At a downtown Juneau “convention watch party,” supporters of President Barack Obama watched as he accepted his party’s nomination at the Democratic National Convention in distant Charlotte, N.C., Thursday evening.
More than 25 people gathered at T.K. Maguire’s to watch the convention speeches of the president and Vice President Joe Biden. Clipboards inviting attendees to sign up to volunteer for the Obama campaign were passed around.
“We need your name and email address, as well as the best way to contact you,” Nancy Courtney, the watch party’s organizer, announced during a lull between Biden’s speech and Obama’s speech.
Mayoral candidate Cheryl Jebe also put in an appearance, entering the lounge just as Obama stepped out onto stage on the three flat-screen televisions arranged around the room.
The speech was well received, with many lines drawing applause and cheers at T.K. Maguire’s. The energy level dropped for a minute or two after a technical problem caused the video and audio of Obama’s address to freeze temporarily, but by the time the president wrapped up a few minutes later, the group of mostly seniors was back to whooping and cheering for their candidate of choice.
“I loved it,” said retired teacher Nancy Slook. “I thought he was right on in so many ways.” She ticked off several points of the speech, including Obama’s defense of the automotive industry bailout, his remarks on military veterans and his education plan, that resonated with her.
Jebe said she is not a Democrat and her vote remains up for grabs this November, but she offered praise for the address.
“I thought it was a very positive, uplifting speech, and I look forward to hearing more,” said Jebe.
National polls and surveys of swing states suggest Obama has a narrow lead over rival Mitt Romney, the Republican ex-governor of Massachusetts, but nearly everyone seems to agree this will be a close presidential election.
Yet Alaska, which has not lent its three electoral votes to a Democrat since President Lyndon B. Johnson carried the state in 1964, does not look to be in play at all.
“It’s not even in the realm of consideration,” said Jerry McBeath, professor of political science at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, several hours before the convention speech Thursday. “Obama will not be Alaska’s favorite candidate.”
And so, with Alaska looking like a lock for Romney, Obama supporters in the state are looking Outside.
“We’re calling local people to build our volunteer base, and we’re also starting to make persuasion calls to Nevada,” Courtney told attendees.
Obama won Nevada in 2008, but the state was carried by President George W. Bush in 2004. It is considered a battleground state this year.
After the speech, Courtney seemed, as one of Obama’s favorite expressions goes, “fired up and ready to go.”
“The Obama campaign is alive and well in Alaska,” Courtney declared, to cheers from the audience. “We are reaching out to the swing states, and we will change and make this election happen. We will reelect President Obama.”
Who wins Alaska may be a foregone conclusion, and who wins the election is too early to say. But Slook said that for her part, she is looking forward to getting involved.
“I’m going to do whatever I can, and I’m really excited to volunteer,” Slook said. “This is the first time I’ve ever done anything for a campaign. And I felt really energized by the Obama campaign, and that’s why I’m here tonight.”
• Contact reporter Mark D. Miller at 523-2279 or at mark.d.miller@juneauempire.com.
Comments (131)
Add commentThat's nice
But again, Alaska does not matter. Our three electoral votes will go to Ryan/Romney. Cheering for either presidential candidate is like watching a pro football game - you have absolutely no affect on the outcome.
So let's look further down the food chain.
No senators in play this year. Only Don is up, and I have a hard time believing that Cissna can touch him.
Juneau's legislative reps are a lock, with no opponents.
Looks like the most interesting race will be for mayor and assembly. Maybe school board.
Kind of a boring campaign season for Juneauites. We'll have to make up stuff to fight over.
25 whole people
I wonder how many of these 25 hanging out in the bar are employed? This is a perfect picture, how many are talking on their Obama phones?
liberals...
They most likely aren't employed Banditrider why should they be? Oblamer is giving out foodstamps like it's going out of style......a whopping 25 supporters.......
Of course they cheered.
Of course they cheered. They've been slurping up the idiocy of this president for three and a half years. They're so gone to the left they're lost to reality. My only question - what flavor of KoolAid was being served?
Koodo's to Lat for concisely summarizing the state of Alaska's input.
Free Beer
If I got free money from the government I'd be at TK's spending it on drinks too! Thanks Obama!
Dysfunctional
is the only word that can be used for a party hijacked by the most extreme of them, so party on dudes and party on
What is sad...
...are the immediate personal attacks on this forum on the folks watching the convention.
