2012 DNC-President Carter's Speech

Unlike the Republican Party who are ashamed of their former presidents especially POTUS 43, we love, revere and still respect ours. 

One of the things that pisses me off is the hatred and lies pimped by conservafools about our 39th president, Jimmy Carter.   Until Bill Clinton came along, he was the POTUS who had the love and respect of the African-American community and still does.    He had the most diverse cabinet in US history, appointed many African-Americans to federal posts in his administration and the federal judiciary, and got Israel and Egypt to come to Camp David and sign a peace treaty that till lasts to this day.

You can also thank Jimmy Carter for the fuel efficiency standards on your cars, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and the shift in emphasizing human rights when it comes to conducting our foreign policy. 

So when the first night's events of the DNC occurred I was happy to see this video of our Nobel peace prize winning former president and world renowned humanitarian endorsing the current Nobel prize winning president in this video.

It also blew up the conservalie they were telling in their media that the Democrats would be 'scurred' to have President Carter make an appearance at this convention.  (snicker, snicker)

DNC 2012-Rep John Lewis Speech

"Today it is unbelievable that there are Republican officials still trying to stop some people from voting," he said. "They are changing the rules, cutting polling hours and imposing requirements intended to suppress the vote. The Republican leader in the Pennsylvania House even bragged that his state's new voter ID law is 'gonna allow Governor Romney to win the state.' That's not right. That's not fair. That's not just."

DNC 2012- Eva Longoria's Speech

I love Eva Longoria and enjoyed her DNC speech last night    I also love the fact this Corpus Christi born Tejana is a Democrat.  


There were rumors in Texas political circles that she was asked to run for the US Senate seat being opened up by the retirement of Sen Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R) in this cycle but declined it so that she could continue in her role as the co-chair of the Obama campaign.   

Here's the video of her speech




The Hateraid aimed at her by conservafools will commence in 5...4...3...2...1...

DNC 2012-Kerry Washington's Speech

Y'all long time TransGriot readers know how much I love actress Kerry Washington, and much of it stems from the fact she is a supporter and ally of trans women and had a major role in the 2008 Obama campaign

I particularly enjoyed one exchange I watched when she's appeared on Bill Maher's HBO show  in the closing days of the 2008 presidential campaign and eviscerated Michael Steele 

She spoke on stage during the DNC last night in Charlotte, and here's the video of the speech.

DNC 2012- President Obama's Nomination Acceptance Speech

The video of President Obama's DNC presidential nomination acceptance speech in Charlotte, NC.

DNC 2012-Trans DNC Delegates Getting International Attention

The 13 trans delegates (and hearing rumors they have discovered a 14th delegate) are deservedly getting a lot of positive attention and positive press coverage for our community

There's a story about them on AFP (Agencie France Presse)  and is a concrete example of the well deserved media attention for this distinguished group of DNC trans delegates that is going international. 


Thanks to y'all for representing our community with class and dignity during DNC 2012

• Super Delegate: Barbra Casbar Siperstein
• Dana Beyer, M.D.
• Kylar William Broadus
• Janice Covington
• Chris Land
• Daria Lynn Lohman
• Lesley Rebecca Phillips
• Marisa J. Richmond, Ph.D.
• Diego Miguel Sanchez
• Jamie Dianne Shiner
• Melissa Sklarz
• Meghan Stabler

DNC Trans Delegate Musing

We have one more day to go in this 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, sixty days to go until Election Day. and this DNC convention has been historic in many respects.  

It's the first one ever held in North Carolina and it is the first time we have ever had a Latino give a keynote speech.  I'm happy that San Antonio mayor Julian Castro, the person who made that historic speech is from my home state

The trans community has made history as well with not only our largest DNC delegate contingent ever at 13 people, it is also the most diverse one we have ever sent to any DNC convention.   It's remarkable progress considering that it was only 12 years ago that Jane Fee was the lone representative for our community at the DNC 2000 convention in Los Angeles.

From one solitary trans person in 2000 our numbers increased to six in 2004, eight in 2008 to thirteen in Charlotte out of the nearly 6000 delegates in the Queen City for the DNC. 

But I was reminded when Rep. Jared Polis of Colorado stepped to the podium Monday night and other GL delegates got the chance to speak about their partners of the one thing that didn't happen for our diverse trans delegation.  

We didn't get to see any of our trans delegates speak at the convention podium on the first or second nights of the DNC convention to the delegates in the hall.   It probably won't happen tomorrow night either since that night will belong to Vice President Biden and President Obama as they make their respective acceptance speeches and the convention will draw to a close after they are done..

So when the Democratic party in Charlotte is over and we head back to our different sections of the country to do the work to ensure that President Obama is taking the oath of office on January 20, we transpeeps will still have things to check off on our Own Our Power To Do list.

Besides getting the POTUS reelected, working to elect Democratic House and Senate majorities to help a presidential brother out, we trans people still have work to do in the Democratic Party ranks.   We need to garner inclusive acceptance in the ranks to the point the Democratic Party won't hesitate in terms of selecting a trans speaker to proudly stand in front of a future DNC convention floor with a national TV audience looking on.  

I'm hoping when that 2016 DNC occurs, we'll have more than thirteen delegates in another diverse contingent of transpeople.  

And for those of you who have asked if one of those 2016 transpeople will be yours truly, I'm seriously thinking about it.   Back in 1984 I tried to become a Texas DNC delegate and only made it as far as the state senate district convention level.  

If I'm going to make a serious run at becoming the first ever African-American trans Texan DNC delegate in 2016,  I'll have to get busy on that soon.. 

