DNC Backstage Pass: Final Thoughts

A very long night last night, lasting into the wee hours. There were so many colors and impressions that it's hard to take it all in. And like covering an earthquake, it's hard to describe the whole landscape. How to describe sitting in a seat at the stadium as the sun set, watching row after row after row fill up ... for a political event?

How to describe the people who, when you ask them what the moment meant, can't finish the sentence without tears?

How to describe the people who traveled from all across the country to volunteer, and were happy to sell T-shirts and sit by recycling bins, just to be part of it?

How to describe the career political veterans -- the self described hacks -- who stop you in the hall and just shake their heads and say, can you believe it?

The next few weeks will about policy and contrast. That starts today.

This is an election, not a coronation and the public deserves a chance to evaluate these two men and their running mates and their policies and, yes, their lives. But I think it is worth taking a moment to pause and ask, when is the last time any politician made people want to get on a greyhound bus and travel the country just to be part of a political event?

Some random thoughts:

The Technology Piece

The technology piece was intriguing. Before the big speeches there were "quizzes" on the jumbotron asking questions about Obama policy positions. You were invited to text message the right answer.

In the media booking room, a program to allow them to look up any radio or TV show or host and find out what the program was all about, what markets it was in and what audience it served. (I hope I was in it.)

The Cultural Piece

The design of the buttons, the T-shirts. There's a graphic image of Obama in the Warhol style that has become inconic already. I wonder if John MCCain will have a similar signature image.

The Music

It's something we never had a chance to talk about. There were some intriguing choices -- John Legend and will.i.am, of course. Both big supporters, along with Sheryl Crow and Melissa Etheride. But there was also country music.

When's the last time you heard country music at a Democratic convention? (And, I hate to admit it, but Michael McDonald is still kinda hot.)

The Fashion Tip

Amazingly enough, you do need a sweater in a stadium with 84,000 people. And, yes, I did have to come out of my cute shoes. One problem technology has yet to solve: how to wear your fly shoes and walk a country mile through an intense security perimeter and a football stadium.

Sigh.

See you from St. Paul. ...

Addendum: OK, so on my flight to LA I saw actress Regina King, Crosby of Crosby Stills and Nash (both of whom have been on my show, by the way). One of the stars of "The West Wing" (I'll google him later). A guy who looks just like Chuck D, but isn't.
Anyway, the point is take that Teshima on star sightings. I win, I win! Hah! ... Also on my flight, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis ... celebrity chef G. Garvin. Teshima, I win!

Michel Martin

7:55 PM ET | 08-29-2008 | permalink

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After Obama Speech, GOP Wastes Little Time

Hi, Everyone. It's Cheryl Corley, here in Washington, D.C. Tell Me More's host Michel Martin and producer Teshima Walker are on the ground in Denver covering the Democratic National Convention (DNC). They're blogging each day giving you a backstage pass to what's happening at the DNC.

Hi Folks,

The Republicans wasted no time stepping into the limelight a day after the Democrats wrapped up their convention. Republican John McCain selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his vice presidential pick.

The focus of much of our show today, however, was on the Democrat's history-making night last night -- when Barack Obama accepted the nomination and became the first black presidential nominee of a major party. House Majority Whip James Clyburn says it was a very emotional time for him. The South Carolina Congressman was a leader in the battle for African-Americans to have the right to vote.

So now both parties begin to vie for the support of voters who haven't decided who they'll back. We found out the concerns of three such voters today on the show. Plus, a very animated conversation from the Barbershop guys about the Democratic convention.

Meantime, the Republican Convention gets underway next week. Michel Martin and Tell Me More be there. Be sure to check us out -- on the radio and here on the blog.

I'm heading back to Chicago, so long until the next time.

--Cheryl Corley

Michel Martin

4:06 PM ET | 08-29-2008 | permalink

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DNC Backstage Pass: Here At Invesco Field

Rev. Jesse Jackson makes his way through Invesco Field at the Democratic National Convention 2008 in Denver, Colorado, on August 28, 2008. Thousands are in attendance to hear Democratic Sen. Barack Obama accept his party's nomination for President.

ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

 

Right now, I'm sitting in a lovely breeze at Invesco mile high stadium. The reporters are all trying to grab people while people try to take their pictures of the scene. Mile high could be called "mile long lines" just for the wait to get in the place. We got here early because, well, we're doobies, but now I'm glad we did because the lines to get in are scary long. They're moving fast but, whoa, that's commitment.

I'm filled with bitterness and rage because Teshima, inexplicably, has spotted more celebrities than I have: I saw restaurateur B. Smith and LeVar Burton, and Dan Rather. But she saw Steven Spielberg, Malik Yoba, Gloria Ruben, and Big Bun.

I keep telling her it's because I am focused on REAL people, not celebrities, but then she gets tells me to tell it to the hand.

Whatever.

There's a celebratory air here, like in the hours before a big sports game or a big concert -- the same crackle, the same happy anticipation, with too many burgers and hotdogs being washed down to count. On the other hand, there's the weight of history -- people like Jesse Jackson and Marion Wright Edelman, who were there at the March on Washington 45 years ago today.

A woman I met, New Hampshire delegate Joanne Dowdell, is black and believes she is the first African-American female delegate from NH. Dowdell couldn't talk about how she felt about being there for the festivities without tearing up.

