JUNE 27, 2016 – LOS ANGELES – Politicon (www.politicon.com), the Unconventional Political Convention, was ground zero over the weekend for conversation, debate and advocacy on the country, elections and issues. Held at the Pasadena Convention Center, the two-day convention had over 8000 attendees, featured over 100 speakers and 45 panels, as well as Democracy Village, film screenings and political art exhibits.
After a passionate first day, day two saw Gov. Sarah Palin, James Carville, former Mexican President Vicente Fox, the cast of “The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore,” #BlackLivesMatter panel and Roseanne Barr, ushered through the convention hall, accompanied by cosplayers Founding Fathers. For a full list of speakers go to www.politicon.com.
Sarah Palin, in her keynote speech on the average pissed-off American voter, explaining the rise of Donald Trump, was quotable as ever. “We asked ‘who’s not part of the problem? Who’s got nothing to lose but our soverignty to gain? Who’s not in bed with crony capitalists who’re screwing the American worker?’, Later, she said of Trump, “Like a golden wrecking ball, he’s knocked down the walls of the good ol’ boys’ club.”
And of the GOP insiders who have turned their back on the party’s presumptive nominee, she called them “Republicans Against Trump, or Rats for short.”
Later in the day, she and Democratic Strategist James Carville sat down for a spirited Q&A. Before introducing her, Carville set the scene, saying “I’ve gotten to do some pretty cool shit in my life, but this is one of the coolest.”
Gov. Palin took more shots at the GOP establishment, saying of their tepid support so far of Trump’s candidacy, “The con game of the Republican party shows they don’t care who wins as long as they keep their jobs.”
Carville was a Southern gentleman, but the audience felt no reluctance to let their thoughts show. When she shared her views on the fallacy of gun control legislation, her comments were met with a shower of boos, along with considerable applause.
Looking at Donald Trump from a different angle, former Mexican President Vicente Fox, in a Q&A with comedian Al Madrigal and Alejandra Campoverdi of the Los Angeles Times, repeatedly expressed his disapproval of the businessman’s politics, saying at one point of the U.S., “This nation is the leader of the world, and if it renounces that leadership and hides behind walls, it leaves an empty space. And who will fill it? China.”
Politicon’s media partners included NBC News/Decision 2016: Election Confessions, TYT/The Young Turks, Vice News, Salon, The Huffington Post, National Review, KCRW 89.9, KPPC 89.3, SiriusXM, KFI-AM 640, Tumblr, Millennial Action Project, The Loftus Party, Spycast, Mic, The Jimmy Dore Show, Jezebel, UCB/Upright Citizen’s Brigade Tour Co., Latino Victory Project, Think Progress, Los Angeles World Affairs Council, Dreamworks TV, Fusion, Participant Media, Brave New Films, DoLA, NowThis, Lady Parts Justice, Radio Titans, USfluence and NationBuilder.
About Politicon:
Politicon is the annual politics and pop culture conference, addressing and discussing issues that are core to the country, citizens and residents of the United States. The non-partisan conference brings together politicians, pundits, comedians and entertainers from across the cultural spectrum for a weekend of comedy, panels, book signings, radio and TV broadcasts, debates, podcasts, interviews, film screenings, meet & greets, and much more. www.politicon.com.
