLOW DOG>

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

8. I was always an independent too

and always voted third party (my little rebellion), but I always, ALWAYS had Democratic leanings. I am proud to say I have never voted for a republican in my entire life, not even for dog catcher or city council or anything. When there is no choice (repug running unopposed, I simply don't vote in that race), otherwise I hit Dem or Green or SOMETHING other than repug.

In 2000, I said screw it, I'm a Democrat, I always have been, I need to start voting that way, damnit.

[trof]

25. Kinda the same here.

Never voted for a repug for prez.
The only repug I've ever voted for was a local county commissioner. There were no Dems on the ballot for any of the positions. She confessed to being a closet Dem but could not get elected under that banner. I'm working now to bring the two-party system back to our county.

[madmax]

5. That's a sweet story.

Write this down for her and put it away with all the Kerry/Edwards memorabilia you may have. It's precious. :hug:

The first convention I remember was JFK/Nixon.

[JohnKleeb]

6. hey its great

I was pretty young but I really got inolved when I was 13-14, campaigned for Gore in the mock election, he didnt win. I remember I first watching CSPAN at 5 or 6 with my grandma who is my political role model, and I remember Dick Gephardt, now I know many here dont like Dick but Ive always had a soft spot for him, Gep reminded me of why grandma told me we were democrats, they fight for the people, and thats part of why my family did become so strongly democratic, they were mostly poor blue collar workers and FDR's new deal was a great source of help for them. I also remember Orrin Hatch heh too well. I also attended Bill Clinton's first ingaural with my dad who remembers the music the most.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

9. I was pretty excited in Jan. 93 when Clinton

was inaugurated. I taped it on my brand new VCR! He he. I still have the tape. Maya Angelou's speech made me cry.

[JohnKleeb]

14. I hardly remember it, I was only 5 1/2 but

I then knew all the presidents up until to that point, it was my claim to fame as a little kid, people would always ask me up until I guess 7-8th grade who knew me from elementary, hey name all the presidents, I did, and when in 8th grade bush stole the election, I would say Gore heh.

[mrboba1]

7. The Hunt/Helms senate race

what was that? 1984? So... 11.

[coloradodem2005]

11. Probably around 1992.

I was somewhat interested before that. But I knew that the Democrats had a good chance to take back the presidency.

[DenverDem]

12. 6 years old in November 1960.

I went to bed after telling my dad, "I hope we (Dems) win".

First active campaigning, 1972 for Francis "Sissy" Farenthold for governor of Texas. We lost, and it was a bitter lesson that still hurts to think of. Not as bad as that November when my active campaigning for McGovern ended with me getting in big trouble by waking the guys in the dorm with my very drunkenly sarcastic chanting of "4 more years". (Tricky lasted only 20 months more.)

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

13. How freaking cute

I can't imagine a six year old saying that! Well, I can, but it's almost unbearably cute.

My daughter wants one of those Beanie Baby Democratic donkeys, ever seen them? They are white with red and blue stars on them and and a red and blue mane. She's a proud little Dem.

[Mara Steele]

31. LOL! It is great and so cute...

[Cha]

15. Me too! And it was so cute the way they had some kids up

there standing by and helping out with the roll call. I felt so proud last night and it will stay with me.

[Mara Steele]

16. Hey, that's great

She's like the Democratic opposite of Alex Keaton (MJFox) from Family Ties!

Love it! :toast:

I got interested in politics prolly around 1st grade, was big into Earth Day & environmental issues...

Then I got more seriously political around 4th grade, when I had very hip babysitter who taught me all about social injustice and discrimination of all kinds...

Got me very fired up, and I was a famous for social studies debates, from then on!

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

23. You sound like her now

she is very into issues of social justice. My gosh, the week they taught the kids about the voting rights act at school and segregation and MLK, she cried herself to sleep every night. It was quite disturbing. I wanted to comfort her, but I also didn't want to shield her from the fact that those things did happen. She was almost in disbelief. "How could they tell people they COULDN'T vote or go to school where they wanted to?"

Sigh.

[Mara Steele]

29. That's wonderful...

In some ways it's hard to be so aware so young...

I remember those days when I was just becoming aware of so much that was wrong in the world... They were emotional times.... Especially because at that age you see very little of the similar depth of caring among your peers, so it can be so lonely and frustrating...