"My father is 89 and he's seen everything, everything ... and he just never, never thought ... ," she reflected.

I knew what she meant.

On the other hand, I talked to one of Obama's first supporters in the state, Annie McLane Kuster, who was doing her happy dance about having primo seats on the floor. McLane Kuster is from what they call an "old New Hampshire family," which is code for a "mover and shaker" who's related to many other present and former New Hampshire movers and shakers. She is white, so there was no identity politics involved for her. McLane Kuster told me she just came to the conclusion that Obama was what the country needed, that he had the skills and temperament necessary to get the job done. Typical, practical New Hampshirite.

And listening to Martin Luther King III on the podium, I can't help but wonder what it's like for him.

Here still waiting for the Big Speech, still enjoing the breeze. Now they're getting the wave started in the upper deck.

More later.

Michel Martin

7:23 PM ET | 08-28-2008 | permalink

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DNC Backstage Pass: More Convention Notes

Something else that stood out this week ...

Watching Joe Biden's acceptance speech the other day capped off quite a day. Supervising producer Teshima Walker and I were on the floor talking to people during the roll call. We were in the Ohio section because I wanted to talk to the governor (I covered him when he was a congressman) and also because Ohio had been a big victory for Sen. Hillary Clinton. This was one of the places where voters have been willing to admit that race is an issue.

All of a sudden there was this ... energy shift. I can't describe it any other way. We started wandering over to the New York delegation, security kept pushing us back. Something was up. What was going on? Then we saw her. This roar went up.

It was Sen. Clinton making her way to the microphone at each delegation. She asked the convention to suspend the roll call. She asked the body to nominate Sen. Barack Obama by acclamation. Speaker Nancy Pelosi quickly grabbed the gavel. Was there a second, did the body agree?

Another roar went up. I looked around. There were so many tears in so many eyes for so many different reasons.

And then, just a few hours later, Bill Clinton took to the podium with an ovation so long he had to order people to sit down. And then ... Joe Biden.

It was so interesting to watch the emotions shift throughout the hall. It was almost like a wake and a wedding on the same day -- the intense sadness of some of the Clinton supporters, the euphoria of the Obama supporters as he claimed the nomination ... the relief and pride in President Clinton's embrace, and then the happy warrior spirit with which Joe Biden closed the night. It was almost too much to take in on one day

More sightings:
The Rev. Kirbyjon and Suzette Caldwell (he officiated at the wedding of Jenna Bush ... and supports Obama), actors Jeffrey Wright, Kerri Washington and Sheryl Lee Ralph, the Rev. Frederick Douglass Haynes, Gail King (ok, Teshima saw her, I missed out), The Revs. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, Karl Rove (again) and my college classmate Cindy Robbins (I couldn't talk to her, though, because I was on the air ... sorry, Cindy!).

Smootches!

Michel Martin

6:02 PM ET | 08-28-2008 | permalink

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Barack Obama Clinches Nomination ... What If?

Hi, Everyone. It's Cheryl Corley, here in Washington, D.C. Tell Me More's host Michel Martin and producer Teshima Walker are on the ground in Denver covering the Democratic National Convention (DNC). They're blogging each day giving you a backstage pass to what's happening at the DNC.

Today is the historic day when Barack Obama accepts the Democratic nomination for president, becoming the first African American to do so. We talked to two journalists -- one from Mexico and another from Kenya -- about their take on the convention and Obama's bid for the presidency.

Of course, the nomination comes on the anniversary of what civil rights advocate Marian Wright Edelman says was an exhilarating day. It was 45 years ago that Edelman and thousands of others took part in the 1963 March on Washington and heard Martin Luther King, Jr., talk about his dreams for this country. Edelman says this year's campaign has been a giant step forward in terms of how the country handles both race and gender.

Whether Barack Obama is elected the country's first black president has been the subject of our What If? series. Michel Martin spoke today with poet and author Maya Angelou, who said she never thought she'd be alive to see the possibility of an African-American winning the presidency. Angelou says Obama's broad support means people are leaving behind the ignorance of racism.

More on Obama's speech later from Michel. I'll talk to you more tomorrow.

--Cheryl Corley

Michel Martin

5:27 PM ET | 08-28-2008 | permalink

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DNC Backstage Pass: A Chat With Ted Strickland

So, Teshima and I were on the convention floor the other day at the Pepsi Center when, low and behold, who do we see but Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, a Democrat. As you know, Ohio is a hot spot political battleground (lest we forget 2004).

Anyway, I was able to pull the governor aside for a short chat. We talked about the division of delegate votes between Sen. Barack Obama and former Sen. Hillary Clinton and the reconciliation of those votes here in Denver, and what outcome we might expect Strickland's (also a former congressman) state to deliver come November.

Take a listen, and let us know what you think:

Michel Martin

4:09 PM ET | 08-28-2008 | permalink

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DNC Backstage Pass: Everyone's Here

Some of the people I saw up close or hollered at in just one day:

- Spike Lee

- Craig Robinson (Michelle Obama's brother)

- Karl Rove (he didn't look happy)

- Rudy Giuliani (he DID look happy)

- Mitt Romney (he looked ... tall)

- Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter

- John Trasvina, president of Maldef

- Julianne Malveaux, president of Bennett College

- Wellington Webb, former Mayor of Denver, and his wife Wilma, a former state legislator

- Several former college classmates who happened to be delegates (go Crimson! Hah!)

