December 10, 2005

The Vilsack Stump

Buzz word: "community"

Life lessons learned: his birth mother believed in the American dream; 40 percent of kids today don't.

Narrative device: bookends speech by discussing his birth mother, who gave him for adoption, and his adoptive mother, who gave up drinking.

Effect on audience: quiet during the sad preface, receptive during the rest, quiet during the sad conclusion.

Red meat: "My first decision as president of the united state ... if I was the current president, is I would show Karl Rove the door."

Closing thoughts: "we are a great nation, and we should lead as a great nation. ... Our children deserve it. All of our America's children deserve it."

Reaction from journalists/Dem strategists: " ... very nuanced ... " ... "at first, I thought he would try to manipulate the audience, but it was actually quite powerful."

Audience reaction quote: "I thought he was great. He wasn't using a teleprompter or anything. I thought he was fantastic. With men like that, how could you lose?" -- Joyce Moody McGraw, state committeewoman from St. Lucie

Staffed by: BJ Thornberry and Dewey Square folks. [MARC AMBINDER]

Posted at 09:28 AM

Comments

This all sounds very nice.

But where will Vilsack get his money? DLC? Aren't they Clinton people? Trial Lawyers? Not with Edwards in the field. So where? Who is the natural constituency Vilsack will turn to get the startup money he needs to run for Prez?

Or is this a way to get himself out there so he's in a better position to jump on the ticket with say a Hillary Clinton?

OldSouthDem | 12.10.05 12:12 PM

Vilsack has a decent behind-the-scenes national profile. He was DGA chair before taking the DLC position. He also has the best web presence of any candidate right now with his HeartlandPAC.

Drew Miller | 12.12.05 03:28 PM

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