Come on, folks. These are your fellow Juneau citizens. They're probably nice folks, pay their taxes, don't commit crimes, volunteer to make our community a little better.
So they're supporting a candidate you don't agree with. That doesn't justify the personal belittlement and attacks that you're making on them. Grow up.
Want to attack Obama? Knock yourself out. Plenty to pick on there. He's a public political figure, and that comes with the territory. But let's try to show a little class when it comes to our own.
Ever hear of a circular firing squad?
Really???
Politics have ended, now we're watching sports. Remember when one states players would all be from that state, so it was really state vs. state. You could compare that to one party being so different from the other. Now, in modern years, we trade players between states. Kind of like our politicians switch political parties or Romney switches views.
The only real people who cared about this country running for office were Paul and Gary Johnson. But that's not what we're looking for. Oooh, my team's gonna win so I'm sitting on their bleachers. Who really cares? Your kids? I don't think so.
What did Obama do? Nothing that the Republicans didn't. What will Romney do. Nothing that Obama wouldn't. Anyone with half a brain could pull up the flip flop video of Romney on YouTube and see what a wash he is.
What has Obama done? The NDAA for starters. You know, that legislation supported by everyone across the country. The only state that rose against it was a democratic state, bucking their own president. That was Oregon. Even Lisa Murkowski voted for it. And for more strict gun laws. Oh wait, forgot, she's a democrat.
NDAA (illegal detention), HR 347 (free speech), Assignment of National Security and Emergency Preparedness Communications Functions (executive order taking control of the internet), nation expansion, decimation of our Constitution, rendering state governments useless as our federal government takes control of their lands and rights.
The list goes on. But the puppets can sit their and still support Romney and Obama. It's really disgusting. Elections are more like watching the Cowbows and Broncos play. No meaningful words. The media are they guys who tell us what we just watched over and over. You know, the retired players. No real content, just telling us what we just saw.
Oh, but we have to get Obama out of office so you have to vote for Romney. Why? Really? No I don't. He's just as big of an idiot as Obama. In fact, I hate Obama, but I like him more than Romney. With democrats, they stab you in the gut. Romney's the type to stab you in the back. He did it to Paul, he's flip-flopped on every topic over the course of his career, just the fact that he made $17 million dollars last year tells me he doesn't care about the American people. I'd bet the guy that came up with Girls Gone Wild has more morale character than Romney.
So, you sheep keep wining about how screwed up this country is. Then go ahead and support Romney or Obama. Who knows, I may be the idiot. Maybe your kids will enjoy being ants in a colony or robots in a factory. Maybe I'm wrong altogether and these candidates really support the Constitution, freedom and don't want to keep sacrificing the lives of our soldiers overseas. Maybe they really do love you. Then, I'd like to apologize in advance.
As for me, my vote goes one of three ways. If Paul runs as an independent, I'll vote for him. Not a wasted vote, a vote for my conscious. A vote for what's right. The second way is possibly voting for Gary Johnson. Also a morale vote. And the third possibility is voting for Obama. But why you ask? Because I'm a conservative that hates the GOP that much. By voting for Obama, I not only take my conservative vote away, but I give it to the enemy. My vote will count for two in bringing down the INCREDIBLY corrupt GOP.
I have until voting day to decide. No matter what though, the RNC/GOP is in my rear view...
Looking deeper,
I find it interesting that those who raise the loudest voice against the Republicans whenever there is a scandal or hint of infidelity, have to stoop as low as Bill Clinton (Slick Willy) to trumpet their favored person for president. You know the guy, cigar aficionado, and method of flavoring same, protector of young interns, friend? Of Ron Brown. State police to pick things up, and return them? And this is their method of touting the qualities of obama? No thanks, and NO obama, because we do know obama.
I agree with Lat...
No matter your affiliation, what is most alarming is the current state of extremism. When you see people denigrating others personally because of their party, and making outrageous statements about people they don't even know. I admit that it will be a cold day in he!! before I ever vote for a republican. The republican party has devolved into a completely obstructionist, my-way-or-the-highway party. They have been hijacked by a ploarizing, hateful contingent of individuals characterized by the likes of Rush Limbaugh and the Tea Baggers. I hold the republicans resonsible for unconscionable obstructionism in congress. What are Progressives to do if we find republicans in charge of the Senate - filibuster every single item of importance to our nation and thwart every single piece of important legislation, as the republicans have so outrageously done? How does this move the country forward? No - I think the choice to me is a clear one, and the contrast couldn't be more stark. Increase the power and plutocracy of the 1% and turn back the clock of this nation, overturning battles already fought and won, or forge ahead, including all walks of people, and fight and win for the middle class.