- James Yee, the former chaplain at Guantanamo Bay who was accused of being a spy and later exonerated. He's a delegate.

- 100 or so high school students for a forum that will air on C-Span

- Too many members of Congress to name (sorry!)

- Every old boss I ever had ...

One of the most interesting conversations I had on the floor today was with a delegate whose name I won't mention (only because he got way deeper with me than he intended to, and I had not made it clear at the time I was going to quote him by name).

He said this is his fourth convention, his first being in 1988 when he was a delegate for the Rev. Jesse Jackson. This time he is in Denver, having supported Hillary Clinton in his state's primary. It seemed an easy decision at first -- he knew both Clintons and liked them, and knew very little about Barack Obama -- but over time it got hard. His son was mad for Obama and annoyed at him for supporting Hillary, but he decided to turn it into a life lesson.

"In this family we keep our word," he said.

But now it was his turn to be mad. There were, in fact, members of his delegation who were insisting they would not necessarily support Obama even after the first ballot. This delegate was surprised at how angry this made him. I asked him hadn't it been the same way with Jackson's folks, hadn't THEY wanted the elusive "respect" for their candidate, hadn't some members of the Michigan delegation threatened to walk out?

The difference, he told me, was that Jackson told his people to tamp it down, to support the party and that they should be proud of everything they had done and everything they had learned and their time would come. This time, the delegate told me, he could not believe that these delegates, few though they may be, might not support Obama.

And although he felt he had spent his entire adult life working to keep race out of the equation, he could not help but believe that race was very much a part of it. And yet his pride in his party and in his country was overwhelming.

His reaction to Michelle Obama's speech the other night:

"I'm 6'5 and 230 lbs and I'm embarrassed to tell you the tears were just flowing. Just flowing," he said

This is me talking now: I can't remember when I saw so many tears at a political convention -- during Michele Obama's speech, during Hillary Clinton's address ...

The pundits are all saying Clinton "did what she had to do." And, in fact, the people I talked to before the speech, both die hard Hillary supporters and Obama folks laying down markers for the speech, indicated that they understood she would make a very strong case for Obama and directly address the dissidents, and she did.

What did you think?

Fashion note: I gave up the heels today. I had to do it. A better woman would have hung in there, but my hem had to pay the price for my feet. I did NOT see any fly outfits tonight; too hot and crowded on the floor, I think.

But the "protect yourself from McCain" condoms being handed out by Code Pink ... well, that kind of made up for it.

Michel Martin

11:03 PM ET | 08-27-2008 | permalink

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DNC Backstage Pass: The Madness

Teshima Walker, here ...

TMM Producer Teshima Walker files production notes at NPR's workspace at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

Helena Johnson-McNeely, NPR

 

Political conventions are a monster.

There are so many people walking, talking, hugging and passing business cards. By the time I left the Pepsi Convention Center I was "broke down" (say this and let your head drop low). My legs and back were tired. Although, I worked with a rigorous personal trainer for one week to get this body ready for the DNC.

You: One week? She wasn't serious.

Me: Whatever, I'm holding my own ... thanks to Tomica (she's the woman that worked with this overweight sister.)

It's a good thing I worked out, too. I've quickly learned that you don't sit down at a political convention -- whether you're producing or running around for NPR's special coverage, or attending the event as a delegate. Even if there's music playing, you're dancing.

Also, every five steps, folks want Michel Martin's attention. They call out to her and Michel always, always stops to say thank you and ask them a question or two (even when she's on deadline). Why do I have to be the bad cop and rush her along?

There are so many interesting things to see out here. I'm sure the televisions have shown you countless pictures of people with lively outfits. As Michel mentioned in her recent entry, the outfits are colorful.

But what I'm interested in are the vendors outside of the convention center perimeter. They are selling everything. ...

Teshima Walker, NPR

 

You can buy a t-shirt or button with the Obama family on it.

There are red, white and blue umbrellas with Sen. Barack Obama's name on it. Oh, wait, I'm not done. ... There are plush and stiff plastic Obama dolls. There's a dancing Barack Obama doll.

I don't like it. Don't hassle me.
(I'm sorry, but you just shouldn't sell/buy a doll that has a potential President's hips gyrating. I don't want a current President's hips swiveling.)

Anyway, this sister's got to roll out. Walking to the Pepsi Center is a hike. Flat shoes are a must. I have a few minutes to gather some sound on these Denver streets. ... And Did I mention Denver is a cute place?

I actually want to talk with some of these vendors about their wares. I'm curious who has come the longest distance to sale t-shirts, who has created original designs, how much money they are really making on these products and what it means to them create someone's image on a t-shirt. I mean, think about it, how many living folks get a t-shirt?

I also want to talk to people wearing these t-shirts. Black, white, Latino, Arab ... folks are wearing these interesting t-shirts.

... Like this guy:

Convention attendee Majis al Bahadi is just one example of how folks are "dressed for the occassion" in Denver.

Teshima Walker, NPR

 

Stay logged on to the blog, I'll let you know what the vendors are saying.

And keep listening to our show. I appreciate it.

