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One more little meditation, before I turn in. It’s been a day and then some, and I’m suspecting that the next three days will be even more so.
It’s a little overwhelming, being here. I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night—fortunately no anxiety dreams in the few hours before dawn, but I had a hard time getting to sleep. I didn’t seem to be able to relax. I remember the same thing happening the night before I was supposed to leave for my big semester abroad when I was in college. It definitely happened the night before I married the World’s Most Wonderful Human Being. I don’t remember too clearly, but I bet it happened a lot when I was young enough to believe in Santa Claus, too.
So, maybe I’m a little punchy. What am I doing here? I’m not a delegate; I’m not deciding anything important. I’m nobody famous; I’m not making speeches. I’m too crowd-phobic to relish the big mass events.
I caught most of Teddy’ speech on television as we were getting ready to go to dinner. Damn, he looked good. And he made me proud. I remember when he was “Bobby’s little brother,” and people sniped that he just got elected on a pity vote and would be a do-nothing drunken playboy for a couple of terms and then fade off into obscurity, leaving the “Kennedy legacy” the worse for wear.
Well, he’s lived a long life in the public eye. He probably has had less privacy, cumulatively over the last forty years, than anyone except Britain’s royals and a couple of super-A-list Hollywood types. So we all know that he certainly liked his booze; he went at the good times with gusto; he lived large and made large mistakes.
But… do nothing? Tarnishing the legacy? Year by year, over forty years, Ted has accomplished more for America than the rest of Rose's boyos combined. Vale, Ted. You’ve done yeoman service. Often and often, you’ve stood in the breach, barring the way from the wrecking crew.
Helluva torch-passing. Puts the Olympics to shame.
We found ourselves some dinner at a chain steakhouse. Not a lot of choice at this end of town and we were more than a little peckish.
Michelle Obama was on the television in the bar.
Now, wasn’t that a brilliant move on the part of the Convention organizers? Da-yum, she’s smart and attractive and down-to-earth and she can speak effectively, too. I wonder if the GOP will try to shove Cindy McCain in front of the cameras in prime time?
I bet not.
We went downtown just as the big doin’s at the Pepsi Center was letting out. People were streaming down the streets, heading toward the dozens of restaurants and pubs and night spots in the area. We drove past a classy-looking place with a big sign “Elected Officials” tented on the sidewalk. A long line waiting to get in. I wondered briefly whether the “Elected Officials” was a bar band cobbled together for the evening by waggish local musicians, but it didn’t look like that kind of place. I flourished a camera out the car window and got some smiles and waves, but the light changed before I could get off a shot.
Bored-but-amiable-looking cops were perched on the hood of their cruiser at the next intersection, watching the streaming crowds carrying “Michelle” signs, festooned with backpacks and tote bags and credential necklaces. We pulled up next to the cruiser and I called “Thanks for all the overtime!” They looked surprised, then grinned and one of them waved.
You know, I don’t know if I’m going to get next to anyone famous, and I’m not sure I care either way, other than for the novelty value. (Except I’d love to tell Gwen Ifill what a great journalist I think she is…) As far as I’m concerned, the real story here isn’t the Famous Speechifiers and the Big Decisions—important as those are, they’re being covered with panache by hundreds of more informed, more eloquent bloggers and bloviators.
But nine times out of ten, I think, these big, public hoo-has are sound and fury and media and hype and in the end, the substance is miniscule compared to the foofooraw.
This feels like the tenth time. This feels like the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. And isn’t that saying something, considering that sum. And I’m watching it happen right here, right now.
Well, tomorrow, anyway.
‘Night, all.
sleepily,
Bright
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