Another evening of Republican politics on C-SPAN.
Presentation of Colors - Pledge of Allegiance, America the Beautiful, National Anthem, Invocation.
No anthem at the same time as the Pledge? Okay. I don't get it, but okay.
America The Beautiful is sung (for my taste, this version is too slow; it sounds labored rather than peaceful. And I like when people can sing along - you can't sign along to this version) Little by little some of the people are noticing they still have their hand over their hearts and are taking them down. But, not all of them.
The crowd loves the song.
Sen Mitch McConnell (Senate Minority Leader) is leading off...
"...the American people have already come to respect and admire." [the record of Sarah Palin]
"Sarah Palin is a remarkable woman" (applause)
I take exception - I am an American and I do not respect and admire Sarah Palins record.
More info about how great John McCain was as a Prisoner of War. That's what kind of President he'll be too.
*****
Musical Interlude - Life is a Highway - I want to drive it all night long.
*****
Taped piece - you can't really touch our country, but you can serve it, you can't really see our ountry, but you can love it. America is a love story, a love all american's share...Americans have found their love of country so profound that it naturally came first in theiehir lives - before work, before friendship, before self. Through war, through peace, despari and success, our country is here. We are here. Becaues of their belief in all of us. My name is Robert duvall.
Anne Beiler from Auntie Anne's Pretzels - used to be Amish. Once I understood we were poor..."I was determined to work hard, to make my way in the world, and to help my family in any way that I could. My culture, my values, and my heritage helped me go from that little girl of poverty to become this woman of prosperity."
38 years ago I lost my 19 month old daughter in a farming accident. Out of that grief I found my pupose. Just like John McCain who found his purpose through torture and being a prisoner of war.
"Its our prosperity of our spirit that has made us a shining star for others"
"The spirit of prosperity that has engulfed my life is the spirit of America."
"Under John McCain's leadership we will commit ourselves to a greater good"
At least two biblical references.
I will "Run the race, stay the course, be the beacon of light that will peierce the darkeness...I give to get to give again."
"America you are beautiful to me - God Bless You all"
*****
Norm Coleman - Senator from Minnesota
The three steps to helping the working family
1. Make American government more efficient. Biggest cost to Americans is taxes.
Taxes kill jobs and we need to keep them low
2. Increase energy supply (Democrats are giving way too little, way too cautious, way too late) We need more drilling and more oil shale,
3. Reform Health Care and Education - parents make own choices; they will transform by demanding quality - "I don't want the folks who run the IRS to run my Health Care"
We have to cross party lines to get things done.
"Barack Obama will tax jobs away and John McCain will build them right here at home."
*****
Renee Amoore - Amoore Group
difficult times call for the right leader - and these times call for John McCain"
If you want us to drill at home instead of be at the mercy of foreign countries, then you are a McCain voter.
If you want common sense energy policy without increasing food prices, then you are a McCain voter.
If you want health care to be more accessible and affordable in the private market instead of the government, then you are a McCain voter.
If you want experience, bipartisan leadership, then you are a McCain voter.
etc.
How odd this is...these are nearly the same points the Democrats make. The solutions are different, but the issues are the same.
*****
California State Senator Abel Maldonado
He's from a farm family that gets not one penny of crop subsidies. Crowd applause.
His father who get past the fourth grade knows more economics than Barack Obama does after all those degrees from his fancy schools.
"Come work on our Farms Senator Obama, Come get your hands dirty with real work"
"John McCain believes in encouraging hard work, not taxing it.
John McCain believes in opening markets not closing them."
*****
Carolyn Dunn from Kansas
Farm partner and community volunteer
concerned about excessive regulation
*****
Just a comment from me...do these people realize that they're the ones who created the problems we're having now? They voted for George Bush twice. How can they act like the way it is right now is not the way they wanted it? They made it this way. Strange.
*****
Chris Collins - Eerie County New York executive
local government executive
"restore America's greatness by putting our country first"
*****
Dr. Elena Rios
The National Hispanic Medical Association
*****
Ruth Lopez Novodor
Entrepreneur
Aha! A Hillary Clinton supporter for McCain. I see one - she admits it. She's a Republican who was only going to vote for Hillary because she's a woman. And in the last few months that she's known Hillary wasn't going to be the nominee, she already switched over and found herself a slot on the Republican ticket.
I think she proves that Clinton supporters for McCain was a joke.
*****
Christy Swanson
small business owner
A Democrat who thought she might vote for Obama but is now voting for John McCain.
Why? Because America's small business owners have no greater ally than John McCain
here's another person who 3 months ago as going to vote for Obama, but since then has changed her mind and got herself a slot of time at the Republican convention.
"I'm a Democrat, I'm voting for John McCain. Its right for me and its right for America."
*****
Michael Williams
Texas Railroad Commission Chairman
He's in Minnesota instead of Denver last week because "values and ideas take precedence over the politics of democracy and ??"