--Teshima Walker

Michel Martin

2:55 PM ET | 08-27-2008 | permalink

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DNC Backstage Pass: On The Ground In Denver

Michel Martin sets up shop at KUVO Public Radio in Denver.

Teshima Walker, NPR

 

My head is spinning. I haven't seen so many old friends since ... the last convention. I haven't seen so many people who want to talk politics ... since the last convention.

Traffic: awful.
Volunteers: awesome.
Opportunities to waste money on paraphernalia: endless.

Edward Lederman stands outside Denver's Pepsi Center with his product in plain view.

Teshima Walker, NPR

 

Still, I'm starting to remember what Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Howard Dean was talking about when he was on the show a couple weeks ago. I asked him why conventions -- so expensive, so time consuming, so boring in some ways, so fraught with possibilities for mess -- still matter?

Dean said it's a time when all the people who care about the same things get together. I'm starting to see what he meant.

Michel Martin talks with Richard Hill, a delegate from Idaho, on the main floor of the Pepsi Center, the host site of the convention.

Teshima Walker, NPR

 

(I'm still going to ask the same question next week when the Republicans get together in St. Paul. We'll see what they have to say.)

But for now, is this still a place where people who really do all care about the same things get together?

We ask because we started our day yesterday pre-taping today's roundtable Beauty Shop discussion about the state of the Clinton-Obama divide. And tonight, we hear from Sen. Hillary Clinton and a number of women senators. Today also happens to be the anniversary of the day in 1920 when the 19th Amendment passed giving women the right to vote.

... But I don't care what anybody says, the underlying tension within the party still exists.

Are people here trying to trip each other as they take their seats? No.

Is everybody grooving to the same house band each night? Sure, they are.

But you don't need to probe very hard to find people who are ready to air their complaints about the side of the other candidate.

Here's what I'm hearing:

Continue reading "DNC Backstage Pass: On The Ground In Denver" »

Michel Martin

2:52 PM ET | 08-26-2008 | permalink

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Waiting For Hillary ...

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) greets members of the New York delegation on the first day of the 2008 Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Denver.

Getty Images

Hi, Everyone. It's Cheryl Corley, here in Washington, D.C. Tell Me More's host Michel Martin and producer Teshima Walker are on the ground in Denver covering the Democratic National Convention (DNC). They'll be blogging each day giving you a backstage pass to what's happening at the DNC.

This is Day Two of the Democratic National Convention, and everyone is waiting to hear from former presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton. She's the keynote speaker tonight and her words could make the difference for supporters still smarting over her loss to Sen. Barack Obama.

You can hear more about Clinton, and about what Obama still needs to do to win her supporters over in the TMM Beauty Shop, where three Democratic female leaders had their say on party unity.

Today, the convention theme's focus is women. It's an appropriate nod to today's 88th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, a co-chair of the convention, joined us to talk about the role of women in the party now and whether she expects there will ever be a woman heading the party's presidential ticket.

By the way, Franklin is a long-time Obama supporter.

Also on the program, the Mocha Moms weighed in on "family friendly" policies. An investigation by Working Woman Magazine took a look at which lawmakers not only talk the talk, but practice what they preach.

All for now,
Cheryl Corley

Michel Martin

1:33 PM ET | 08-26-2008 | permalink

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Dems Still Struggling To Unite

Hi, Everyone. It's Cheryl Corley, here in Washington, D.C. Tell Me More's host Michel Martin and producer Teshima Walker are on the ground in Denver covering the Democratic National Convention (DNC). They're blogging each day giving you a backstage pass to what's happening at the DNC.

It seems the unity Democrats hope to portray still is in the making. On the show today, Michel told us the tension is still thick between supporters of Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Elbra Wedgeworth, the woman who led the charge to bring the convention to Denver expects all to be resolved this week.

Also, Denver's Deputy Mayor, Guillermo Vincente Vidal, talked to us about what the convention will mean for the city. He is also the author of a memoir called Boxing for Cuba. Vidal hopes the convention will also help shape how the United States approaches immigration issues in the future.

Of course, every night the DNC will feature a keynote speaker. Tonight it's Michelle Obama, potentially the country's next first lady. We profiled Obama's professional life on the show today and, tonight, she's expected to talk about why she believes her husband is the best person to lead the country.

Speaking of which, all this week, Tell Me More will hear from different voices about what the possibility of having an African-American in the White House means to them. We're calling the series WHAT IF?. Today, our first guest was Eric Holder, Jr., who helped lead the search committee for the Obama's running mate.

--Cheryl Corley

Michel Martin

2:24 PM ET | 08-25-2008 | permalink

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Loss of Pioneer Adds Pause to Tense Election Season

It's Lynn Neary filling in for Michel Martin while she takes some much-needed time off. I'll be blogging here throughout the week, so feel free to chime in with your thoughts.

It's always shocking when someone dies unexpectedly. So news that Ohio Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones died of a brain aneurism at the age of 58 was hard to absorb.

By all accounts, this was a woman full of life and brimming with plans for the future. The next big item on her agenda was the Democratic convention. She was supposed to be one of the super delegates in attendance. And though she was a big Hillary Clinton fan, she had already announced her support for Barack Obama. ... But she also made it clear that she didn't think Obama could win unless Clinton's supporters got out and voted for him. No doubt she would have worked hard for the Democratic nominee.

