Republican National Convention

[wmanion]

Is anyone watching the RNC? I have been watching but IMO it lacks the energy and excitement of the DNC. Is it just me or has anyone else noticed?

Bill

[Rick336]

I watched Lieberman speak tonight. I'll probably watch Palin's speech tomorrow night and McCain give his acceptance speech on Thursday night.

I agree, it doesn't have the spirit the Democratic Convention had, but then, I'm a little biased because I'm a Democrat.

Rick

[Daniel]

I was watching PBS, and the sound in the studio was bad, that is, you could hear this really bad music in the background- must have been coming from the convention floor- while they were broadcasting. And the stage- God Bless Them- looked pretty shoddy too. And that just reeks of shoddy production values. The democratic convention? Perhaps over produced, but a snazzy event from start to finish. Even the stadium venue came off pretty well- and I was expecting that it to go badly: big places like that are notoriously hard to manage.

Now. Does the Republican pow-wow have to be over the top? No. But attention to detail really counts. And for a party that is all about appearances....well...it saying something, doesn't it?

One though occurred to me: they had McCain and Palin's names splashed on the background, and I wondered if the stage manager had made a slide (that how it's done usually) for any other VP. If mean- it could happen. Palin could withdraw, and they have to be ready to put up another pick if needed.

I would love to be behind the scenes right now. If anyone knows anything, it's the stage manager.

The speeches? Thompson needed to sound like he did tonight during his own campaign. Back then, it was like he was asleep. And Lieberman? Oy! I always feel like the Rabbi is lecturing. And he continually has that smug look on his face.

Good for McCain that Bush phoned it in. I kept hearing that the McCain people were relieved about that.

And I am curious to see how much they let Sarah Palin out the box she's been placed in the last day or so.

[nmwolfboy]

i keep trying to watch the RNC on C-SPAN, but invariably my eyes glaze over and i start listing to one side (oddly enough, usually to the left.) There seems to be no substance to the speechifyin' i've heard. The whole thing thus far reminds me of an extended "people not connected to reality" segment in a television comedy show.

[tdogg]

It's nearly impossible for me to listen to the speakers at the RNC. We're trying to watch, my partner is much better at it than me. I can only take a few minutes at a time.

Which had me asking last night - Did the speakers at the DNC make sense because I agreed with them (for the most part) or did I agree with them because they made sense?? Anyways...

Sorry, it's been difficult to listen to the RNC. And besides, I have loads of homework every week, and that's a priority. Plus, I always have my friends here to listen in and report back. I'll take your word for it!

[Daniel]

I wonder. I am watchng the Republican Convention again this evening. Huckabee is speaking at the moment. He's trumpeted the issues of abortion and an anti-gay marriage amendment. Same old same old.

What interesting to me is hearing the arguments of the speakers. By-and-large, what I hear are tired old ways of being- one thing that stands out large is the class war that is apparent.

Conservatives talk about less government, and I have to wonder what they mean by that. After all, G.W. Bush's policy's have lead to a huge growth in government. It's a bait and switch tactic. This has been written about in a great book called What happened to Kansas.

Do we need less medicare? Less Social Security? I don't think so. In fact, it's what government isn't doing that is the issue.

For the first time in the history of our country, the majority of Americans believe that their children won't have- or be able to achieve- the same opportunities as their parents. What does this say? That programs like the GI Bill etc were a way for the middle class to become what it is today.

But there is nothing like that anymore. Are the days of great American's over? I wonder about that. Seems like we have become a nation of greed: get all that you can while you can. Your neighbor? He/she had better take care of him/herself.

[wmanion]

So far all I am hearing is the same old story. The fear of liberals taking over and how it will damage the family. I guess you would think that none of us liberals value their families.

[Rick336]

Originally Posted by tdogg

It's nearly impossible for me to listen to the speakers at the RNC. We're trying to watch, my partner is much better at it than me. I can only take a few minutes at a time.

It's the same with me. It's hard to listen to. The few speeches that I have managed to sit through, I found myself saying, "Yeh...right," over and over again during the entire speech. As in: "Ours is the party of real change in America!"

Yeh....right.


Rick

[BruceChris]

Issues? We don't need issues. Between John McCain's nobility in Vietnam,and Sarah's family values and vast experience in government, we don't need no stinkin' issues.

BC

[ctozrn]

My partner is making me watch the convention. Actually, she's not that mean but I really want to stay where I am and so I am forced to listen to this bullsh*t. It is really firing me up to hear all the nasty things they are saying about Obama. I really, really like him. To hear them start laughing when they talked about Obama being JUST a "community organizer" That means he actually went into the streets and worked with people instead of being oblivious to the needs of everyday people.

I don't know if I can stand to watch this anymore.....

[tdogg]

Originally Posted by BruceChris

Issues? We don't need issues. Between John McCain's nobility in Vietnam,and Sarah's family values and vast experience in government, we don't need no stinkin' issues.

