DENVER―“Every time I hear her speak I feel so proud,“ said author Yvonne Armstrong. “Let me tell you something. I was a delegate for Ted Kennedy in New York in 1980, and I’ve never seen anything like this―the level of excitement.
She feels that seeing women like Hilary Clinton, Michelle Obama and Nancy Pelosi, tells American women “this is really our time.” Past conventions gave women no public role, no chance to fully use their talents. Women work better under stress than men do, she said, and when women feel something is going wrong for their children or families they rise to the need, using all their strengths to make things right.
As a disabled veteran and long time Democratic activist, Armstrong, of San Antonio Texas, strongly supports Obama. She thinks he would look after veterans more effectively than Senator McCain, despite Senator McCains’ distinguished record of military service. Her eyes shone and she expressed her thoughts with warmth, touching shoulders and beaming.
‘I thought it was inspirational...I think people must not be complacent,’ said Dr. Pearl Ford, speaking of Michelle Obama’s urgent call to mobilize members of the Black Caucus to campaign for her husband. She thinks Barack Obama can win the presidency of the United States if people mobilize. It will be necessary to get voters to the polls, to actually provide transportation. That could make the difference in the election. She remembered a past campaign in North Carolina, in which volunteers drove shuttles to take voters to their polling places, and taxi drivers donated free rides to voters. Dr. Ford teaches at the University of Arkansas.
‘Anything is possible in America,’ said Mattie Kinard, a retired librarian. She thinks if America shows the word we are capable of electing a man like Obama, we will regain the world’s respect.
Most men just pushed our talents to the side, then waited until bedtime to talk and hear women’s opinions, said retired banker Zena Wilkerson. Women playing such a prominent role in the 2008 Democratic Convention contrasts sharply with the 1980 convention, where they “did nothing. Obama is such a wise man to recognize the talents of women.’
The three friends expressed scorn for the ideas of Hilary supporter Suzette Young, who told The Epoch Times on August 25 that she would vote for McCain to show her anger at ‘The way Hilary was treated.’ Young, who works in real estate, said she had worked hard for Clinton and thought her loss came from “a lot of sexism still in the United States.” She said Obama did not have any chance to win so her vote for McCain would not matter.” She has not given money to the Democratic Party since Clinton’s primary defeat, after being a frequent donor in the past.
“I’m speechless,” said Daphne, who would not give her last name. (One of her children revealed it, but we respect her preference). ‘There’s not a word in English that could begin to capture, poise and grace, the real―she’s Real with a capital R. It’s such an honor to have been here.
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