Certainly, Barack Obama will miss having her help to achieve that goal.

The convention is next week in Denver and TMM Host Michel Martin will be there to bring you great conversations and interesting insights throughout. This week, in the lead up to the convention, the news media, ourselves included, are spending a lot of time speculating on who Obama might choose. Conventional wisdom gives the nod to Joe Biden, but Presidential candidates have been known to fool the pundits so really, it's anybody guess. Some now say talks between Obama and Clinton have resurfaced.

And the candidate has kept us guessing in more ways than one. It's been a week of contingency planning as the staff of TMM has tried to be ready everyday, just in case, the candidate decided to announce while we were on the air!

... And now we're hearing it could be leaked later today, so I'd better go. We might need to rearrange the show.

Michel Martin

3:31 PM ET | 08-21-2008 | permalink

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Trailblazing Congresswoman Dead at 58

U.S. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH)

Getty Images

Lee, here ...

Our day here was barely underway when we received disturbing news that U.S. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, a trailblazing Democrat from Ohio (the first African-American woman to represent her state in Congress), had become seriously ill. We later learned that Tubbs Jones suffered a brain hemorrhage caused by an anuerysm.

At this hour, we've just received word that the five-term Congresswoman, who also served as a national co-chair for Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, has died at the age of 58.

Certainly, our thoughts and prayers are with the Congresswoman's friends and family.

Lee Hill

6:56 PM ET | 08-20-2008 | permalink

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Fact: We're All Broke

iStock

It's Lynn Neary filling in for Michel Martin while she takes some much-needed time off. I'll be blogging here throughout the week, so feel free to chime in with your thoughts.

So I am not crazy, after all.

Like a lot of people, I've been feeling like I have less money than I used to.

Turns out I'm not imagining things.

Even aside from the stock market tanking and house prices sinking, there's the pesky little fact that, while the cost of living is marching every upward, wages are not heading in the same direction. And as William Spriggs, chairman of the Howard University Department of Economics explained on today's show, even economists are surprised by the economy these days.

But our "Money Coach" Alvin Hall had some good advice for those of us who thinking the time has come to live within a budget. Hall says there is nothing to fear about living on a budget. ... Don't approach it like you are going on a diet and will be deprived of your favorite foods. Instead, make a budget that makes sense for you and your life style. If you like movies, don't cutback on cable. Otherwise you might find you are spending more on going to a movie theatre and, God forbid, buying a bag of popcorn and a coke.

And by all means, Hall says write your budget down. Apparently, there's something about seeing it in black and white that makes it more real and makes you less likely to cheat.

--Lynn Neary

Michel Martin

2:24 PM ET | 08-19-2008 | permalink

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Talk About Good Genes

It's Lynn Neary filling in for Michel Martin while she takes some much-needed time off. I'll be blogging here throughout the week, so feel free to chime in with your thoughts.

Looking dapper and trim, and very much not his age, 89-year-old John Tatum walked down the hall to the TMM studio and I knew who he was without being introduced. To look like that at his age, you have to take care of yourself. Good genes can only get you so far.

And that, of course, was the point of Lonnae O'Neal Parker's article in the Washington Post Magazine which features John Tatum, a member of the Washington Wizards swimming team for people fifty and older. As Lonnae explained on today's program, research has shown that exercise can offset the ravages of age. And I have to say, after meeting Mr. Tatum, I am a believer.

This weekend, I just happened to be staying in a building with a pool on the roof, so with all the enthusiasm of the newly converted I got up early Saturday morning and swam 30 laps.

Okay, so it wasn't an Olympic sized pool. It was a mere 15 yards. Still I did it. And I would like to tell you I did the same thing the next morning. But I didn't. I slept in.

Sleep is helpful in offsetting the ravages of age too, isn't it?

--Lynn Neary

Michel Martin

2:36 PM ET | 08-18-2008 | permalink

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Are You A 'Junkie'?

On Friday, we like to do politics and, boy, did we do politics today. Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Howard Dean was with us to give us a run up to the convention in Denver, happening the week after next.

If you didn't know what I was talking about today when I mentioned the demographic changes coming to the U.S., you can read a recent New York Times article for the details. ... And if you weren't familiar with my reference to memos published in the Atlantic Monthly that describe the infighting in the Clinton campaign (where pollster Mark Penn says, they can wait until 2050), follow this link to read for yourself.

In today's Faith Matters conversation, we talked about this Saturday's political forum at Saddleback Church, at which both Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain will participate. We asked for input from NPR's Ken Rudin, BET's Pamela Gentry and blogger Michael Sean Winters. Winters has a new book about Catholic voters and the Democratic party.

(You can know more about this Saturday's forum by checking out an interview with Pastor Rick Warren last week on NPR's All Things Considered.)

As a person who has been to every nominating convention since 1988 (except for 2004 when my children were infants and I couldn't get the childcare in place to be frank -- that's a longer story for another time), I have to admit I have mixed feelings about the upcoming party conventions. If you are a political junkie, like most of us here, then this is catnip. You can't get enough. You want to go all night, hear every speech, go to every party and people-watch 'till your eyes are about to fall out of your head.

But what about you?

Do you think these conventions still serve any useful purpose? Do you watch?

If so, why?