One of the things I'd like to see in that 2016 DNC transgender delegate contingent besides more people and continued ethnic diversity is that trans DNC delegation in 2016 and beyond include trans people who are elected to public office.  That would be in addition to the trans people already diligently working inside the various levels of the Democratic Party to ensure we have a voice in it at the policy formation tables.

We have four years to work on that trans community, so let's make it happen.

2012 DNC-Bill Clinton Speech

Once again 'Brother Bill' comes to a DNC convention and nails it on the keynote speech.   This was even better than the one he gave in Denver four years ago.

You have to see and hear this one.   Can't wait to see him eviscerating Republicans on the campaign trail.

DNC 2012-The Jane Fee Award Presentation

Day 2 of the Democratic National Convention, and video from today's LGBT Caucus meeting in Charlotte and the presentation of the Jane Fee Award.   It goes to the ally within the Democratic Party that has stood up for transgender inclusion. 

2012 DNC-Julian Castro Speech

We Texas Democrats have a long tradition of trailblazing personalities and politicians in our party giving keynote addresses at DNC conventions that launch them into the national consciousness and leadership spotlight . 

It happened twice for Barbara Jordan in 1976 and 1992.   After her 1976 speech she was seriously considered by Jimmy Carter to be his vice president in the wake of her DNC speech.   Bill Clinton considered her for a Supreme Court nomination when he got an opportunity to nominate a justice.

Ann Richards after her 1988 keynote speech went from being our state treasurer to our next governor two years later.  Now we have San Antonio mayor Julian Castro's historic turn as a DNC keynote speaker.

Here's hoping I just got a glimpse along with a national audience of our next governor, US senator or potential presidential nominee.    

The FLOTUS 2012 DNC Keynote Speech

President Obama has joked at times that First lady Michelle Obama is the better speech maker in their family.   Well, the POTUS might not be kidding about that.

This keynote speech was not only moving, but it was a kill them with kindness rebuttal to the Ann Romney speech and the other BS the RNC was spreading in Tampa last week.

2012 DNC Convention Starts Tonight

Now that lying season and that illusion of inclusion better known as the Republican National Convention is mercifully over, it's time for America to see what inclusion and diversity really looks like. 

The 2012 Democratic National Convention kicks off tonight in Charlotte with First Lady Michelle Obama being one of the keynote speakers this evening at the Time Warner Cable Arena along with San Antonio mayor Julian Castro.

Yes people, there are Texas Democrats, and you're about to find out we live up to that long, distinguished history of liberal-progressive Texas leadership. 

I miss Ann Richards and Barbara Jordan (sniff, sniff)

I'm happy to note this convention is making trans history on many levels.   We have the first African-American trans man delegate in TPOCC Executive Director Kylar Broadus, who is part of the most diverse trans delegate contingent to ever attend a DNC event.  Dr Marisa Richmond is also in Charlotte for her second consecutive DNC convention as a delegate representing Tennessee. 

So yes, Black transpeople are here owning our power and we couldn't have two better people representing our community.   But they are two of the 13 total transfolks representing our community.   Also wanted to note that Diego Sanchez is part of this diverse trans contingent and representing the Latino community.

Will be interested to hear over the next few days from the various trans participants as they discuss their experiences interacting with the various groups, and participating in the activities and caucuses they'll attend from September 4-6.  

But definitely looking forward to seeing the First Lady tonight and President Obama's acceptance speech on Thursday.

The 2012 DNC Trans Delegates

When I say in my posts that the Democratic Party has an inclusive big blue tent, I'm not kidding   One of the things I'm most proud of about my party is that trans delegates since 2000 have been part of the proceedings and that will also be the case when the Democratic National Convention kicks off September 4-6 in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

When the Democratic Party gathered for their 2000 convention in Los Angeles, Minnesota's Jane Fee became the first ever trans delegate to take part in a DNC.   Four years later at the DNC 2004 convention in Boston, the delegations from Georgia, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas had trans people as members of them. 

At the historic 2008 DNC in Denver, not only was 'gender identity' included in the language of the Democratic Party platform for the first time, we had transpeople as part of the delegations from the states of Arizona, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Tennessee and Texas.

History was also made in 2008 as the first ever African-American trans delegate, Dr. Marisa Richmond, was elected as part of Tennessee's DNC contingent.   

When the 2012 DNC convention is gaveled into session in Charlotte's Time Warner Cable Arena tomorrow, there will be 12 trans Democrats in attendance as delegates when it starts.  They are from blue states such as Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Oregon and Wisconsin and red states such as Arizona, North Carolina, Missouri and Texas. 

They also range from superdelegates to committee members, so we as a trans community will be well represented during this event by the time President Obama makes his acceptance speech at Bank of America Stadium on September 6. 

I'm most proud to note that for African-American transpeople, it will be a historic occasion for the second time.  In addition to Dr. Marisa Richmond returning for her second consecutive DNC convention as a Tennessee delegate,  Kylar Broadus makes history again this year by becoming the first ever African-American trans masculine delegate to attend a DNC convention.  

I'm also happy that a trans Texan will be part of that DNC trans contingent for the third consecutive convention.   Meghan Stabler will be part of a record sized LGBT Lone Star contingent headed to the Tarheel State.

The 12 transpeople making up the DNC's trans contingent is not only a record, it is also the most diverse group of trans people to represent our community at a Democratic National convention.   You also have to consider how far we've come since 2000 and the time it took for us to get to this point.

Makes me proud to be a Democrat and wonder how many trans delegates we'll have at the 2016 DNC.  I also wonder whether those delegate ranks in 2016 will include trans political office holders for the first time in addition to the mix of convention vets and party members..