Live Bloggin' as I Watch the Repubs' Convention, Part III (McCain's Speech)

So, waiting on McCain to roll up to the podium here, and thought I'd try a final live post here as I watch (live video if it available here). It'll be nice for these two conventions to finally be over so I can get some more sleep; it's neat to have been able to watch a bit of both though, since I (unfortunately) didn't pay much attention to the last election.

Okay, now this video of him is starting...so again, his story is more than I could ever imagine, and I completely admire the way he stayed there longer when he had the option to leave. Watch this piece on PBS' NewsHour to hear some other POWs who support McCain, but another who does not (who was with him in Hanoi, Vietnam).

I hate that line in the convention video though of "keeping our money in our pockets" in regard to taxes--it isn't always self-centered to think that way, but I think it completely encourages it. I'll tell you what they can do with that line in the video about "the stars being aligned" for McCain to be president too--that's the fate-based talk that tries to trump reason, and I've got about zero patience for it. There are reasons, many of them, to vote one way or another, and they relate to the everyday needs of people out there, our country, our role in the world, etc.

Alright, he's on now though and is talking about Bush "leading us in these dark days following the worst attack in American history"--I'm not sure I've ever seen Bush "lead" on a damn thing, to be frank. I don't think he has that circumspection; that's not a demeaning comment as much as it is an honest one--leaders don't come around everyday, they develop and are seasoned as they move into the position.

Nice comments there about Cindy McCain, I appreciate that he would lift her up and compliment her.

Now he's addressing "Obama and his supporters," saying they have his "respect and admiration"; I'm not sure that's true given his mocking of their support, calling it support for a mere "celebrity." The crowd here's one that looks more like that which is caught up with a celebrity, chanting "U-S-A" on and off with no seeming ties to what McCain's actually saying. It's not that I don't respect them as people, I just think that loving your country without standards isn't love, and that's what I think many Americans unfortunately fall into (and what this crowd is reminding me of).

He's talking about fighting corruption and pork-barrel spending now--both of which are true to a point, and valid, I just don't think he's taking the country in the right way.

And now into Iraq. He's saying we would all be threatened if we'd pulled out of Iraq sooner; that's not true and the bipartisan Iraq Study Group and others have stood by that. There's no admittance of his vote that got us into Iraq in the first place.

Some nice personal stories of people struggling and a soldier who died in Iraq; those stories are of course needed for any politician to stay connected to real people.

A cut at Obama there about his vote for an energy bill that did a lot for conservation, though there was some compromise that necessitated leaving in some giveaways to oil companies.

He's going into various things now, but mentioned the idea of respecting a "culture of life," getting at abortion issues, though you won't hear him come out saying the death penalty needs to go (though Obama isn't either, not fully at least).

Now into stuff against Obama. Bold-faced lies about tax increases--again, Obama's said it will only be those making $250,000 or more who would pay slightly more in taxes. More scare tactics about health care too, saying there will be a "bureaucrat" between some citizens and their health care. But John, what about the dollar bills that are in between some 47 million citizens and their health care now? And the profit-making insurance companies that charge more to all involved by trying to maximize profit?

He's talking on education here now, and there are some fair things being said; but he's pushing the thing of parental choice as the Republican talking point it is--it may be helpful, but it's not where many believe they should focus. And now he's saying Obama would make education answer to unions--how about when he stood up to them and said the controversial thing of providing merit-based pay to teachers? Yeah, too complicated for the masses I guess.

And see, here's one of my issues with McCain and the Repubs: they mention drilling offshore first again and again when talking about energy issues. It's one thing if they were saying here and there it could be helpful to invest a little (though I definitely am suspicious of that too), but they make it the first thing they talk about consistently. It's a ploy the way they're playing it, period.

Now onto foreign policy. Stoke 'em John stoke 'em, stoke those foreign countries, threaten them, just what we need, more bellicose. I just can't get over that he'd joke about bombing Iran...He says he hates war, and I could believe that; but that doesn't mean he sees it as the absolute last resort that it must be (if that), particularly joking about it like he has (and voting for it with Iraq).

Bipartisanship is good, as he's talking about here, but the tasks and goals the president pushes and fights for matter, they simply do; there are problems that have to be worked at with due diligence and a humane perspective, and so it matters what solutions are being offered.

Now he's talking about his time in prison camp again...

"Stand up to fight against our enemies" he ended with as one of his last lines though? Geez, I actually liked the other calls preceding it to serve our country, to seek justice, etc., but I don't like the idea of characterizing some general "enemies" that we need to fight against; sure there are enemies, so to speak, of America, but I'd much rather have leaders calling for us to see how much we have in common with the world, how we can restore healthy friendships with countries, and so forth.