And do you watch both or just the party you like and support? Are they worth the time and the expense to attend, if you could?

Let us know.

And, speaking of watch, OMG, the damned Olympics! Why do I think I can stay up that late, even to watch the women's gymnastics finals? Where is my mother when I need her to tell me to GO TO BED!

Oh, that's right, I'm somebody's mother now. I gotta go lie down.

(I'll "see" you at the conventions. Until then, I'm taking a few days off to get myself together and spend time with the fam. Lynn Neary will be holding it down in my absence. And, I left a few radio pieces for you that have yet to air, so you won't forget me.)

Michel Martin

1:09 PM ET | 08-15-2008 | permalink

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Big Cheers to Kristen Lee

Tell Me More Intern Kristen Lee is heading back to Michigan to pursue a career in public radio.

Lee Hill, NPR

Let me introduce you to our fabulous summer intern Kristen Lee. Sorry, we should have done this before now. Today marks the end of her internship and now she's about to dash off.

Kristen, meet the people. Tell them about yourself ...

Thanks, Michel. It was an absolute honor to be a part of the Tell Me More family this summer. There was not one day that I did not learn something new about the world, nation, society and myself. And that is the beauty of journalism -- a chance to become, not an expert, but a little more knowledgeable about the world around you. I've always admired how Tell Me More and its talented host, Michel Martin, take a refreshing, multicultural look at the complexities of people and life. I had the privilege of spending even more time with the TMM staff while attending my first UNITY: Journalists of Color convention in Chicago last month. (There, I beat them to the punch when I landed an exclusive interview with Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade.) HOWEVER, Tell Me More's incredible staff pulled off a phenomenal star line-up during the UNITY remote with Father Michael Pfleger, U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., former Illinois Sen. Carol Moseley Braun and presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama's senior adviser Valerie Jarrett. AND Michel and her crew also explored the heart of Chicago, to capture the stories of everyday people, which is exactly what keeps me inspired to pursue a career in public radio. ... I recently graduated with a degree in broadcast journalism with a specialization in Asian Pacific American studies from Michigan State University (GO GREEN!). Now, I'm headed back to my hometown of Grand Rapids, Mich., with ambitions of working as a reporter or producer in one of our Midwest NPR member stations. ... You can let me tell you more about who I am by tuning into the commentary I'm recording this afternoon for TMM (which will air at a later date). Until we meet again, over the airwaves ...

Thanks, Kristen. You know we wish you all the best.

Michel Martin

2:07 PM ET | 08-13-2008 | permalink

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Tuesday Wrap-Up

I am dashing off to get some training on how to cut audio files (don't ask).

But, before I go ...

What do you think about the aspiring congressman Robert Straniere's idea to get members of Congress to hire one-third of their congressional staffs from the ranks of wounded military veterans or their immediate families? There are more than 30,000 wounded veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan (some think the Pentagon is actually undercounting). Straniere says it's a great way for the country to show its appreciation for their service, but what do you think?

If you heard the conversation then you heard that I made the comparison to other forms of affirmative action. If you are reaching out to this group, is that fair to another ... and does that stigmatize the recipient of that consideration?

What do you think?

Also, I thought our conversation about how not to say the wrong thing to colleagues with disabilities dovetailed nicely don't you?

And what about home schooling? It's always been fascinating to me. A relative of mine home schooled one of her twins, but not the other. Even though she's a relative, I could never figure out how she did it. I mean, I knew how she did it, but I couldn't figure out HOW she did it -- emotionally, the time management and mastering subjects she did not know so well herself.

What do you think? Could you do it?

Would you do it?

Tell us more.

Michel Martin

3:27 PM ET | 08-12-2008 | permalink

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Dispatch From Mexico: Lots of Questions

Douglas Hopper, here ...

I'm back home today, and after two weeks in Mexico City learning about the global crisis of HIV/AIDS, I'm left with just as many questions as answers.

I learned about the latest research, the newest numbers, emerging trends in treatment, vaccines and prevention. I came across non-profits that are trying new prevention approaches and making impressive progress. I also met brilliant people -- both journalists and activists -- people who are driven by a collective sense of duty. The passion I witnessed was inspiring.

But I'm also heavy with cynicism.

Why -- in a country like the U.S. with so much wealth and technology -- is there a rise in HIV transmissions? Why have the numbers seemingly been ignored for so long? Why are black gay men at such high risk?

Who is accountable?

Why is the International AIDS Society just now calling attention to global infection rates among men who have sex with men? Which countries are failing, and what needs to be done to push them in the right direction? Why is the UN just now creating a special program to deal with this issue? The data has been there for years.

And what's up with the U.S. just now lifting its travel ban on people living with HIV? And why do countries still have such restrictions?

Why do so many countries refuse to create laws to protect sex workers, given that they face an obviously higher risk? Why are ground-breaking medications still unavailable to millions of HIV-positive people around the world? Can the global community negotiate a system that works and fits into the vision of the pharmaceutical companies?

It's a heavy, mind-boggling conversation. But as I unpack my bags full of pamphlets and business cards and reports, I suppose the only antidote to my cynicism is that I know so many others are engaged. At least 25,000 of them at the conference and I believe millions of others who couldn't get to Mexico City.

Now it's your turn. Have your say. Where you are on these issues?

