History Was Made: Queens Leaders Were

It was my first convention but I almost left before the Gore nomination. I am so grateful I waited for the final glittering, heart-pounding night. The momentum built as each night passed. It truly culminated when the Vice President spoke. It is a memory of a lifetime now I know why people keep coming back to conventions. What an opportunity to be at an historic moment in our history celebrating the greatness and uniqueness of our political process and the nomination of the first Jewish person for Vice President.
The Staples Center in L.A. really rocked with the roars of the crowd. When it was Al Gores night, the tears of the delegates, the beat of the drums by Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead, the showering of the balloons and glitter, the earthquake feeling of stomping delegates what an extraordinary experience. Gore moved me, with his movie star good looks and wifes adoration. For the record, 90 percent of the women I questioned loved his three-second kiss with Tipperbut 80 percent of the men went "yuck." As one of Pete Vallones aides said as we left the arena, "any man who can love someone so dearly and so long has a great moral fiber. I want that man for my president."
"Go Al, Go!," chanted the wildly enthusiastic crowd. "I will never let you down and I will work for you every day," said Gore who electrified the audience and seemed energized as he gave his speech with a more rapid cadence than anyone had heard from him before.
The delegates left the convention elated but as City Councilman Archie Spigner said as we walked together to our car "Now it up to us to get the voters out!" And so it is exciting days ahead.
Although I came to the Democratic National Convention on my media credentials, I was "hosted" by the Queens delegation. The delegates were all people who have devoted their lives to the party, and who, Im convinced love the participation and process of politics.
Gloria Demarco Aloise, a district leader in Astoria, recalled how her dad had the whole family, for as long as her memory holds, involved with him in politics. "We were all so indoctrinated that I had a miscarriage but wouldnt go to the hospital until I cast my vote in an extremely tight race a pivotal one in our district. My husband took me from the polling site to the hospital, but I wasnt going to miss the vote." Thats a love for politics.
The "circulating" of our elected officials during the week, with cell phones attached to their ears day and night, could make you dizzy. After all, with many big players, corporations, and representatives in town, fund raising never ends. Parties give them mingling time. One young congressman admitted, "These are the people I get my money from."
For example, with only a two-year term, newly elected Congressman Anthony Weiner explained that he had a difficult fight in his primary for re-election against Noach Dear because Dear had $2 million in his coffers.
Morshad Alam, running for City Council, and his wife summed up what politics is all about, to them: To be passionate about the issues and to meet the people. He said, "I have politics in my blood. When I ran for State Senate, I literally rang every bell and as an unknown, got close to winning. Ill keep running." In fact, he is in a primary for City Council in Morty Povmans old district.
Another political comment came from Congressman Gary Ackerman who said, "I had tears in my eyes when Joe Lieberman spoke. It was a historic moment for me. In fact, there was not one Jewish person in the New York delegation including myself who didnt have tears rolling down their cheeks when the Hadassah and Lieberman signs waved massively across the enormous arena and Joe Lieberman took the podium."
The varied but consistent responses around the New York delegation to a person who is Jewish on the ticket, were summed up by a 17-year-old from Rochester who said, "I dont think religion is so important. Rochester is a very tolerant community. Its like lets get on with the issues!"
The fun part of the convention was the parties. My favorite was visiting Paramount Studios backlot. What an experience. Each street had tables overflowing with food and drinks and music, allwith a Mardi Gras theme, blasting from a huge stage. The elaborate party was given by many corporations in honor of Louisiana U.S. Senator John Breaux.