I wasn't going to write about this. God knows there's been enough written over the last few days, much of it by true experts. But after finally watching the speeches last night I couldn't resist. If you haven't seen them or would like another listen, please go ahead, courtesy of the New York Times. Kudos to them, by the way, for providing the extremely user-friendly videos and scrolling transcripts.
My impression was that Michelle started out a bit overboard with the family bit, but as the speech went on I became hypnotized by her beauty and poise and credibility. It was while watching her interview with Larry King some months ago that it became clear in my mind that I support Obama for president. She will be the best First Lady since Jackie Kennedy.
Michelle Obama's Speech at the Democratic National Convention
I usually don't find Hillary completely believable. Something in her inflections reminds me of fingernails on a blackboard. Nevertheless, she made a good powerful speech. If there was any envy or bitterness in her mind, it didn't show at all on her face. She was absolutely glowing.
Hillary Rodham Clinton's Speech at the Democratic National Convention
It's impossible for me to see Ted Kennedy without thinking of the 1969 death of Mary Jo Kopechne. I was a teenager at the time. Younger people probably think there was a massive cover-up and the powerful Kennedys blocked due process from taking place. That may be true to some extent, but the fact that in my recollection, the name Kopechne is inseparable from that of the senior senator's, says something. Hers became a household name just like his. I always ask myself, when Ted Kennedy makes public appearances, if all the others have forgotten about the incident. Then I wonder if it really was just a tragic accident; the fact that he hasn't done it again in 40 years must mean something. Isn't that the hallmark of a true criminal: repeat offences? The whole business partially poisons me to anything good he might have to say, such as in this speech supporting Obama. My friend Weer'd Beard certainly doesn't pull any punches.
Edward M. Kennedy's Speech at the Democratic National Convention
While watching these three speeches, I wondered if there might not have been millions of fence-sitters won over by the Convention coverage. I think Michelle Obama could do that.
But, why am I beating around the bush. What I'm really saying is might there not have been millions of WHITE fence-sitters won over by the Convention coverage. That is the real issue, in my opinion, but in these days on political correctness it cannot be spoken. Can the average middle-American white guy or gal really bring themselves to vote for a black man? I have a nightmare vision that on election day, those millions will go to the polls intent on voting for "change," but in the critical moment their hands will waver and they'll end up voting for McCain in an almost involuntary gesture of inertia and fear.
I love Michelle, but there is a very negative perception of her here in the USA as "angry" (where that infamous New Yorker cover came from)...it's really a lot of projection, IMHO.
ReplyDelete" Can the average middle-American white guy or gal really bring themselves to vote for a black man?"
ReplyDeleteSure they can...but can they vote for an inexperienced uber-leftie who will change his spots on any issue to suit who he's talking to?
I won't be.
FYI there is a "Condoleezza Rice 2008" Bumper Sticker hanging on my cubicle wall, so I'm totally for voting for a black AND a Woman....just not THAT Black (though really Barry is a Rich White kid who happened to have a black father he didn't really know) or That woman!
when was the last time a candidate for president of the USA was worth voting for, really? isn't voting against the other b*st*rd the stereotypical pattern, the primordial sin of the American voter?
ReplyDeletei still remember the 2000 campaign; this very issue was much of the point of the Greens and Nader. i can't believe that was the first campaign where this was pointed out, either. (Daisy, you must remember far more campaigns than i do?)
so, no, Obama really isn't worth voting for. but McCain most certainly is worth voting against. he would be an unmitigated disaster for this country; if anyone could push the USA down the road Argentina has taken, it would be him. worse, if anyone would do it for personal, short-term gain, he's that one, too.
and speaking of that, if you want to complain about politicians changing their spots? look no further than "weathervane" McCain. his flip-flopping was legendary long before he threw his hat in the presidential ring.
(blaming Barack Obama for being rich is pretty damn... er... rich, too. when was the last time anyone worth less than he got on that ballot?)
One of the bumper stickers on my ranch truck, that's been there forever and predates my ownership of it says "MY GUNS HAVE KILLED LESS PEOPLE THAN TED'S CARS".
ReplyDeleteThe lunatic fringe that thinks Obama is a savior, I can't even touch that. They're rolling the dice voting on him because he is very careful to be as nebulous as possible about what his "changes" will be.
When he was in the Illinois legislature, you are allowed to vote yes, no, or present (the yellow button, funnily enough). He was the king of the yellow button except for on batshit insane far left stuff he knew wouldn't pass but would continue to establish him as far far left. His political career DID START at William Ayers' kitchen table. Ayers will say so, the same man that has no remorse over the Weathermen/ Weather Underground bombings and riots and is on record as saying he didn't think they did enough bombing.
Put that together with anti-gun Biden, the Patriot Acts, and the recent FBI ruling that they don't need any excuse at all to surveillance people, and I'm seeing one hell of a bad four years.
After what the Feds did at Waco, everybody I know is going down shooting rather than negotiating. Interesting tidbit, Randy Weaver case where the feds killed his dog, wife, and son and shot him over an entrapment effort by Feds...Randy Weaver never fired a single round at any of them as they murdered his family. The rules have changed. I know I keep coming back to the firearms issue but it's the Second Amendment that protects the rest of the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights is MY Patriot Act.
Michelle Obama is a whole nother kettle of fish. Her job for a long time was to try to deny uninsured people medical treatment at the University of Chicago hospital. You can read about it in mainstream press. There's your hero. On a personal note, my mother was an administrative head and neck cancer oncology nurse (RN, MSN) at that hospital at a time where their careers overlapped and found her every bit the ugly person she's made out to be.
Election Prediction
ReplyDeleteI was thinking this:
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_McGovern#Landslide_loss
Including the bit about Nixon winning....
Here's a take on the mess from my favorite libertarian lesbian reformed lawyer blogger.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy.
Thomas, I must admit when listening to the speeches I did have some moments of doubt. Frequently the idea popped into my head that these democrats are nothing more that slick-talking phony balonies like the rest of them. Michelle Obama I find the most credible, and Barack really. They go downhill from there in the believability department, but I'm still hoping
ReplyDeleteThanks the that link to Becky's. I bookmarked it.