Tell us what questions are on your mind and who you'd like to hear talk about some answers. We're listening.

See you next time from D.C.

Douglas Hopper

6:02 PM ET | 08-11-2008 | permalink

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What to Do?

Warning: (Unavoidable) Obscenity below.

TMM Producer Douglass Hopper is back from Mexico City, so I can't leave the heavy lifting to him anymore. Oh well.

Today we had a debate over the lede of the show.

Do we talk about Ron Suskind's new book? Or do we go with a bloggers' roundtable discussion on politics?

Follow this link to an interview on Ron's new book with Steve Inskeep on NPR's Morning Edition.

Our question was: what can we add to the conversation? Is there a guest we can bring you who can shed light on the truth or falsity of his claims? Is there more to say that Steve didn't get to talk about?

In the end, I'll be honest, it came down to ... I have to finish reading the book before I can do a credible job with the interview. We'll keep you posted.

And so it was on to the question of whether Sen. Hillary Clinton's name should be put into nomination at the upcoming Democratic National Convention. On its face this is not an interesting question; typically that is what's done for a former opponent of the expected nominee. But this election has been so fraught with discord, party leaders are wondering whether that's a good idea.

And, some erstwhile Clinton supporters say yes they can!

What to do, what to do? We don't know, so we asked two bloggers to hash it out: Darragh Murphy of PUMA.org and Pamela Merritt of Angryblackb--ch.com

(That's really the name of the blog, but it has interesting content ... so what can I do?)

And, I'd like you to tell me more about what you think about the lack of diversity in the cast of moderators selected by the Commission on Presidential Debates to moderate the, well, Presidential debates. Yes, Gwen Ifill will, once again, moderate the VEEP debate (and, yes, she is one of my closest friends), but still ...

Finally, our hearts go out to the family of LaVena Johnson who died while serving in Iraq in 2005. But did the Army investigate her death fairly, or is her family in denial? ... And how will we ever get to the bottom of it?

Let us know what you think.

Michel Martin

4:26 PM ET | 08-11-2008 | permalink

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TGIF Toss

Our producer Douglas Hopper is wrapping up his junket, I mean, er, um, his reporting trip/fellowship to Mexico City, where he's been immersing himself in the international HIV/AIDS issue and attending the international conference there. He's kind of brimming over with ideas so we're going to let him take the space again.

Happy Friday, everyone ...

Michel Martin

2:52 PM ET | 08- 8-2008 | permalink

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Wounds That Linger

A casualty of Kenya's terrorist bomb attack says a prayer at a commemorative plaque in Nairobi on the eighth anniversary of the bomings in Kenya and Tanzania in 2006.

TONY KARUMBA/AFP/Getty Images

I'm going to turn it over to producer Douglas Hopper. He's been blogging from Mexico City where he's attending the International AIDS Conference. But before I do ...

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and survivors of the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. Edith Bartley, whose father and brother were among the 12 Americans killed in Nairobi came in to tell us how she is doing. We were also in contact with Ellen Bomer, whose courageous fight to master her loss of sight was the subject of an ABC News "Nightline" program some years ago.

We had hoped to visit with Ellen also, but we didn't catch up with her until it was too late. But it's gratifying to know that she's still so much on the go ten years after suffering such devastating injuries.

We also want to acknowledge the thousands of Kenyan and Tanzanians who were hurt in those attacks, many of whom lost limbs and sight. If anybody wants to doubt the willingness of al-Qaida to kill and maim innocent people, look no further than the thousands of young people who were blown up for the crime of working in a bank or trying to cash a check, or going to secretarial school in a building next door to an American Embassy.

I was there. I got to Nairobi about a day after the bombings, and I remember.

Take it away Douglass. What have you got?

Michel Martin

4:09 PM ET | 08- 7-2008 | permalink

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Dispatch from Mexico: The Numbers Crunch

One of many HIV/AIDS data charts being presented at the conference.

Douglas, NPR

 

Douglas Hopper, here. I'm blogging from the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. I'll be bringing you more about what's taking place here - with 25,000 people from around the world, there's no shortage of things to mention.

Numbers.

Three days into the conference, I'm swimming in data. My bag is bursting with reports from the latest studies, the newest surveys. And I'm not so sure that's a good thing. Last night I dreamed of PowerPoint data. The story of HIV/AIDS is feeling like one big number crunch.

It's not the first time.

Back in the day, before I started a career in journalism, I had my eyes set on public health. One of my first jobs in the field was with Vanguard Youth Services in Portland, Ore. I was an outreach worker in rural Oregon charged with bringing HIV prevention information to queer-identified youth.

It was great work. Actually, I loved my job. But one of the most grueling regular duties was the dreaded CDC report.

Each month I'd have to file a report for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the main source of funding for our project. And each time I faced the massive form -- with all its columns of categories and sub categories -- I'd feel instantly inadequate. Not because sometimes the boxes would blur together, not because sometimes I'd have to call up my boss to decipher a question. The truth is I thought my numbers were just too small.

Some nights we'd only have three or four young people show up to the group meeting. And weeks would go by, during which time I'd gotten permission to put up just one poster in a high school. Even worse, one month I had only contacted one youth online ... and I didn't even know where he was from.