I don't for a minute think the Democrats hold all the answers, because those answers are supposed to arrived at together. The Republican party has slammed the door on bipartisanship, and welded it shut. The Democrat's door is still open - even to Republicans. In November I think we'll see another dramatic loss by the R's, and rightfully so. Meanwhile, if extremists on both sides will lighten up and grow up, perhaps we could have a thoughtful discourse on politics sans the childish name-calling.
wow...
"This is a perfect picture, how many are talking on their Obama phones?"
Banditrider, did you know cell phone companies are the ones who give out free phones, and in fact the program was started years ago, before Obama was ever elected. Soooo, you're dumb.
"Oblamer is giving out foodstamps like it's going out of style......a whopping 25 supporters......."
Can't argue with this one... well I could, but clearly it would be a waste to introduce a little logic at this point.
"They've been slurping up the idiocy of this president for three and a half years."
jim, I don't think you are in any position to talk... george bush ring any bells?
islandhopper, obama is not extreme anything. If you think he is, it's because you yourself are extreme. The closest thing to liberal legislation that he sponsored was the republican created healthcare reform law. We have the lowest income taxes in a half century. We bailed out corporations with the last stimulus. Who is extreme here? You are.
"Now, there’s something I’ve
"Now, there’s something I’ve noticed lately. You probably have, too. And it’s this. Maybe just because I grew up in a different time, but though I often disagree with Republicans, I actually never learned to hate them the way the far right that now controls their party seems to hate our president and a lot of other Democrats."
~ Bill Clinton
Straight up lie, Rough Cut
"Fox falsely claimed that as many people watched an episode of TLC's reality show Here Comes Honey Boo Boo as viewed former President Bill Clinton's September 5 Democratic Convention speech. In reality, more than 10 times as many people watched the Clinton speech.
Fox, in their haste to make President Clinton look less influential than a former Toddlers and Tiaras contestant, got the story completely wrong. In fact, Clinton's convention speech drew 25.1 million viewers across the seven networks that carried his speech. By contrast, Honey Boo Boo drew 2.4 million viewers. Only if you compare Honey Boo Boo's ratings with Clinton's ratings among the 18-49 demographic on one cable news network, CNN, did the two tie each other.
The total numbers for the evening as provided by Nielsen showed that not only did total coverage on all networks for Clinton far surpass the ratings for Honey Boo Boo as well as the ratings for Paul Ryan's speech from the same night of the week during the Republican National Convention, they also beat the ratings for the second half of the opening game in the NFL regular season.
But you'd never know that at Fox."
Obomney
Way to go team! Now I'm gonna go puke a little bit.
Gary Johnson 2012
Also agree with Latitude......
I watched key addresses in both conventions. I was struck by two things: First, the RNC crowd is almost entirely white. As such, just as a basic fact with no judgement - it does not represent the true makeup of the country. To me that in itself is telling. Second, the messages - and I did my best to listen as objectively as possible - were largely negative during the RNC, largely positive during the DNC.
That aside - Latitude is correct - we can talk all we want about promises made by a president, plans put forth by a president - and yes, the president does have a hand in setting policy, but the real race, the real power lies with Congress. They make the day-to-day laws that affect us all. A president with an unwilling congress cannot do much with their agenda.
So I watch the conventions for the overall feel of the parties, but I watch the congressional races for the actual direction of the country.
Where has this come from.....
This idea from the conservatives on this board that it is ok to say that all the people in the photo must be unemployed, or on food stamps, or getting free stuff? What is up with this clearly warped view of other Americans? No one could honestly believe any such statement was based in reality - so why make it? Where does this amount of hatred come from, for people you don't even know?
I got a kick out of Clinton's Japanese bow in welcoming the
President onto the stage.
swimmergirl,
It's the american taliban... anyone who doesn't subscribe to their philosophy is the enemy. In this case, anyone who is not conservative is anti-conservatism... i.e. baby-killing, welfare abusing, STD-carrying, anti-american liberals.
JNU, “Though I often disagree
JNU,
“Though I often disagree with Republicans, I actually never learned to hate them the way the far right that now controls their party seems to hate our president and a lot of other Democrats.”
