If you missed Rep. Dennis Kucinich's speech to the Texas Democratic State Convention Saturday morning, you missed a truly memorable experience. But you can watch and hear it via streaming video from the Texas Democratic Party web site:
http://www.txdemocrats.org/convmovies/index.php -- Click on the image of Dennis above the caption "Congressman Kucinich Rallies the Democrats". It's about 17 minutes long.
The sound is somewhat low, so you'll need to turn the volume up. If you can't get the video/audio to load, try again later, as the server is very busy now streaming video to many other folks also want to watch parts of the convention.
What you will miss from the above video is the overwhelming show of support that Texas Democrats gave to Dennis' message. The highly directional microphones used at the podium in the convention center picked up very little of the sounds from the crowd, but those crowd sounds were very loud during much of Dennis' speech. Delegates located in seats in several places in the convention hall reported afterwards that at times they could hardly hear what Dennis was saying, in spite of the excellent PA system at the convention center, because the crowd's applause and cheering was so loud.
Even some Kucinich supporters seemed surprised by the enthusiastic response of the crowd, which had Kerry shirts and buttons in great abundance. Dennis' speech, and the crowd's reaction, demonstrated without any doubt how popular his ideas are among Democrats, if presented without the usual mainstream media editing and filtering.
During the first part of Dennis' speech, some people were milling around, and walking up and down the aisles, as happens almost continuously during the state conventions, especially during the many speeches there. However, by the last half of Dennis' speech, the crowd's attention was riveted on him, chanting along with him, and yelling and screaming approval.
Even hard core Kerry supporters, who said Sen. John Edwards speech on Friday night was very good, said that Dennis' speech was the best of the convention, and spoke approvingly of the issues he brought up during it on Saturday.The reports about the convention looking more like a peace rally were due entirely to the hundreds of Kucinich supporters waving signs, carrying peace banners, and working for the Dept. of Peace resolution. As soon as I get a chance to write it up, I'll send another note about the amazing story behind the story of how we got the original, unamended form of the Department of Peace resolution approved by the Texas Democratic Convention.
Some other media coverage that you can find on the web:
The best story about Dennis' speech and the convention: Texas Dems Unite Against Occupation of Iraq, by David Swanson:
http://www.davidswanson.org/columns/texas.htmTexas Democrats Cheer Kucinich, Demand Peace:
http://www.kucinich.usNews8Austin's story on the convention (part from AP):
http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/?ArID=110525&SecID=2Houston Chronicle: State Democrats Call for Unity, By R.G.
Ratcliffe:
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/politics/2637177Houston Indymedia plans to have a story posted soon at
http://www.houston.indymedia.org/ -- Please watch for it, as they have had some great stories about events you won't hear about in the mainstream media.
Also listen for KPFT's coverage of the convention, and related news, on 90.1 FM in Houston, 89.5 FM in Galveston, or via streaming audio on the web:
http://www.kpft.org/ Besides KPFT's news coverage, Wally James plans to air Dennis' speech, along with those of Rep. Lon Burnam and others, on his Progressive Forum show this Thursday night, 8-10 pm CDT.
Bill Crosier
Houston Area Coordinator, Kucinich for President
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