Barack Obama said the criteria for a VP candidate was that they be ready to be President, but shouldn't the top of the ticket live up to that criteria as well.
[Obama] "false promise of hope"
When McCain travels through the world, "he will not apologize for America's strength but assert it"
Foreign leaders have to "earn the right to sit down with the President of the United States"
*****
Del Luis Fortuno from Puerto Rico
*****
Meg Whitman
former President and CEO eBay, Inc.
CoChair for McCain 2008
I didn't pay attention to this speech. I watched the video of McCain getting off the plane in Minnesota today and being greeted by his wife and children and then Sarah Palin, her husband and children. Some people are suggesting that the unmarried pregnant daughter didn't ask for this attention and we should respect her privacy. But, I gotta say, she doesn't look that upset about it in public. That doesn't mean anything, but I notice it. It seems like some of the 'kids these days' enjoy flaunting their pregnancies as if its a tiny dog that they get to carry around in their purse as an accessory.
*****
Phone Call -
*****
Carly Fiorina
Former Chairman and CEO of Hewlett Packard
Co-Chair of the Republican National Committee Victory '08 Chairman
Not listening to this one either.
*****
Bishop of Orlando Thomas G Wenski
Florida
Let us Pray...
*****
The Honorable Michael Steele
Chairman of GoPac
The people like him. I wonder who he is.
I checked his website. Blah, Blah. OK.
I didn't really listen to this speech either.
*****
Mitt Romney
Hey - its quiet, but Mitt says Thank You. I think he thought the applause would go on longer than it did.
Is the Supreme Court liberal or conservative?
Government liberal or conservative? Liberal
Congress liberal or conservative? Liberal
Government spending? Liberal
We need change alright - from a liberal washington to a conservative washington.
HUH? That doesn't make any sense. The Republicans have been in charge of the Congress from 1984 - 1992 and 1996 - 2006 (right?) and they've had the Presidency 14 of 22 years. Why would
Throw out the big government liberals and elect McCain Palin.
"American is strong becuase of the ingenuity... of the American people"
This whole speech is weird because its like he's pointing to all the things
The right course is Ronald Reagan and John McCain's course (not George Bush)
Stand up to the unions (only a small percent of companies are unionized. What's this guy talking about?)
One more idea for energy conservation - "Let's keep Al Gore's private jet on the ground"
This is the oddest most strange speech I've ever heard. Wow. I'm blown away by the level of denial this man has. I can't do anything but shake my head. I don't know what to say - I'm gobsmacked.
And the crowd loves it. They're loving it.
There are signs all over - Build The Fence - Drill Now
I'll be interested to see that speech once its transcribed.
Sheesh.
*****
Musical Interlude - and the Republicans like Earth, Wind, and Fire too.
I think we should have a convention of America with the simlarities between each party - they both sing a Patriotic song, say the Pledge of Allegiance, and Earth Wind of Fire.
*****
Mike Huckabee
I guess this is the night of people who tried to win, but lost, the Republican nomination for President.
"Thank the elite media for unifying the Republican party and all of America around Senator McCain and Governor Palin"
tackier than a costume change at a madonna concert
???
Acknowledgement of Senator Obama's historic achievement (tepid applause).
Lincoln said "A government that gives you everything is a government that can take everything from you."
"I didn't become a Republican because I'm rich. I became a Republican because I didn't want to be poor waiting for the government to rescue me."
The crowd loves this line..."she got more votes running for mayor of Wasilla Alaska than Joe Biden got running for President of the United States."
More about his POW time.
Huckabee tells the story
Teacher who wouldn't give her students a desk until they could tell her how they could earn it.
the students could never figure it out so finally she told them. She opened the door and veterans and soldiers in uniform walked in carrying desks.
She said You don't have to earn your desk 'cause these guys, they already did.
No one charged you for your desk, but it wasn't really free, these guys earned it for you.
John McCain gave us our desks by his service, and now its time for us to earn his desk for him.
If I were in any way disposed to vote for McCain that story would have choked me up. But, it was a little too obvious.
*****
This is their mantra - leave my money alone and live by my values.
The speakers love talking about John McCain being a POW but they don't talk about any of the legislation that John McCain has passed in his years of being in the Senate.
*****
The female governor of Hawaii Linda Lingle is going to talk about what a great Vice President Sarah Palin will be.
Story of Palin.
Okay this zero part is really a bunch of crap and I'm over it. These are mean and nasty people.
The crowd is loving everything about anything that puts down Democrats and talks about how great Sarah Palin is.
They go wild when she says that the Democrats like to say that Alaska is a small state. But, last time she looked it had the same number of electoral votes as Delaware - 3. They loved that.
*****
There are tons of red dresses in the crowd.
Musical Interlude
*****
Rudy Guiliani - Former Mayer of New York City
I missed something - why are they chanting U-S-A? Are they at a swim meet?
