I thought Palin's speech was very good. Giuliani's speech was as excellent as I expected (though not as good as I remember his 2004 convention speech being). Regardless of how obnoxious I find his gung ho embrace of Republican rhetoric (the attacks on the liberal media, in particular), the man gives a powerful and effective speech.
One thing in both of those speeches that I found totally out of line though, was the denigration of Obama's work as a community organizer. I guess the "service" I saw on those little audience signs doesn't apply in this instance. Despite the Republicans' insistence that non-governmental groups should be the primary providers of social services and despite all their anti-government rhetoric, it seems only service in a political office counts for anything.
McCain's speech was very good. It was the kind of speech I had expected from Obama. It seems like McCain spent far more of his time laying out his policies and the reasons to vote for him than Obama did and less time attacking his opponent. But I may be misremembering. Regardless, I found McCain's speech more moving, and it reminded me of all the reasons I like him. Most of all, for his commitment to principle and his honesty, his straight talk. Those things came through tonight, and I'm more tempted than I was before to vote for him. (But I won't.)
I'm guessing that he'll get a big bump in the poles. But you know my track record on trying to predict public opinion/elections. (I was and am still right about Iraq, however.)
I thought the Democratic convention went pretty well. Not as well as the Republican one, but well. I love Michele Obama. Her speech was good and very Obama-esque. She did a good job making Obama seem less elitist/Muslim/whatever stupid thing stupid people think. I doubt it did much good, but probably a tiny bit.
I want to trade lives with Ted Kennedy, or at least go for a ride on his schooner. Caroline Kennedy was great. You wouldn't think oratorical abilities were a heritable trait, but they obviously are in that family.
Kerry's speech was surprisingly good.
While Hillary delivered her speech wonderfully, it was totally inadequate in its meager support for Obama. She needed to HAMMER, HAMMER, HAMMER into the heads of the dumbfuck die-hards that she supports him and that his values and policies are the same ones she fought for and the reason why they voted for her. She said all that, but not forcefully or repetitively enough. (If you saw CNN's post-speech interview of one of those diehards, you know that they must be slapped to their senses and that that speech didn't do it.) You would think 20 million dollars (which she shouldn't have been given) would have bought more lavish support. What a bitch.
Bill Clinton's speech was very good. No surprise. Biden's was alright.
Obama's speech was a surprise. It wasn't the breath-taking, heady stuff of 2004 that I and everyone else expected. It was a shrewdly negative speech. I'm glad that we have a Democrat who understands the necessity of going negative and using the convention as a platform to do so (even as you pretend to be post-partisan). After the first night the Dems did a good job going negative. But I think this whole McCain = Bush bullshit is not the right strategy. I don't think anyone believes it even now. As the campaign goes on, its falseness will likely be plain to all.
I would tweak the attack to make it one against the whole Republican "brand", as they're calling it these days. That "McCain voted with Bush 90 or 95 per cent of the time" stuff is great. But like I said, if you frame it as McCain is Bush II, it's going to be an ineffectual, obvious lie. Run against their brand and on ours. Say we need a Democrat now, not a Republican. Say we need one because of the economy. Spend all your time talking about how Democrats are better for the economy. PEOPLE ALREADY BELIEVE IT! Poll after poll shows that the vast majority think the Democrats do a better job with the economy. (Not a good time to be post-partisan.) Make the economy everything, since it is what people are most concerned about now, you lucky, stupid Democratic bastards. Say nothing more about Iraq but that you'll bring the troops home responsibly and soon. Let that issue die.
Actually, the reality may be that McCain and a Democratic congress would be better for the economy. At the very least, we'd get a balanced budget. But would he restore the kind of regulation that we need to prevent more of these economic crises? Probably, but not for sure.
And McCain may win. Even without the elitism problem (that "bitter" comment and the uncharacteristically horrible handling of it was a disaster), the racism, and all that Muslim crap, the inexperience thing could be a killer. While I really don't think experience matters as much as intelligence, judgment, and political orientation, I cringed throughout the DNC whenever Dems tried to use as a qualification the pathetically short and undistinguished record Obama has in office. And the Republicans certainly tore it up this week.
Oh well. I like McCain, and I am not sure his victory wouldn't be the better outcome. If only it weren't for the Supreme Court and gay marriage. Then I think I would actually vote for him. It seems generally better for the country to have different parties in the White House and Congress. (I also like the nuclear power thing with McCain.) On the other hand, it would be really good for the progress of race relations in this country if Obama won, and I trust him a bit more on most foreign policy issues other than Iraq.
Finally, who is the moron who keeps scheduling the DNC before the RNC? What the fuck!
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