I grew up in a fairly redneck, backwoods Michigan town, too, so I felt really alienated sometimes...

Tell her that we all think she's rockin'! :toast:

[supernova]

17. Six years old. Watched the 68 Dem Convention

all the comotion on the floor really got my attention.

[LynneSin]

18. My goodness that sounds like me when I was 10 years old

and was watching Jimmy Carter's first convention. I was so gungho for him to win and I even had a notepad with me keeping count of his and Ed Kennedy's votes (I was a jimmy fan!).

Best thing about the convention - they had another eloquent african-american keynote speaker. This time it was Barbara Jordan. She made me the democrat I am today

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

20. Wow that is seriously cool

I remember the 76 election, but not any of the conventions. My parents were Carter fans, too, as were my grandparents on both sides.

My grandmother had a bottle of "Billy Beer" you remember that? And they would sit around and laugh about Billy, but they loved Carter.

They just didn't love the economy of the late 70s. :(

[LynneSin]

27. My family actually wasn't into politics

but my favorite food was peanutbutter and I had read that Jimmy Carter was a peanut farmer. So I decided that any man who grew peanuts had to be ok in my book. Honestly - i didn't know anything about this democrat/republican stuff.

:shrug:

I do now!

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

19. Well then

I'll tell another nine year old of mine political story: she had a teacher this past year who was a big fundie bush supporter (we had a few run-ins with her on some things). Her elementary school is named after John Nance Garner, former Vice President. Well, my daughter found out Garner was a Dem and went to school and told all the kids in her class (during "share something you've learned" time or whatever) and she kept stressing that Garner was a Democrat and her teacher told me she kept looking sideways at the teacher with this evil little grin.

Tha's my girl. Although I think Garner mighta been an old style Dem.

[JohnKleeb]

21. Dont know much about Garner but

I doubt he was that conservative for a southern democrat, he was on FDR's ticket and many southern dems coudlnt stand FDR. Garner lived a long time too, died in 67 at 98 years old. Old style dems are actually pretty good somewhat.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

24. Well that's nice to know, then!

He was also the one who said "the Vice Presidency isn't worth a bucket of warm piss"......look at the Vice Presidency now, though! LOL!

[Lavender Brown]

22. I was always into it

I watched the 1988 one with my parents (still remember Ann Richards' speech) and then was really into it by 92. I even taped the convention and the debates. My mom accidentally switched a movie we rented with one of my tapes and returned it to the video store. Then Blockbuster called us and said, "Um... you gave us back the vice presidential debate, not Home Alone". :D

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

26. Ok that made me laugh out loud eom

[demnan]

28. When I was 4

I was really influenced by the language of John F. Kennedy and the assassination. It entered my consciousness at a very early age. I was reading newspapers avidly at age 9. My brother was sent off to the Vietnam War and I was against that. I campaigned for McGovern at age 14.

A few years after Watergate I kind of went into a so-what phase on politics which lasted for many years. Then when 1992 came along, I got excited again.

[tigereye]

30. I was 10, It think

watched the 68 convention - saw a lot of police and fighting as I recall. And then MGM had me watch the Rep. 72 convention. I have been carrying around political signs of some sort for a really long time. Then I phonebanked for Carter in 76 in college, camp. for Anderson in 80 ( don't remember why now), and Jerry Brown in 92 before Clinton. And I have done my share of local poll watching as well.


I love the roll call, I was so bummed when it wasn't on reg TV, since we don't have cable. :( It is such a slice of Americana. My son was unfortunately bored by Al Sharpton's speech and kept sighing through it. THat was a great speech. Although I liked the Obama speech a lot as well.

I love that the little girl was talking about Kerry and the roll call when she was asleep! That was great!

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

32. I think it has seeped into my subconscience as well

as I have been having political dreams every night this week. I have REALLY loved the convention but in a way, it'll be a relief when it's over, just because it's so intense and I feel like I am wrapping my whole life around it. I am a teacher, so not doing anything this particular week, so could get really nice and convention obsessed.

In fact, I need to shower now (I was bad and slept in really late today!) so that I can run some errands and still be back in time for the first gavel!