...So Clinton has reverted to name calling...How does Clinton know Republicans "hate" Obama? This is pure panic politics.
Liberty
Liberty is far too important to be dumbed down, conceded, or sold for a marginal victory.
I will not vote for RINO/ROMNEY/RYAN.
The case for freedom is to be unapologetic because it embodies the great desire for justice above all else.
by Wynton Hall---Obama
by Wynton Hall
---Obama inherited a mess from Bush.
Yes, and Obama made it far worse. Obama inherited a AAA credit rating. He destroyed it. Obama inherited $1.84 a gallon gas. He doubled it. Obama inherited a $10.6 trillion debt. He exploded it to $16 trillion. Obama inherited a 7.8% unemployment rate. He raised it to 8.3% unemployment rate. Obama inherited a nation with 32 million citizens on food stamps. He’s increased that to 46.7 million food stamp recipients. ---Obama created 4.5 million jobs.
Even CNN says that’s a farce. Indeed, Obama is the only president since WWII to preside over a net job loss. Put simply, there are fewer people working than when the Hope & Change Express rolled into the White House. Moreover, 58% of recovered jobs are now low-wage.
noroadfugitive,
by definition Clinton was not name calling. Describing the opposing message is simply stating a fact. If the facts offend you, maybe you're on the wrong side.
Likening the president to Hitler is not exactly a message of love. I don't about you, but I would say the whole point of making countless references to hitler means the tea party hates obama as much as the average person hates hitler. That was the whole point. You can defend this message til you're blue in the face but it doesn't change reality.
The american taliban doesn't realize what they're doing. They think they're spreading a message of America and holding the values of the founding fathers near to their hearts... if the founding fathers were bent on religious persecution and social inequality, they would've stayed in england.
No wonder the viewership was thru the roof--
the DNC was carried on, what? seven networks? I couldn't find anything good on History Channel so watched Biden for a few minutes before looking for a hole to get sick in.
What was there to cheer
What was there to cheer about? Sounded about the same as ever from the Dems. Lots of catchy sayings, smoke and mirrors and a dog and pony show. Osama Bin Laden is dead and GM is alive? True, but they fail to mention on whose dime! And please cheesy, don't try to tell us that we got our money back. The Gov't sold "our stock" at half of what it was worth and GM has not completely payed the taxpayers back yet. Of course, being as this all took place under democrat leadership, the unions were the big winners.
@SG
most your points are valid, or at least well thought out; but I disagree about the real power being in Congress. I look at the make-up of the Supreme Court, which can rule on laws adopted and signed. Then I look at the most controversial appointments made, and how that process was navigated.
AAA credit rating downgrade
AAA credit rating downgrade was the fault of congress' inaction. Obama can't force congress to act responsibly.
Gas prices are dependent on a number of things... the president not being one of them.
Our debt is incredibly high, even compared to our GDP. The debt began compounding exponentially after the bush tax cuts and two wars in the middle east. Let me know when you find evidence pointing to Obama on this one...
In December of 2008, prior to Obama's term, the country lost 700,000 jobs. Just in one month. How many jobs are we losing now? That's called progress, pal. Progress. You probably should have learned that vocab word by now.
During recessions the coutnry sees more food stamp users. This latest recession was the second worst economic downturn this nation has seen in over a century. That means it's about as bad as anyone has seen in their lifetime. You expect food stamps to increase during that time.
Wynton Hall is a political pundit for the american taliban. I'm not surprised you willingly shoveled his feces in your mouth with a spork.
Junokara
Wasn't there a delegate from NY at the DNC that said she would like to kill Romney if she saw him? Thought I heard something like that...
@cheesy
I'm glad you hear your stance on Hitler references, since the vast majority of such references have been leveled against Bush (have you already forgot the moveon.org campaign). And if you've missed the many such references during the DNC then you must be living under the bridge. But it's good you admit such actions are contemptible. BTW, since you're so obtuse I'll enlighten you a bit, utilizing the term "American Taliban" to refer to anyone, regardless of party affiliation, is no better than the Hitler references. I realize you feel so superior being able to use the term, but it's very foolish, and no more accurate than the other.
Cheesy
I hate to admit this, but you are right when you say that "Obama can't force congress to act responsibly," but a good leader would have done just that.
American Taliban?
Is this a reference to the Republicans? This is a new low.