Neptune Mayor Reflects on Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience
By DON STINE
Neptune Mayor Randy Bishop, who was recently a New Jersey delegate to the Democratic National Convention held in Denver, Colorado August 25-29, said the experience was definitely an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“To be there, to be a part of it, and to be joined by a group of people who share the same sense and values of what you believe in is very empowering, and you leave with a sense that you can change the world,” he said.
Last November Bishop, a life-long Democrat, pledged to stand for Hillary Clinton and applied to her campaign as a potential delegate. He was eventually selected as one of two convention delegates from his primary-election district.
“I was elated. It was my first convention, and I knew that whatever happened this would be an historic Democratic convention because nature of the candidates,” he said.
Bishop said he eventually ended up casting his vote for Barack Obama on the convention floor.
“I ended up voting for Obama even though I pledged for Clinton. It became apparent that Obama was, at that point, the presumptive nominee. And listening to Hillary’s speech on Tuesday night at the convention, where she called for unity and released us from any obligation to her, I started to think about what would be best for the country and I then knew I would cast my vote for Obama,” he said.
As far as the actual convention was concerned, Bishop said “it was truly electrifying.”
“I don’t know if television, the print media or anything else can give the feeling of energy that is on that convention floor. And to hear incredible speakers, such as Ted Kennedy, Bill Clinton and Michelle Obama, is terrific, but also hearing speeches by everyday people is also very special,” he said.
Bishop said he will now work hard to get Obama and Joe Biden elected this November.
And Bishop said he was very impressed by the diversity of people in the New Jersey delegation. Although 127 New Jersey delegates were assigned to the convention floor, about 700 state residents headed to Denver.
“New Jersey should be very proud. It sent the most diverse delegation to the convention in its history. They were diverse regarding their age, race, social and economic status, gender, and sexual orientation. It was just such a wide-ranging spectrum of people,” he said.
And would Bishop like to head back to another Democratic National Convention in the future?
“I don’t know if I would like to go to another one. To have been there at this one is, to me, in some ways like being at the peak of the mountain and I would hate to take the opportunity away from someone else to experience a convention. It really gives you a sense of the process of democracy,” he said.
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