Oh the dreams have just involved weird surrealistic stuff like me finding out Kerry is actually my great-grandfather (I'm 33!!!), and bush chasing me with a big ol AK47 and shit. Eeek.

[name not needed]

33. 5

I can remember a neighbor ranting on how much of an asshole Gingrich was. That was 1994. Been interested ever since.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

34. Wow

you are 15 years old?

I guess if the internet had been around when I was 15, I might have gotten interested sooner. But there really wasn't anyone I knew who was into politics.

Ah well, better late than never, eh?

[name not needed]

36. Yeah

[Lizz612]

35. '96 I think

I was 11 and I REALLY wanted to stay up for all the returns. Stupid election was on a school night! Whoever thought that up needs to be dope slapped. x(

But I had been helping my parents with lit drops since before I could walk and always help my mother by licking envelopes for the state senator she is still campaign treasurer for.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

38. You know it makes me wonder

do kids who have parents involved in politics tend to stay involved in politics?

My kid's been to meetups since mid-2003, rallies, protests, voter registration drives, etc. We were MAJORLY into the primaries (of course) and when my husband and I flew to Iowa in Sept. of last year to canvass for Dean, she cried because she wanted to go too and meet him (we did get to meet him).

She asks a lot of questions about the electoral college, etc. We are learning together. I am convinved she'll never abstain from voting.

As for this election night, I've already told her she can stay up until we know. What the hell, it's too important. I have already requested a personal day that day and I just might be out the day after, too (if the celebrations run too long, LOL!).

[Sydnie]

48. I can give you a personal answer on that question

My father was a member of the House of Delegates in WV when I was a kid ... a really small kid. I can remember going to campaign rallies where there would be numerous candidates running for different offices, sharing the expense of holding the event. I can remember campaign debates from way back.

I was only 5 when Kennedy was shot, but it had a profound effect on me, through my dad's eyes. I can remember watching the entire event on tv and our whole household sobbing together.

A few years after that, my father ran for a different office and I was allowed to go campaigning for him with my older brothers around the neighborhood (when a kid could ride a bike for miles and no one had to worry too awfully much if they would return). I must have been about 9 or so then.

I remember the primary in California when Robert Kennedy was running. I stayed up, all alone that night, just to hear his speech. I went to bed and slept like a baby. The next morning, my older brother woke me with the newspaper in his hand ... telling me that my candidate had been killed.

I backed off for just a bit, licking my political wounds. I couldn't stay uninvolved for long though. In 72, I volunteered for McGovern, working in his office just blocks from my parents business.

Oddly enough, after my father passed away, my mother moved and shortly after found herself running for the office of Magistrate for the county that she lived in. She worked at that job for nearly 25 years.

Fast forward to my candidacy as well. I ran for local school committee in my community and served two separate terms on that committee. In between the two terms, we had a committee that was despicable. They low balled contracts to eliminate qualified and loved administrators to put in place their puppets. I got ticked and led a movement in my community that changed the charter to allow for a recall provision. In a town with a little over 5,000 registered voters, our group garnered 2,700 signatures for our cause in just a little more than 24 hours. Through months of hard work, we finally had our recall election and replaced the entire committee. I didn't serve again until several years later, when the committee was in need of some strong voices with the courage of their convictions.

So, yes, those that can develop an interest in politics at a young age can grow up to make a difference and remain involved. Out of my 4 siblings and myself, I am the only one that has ever sought elected office however. Perhaps the bug just bit me a bit more than it did my siblings.

I am now hoping that my kids, 16 and 12, can see this convention through my eyes, through my conversations and through my example. I would love for them to be active citizens and become involved in someones campaign, perhaps some day, even their own.

[greatauntoftriplets]

37. Another 6-year-old....

I watched the 1956 Democratic convention (still on TV during the day back then) and was fascinated. It made me wonder why my parents liked Ike so much.

:shrug:

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

39. ROFL!

He did give a pretty decent going away speech, didn't he?

You know this thread proves one thing to me: politics are NOT boring, even for kids. Once I started getting really heavily involved (early 2003), I started wondering why I ever thought politics were dry and boring. It was FASCINATING!

