I was in Richmond for the annual Democratic Party of Virginia (DPVA) Jefferson Jackson dinner.  I’d heard quite a lot of speeches by the time we got to the main event Saturday night and just assumed I’d not be inspired as I had been in years past by speakers like Joe Biden, Barak Obama and Hilary Clinton.   Besides there is not a national or statewide race coming up this year.  The crowd was smaller.   Wrong.  It was a wonderful evening to be a democrat.

First there was the timing of the health care bill legislation.  We all came to the dinner feeling some excitement that after 100 years of trying and the past year of terrible politics, it just might pass.  We warmed up with our DPVA folks and Senate Majority Leader, Dick Saslaw reminding us that we needed to stay strong.  Then we went to our Congressional delegation and the excitement picked up as we were assured by all (with the notable exception of Cong. Nye) that they were voting for health care and that it would pass on Sunday.  This included Tom Periello who is newly elected in a tough district and had just come over to the yes side.  His vote is particularly courageous.   The room warmed up some more.  It got so at every mention of health care the room erupted in cheers and often we all stood up applauding, too.   Jim Webb got some laughs as he ribbed the “junior senator from Virginia”, but mostly he had the room of 1300 in rapt silence as he spoke about the need to reform our legal system…..and pass health care.  Cheers.   Next Mark Warner spoke and recognized the contributions of his colleagues.  Virginia may be weak in its state administration for the moment, but we are blessed with quite a team in the Congress.  Our keynote speaker was Senator Amy Klobuchar from Minnesota.  I worried a bit how she would do after all the great speakers we’d just heard.   She was great.  She was funny, warm to her Virginia colleagues, made spot on references to Virginia politics, talked about health care (more applause and cheers) and then spoke about what I think is the major issue we face as a nation:  the need to invest in our future so we can compete in the 21st century world economy.  This means health care, rebuilding our infrastructure and, most of all, investing in our children’s education. 

Like many of us, I just grin thinking about how health care has finally passed.  I’m bouyed up again by the quality of our Democratic leadership.  Its once again a good time to be a Democrat.