Do I really have to hear more about his POW experience? Too bad the Republican party didn't have this much respect for McCain's service in 2000. In fact they allowed the Rove political machine to denigrate his service. Because of that, all this is just hoo haw crap. They don't give a shit about his service. If they did they would have put a stop to
"Community organizer" is laughed at. Now they chant Zero. "Maybe this is the first problem on the resume" "Immersed himself in Chicago machine politics" lots of boos.
"he couldnt' figure out whether to vote yes or no - it was too tough" OMG. These are horrible people. "He voted present" more boos from the crowd. "For president of the United States its not good enough to be Present" Lots and lots of cheers.
His rise is an accomplishment. "Its the kind of thing that can only happen in America" lots of laughter there. More 'zero' chants. "He's the least experienced candidate for president of the United States in at least 100 years"
This is so sad.
Now they're chanting "Drill Baby Drill"
Where are my people?
And the sad thing is, if Obama wins, they'll just do whatever they can to make it hard for him. They'll make fun of him and they'll treat him badly and they'll stall things in congress. I just don't understand these people who act like they put Country First. They don't. They put their own stuff first and they're sore losers.
I'd like to see how this group of people would fare if they had their own country. They'd sink in their own hatred.
So this Rudy Guiliani is a creep. He incites hatred.
Okay - I'm done with Rudy Guiliani.
(I'll tell you what, if the Democrats had done this to McCain the Republicans would be crying and whining and feeling like the victim and calling foul and acting self-righteous and priggish. They should be ashamed - but I know they won't be because they have no shame)
Guiliani sure did whip up the crowd. So, Sarah Palin's walking out to an adoring audience.
I really don't know how people don't accidentally call her Tina Fey. They look alike.
Okay - here she goes. We'll see.
My first comment is that I'm glad she has her hair down.
My second comment is that she shouldn't think this extended applause is really for her - they'd be cheering this way for anyone who was standing there.
"I will be honored to accept your nomination for Vice President of the United States." I guess since she put the future tense on that sentence it works.
"competent opponents"
She points out that the media had written off McCain a year ago. (Which goes along with the theme of the day that the media is to blame for everything)
I actually like the names they gave their kids - Track, Bristol, Willow, Piper, and Trig. Its different and interesting.
She's introduced her family well and made herself seem like a regular mom.
She pledges that, if elected, parents of special needs kids will have an advocate in the White House.
I feel a little bad for the family and the parents cause they're not sure whether or when to stand and accept the applause of the audience.
Now she'll appeal to small town America.
According to her they do everything - they grow the food and work in the factories and fight the wars and they always love America.
She's practiced at public speaking.
Now she's going after the media.
There's such dismissiveness and derisiveness in her tone - and the tone of all these people. Lots of boos for the media.
Yeah - she's made for this crowd. She's very good at speaking, but I find the tone that she's using when talking about the media and the Democrats and the 'old boy network' and everyone who has been deemed the enemy to be a little too self-congratulatory and pandering and a bit much. Part of it is expected, but its like she wants me to be on her side 'cause she do darn regular and folksy.
She's talking about foreign policy - lots of details as if she's thought about it before. Its brought up via the Energy discussion, which presumably she'd have some knowledge about having come from Alaska.
Her nasal tone is starting to bug me. A little bit goes a long way. It comes out more when she tries to be folksy. Its an act.
If this is the campaign the Republicans want, they aren't putting Country First.
Are these people really Christians? I mean, far be it from me to get in the middle of a person's relationship with God, but this evening has been filled with supposedly God-fearing people being mean and cruel and vindictive and laughing at other people.
I can go along with a little bit of this - but they've gone too far.
I'm done with her now. I'll be interested to see what she does without a speech.
I'll bet a lot of people are going to enjoy her speech and who she's presenting tonight. She seems to have done well enough, though I disagree with her tone, her negativity, her ridicule, and her policies
"there is only one man in this election who has ever really fought for you"
I seriously think I might cry. What will become of this country and how can I do the right thing to make sure the promise of America isn't torn asunder by these negative hate-filled people? I feel if I don't get involved and speak out, its a reflection of my character. And yet, I'm overwhelmed by the onslaught of their offensive. The inaccuracy of their statements and their world view that is so different than my own.
And the crowd goes wild.
Cindy McCain looks really happy for her!
Now the family comes out and she holds her baby. What a mom!
And now John McCain comes out. Copycat.
"Don't you think we made the right choice for the next Vice President of the United States?"
"And what a beautiful family"
And now they're standing there awkwardly.
After several minutes of that, they finally start playing music. I don't think they know what to do - they're wandering around the stage.
Now they're leaving.
Goodbye.
I'm not even sure I want to watch the reactions. Its
Gretchen Wilson and two guys.
They're going to sing the National Anthem now. At the end. Strange. Okay.
Its a talking and a singing thing. Made for all you Patriots out there!
I'm going.
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