How could I put these numbers down? I imagined some bureaucrat at the CDC laughing hysterically at my form, passing it down the line as an example why programs like ours shouldn't be funded. Or worse, I thought I'd be forced to pump up the numbers. I knew I couldn't do that ... honestly. I was working in conservative communities, places where tolerance of homosexuality was an exception to the rule.

I knew we were making a difference, even if what was inside the boxes didn't make it seem so. I braced for the worst.

The CDC bureaucrat never faxed my form to the president. And my boss never questioned my elementary-size numbers. And our funds stayed intact, at least for awhile.

But I still wonder about those numbers. I still ask myself whether that was the best measurement of our success. All the quirky details of our meetings, all the tense moments, the embarrassing questions ... those were never recorded.

Here at the International AIDS conference, I'm struggling with the same dilemma. Yesterday, I went to a presentation about the increased risk of HIV among migrants along the US-Mexico border. Each person on the panel gave a very earnest speech, accompanied by PowerPoint slides detailing a myriad statistics about the immigrant population. All of the facts were important. One study showed that men who migrated across the border were more likely to engage in sex with a sex worker. Another set of data showed a similar increase among men who have sex with men.

Continue reading "Dispatch from Mexico: The Numbers Crunch" »

Douglas Hopper

11:03 AM ET | 08- 7-2008 | permalink

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A Personal Story of 'Brotherly Love'

Lee Hill, here ...

Hope you were able to draw meaning from today's program. There were only three segments, but for a show that's only an hour long, sometimes it helps to give conversations room to breathe. We don't always have that option, depending on the events of the day. Miraculously, we've been able to find a place for as many as seven conversations in an hour, and sometimes as few as two.

At any rate, the reflections of nine-time Olympic Gold medalist Carl Lewis were priceless, as was the roundtable of journalists discussing sometimes feeling conflicted when reporting on race and politics.

But there was also the story out of Philadelphia about tensions brewing between some of the more affluent residents and those with no place to call home in the City of Brotherly Love. TMM Director/Producer Rob Sachs is a Philly native, and pointed our team's attention to the situation in a morning meeting.

As it turns out, Rob has his own story to share ...

A group of men sit in the Philadelphia park known as Rittenhouse Square

highstrungloner

 

Thanks, Lee. Rob Sachs, here.

Today's topic struck home for me in more ways than one. I'm a Philly-area native and have lots of memories walking through Rittenhouse Square, which really is the main hub of the city. It's a beautiful place to hang out and people watch, read a book, or just relax with some friends. ... So I can definitely relate to our guest Christine's aggravation over seeing the place overrun by homeless people.

Growing up in the suburbs, I was somewhat isolated from homelessness. But when I switched to a high school in the Germantown section of the city, I began to see it all around me. I felt both annoyed and frustrated that there were people lying on the street and nothing was being done about it. I guess I could have just given them the spare change (and followed the credo of Arrested Development song), but handing out spare change just didn't seem right. They were all just going to use it to spend on alcohol or drugs, right?

I tried a different approach.

I talked to my school and administrators, and with their backing started a homeless committee. As a new school "club," I was asked to speak a few words about it during a school assembly which promoted all the student groups. It was my first time speaking in public. I remember looking out at my classmates, asking them if they too felt that mixture of shame and frustration when a homeless person asked for money. My pitch was simple: "here's an opportunity to do something, to make a real difference." The message got through pretty well and that first year we had about 15 dedicated members.

One of the first things we did with the help of the school was to help organize a "food run." One night, a bunch of students got together and made hundreds of tuna and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. We then drove down to Love Park, which at the time was as known homeless hangout, practically adjacent to City Hall. We had barely even opened the doors to the van and people started lining up. I remember there being literally hundreds of people waiting for a sandwich.

It was surreal, I had never done anything like that before and it felt so amazing to be helping out so many. The only hard part came when we ran out of food and had to send people away. It was strange and disturbing being a teenager and having to tell a grown man, "I'm sorry we're out."

Continue reading "A Personal Story of 'Brotherly Love'" »

Lee Hill

5:50 PM ET | 08- 6-2008 | permalink

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Dispatch from Mexico: MSM at Higher Risk

Douglas Hopper, here. I'm blogging from the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. I'll be bringing you more about what's taking place here - with 25,000 people from around the world, there's no shortage of things to mention.

"Men who have sex with men have an average 19 times greater chance of being infected with HIV than the general adult male population in low-and middle income countries."

... a fact just presented at a press conference organized by the International AIDS Society and the Global Forum on MSM and HIV.

Criminalization, prejudice, social hostility and human rights abuses are boosting the spread of HIV, according to the presenters.

Dr. Jorge Saavedra, director of Mexico City's National Center for Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS, said the stigma of HIV and homophobia keep many men from seeking tests or treatment. In fact, MSM in Mexico City are 109 times more likely to contract HIV.

Dr. Saavedra is openly gay and has launched an anti-homophobia campaign in the city.

He and several other openly gay public health officials from around the world spoke at the press conference.

In light of my rant about the obscurity of statistics, I'm hoping some of you may have stories to share about how this issue manifests.

... Have you seen this kind of social exclusion in your culture? Are men who have sex with men marginalized in your home country?

Douglas Hopper

5:07 PM ET | 08- 6-2008 | permalink

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Taking on the 'Mochas'