So I spent the entire morning I have off watching the material from last night's convention. I found it was like having to wander the desserts at a church picnic made by people whom have absolutely little in common with my taste buds, but you have to sample it all to be polite.
Convention speeches never really do much for me unless I find them challenging in some respect. I usually find the GOP Convention more involving because I'm constantly cussing and throwing a shoe at the TV. Since I'll probably be watching it over the internet this time around, I had better find another aggression outlet - the LCD monitor isn't as hardy as the CRT.
As a result, most of the Democrat's first night only slightly engaged me. Even though I didn't grow up an East-Coast Democrat or even a Democrat, Ted Kennedy's tribute and speech was quite well done and well produced. Better yet - it was just about the right length. I hope he does well in the coming year because I think we're going to need him.
On the other hand, the content of Michelle Obama's speech was nothing more than over-sweetened fluff for me. I seriously had to turn it off after 5 minutes. As someone recently noted though, my tastes don't rule what 300 million Americans want. I may hate over-sugared, undercooked desserts, but that's my problem.
So the part I really paid attention was to Jim Leach's speech. Leach is not the world's greatest speaker - but I've known that ever since he was elected to office in Iowa. What he does symbolize is the great wide pragmatist middle-class that fills at least Iowa as well as arguably the Midwest. He's my parent's Republican. The Obama campaign definitely (and probably correctly) believes that this election is going to make Obama Republicans like 1980 made Reagan Democrats.
Just don't feed all of us crap after the votes have been counted.
* Seriously, I don't like fudge. I'm a slut for all other forms of good chocolate though.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
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5 comments:
Id, Phid had a great quote attributed to Leach over at the 'home base'.
The party that once emphasized individual rights has gravitated in recent years toward regulating values. The party of military responsibility has taken us to war with a country that did not attack us. The party that formerly led the world in arms control has moved to undercut treaties crucial to the defense of the earth. The party that prides itself on conservation has abdicated its responsibilities in the face of global warming. And the party historically anchored in fiscal restraint has nearly doubled the national debt, squandering our precious resources in an undisciplined and unprecedented effort to finance a war with tax cuts. Jim Leach
Yeah, I hate fudge, too. Blech. And I know it's polite, but if I don't like something, I'm not gonna eat it.
And I know it's polite, but if I don't like something, I'm not gonna eat it.
That's why I don't go to church picnics.
I think Leach and Michelle Obama certainly had different tasks last night.
Michelle Obama blew around sugary platitudes about who Barack Obama is as a man, a father, a brother-in-law, a son and a husband. Jim Leach blew around vague platitudes about how Barack Obama has some potentially magically transformative relationship (as yet unrealized and undefined it seems to me) to just about every previous president that could be described as transformative in some way. He was a little short on specifics. He might not like what the Republican Party has become but he didn't say how Barack Obama was gonna change anything. Other than via his ability to enthrall a crowd with his speaking abilities. A quality you and Dennis Perrin seem to find nauseating in Michelle Obama for some reason. Leach's presentation certainly wasn't sugary like Michelle's but throw some water on it and it'll dissolve into a sweet syrupy puddle of bipartisan happy talk just the same.
Snark - I never believed for a moment that Leach's speech had any more substance than Michelle Obama's.
It's the taste, stupid!*
Y'know, fudge, chocolate . .
(*we all know snark isn't stupid - obstinate, aggressive, but certainly not stupid. I shouldn't have to explain the reference.)
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