Re-Defeat Bush
Quick, take a guess: when was the last time the Democratic Party was truly unified?
1936? Maybe. A successful first term by FDR, but the Solid South was already starting to worry about his civil rights tendencies.
Actually, I think there has been no time since the present that the Democrats have been so united. Who would have thought that George W. Bush would do the party such a favor?
The second night of the Democratic Convention, pre-billed as the weakest "entertainment" night, actually proved quite enlightening.
0 Ted Kennedy got the opportunity to dust off the old 60s liberal speech again. It had a quaintness that, admitted, I enjoyed, but Teddy has long ago lost his effectiveness. Are there any other Kennedy's in the wings?
0 Ron Reagan got to take his shot at the Bush Aministration (did his mom put him up to this) by calling for stem cell research and pledging to vote for Kerry because of his position on the issue. The Republicans poo-poo'ed his presence, but they are having a hard time explaining why Mrs. Reagan has refused to come to the GOP convention where they plan to honor the former president.
0 The best speech of the night was by the Illinois senatorial candidate Barak Obama. He was phenomenal and played the audience well. He reminds me of a young Julian Bond when we all thought that Julian was going to be the dominant black leader well into this century. We were wrong, but I do hope we hear more from Barak. Bill Clinton's speech is still my favorite, but I have to admit that my prejudice for the man might be coloring my perception some. An interesting point (and unless you grew up in the south, you will miss it): Barak is the offspring of a Kenyan and a caucasian. When I was growing up in Texas, there were laws on the books against blacks and whites marrying each other. Southern senators were warning that if blacks were allowed to go to school with whites, then the next thing would be "mass miscegenation." Frankly, Barak could very well be our first black presidential candidate. . . in 2012.
0 Teresa Kerry - she does have a nice personality, she is not goofy, and her speech was well delivered. I had concerns about her earlier. Now, I'm totally convinced that she will make the most interesting, exciting First Lady since Barbara Ford. (OK, Hillary, you were interesting, but a little . . . bitchy, if you know what I mean. I still love you and would vote for you, but you made a fairly average First Lady).
It's great to have great speeches, but what does it really mean? Are the Democrats making an impact?
I haven't seen any polls, and admittedly the TV audience is probably quite small since there is no controversy and the outcome is already determined, but I do think we have the Republicans nervous. This morning I was watching CNN, and on the floor of the empty convention hall, they were "interviewing" James Carville and Bob Novak (I love it when reporters interview other reporters to "get the story")
Carville made a favorable comment and then Bob Novak launched into one of his pissy tirades that Obama was really over-rated and a liberal "even more liberal than Kerry" and on and on. Carville, laughing, tried to get a word in edge-wise and Novak rambled on an on. Carville, if he wants to, can dominate any conversation. He does not back off, but this time he just let Novak continue while he stood by the side laughing. His only comment: "well if we have Bob Novak upset and nauseated, then I guess we are doing quite well."
I think that comment really puts it in perspective. Fox News commentators are almost having strokes about the goings-on, producing Republicans to claim that the Democrats are trying to "remake" Kerry and that Teresa Kerry is "really weird." The Right is very, very nervous. And they should be.
For the first time, I truly feel we are going to win this election.
1936? Maybe. A successful first term by FDR, but the Solid South was already starting to worry about his civil rights tendencies.
Actually, I think there has been no time since the present that the Democrats have been so united. Who would have thought that George W. Bush would do the party such a favor?
The second night of the Democratic Convention, pre-billed as the weakest "entertainment" night, actually proved quite enlightening.
0 Ted Kennedy got the opportunity to dust off the old 60s liberal speech again. It had a quaintness that, admitted, I enjoyed, but Teddy has long ago lost his effectiveness. Are there any other Kennedy's in the wings?
0 Ron Reagan got to take his shot at the Bush Aministration (did his mom put him up to this) by calling for stem cell research and pledging to vote for Kerry because of his position on the issue. The Republicans poo-poo'ed his presence, but they are having a hard time explaining why Mrs. Reagan has refused to come to the GOP convention where they plan to honor the former president.
0 The best speech of the night was by the Illinois senatorial candidate Barak Obama. He was phenomenal and played the audience well. He reminds me of a young Julian Bond when we all thought that Julian was going to be the dominant black leader well into this century. We were wrong, but I do hope we hear more from Barak. Bill Clinton's speech is still my favorite, but I have to admit that my prejudice for the man might be coloring my perception some. An interesting point (and unless you grew up in the south, you will miss it): Barak is the offspring of a Kenyan and a caucasian. When I was growing up in Texas, there were laws on the books against blacks and whites marrying each other. Southern senators were warning that if blacks were allowed to go to school with whites, then the next thing would be "mass miscegenation." Frankly, Barak could very well be our first black presidential candidate. . . in 2012.
0 Teresa Kerry - she does have a nice personality, she is not goofy, and her speech was well delivered. I had concerns about her earlier. Now, I'm totally convinced that she will make the most interesting, exciting First Lady since Barbara Ford. (OK, Hillary, you were interesting, but a little . . . bitchy, if you know what I mean. I still love you and would vote for you, but you made a fairly average First Lady).
It's great to have great speeches, but what does it really mean? Are the Democrats making an impact?
I haven't seen any polls, and admittedly the TV audience is probably quite small since there is no controversy and the outcome is already determined, but I do think we have the Republicans nervous. This morning I was watching CNN, and on the floor of the empty convention hall, they were "interviewing" James Carville and Bob Novak (I love it when reporters interview other reporters to "get the story")
Carville made a favorable comment and then Bob Novak launched into one of his pissy tirades that Obama was really over-rated and a liberal "even more liberal than Kerry" and on and on. Carville, laughing, tried to get a word in edge-wise and Novak rambled on an on. Carville, if he wants to, can dominate any conversation. He does not back off, but this time he just let Novak continue while he stood by the side laughing. His only comment: "well if we have Bob Novak upset and nauseated, then I guess we are doing quite well."
I think that comment really puts it in perspective. Fox News commentators are almost having strokes about the goings-on, producing Republicans to claim that the Democrats are trying to "remake" Kerry and that Teresa Kerry is "really weird." The Right is very, very nervous. And they should be.
For the first time, I truly feel we are going to win this election.
posted by Robert | 1:53 PM
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