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| 2000 Democratic National Convention | |
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| Date | August 14 - August 17 |
| Venue | Staples Center |
| City | Los Angeles, California |
| Presidential Nominee | Al Gore of Tennessee |
| Vice Presidential Nominee | Joe Lieberman of Connecticut |
The 2000 National Convention of the U.S. Democratic Party nominated Vice President Al Gore for President and Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman as his Vice President. The convention was held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California from August 14 to August 17, 2000.
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Site selection
The DNC initially invited 28 cities to bid for the convention, and after nine cities submitted proposals, seven cities (Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New Orleans and Philadelphia) were visited by the DNC. (Charlotte and Seattle were not visited). Soon after Philadelphia dropped out after being named host of the 2000 Republican National Convention, Boston, Denver and Los Angeles were named as finalists, and ultimately Los Angeles was chosen on March 15, 1999. [1]
Notable speakers
The convention's keynote speaker was Representative Harold Ford, Jr. of Tennessee. Ford, who at 30 was at the time the youngest member of Congress, directed his speech towards younger voters, saying: "I also stand here representing a new generation, a generation committed to those ideals and inspired by an unshakable confidence in our future." [2]
President Bill Clinton's speech, the highlight of the first night of the convention, touted his administration's accomplishments and praised Gore: "You gave me that chance to turn those ideas and values into action, after I made one of the best decisions of my life: asking Al Gore to be my partner." [3]
Other notable speakers included Senator Bill Bradley (Gore's main opponent for the Democratic nomination), First Lady Hillary Clinton, and Senators Christopher Dodd and Ted Kennedy, and the Rev. Jesse Jackson.
Actor Tommy Lee Jones (Gore's roommate in college), put the Vice President's name into nomination.
The Presidential and Vice Presidential voting
On the day before the convention started Bill Bradley "freed" his delegates and asked them to vote for Vice President Gore.
The Vice President was nominated unanimously, and Senator Joe Lieberman was nominated by the second spot by voice vote.
Gore acceptance speech
Gore's acceptance speech focused on the future saying: "We're entering a new time, we're electing a new president, and I stand here tonight as my own man. I want you to know me for who I truly am." He mentioned President Clinton only once near the beginning of the speech. The speech was focused on issues: "I'm here to talk seriously about the issues. I believe people deserve to know specifically what a candidate proposes to do. I intend to tell you tonight. You ought to be able to know, and then judge for yourself." [4]
Lieberman's acceptance speech
Vice Presidential nominee Lieberman invoked the spirit of John F. Kennedy in his speech, saying: "Tonight, I believe that the next frontier isn't just in front of us, but inside of us -- to overcome the differences that are still between us, to break down the barriers that remain and to help every American claim the possibilities of their own lives." [5]
The protests
- Further information: 2000 DNC protest activity
Large scale, sometimes violent protests took place outside of the Staples Center as well as throughout downtown Los Angeles. Protest groups ranged from pro-life supporters, to homeless activists, to anti-globalization protestors, and anarchists. Out of increased fear after the surprise mass-protests at the 1999 "Battle for Seattle" WTO protests, media coverage and LAPD concern were heightened for the event. Concerns were further raised when violent riots also broke out after the Los Angeles Lakers won the 2000 NBA Championship only a few months before the convention. Originally, a "Protest Zone" was designated a city block away from the Staples Center, but a court order forced the zone moved immediately adjacent to the arena, in a parking lot. The protests became violent during the first evening of the convention, and many different protests, some orderly, some violent, took place over the full four days of the convention. There were numerous arrests, injuries and property damage, however the protests were not to the extent that was originally feared.
After the convention
In November, Al Gore narrowly lost to George W. Bush in the general election having won the popular vote but losing the electoral vote in a still-controversial decision handed down more than a month after the election by the Supreme Court.
| Preceded by 1996 Chicago |
Democratic National Conventions | Succeeded by 2004 Boston |
See also
External links
