DENVER8212;Barack Obama didn’t want any surprises at Wednesday’s Democratic Convention in Denver, so he sprung one himself.
Obama stunned delegates and supporters at the Pepsi Center by arriving a day earlier than expected. By the end of Senator Joe Biden’s acceptance speech for the vice presidency, Biden’s wife, Jill Biden, told everyone there was a big surprise behind the stage.
Obama then stepped out, causing the crowd to go wild, shouting,
clapping and waving Obama-Biden signs. The entrance came only hours after Obama won the party nomination by acclamation, making the freshman senator the first African-American to become a major party presidential nominee.
After the noise died down, Obama talked up each of the past few days’ key speakers including his wife, Michelle Obama, and Hillary Clinton.
Sam Shelton, a University of Nevada, Las Vegas sophomore, thought this was an excellent political maneuver by Obama.
“It was genius. I was a bit worried at the end because Biden’s reception was much less than (Bill) Clinton’s,” Shelton said. “But Barack brought all the attention back to himself by surprising us like that.”
Biden’s speech focused primarily on attacking McCain’s campaign and explaining Obama’s foreign policy .
U student Christine Angstman said she thought Biden’s speech was like listening to a grandfather. She also attended an after-convention party and meet, and got a picture with Biden.
“Biden’s speech was very personal. You got to know him,” she said. “Afterwards at his party, people were drawn to him. All these people that knew him were there, but he still made a point to talk to the everyday people he didn’t know.”
Former President Bill Clinton spoke to the convention earlier in the evening, receiving a large standing ovation and having difficulty getting through his speech because of constant cheers and applause.
Clinton’s speech ranged from his wife’s presidential bid to the failure of the Bush administration, but it was his verbal support for Barack Obama that garnered the most support from the crowd.
“Hillary told us in no uncertain terms that she’ll do everything she can to elect Barack Obama. That makes two of us,” he said. “Barack Obama is ready to lead America and restore American leadership in the world.”
For a time, it seemed Clinton would steal the limelight away from the Obama-Biden ticket, a fear expressed earlier in the week by many Obama supporters.
Hosain Birch, a student from Michigan State, watched the convention at a bar a few blocks away from the Pepsi Center. He said he was concerned by what he viewed as the lack of enthusiasm given to Biden.
“Biden didn’t get as much out of the crowds as Clinton or Hillary. That surprised me and disappointed me,” he said.
Part of the reason Bill Clinton received so much admiration from the audience was the way he continually referred back to the glory years of the Democratic Party during his presidency in the 1990s. Clinton used this to connect with Obama supporters by using his experiences as president to vouch for him.
“Everything I learned in my eight years as president and in the work I’ve done since, in America and across the globe, has convinced me that Barack Obama is the man for this job,” he said.
But not everyone thought Clinton did the best of jobs.
Jeff Wilson, a 20-year-old from Milwaukee, said he did not think Clinton was very sincere.
“Clinton did his job, but was a bit flat,” Wilson said.
Either way, Obama’s surprise at the end of the night left the audience with a positive memory of the Obama-Biden ticket rather than a positive or negative view of the Clintons.
Editor’s Note8212;Jed Layton is reporting from the Democratic National Convention in Denver through the Hinckley Institute of Politics and Shantou University Political Journalism Program.
Following Joe Biden?s speech to the DNC Barack Obama made a surprise appearance.