Galloway Democrat Experiences Convention Firsthand

Before he left to attend the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, Galloway Democratic Club Chair feared there was no way President Barack Obama could top his performance at the 2008 convention in Denver.

One day after Obama spoke to the nation from the Time Warner Cable Arena, Suleiman, an alternate delegate for the convention, had nothing but praise for the president and all the other speakers from the week’s festivities.

“It was a tougher speech for the president,” Suleiman said. “There was more pressure on him and he set the tone for where we need to take the country.”

Obama’s speech was one of four “major speeches” given at the convention.

First Lady Michele Obama spoke about her husband, the president and family man; former President Bill Clinton gave a 49-minute speech touting the Democrats’ record on jobs, economy and foreign policy; and Vice President Joe Biden spoke about the “tough decisions” the administration has had to make, including the bailout of the auto industry.

Newark Mayor Cory Booker was also there, giving a speech about the party’s platform and moving forward. A Galloway man was there to take it all in.

“It was a fun convention. It was a good four days to rally the troops and hopefully re-elect President Obama,” Galloway Democratic Chair Michael Suleiman said Friday morning, Sept. 7. “Our convention topped the (Republican) convention every night. No one made the argument better than Bill Clinton, but there were a lot of great speeches.”

Suleiman felt a sense of pride watching a mayor from his home state speak before a national audience.

“As a New Jerseyan, it was great to see ,” Suleiman said. “He is the leader of our party. I hear he’s been thinking about doing some things, and if he goes up against Governor Christie, I think he can take him.”

The “things” Suleiman was referring to include runs at the Senate and the governor’s house. He mentioned a possible run in .

“He’s done a good job positioning himself for a while and he’s naturally become a leader,” Suleiman said. “He’s a special mayor that can lead the party and New Jersey into the rest of the 21st century.”

Booker is one of the Democrats across the country that can help Obama, something Suleiman emphasized.

“There’s only so much (Obama) can do,” Suleiman said. “He needs help from legislators and Democratic governors.”

Suleiman will try to do his part following the conclusion of the convention.

“I’m going to spread the word,” said Suleiman, who returned to New Jersey Friday afternoon. “The president needs help going forward, even on the local level with guys like (Galloway Council Democratic Candidate) Jim McElwee and Colin Bell.”

Suleiman had conversations with representatives from across the country during convention week. He attended receptions, a policy briefing with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and various early-morning caucuses, including the Young Americans Caucus, where he was able to talk to policy makers including DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schulz.

He said everywhere he went, he ran into someone and met a wide array of policy makers and people. He celebrated the convention’s diversity.

“There was old, young, rich and poor,” Suleiman said. “It was like a microcosm of America in Charlotte.”

Like the Republican Convention the week before, the DNC faced weather issues and had to move Obama and Biden’s speeches inside to the Time Warner Cable Arena from Bank of America Stadium. Many people lost the opportunity to see the speeches live, but Suleiman made the cut.

He was on the convention floor when the speeches were given, and he was amazed, not only by the number of delegates in attendance, but by the number of workers it took to put the convention on.

“I was blown away by the number of workers there were at the convention,” Suleiman said.

And when the New Jersey Delegation was featured on the MSNBC show “Harball With Chris Matthews,” early in the week, Suleiman was one of those who was interviewed.

 “We had fun, but we all know it’s time to get back to work when we get home,” Suleiman said.  “The states can’t just sit on the sidelines. We have to make 2012 just like 2008.”