74°
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson finished his time at the 2012 Democratic Convention on Thursday night. He watched the final night of speeches, then headed home Friday.
Bramson reports on his final day on his website, and offers a reflection on his first experience with the event.
Bramson feels that conventions still have a purpose in the United States today because of what speakers say, and not what actually goes on.
“They don’t conduct any real business or make any meaningful decisions anymore,” said Bramson.
“You could argue that it’s a lot of hoopla and expense for nothing. But would we really want to be deprived of Bill Clinton constructing an argument for the ages? Or Gabby Giffords making her way slowly and courageously to the edge of the stage? Or the Eagle Scout with two moms who affirmed so proudly that his family is just as good as anyone else’s? Or Michelle Obama demonstrating through her sheer presence so much of what has gone right with America in the last fifty years,” the mayor said.
Bramson is also glad he attended the convention and said he would need to think about attending the next one.
“I am grateful that I had a chance to observe things firsthand. It’s been a very interesting – and at times exciting – experience,” he said.
“I’ve also enjoyed writing about it. Would I do it again? Maybe. It might be a little like climbing Mount Washington. I loved doing it once; not sure I need to do it twice. But who knows when the mountain might call again?” he said.
Bramson flew home with many well-known faces. These included U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, and White House Chief of Staff Jacob Lew.
While flying over New Rochelle, Bramson was able to compare the city up in the air to when he is on the ground. Bramson also compared local government issues to those nationally.
“I always have the same sensation when seeing the city from above — the problems seem smaller, the opportunities larger, all ready to bend to our will. Municipal government doesn’t lend itself to the lofty rhetoric of a national convention,” he said. “We don’t have matters of war and peace on our agenda, and our challenges tend to be of a practical nature, but what we do still matters to real lives.”
Bramson said he is ready to return to work beginning with Wednesday’s City Council meeting.
“I am fired up and ready to go,” he said.
Comments