Convention notebook

Visitors to the Democratic National Convention received water bottles, coffee cups and candy.
Visitors to the Democratic National Convention received water bottles, coffee cups and candy.

PHILADELPHIA — Former Gov. Mike Beebe told members of the Arkansas delegation Thursday that Americans had more faith in their government when he was a small boy.

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Former Gov. Mike Beebe speaking to Arkansas delegates Thursday in Philadelphia.

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Former U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor in Philadelphia

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Former U.S. Sen. Fred Harris taken in Philadelphia on Thursday, July 28, 2016.

Back then, “politics was a noble, noble profession,” and voters had confidence in their elected officials, he said. “But something happened along the way while I was growing up. Maybe it was our loss of innocence with the death of [President John F. Kennedy]. Maybe it was the way the country was divided and torn apart because of the Vietnam War. Maybe it was a result of what your government can do to you based upon what we learned in Watergate. … All of a sudden, politics became a dirty word, and politicians became a dirty group of people,” he said.

The evolution wasn’t inevitable, nor is the change irreversible, Beebe said.

“It did not have to be that way. It does not have to be that way. Every politician who’s ever lied to you, stole money from you, broke your heart, broke their promises, there are many, many more who are in it for the right reasons and do the right things, and with all its faults, this country is still the greatest form of self-government and democracy that’s ever [existed],” he said.

The offspring also attend convention

With Hillary Clinton claiming her party’s presidential nomination, some Democrats in Arkansas wanted to share the groundbreaking moment with their children.

Democratic National Committeeman Dustin McDaniel, the former Arkansas attorney general, had his daughter Emma Grace and his stepdaughter Alex in the convention hall, securing them front-row seats on opening day.

Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola had with him his sons John Mark and Robert, giving up his seat as the roll call progressed so they would witness the deliberations up close.

John Mark, 19, a student at Rhodes College in Memphis, said he enjoyed seeing the politicians and media personalities who packed the room.

“Personally I want to be involved in the media side of politics, you know, work for someplace like CNN or MSNBC or any place like that,” he said. The elder Stodola “wanted me to just get exposed to this sort of environment. If I’m going to be the person doing the news or reporting on political events, then I need to get all the political experience I can, and this is a great place to do it.”

Delegates in both cities get gift bags

Visitors to both national conventions received gift bags shortly after their arrival.

At least some of the Philadelphia bags included a blue Democratic National Convention water bottle, a blue coffee cup, a Legos-like toy “plane building set,” a luggage tag and a small container of Mike and Ike candy. Many of the items included a drawing of the Liberty Bell. Delegates and media representatives also received free passes to One Liberty Observation Deck, a spot 883 feet above street level in one of the city’s tallest skyscrapers.

Cleveland bags had umbrellas or rain ponchos, commemorative pins, sunscreen and travel brochures, among other items. Delegates, alternates and their guests also received a bagful of Trump for President souvenirs — a T-shirt, bumper sticker, tote bag, commemorative pin, two ball caps and a pair of drinking glasses.

All of the campaign items were made in the U.S.A.

Both conventions

attract Rutledge

No one was surprised to see prominent Democrats from Arkansas flocking to Philadelphia for their party’s presidential nominating convention. But people did a double take when they saw Arkansas’ Republican Attorney General Leslie Rutledge wandering around the City of Brotherly Love.

The Batesville native, who spoke at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland earlier this month, flew to Pennsylvania’s largest city so she could rebut defenders of Democratic standard-bearer Hillary Clinton and running mate Tim Kaine.

She was featured at a Republican National Committee news conference Thursday, joining Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, among others.

Before she was elected attorney general, Rutledge served as legal counsel for the committee.

In an email, Rutledge said she “spoke about the countless scandals, lies and acts of deception that the Clintons have orchestrated to benefit themselves while hurting Americans.”

She said she “noted that I had broken a glass ceiling and know the importance of doing so, but a historical milestone need not come at the expense of America.”

Event impresses veteran Democrat

Members of the Arkansas delegation met for breakfast each morning of the Democratic convention with members of the New Mexico delegation. They rubbed shoulders with prominent Democrats who hail from Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

Federal lawmakers from the Land of Enchantment addressed the group.

Edward L. Romero, a New Mexican who served as U.S. ambassador to Spain, attended. So did Fred Harris, a former U.S. senator from Oklahoma and one-time chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Harris, 85, ran unsuccessfully for president in the 1970s, finishing fourth in the 1976 Iowa caucus behind “uncommitted,” Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter and Indiana U.S. Sen. Birch Bayh.

After his time in Washington, Harris took a job teaching political science at the University of New Mexico.

“I’ve been to conventions since 1964. You know I was the chair of the Democratic National Committee in 1969 and 1970, and this really is the best convention I’ve seen,” he said Thursday in an interview. “I think we’re leaving town tomorrow with more unity than I’ve seen after a convention in a long time.”

Mark Pryor sheds weight old-school

Former U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, who was in Philadelphia for the Democratic National Convention, has dropped about 30 pounds and hopes to lose a little more. There’s no gimmicky diet that he swears by. Since leaving office, he’s been losing weight the oldschool way.

“I’ve just been watching what I eat and try to exercise as much as I can. It may have a little to do with the stress level going down and all that,” he said.

He swims as much as he can.

“It’s really easy to gain weight during a campaign, but also just in serving [in the Senate], because you end up going to some receptions, having to eat on the go and not getting well-balanced meals,” he said. “It’s easy to get out of sync and just get into some bad habits.”

The son of former U.S. Sen. David Pryor is monitoring his coronary health, and the reports so far are positive.

“Dad had a heart attack when he was probably in his 50s. … I went in and did some stress tests the other day, and everything’s great. They told me I should go eat another chicken-fried steak.”

Planning to visit the nation’s capital? Know something happening in Washington, D.C.? Please contact Frank Lockwood at (202) 662-7690 or flockwood@arkansasonline.com. Want the latest from the Democrat-Gazette’s Washington bureau? It’s available on Twitter @LockwoodFrank.

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