BC

I love how the Republican politicians at the RNC talk about how much more experience Palin has than Obama. Like being an Alaskan small town mayor and then governor for less than 2 years, is way more qualification to run the country than all the years Obama has in the US Congress. HUH? What are they smoking at that RNC??? I thought it was just those danged liberals who got high...

[ctozrn]

Do these fools not know that Osama Bin Laden is in Pakistan and Afghanistan and not in Iraq?

Rudy Guliani is a terrible speaker! I can't believe they put this adulterer out there to represent family values.

Ok, I am done now. I am taking slow, deep breaths....

[Daniel]

And the moment she walked out, the audience went nuts. Of course I mean Sarah Palin.

Cindy McCain is dressed in acid green.

So- we've had green and grey to look at. An odd combination. One might call Ms. Palin's color a battleship grey. A fitting one for what she's going to be facing in the coming months. Will she go down with the ship or will she sail into history as the next Vice President? I guess we'll see.

Palin has just referenced her son who is going to serve in Iraq. If I was that kid's mom- much less father- I wouldn't let him serve in a war for oil profits.

It's interesting to hear Palin speak. I don't hear any gravitas. Oh...she's yakking about family now.

I want to hear about foreign policy. I've read that she doesn't know the difference between the factions in Iraq.

I guess her son will fill her in. That is, if he comes home in one piece.

And lastly, she would do well to get rid of that whiny nasally tone. Her poisoned darts- and sarcasm- is not what I want to see in an elected official. Know that? It's all bromides and platitudes. She might as well be running for homecoming queen.

[nmwolfboy]

i give up. i tried to watch, even though it drove my partner from the room. But with profanities leaping out of my mouth, shocking my own ears, it became undeniable that my time is much better spent meditating on the principles of non-violence.

One more thing before retiring for the night - the ethnic diversity in the crowd of the Democratic Convention warmed my heart. But the RNC crowd is so overwhelmingly white that it creeps me out.

Pax,
scott

[Daniel]

Originally Posted by nmwolfboy

i give up. i tried to watch, even though it drove my partner from the room. But with profanities leaping out of my mouth, shocking my own ears, it became undeniable that my time is much better spent meditating on the principles of non-violence.

One more thing before retiring for the night - the ethnic diversity in the crowd of the Democratic Convention warmed my heart. But the RNC crowd is so overwhelmingly white that it creeps me out.

Pax,
scott

But oh...I've seen some African-Amercan folks. They seat them- one or two at time- right up in front of those cameras.

Is that non-violent of me? Let's not go there!

Ok...I promise to meditate before I go to bed.

Oh....she's talking about more pipelines (the one asserted in June at her church that God was behind) and more drilling.

And now she's going after Obama's character. It says a lot about one's character when you can't muster any respect for your opponent.

Talk about talking the high road!

What is this woman for? I haven't the slighest idea. Her approach is a very snide one. Did Rove write this speech? It's the politics of hate.

Can't wait to see her debate Biden.

[wmanion]

Originally Posted by Daniel

She might as well be running for homecoming queen.

Well according to McCain's campaign manager this election is not going to be about the issues...so, I would guess it must be a popularity contest much like that of Homecoming King and Queen. I guess the only issue they will have to discuss is if the shirt on his tux is going to match her dress for the inaugural dance.

The politics of fear. Well, I have changed channels and am watching Bill Maher...at least I get to laugh every now and then.

Bill

[Rick336]

Giuliani gave a terrible speech. But Palin gave a good speech even though I disagree with most of what she said.

But one thing Palin and Giuliani and Huckabee all did was to tell the news media to back off. They blamed the media for attacking Palin and Palin's family. What they really meant was, "stop scrutinizing and investigating Palin".

I think anybody running for the 2nd highest office in America needs to be investigated and scrutinized to make damn sure she's up for the job.

Rick

[ctozrn]

She made fun of Obama for being a Community organizer. Everyone laughed. This is something he did in the 1980's before attending Harvard Law school. This is an honorable thing, he was out in the neighborhoods, helping the people.

For me, to hear the Republicans laughing at this says it all.

[Steven E. Webster]

Originally Posted by ctozrn

She made fun of Obama for being a Community organizer. Everyone laughed. This is something he did in the 1980's before attending Harvard Law school. This is an honorable thing, he was out in the neighborhoods, helping the people.

For me, to hear the Republicans laughing at this says it all.

Actually, I think Barak was a community organizer AFTER Harvard Law School. You are right--I think this GOPers don't think community organizer is a REAL job. I googled "community organizing" and read the Wikipedia article on it. It has alot more to do with leadership than the kind of pandering to prejudice and greed that Palin has engaged in.

Steven Webster

[Rick336]

Photo is of Sarah Palin taken a few years ago in Alaska riding an ATV with her young daughter Piper.



Why would a loving, responsible mother allow a child to be on an ATV without a helmet?


Source: http://www.courant.com/la-na-palin20...407133.photo#2

News on ATV safety: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/...in676379.shtml


Rick