Friday, August 29, 2008

Palin

Joe Pyrah (my Daily Herald colleague) thinks the pick is a bust and McCain is done.

Others are more sanguine.

I see it as a bit of a Hail Mary, sure. But he can't just run even with Obama; the trends are against him (as is the media.)

McCain plainly was playing to the demographics. It's not as if Hillary backers will vote for him; but if he can get a chunk of them to stay home on election day ...

And Palin is fresh, new. Too far right? Too inexperienced?

Will Biden pound her? Or can he? Will she highlight his mad dog style?

I think it was an understandable pick. Romney, Pawlenty, etc., have negatives too.

And with this McCain grabs the "change" mantle from Obama.

But I agree we'll have to see how it turns out.

Morning after

Obama's speech:

Flat, mediocre. I'd like to look at it as an editor would. Especially for what is not there. That's the hardest thing.

Slate's Dickerson said it sacrificed rhetoric for substance. But that is what it lacked. He says it was passionate. But it was forced passion. I'm not saying faked. But forced. He summed the passionate tone and feeling, but attached it at random to the words.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

The speech -- liveblogging

The speech has to be a relief after all that slop.

Maybe they made it lousy on purpose.

Can't they shut up? Can't he even control his own crowd?

Matheson showed great insight by staying home.

We're hearing a lot about Biden's Amtrak train. Not so much about his Iraq policy, his obstructionism in filling judgeships.

The actual time, Mountain Time, is an hour behind what is being posted.

Bills you can't afford to pay -- so make more or spend less.

Cars you can't afford -- well, so that's George Bush's fault?

"lets vets sleep on the streets" -- so is Obama going to round up all the troubled people who once served in the military?

He's ripping McCain. We've become "a nation of whiners." Well, at least there's one stadium of them.

He's trying to link McCain to Bush and an aide. But what about McCain?

Tax breaks for corporations and oil companies -- well, who do you think might hire people?

I'm not blogging much because this is just much.

Bush, Bush, Bush. Why not talk about Hoover or Lincoln?

He's like a comedian who's run out of material.

I am my brother's keeper -- but heaven help any teacher who tries to teach that in school!

Changes in tax code -- which ones?

He will eliminate capital gains taxes on small businesses.

But they don't make capital gains -- until they become big ones.

We will finally end our dependence on oil for the middle east -- OK, how?

Drilling is a stopgap -- gets big cheers. OK, that's fine.

I will help auto companies retool -- How?

I'll invest $150 billion in renewable energy. Why don't private companies?

Why does he think govt. is better investor?

He will ask for higher standards and accountability. But can an Obama do that? Can he defy the teachers unions?

Affordable, accessible health care. It will lower your costs -- but raise taxes!

More sick days and leave! And more jobs going overseas!

How he'll pay for it -- by closing loopholes. I will go through budget line by line and eliminate obsolete program.

But how can the party of government do that?

Intellectual and moral strength? Each of us must do our part.

"Programs can't replace parents." But can he make the Democrats do this?

All this runs against the essence of the party he will be leading; and plainly he doesn't have the backbone to defy them, the bold remarks to the contrary.

"We are the party of Roosevelt, of Kennedy .... " No, not of them, not on foreign policy. And note that he didn't mention Truman.

He says he will fight if need be ... But what about Darfur?

New partnerships? How will diplomacy work?

He's straining now, like an actor with bad or tired lines, hoping emoting will take the place of content.

Aside: (Yes, I'm having trouble paying attention): Michael Medved (thanks to Real Clear) has summed this up: there's a contradiction.

Back to Obama: now he's pretending there are no real differences.

Narcissim or circular logic: people like my campaign so my campaign must be right.

He's like a pop singer who had a couple of hits and can't follow up.

The video

The dawning of a new day. You know, even for political speeches, there's a remarkable lack of content. (Durbin's speech.)

Obama and Biden "will lead us to a new place."

Now he's Moses too!

The video. "A promise ... " that we can make our own lives.

But the Democrats' actual promise is that we can't make it on our own.

Grandparents "weren't complainers." But his followers sure are!

Please explain to me why his wife is relevant in any way? Why does anyone care?

OK, the story is powerful. That's the tragedy -- he could have done something. But he sold out to the left.

And who cares about his family?

more ordinary people at Dem Con

I am a lifelong Republican, but I can't afford four more years of this.

Yes, Obama will cure all their ailments and pay all their bills.

"Come to Jesus."

"I'm going to put country first" a hard luck guy says. But he just laid out a scenario wailing about his problems -- he puts himself first.

Brooks and Shields are fawning over them.

Darfur

An ex-general -- I didn't catch the name, McClellan, Hooker, Burnside, something like that -- is gassing along about Obama.

He is committed to solving Darfur crisis. How? I'd be interested. Does he want to send U.S. troops. I'm not necessarily against that. Just let Obama say that.

Biden gassing along, stridently, bitterly.

Ordinary people speak -- but with that same condescending tone.

"I ... hold ... a ... doctorate ... in ... education."

That same tone that says: you are a pathetic moron, but the government will condescend to save you.

You don't have to be in the elite to have the same contempt for ordinary people -- even for one's self.

What complete tripe. Hillary's supporters are there: the same strident, hectoring tone.

And I'm not sure "yes we can" in Spanish will be a big hit.

"I'm xxxx from xxxx." Another tale of woe.

Ms. Eisenhower's speech

More condescension: explaining who Dwight Eisenhower was, what Gettysburg was, etc.

More on unity. Jawhohl!

What we need is division. The opposition provides the resistence needed to build any side.

And some retired military men. Yes, the great generals: Westmoreland, McClellan, and Benedict Arnold.

Historians

Obama compared to Stevenson. Yes, a well-meaning fellow. Stevenson was at least sensible, if ineffectual.

A coherent convention? That is, wholly liberal?

Peniel Joseph of Brandeis -- He says delegates have "come to Jesus" and will be voting for Barack. Unfortunate metaphor.

Brooks points out that veep pick doesn't matter all that much.

Brooks on Romney: bad choice, because they just don't like each other.

Gore

Gore a complex figure? Shields says so. "He's walked away from politics."

Al Gore emotionally healthy?

And Brooks says Gore should have spoken more from the heart, as he does on global warming.

To much psychobabble. Doesn't anyone think about what is right? What is true?

Guess not.

Some young guy is in. "All we've suffered during the past eight years" as Americans.

Like full employment? Smashing al-Qaida? I admit it would be amusing to see Barack and liberals take over.

the real contest

The real contest: what do Americans hate more: big business or big government?

Just flew on US Airways. Flight canceled.

Then got mugged by TSA.

####

Rubin is fawning all over.

The speech from Mount Obama

Media are interviewing Dem policy hacks who are well-trained and well rehearsed. And the softball questions. "How do Democrats think the convention is going?" Jiminy Christmas, is this a freaking infomercial?

My own fault for watching on public TV -- KBYU.