Then as my husband and I got more and more involved, so did our daughter and she has gotten very caught up in it. We are a family of political junkies now. You can get a bit burned out on it (right after the primaries, I had to kinda back off a bit, was very tired), but it's always interesting to me.

I teach eighth graders and this last school year, I noticed they had a hell of a lot to say about how our country was being run (they mostly despised bush) and they seemed very interested in politics. Some even convinced their parents to register to vote, because they hated bush so badly.

It was very heartening.

[nini]

40. I was about that age when I got fascinated by all of it.

funny... and possibly another Ilana Wexler in the making?

[johnnie]

41. I was young

About 4 when my uncle went to Viet Nam and I saw it on TV, I was worried he might not come home. I asked a lot of questions about things like that. My father was in the Marine Corp and was put on stand-by because of the racial riots out in the Hough area of Cleveland. Once again I asked a lot of questions.
It seemed to just be part of who I was, because I just seemed to want to know about that stuff. I watched, read and listened to what I could. I registered to vote as soon as I could (1982) and voted as soon as I could.
I was bummed out for most of the 80's and when Bill Clinton was running I got excited again. I went to see him speak and got close enough to shake hands and life was looking good.
Thru the 90's as I watched the Republican party make complete asses of themselves I started to get really disgusted. I thought the Democratic party took a dive and I got burnt out.
I left the 2000 election up to everyone else and honestly didn't give a shit by that time. Stupid, I know, but I just couldn't take it at the time. After that fiasco (which I predicted well in advance), I decided that I wont take a back seat again, and here I am.

And that is so cute about your daughter.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

45. I hear ya on the being burned out thing

I don't know, I always always was a big ol flaming liberal inside but my Dem parents started drinking the Reagan kool-aid in the 80s and I was expected to kinda go along with it. My dad even tried to get me to start a chapter of Young Republicans at my high school and at that point both me and my mom flipped out on him for even SUGGESTING that.

You know what REALLY got me into politics? The Clinton bashing. The eight long freaking years of orchestrated, paid for at taxpayer's expense carnival of "take this man down at any cost".

I honestly, truly did NOT understand it and I was pretty non-partisan back then. I looked around and saw GOOD things this guy had done and didn't get why anyone would want to take him out so badly. The republicans started to look even worse to me than ever, even frothier at the mouth, even more rabid, even more--dare I say it?--wild-eyed than I had ever perceived them to be.

They seriously freaked me out. Then the whole BJ thing hit and that's when I said ENOUGH is ENOUGH. That shoulda been between him, his wife, Monica and whatever God he worships, period. The end. Instead....well you know the rest. And I was and am permanently disgusted by the republican party.

bush and the election in 2000 just deepened my disgust to a level I never thought it could go.

Watershed moment: standing in my living room, election night 2000. They've just called Florida for Gore. I am jumping up and down, hollering, I dance my husband around the kitchen, and I sweep up my daughter in her arms and kiss her entire face.

Then.....no Florida. Everything in turmoil. I didn't know what to think. Was this a joke? I went to bed at 3 am, exhausted and confused. When I woke up in the morning, they still didn't know. And I stood there in front of my TV, hands clenched in fists, and decided right then and there that I would NEVER JUST VOTE again. I would get busy, get active and make some changes. I was kicking ass and taking names from that point on. I would make national politics such a part of my life it would become part of me. I vowed it to myself.

[hedda_foil]

42. I was seven and just as into it as she is!

And when JFK was almost nominated for Veep in 1956 when I was 11, I was so wild with excitement that I jumped up and down on my Mom's new sofa ... all 110 pounds of me!

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

43. Hee hee

almost nominated, huh? but just imagine how different things might have turned out...

[Hell Hath No Fury]

44. 8 in 1968....

I watched both the Democratic and GOP conventions.

At 8 years old I knew Nixon was a liar -- it was all over his face. Even when he smiled, I knew I couldn't trust him as far as I could throw him. Living in SF in the 60s, politics became a part of your life almost by osmosis because it was everywhere.

[RobertSeattle]

46. Kind of remembers me when I was a kid

When the Delegate count actually mattered. It was pretty exciting television.

[Ellen Forradalom]

47. I volunteered for the McGovern campaign when I was nine.

I stuffed and addressed envelopes at the local campaign headquarters. My coffee habit dates from that time, too.