Wednesday I was able to squeeze in a non-volunteer opportunity and sign up at revolutionarywomen.com. For $10 that gave me entry to their afternoon of speakers at the new convention center, a good walk from South Station across the Fort Point Channel. And the speakers were worth every penny and every blister, including Carolyn Moseley Braun, Madeline Albright, Nancy Pelosi and Hilary Clinton, all speaking to the theme of progressive political leadership for women at all levels of government. My favorite though, and not just because she is the local Sheriff of Suffolk County, was Andrea Cabral. She spoke first, she spoke calmly and she spoke well, skillfully blending elements of history and her personal experience, with none of that political shouting style of speaking or obvious pauses to allow, or even to prime the pump of applause. Her stage presence with such heavyweight women politicos made me think they could learn from her, at least about speaking, rather than the other way around. She's the one on the big screen in the photo, giving you a bit of a feel for what it was like from back in the audience.
My other back in the audience shot is from Kerry's Thursday morning rally at the Charlestown Navy Yard, where he arrived from Logan Airport by boat with his Vietnam Navy crew. He's the little figure visible just to the right of the man in the beige jacket. Again I could have seen much better watching on television, but the energy and general hoopla surrounding these events, made even a distant view extra special.
Before the convention started I had noticed the Nantucket Lightship tied up next to the ferry dock and wondered how it happened to be there. The rally provided the answer, using the Lightship as a perfect display spot for a giant Kerry/Edwards banner. Notice the impressive number of boats patrolling the water just beyond where Kerry's boat had tied up for the rally.
Oops! Almost forgot to add a link to my favorite convention blog - Hot Flashes from the Campaign Trail. Those who know me well need not ask why.