(While the regular Calitics team is at Invesco, thereisnospoon is in the big tent with Internet – promoted by Dante Atkins (hekebolos))

Will.I.Am and the Agape Choir up first doing a recreation of the original “Yes We Can” video.  And, in my humblest opinion, the only musical selection at the convention that hasn’t sucked.  Pretty well done, given the difficulty of recreating this sort of thing without the visuals and cast.  There were fears that this would seem pretentious, but it doesn’t look pretentious.  It looks like an authentic celebration of an upbeat, positive and hopeful campaign.  This is the Obama message that helped sell so many Democrats on him, and what will still, whatever negative messaging goes against McCain, win Democrats the election in November.

Now the campaign is pushing getting more cell numbers for volunteering, asking all Americans to text 62262 with the letters “dnc” to sign up to volunteer and receive text messages.  I was on this text list in 2007, fwiw; it’s a great way to get localized news feeds not only about what’s going on with the campaign nationally, but also what you can do in your local neighborhood.  If you’re not on the list, get on it!

As dday’s twitter feed already said, they’ve been doing these cell phone games all day–but this embrace of technology is still amazing.  The Obama team is playing a ground game unlike any other in American political history.

Sheryl Crow now up with her hit “A Change Will Do You Good”.  Clever, nice choice.  Some danger, I guess, that wingers will attack the presence of celebrities on the stage–but they’ll attack no matter what we do.  And I’d rather, frankly, we were portrayed as the “celebrity” campaign than the “angry, out-of-touch hotheaded wrinkly old guy” campaign.  Another Crow song, inspired by the Dalai Lama. Crow up again with “Every Day Is a Winding Road”, melding into “I Can See Clearly Now, The Rain is Gone”.  Good music choices everyone can relate to.   Though it doesn’t much matter how this stuff might be perceived, I suppose; I suspect that only C-SPAN is carrying this stuff.  I could be wrong, though.  

OK, this is strange.  Mark Udall just replaced Bill Richardson on the C-SPAN schedule.  Wonder what’s happening there.  It’s weird.  And then Kaine to follow.  Wonder how Richardson feels about all this.

So far, Udall’s speech is full of pabulum.  But he’s handsome and charismatic, so all’s forgiven.  And he’s going to be in the Senate regardless.

We have found leaders to match our mountains, to renew the promise, and make America work again.

Wow, that was quick.  And not memorable.  The crowd didn’t even know when to cheer.  Ah, well.  Next up: Tim Kaine.

Maybe to John McCain,the American dream means having 7 houses.  If that’s your America, then John McCain is your candidate.

 Ouch.

Quotes Matthew about the power of faith to move mountains.  Mentions missionary work in Honduras, and then talks to the crowd in Spanish.  Speaks pretty good Spanish–but the GOP will probably be all over that.  Screw them: we’re the party of inclusion and brains.  If they can’t speak more than one language, that’s their fault–and their votes to lose.

Kaine’s hitting “faith” really strongly here.  “Putting our faith into action” and “renewing our faith in government”.

Does anybody here have some faith tonight?…Anyone here ready to move mountains?  The mountains of special interests and business as usual?

The religious tone here is interesting.  “Mountain, get out of our way, and the mountain will move.”  Perhaps it’s because I don’t attend church much, but that sounded cheesy as all heck.  Maybe it resonates with people not in my demographic…