Opening Night: The New Faces of the Democratic Party

It was just four years ago that a young and somewhat unknown legislator from Chicago, named Barack Obama, was given center stage at the Democratic Convention, leaving behind an strong as an accomplished communicator and future national leader.

WASHINGTON (Catholic Online) - Watching the opening hours of the Democratic Convention showed America that we are in the midst of the changing of the guard. The words, rock music, flashing lights and high tech arena are showcasing this major shift in the political spectrum away from the Baby Boomer Generation.

Many of the new faces are second generation leaders, like Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., Rep. Patrick Kennedy, and Caroline Kennedy. Others are eager workers who have risen through the ranks of the democratic party machine or campaign staffs to begin their own political futures.

It was just four years ago that a young and somewhat unknown legislator from Chicago, named Barack Obama, was given center stage at the Democratic Convention, leaving behind an strong as an accomplished communicator and future national leader.

In remarks to the convention after a tribute to his almost half-century in politics, Senator Edward Kennedy reinforced the transition of power by saying, "this November the torch will be passed again to a new generation of Americans, so with Barack Obama and for you and for me, our country will be committed to his cause. The work begins anew. The hope rises again. And the dream lives on."

While the emotional highlight of the evening was the Kennedy tribute, the spotlight was really on Michelle Obama, who was given the opportunity to show many Americans a first glance at the Democrat's offering of First Lady-to-be.

Trying to ward off further criticism she garnered for earlier remarks regarding her pride in America, Michelle worked hard to build a case for America and the new American dream.

"I stand here today at the crosscurrents of that history, knowing that my piece of the American dream is a blessing hard won by those who came before me," she declared. "All of us driven by a simple belief that the world as it is just won't do. That we have an obligation to fight for the world as it should be. That is the thread that connects our hearts. That is the thread that runs through my journey and Barack's journey and so many other improbable journeys that have brought us here tonight, where the current of history meets this new tide of hope.

"That is why I love this country. And in my own life, in my own small way, I've tried to give back to this country that has given me so much."

She also focused a lot on the family-values emphasis of her family.

"I come here tonight as a sister blessed with a brother who is my mentor, my protector and my lifelong friend. I come here as a wife who loves my husband and believes he will be an extraordinary president. I come here as a mom whose girls are the heart of my heart and the center of my world... And I come here as a daughter raised on the south side of Chicago by a father who was a blue-collar city worker and a mother who stayed at home with my brother and me."

Other "new" voices are yet to be heard this week, including former Virginia Governor Mark Warner, Senator Bob Casey, Jr., and Florida Congressman Robert Wexler, among others.

A large number of party veterans are also taking their place on the main platform during the week. The Clintons, in fact, are both scheduled as keynoters, with Hillary on Tuesday night and Bill on Wednesday night. All that being said, it will be hard to ignore the sense, as Teddy Kennedy indicated, that the torch is being passed.

---

'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'

Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online