"His message all along is that the ideas have to come from the people," said Candi Schmieder of Marengo, Iowa, a scheduled speaker who said she was turned off by presidential politics until this year because of all "the game playing."...What do you think when you hear a collection of sob stories? Do you think "boy, I've got to vote for Obama because he can fix all those problems", or do you think "boy, I'm sure glad I'm not those people".
Mike Fisher, an Amtrak machinist from Beach Grove, Ind., will talk about Obama's visit to his house for a lunch of Subway sandwiches....
Other speakers were chosen because of their circumstances, and their residency in targeted battleground states for the fall campaign.
_Pamella Cash-Roper and her husband, of Pittsboro, N.C., are unemployed due to health problems and can't afford gas to leave the house much.
_Xiomara Rodriguez, of Reno, Nev., served in the U.S. Coast Guard and is concerned about veterans affairs.
_Beth Robinson, of Chesapeake, Va., has multiple sclerosis and, as the wife of a Marine who has served repeated tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, is concerned about the housing market's decline on their future relocations and being a single parent when her husband is deployed.
_Roy Gross, a truck driver from Taylor, Mich., is a single father to a college-age daughter.
During the weekend, the campaign formally invited these people to the convention, providing airfare, lodging and great seats to watch Obama accept the nomination from a circular stage on the 50-yard line at Invesco Field. The real people and delegates attending their first convention will be among the roughly 300 people sitting directly around the stage.
Professional speechwriters are helping prepare their remarks, timed to about three minutes each. And just like any senator or other VIP speaker, an assigned staff member will oversee their schedules and logistical movements, including media interviews, speech coaching and on-stage rehearsals.
Real people also will be featured at an event Tuesday alongside Michelle Obama and the nation's female Democratic governors to talk about the economic problems facing women.
I tend to do the latter, as I suspect most people watching will also do.
How come the Democrats can never bring out people who are happy?
Republicans have used this technique as well, but with one major difference. The people the Republicans bring on stage are people who have triumphed over tough situations and are wonderful examples for the rest of us. They're not just a parade of victims.
The folks that will make up the Dem parade are probably honest, hardworking people, but hearing tales of woe is not inspirational.
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