The Morning Briefing - July 29, 2016
WELLS FARGO CENTER - Yeah, yeah. We've heard all about shattering that glass ceiling at the Democratic National Convention. But it was something else to actually see it. Not in the speeches or the steady drum of media that kept reminding us "history is being made." It was actually visible when the balloons finally dropped. When Hillary Clinton concluded her speech, running onto the stage was not her husband, but this other grinning guy, Tim Kaine, who grabbed her hands and gave her a warm embrace. Kinda odd. A few minutes later, a now irrelevant President Clinton comes out, gives his wife a hug, then quickly shrinks to the back of the stage with Kaine's unknown wife, smiling and clapping, in the role of proud, supportive, unimportant spouse. We couldn't stop watching him. It's a role we've never seen for a former President; it's a dynamic in American politics we may never see again. Can a guy like Bill Clinton really embrace this emasculated role for four or eight years?
WELLS FARGO CENTER - It was a grand, if not extraordinarily complex, idea for the finale of the Democratic National Convention. Convention goers found a "card stunt" attached to their seat. The approximately 2-foot-by 2-foot cards with a burka-like slit cut out for the eyes, were supposed to be held up after Hillary Clinton's speech and before the balloon drop, displaying a sea of red, white and blue. There were even "card stunt leaders" who were supposed to cue the crowd when it was time to perform the stunt. If they had managed to actually pull it off, it would have been visually amazing, but getting some 20,000 people, especially a room full of Democrats, to do the same thing at the same time is a huge ask. Whatever happened to just doing "The Wave"?
STARBUCKS CENTER CITY - The Starbucks on Market Street, one block from Philadelphia City Hall, is a great place to pass the time on a rainy afternoon during the last day of the Democratic convention. It also happens to be the place to stargaze, especially for political nerds. In just two hours, we saw ABC News' George Stephanopoulos, MSNBC's Hardball host Chris Matthews and Haitian rapper, musician and actor Wyclef Jean. He even sat down and struck up a wide-ranging conversation on his life after graduating Vailsburg High School in Newark, the late, great poet Amiri Baraka and what the heck to do about ISIS. He also answered questions like, "No, I was not in the movie "Cool Runnings," "Yes, Haiti and Jamaica are completely different countries," and "Yeah, I really gotta go."
WELLS FARGO CENTER - Though no Democrat has come close to unseating U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District, Peter Jacobs was optimistically working Democrats on the final night of the DNC, hoping to drum up votes and support for his candidacy. Jacobs, a social worker, realizes he's pushing a boulder uphill in a Central Jersey district gerrymandered for a guaranteed Republican victory, but said because of the unusual nature of this year's election - with the Donald at the top of the ticket - a Democrat may finally have a shot. So far he's raised $40,000 with a goal of $500,000, the minimum he will need to get even one piece of literature explaining who he is in the hands of potential voters.
McGILLIN'S OLDE ALE HOUSE - So, maybe we weren't exactly worthy guests for the national news programs, as our unsolicited New Jersey-slanted insight may not play well in, say, Wyoming. But maybe if we waited out in the wings, and photo-bombed long enough, Chris Matthews would have a last-second cancellation. He didn't.
MONTCLAIR - As if there aren't enough Democrats scrimmaging for governor, now former mayor Bob Russo wants in on the game. Encouraged by constituents and feeling that Sanders "Bern," Russo tells PolitickerNJ he could decide if he's really running by Thanksgiving. Russo also hinted generously that just maybe, he wouldn't mind, perhaps ... gee shucks, being some other Democrat's lieutenant governor. For now, Russo says he's making the obligatory ring-kissing rounds, meeting with Phil Murphy and doffing his hat to the other as-of-yet undeclared hopefuls. Interesting for a leader to run for "second in charge."
PATERSON - Big orange-and-blue pom-poms are all that was missing as Mayor Joey Torres turned cheerleader for last night's State of the City address, announcing a $300 million downtown redevelopment that's in the works and trumpeting small victories like fewer violent crimes and more street repaving. But, the mayor skirted the city's fiscal crisis. No mention of the now-famous closures of 22 day camps and 14 sports camps for children. Not a word about pulling city money from National Night Out block parties, or the upcoming Puerto Rican and Dominican parades, or the Great Falls Festival, or August's movies-in-the-park series. The Paterson Press says such glaring omissions prompted a leader from the Black Lives Matter movement to shout out: "We demand you restore summer recreation. We demand you resign." Again, let's remember, pom-poms solve everything.
HACKETTSTOWN - Pokemon Go prizes keep getting better and better. Okay, not really. But, one gamer tracking virtual creatures on this summer's popular reality app actually did find $2,000 on a Main Street sidewalk here. The player let a nearby business know about his Pokestop find, in case anyone came looking for the lost cash, the Daily Record says. Police, canvassing the area for the cash on Wednesday, stopped at the same business and were directed to the Pokemon Go player, who turned over the money. Some real honesty in a virtual world.
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
ON AIR - It is amazing that we all sat through countless speeches at two political conventions, yet not one speaker addressed the critical issue that is sure to dismantle America: the firing of three New Jersey actors who have been performing on "Sesame Street" since the very beginning. Apparently, our long-time pals - Gordon, Bob and Luis - are getting too darn old to connect with the latest generation of quickly-distracted toddlers. Sesame Street has quietly sent them to pasture, as the show now debuts on HBO before heading to PBS and shrinking each episode to 30 minutes. As heads roll, "Big Bird" updates his resume. And that's tough, because birds can't type.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
It was this day in 1988 that ogling, middle-aged businessmen bid a sad farewell to all those itty-bitty bunny outfits, as the last Playboy Club, in Lansing, Mich., closes its doors.
WORD OF THE DAY
Numinous (NOO-muh-nus) - adjective
Definition: Filled with a sense of the presence of divinity
Example: Delegates from the Democratic convention will depart Philadelphia today to tell friends and family tales of their numinous experiences at the holy mount. Republicans, meanwhile, remind us all the Summer Olympics begin Friday, Aug. 5.
WEATHER IN A WORD
Hillarific!
FROM THE MAILBAG
After exhausting ourselves this past week to provide gavel to gavel coverage of the convention, and all the fun and frolic that surrounds, we looked forward to tearing into the mailbag and reading all the well-earned accolades. Here's a sampling:
"Gee, after spending a week insulting, bashing and just plain being mean about the GOP Convention, it is nice to see you praising everything in Philly. I am afraid this will be my last reply as I am unsubscribing from your site.
You have really disappointed me...This is nothing but more left wing nonsense .... Not one word about the latest email scandal, not one word about anything that would remotely tarnish the coronation of Crooked Hillary."
And another:
"With full knowledge of your liberal tendencies and the fact that the best the GOP could muster in its ridiculous state is a complete buffoon, your gushing for Hilldawg and the party of ostriches has reached my limit for tolerance of absurdity. I request that you cease and desist lest I shall be forced to choke you because it will please me."
And a third:
"Call me for bail money."