That's it though. I have to say I'm underwhelmed. I liked some things he had to say, particularly his calls to serve causes greater than ourselves, but I didn't hear much in the way of innovative policies to facilitate some of that service through the government. Some may shirk at the idea of innovative government programs, but it's simply the concept, as Congressman Barney Frank apparently said at one time, of people working together to do more than they can separately through an entity we call government. Many have done great things with it over time: social security so our vulnerable elderly are cared for; the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) under FDR to give young men work and to build up roads and infrastructure in America; the Peace Corps and the wonderful work that's been done through it; unemployment for those who could be in trouble because of unexpectedly losing a job (I myself have experienced this and completely appreciated being able to receive unemployment for a month or so while looking for a job; of course it can be abused, but there are safeguards put in place to attempt to ensure individuals are looking for jobs, etc.). All of these could be overdone or done badly, but I would argue with any that say they are not needed.

I'm getting into polls here though, they're a handy way to rate perspectives, so here's another related to the four government programs I just mentioned:

poll by twiigs.com

Update: Here's McCain's speech for any who are interested:



Update 2: Okay, I realize I should have asked more explicitly in the poll, if you don't think any of the government programs I mentioned above are needed, I'd challenge you to say which ones and why. I, as I mentioned, disagree, and would be interested in any back and forth discussion about the need for them (and as a reminder for any who would rather drop their comments in anonymously, you're able to do that through the comments link below).

Update 3: A fair word, I thought, from Barack on the Rep. Convention:

Live Bloggin' as I Watch the Repubs' Convention, Part II (Palin's Speech)

I started a new live post here now that Sarah Palin's about to speak at the Republican National Convention, and will throw some thoughts on it below as she speaks...

She's a good speaker, that's something...Anyone who's anyone can respect that she has family in the military, though I like a bit more VA Senator Jim Webb's approach to campaigning, where he didn't mention that his son was in Iraq...Nothing's lost on me in terms of the good it could be to have a woman in the White House, and the potential to advocate for women--a very good thing, certainly...

She's now telling her story in general, which is very frank-sounding and nice. I just worry it gets more emotional than meaningful, though I may be wrong. It's just that all four candidates in this race, with the VPs and presidential candidates, all have fine stories that are endearing--they are not the main reasons votes should be cast though; there are too, too many issues for that to be the case...

There it was, she just lost much of my respect--thought from the way she was talking she might not. She said a mayor (i.e., her) is like a community organizer (i.e., Obama), except that "a mayor has actual responsibilities"--what a low blow right? Geez, have some basic respect lady...They said Bush's past speech writer wrote her speech, I can tell. It's good she has "hometown values" as some in her party have been saying, too bad mutual respect doesn't make the cut of those "values" of hers...

Good stuff, she was able to cut spending on unnecessary stuff she's saying now--honestly, it's great, it's fair. I can respect that; it's not that I cannot respect her and McCain, and how they've done this or that, it's just that I think the world's bigger than they make it, encompassing many more issues than they are about...

Drilling's come up again, depressing. It's just criminal it seems to play this as an issue that matters much at all when it would not have any effects for over 10 years. Geez, get on with something of substance...

Now she takes a swipe at Obama because he doesn't use the word "victory" in regard to our war in Iraq? Come on lady. And again with another small-minded swat at him, something about him parting waters. It's just pathetic. If they want to argue about who will do what's better, that would be, well, better, but this type of discussion isn't a discussion at all, it's just small and unhelpful.

Now she talks about small business owners being ill-off because of the Dems tax policies--too bad Obama and company have said they will only raise taxes on those making over $250,000 plus a year; not sure what "small farmers" and small business owners she's talking about will in any large way be affected by that.

I think Palin may think she's running for mayor again, given the base level her speech is moving forward on. I really can't imagine what kind of conversation she'd have with Obama if she ran into him after the speech--it's like throwing straight insults at someone and then wondering how they could have a real conversation after (or be considered an adult even).

It's striking now, literally, that Palin is speaking about McCain's time as a POW--making the third time tonight it's been talked about in a speech; AND she's speaking longer about it than she's actually spoken about issues. Shew, it's pretty depleting watching this whole thing, just, again, so small-minded; and I really did like how she started out, as I noted above.

And I can comfortably say that this kind of small-mindedness is exactly why one would leave this type of speech a bit despondent, versus the more expansive thinking that Obama's about--and yes, his would only be words if it didn't have actions that have and will be taken behind them; actions such as bringing about affordable health care for all Americans, only bringing soldiers to war if absolutely necessary, attacking racism face-on, hugely expanding volunteerism in the US, bringing early education to all children, and so on.

Anyone want to go out and volunteer? Kind of moves you that direction watching this. Leave any thoughts on Palin or anything else below, would be interested to hear what others think.

PS--It's disturbing that they brought out an African American on with the two other musicians after Palin spoke, even though he didn't actually do anything musically (really, nothing); I'm all for diversity, don't get me wrong, but I'm just not for token appearances of any minorities like that.

Update: I'll put links to the videos of some of these speeches here when they become available, but a quick poll for the moment:

poll by twiigs.com

Update 2: For anybody that wants to see what I mean by my comments in this and the below post, here's the two videos--the word smut comes to mind, is that fair?

Giuliani speech:



Palin speech:

Update 3: Obama has a good comment today in response to the lame shots by Palin, Giuliani and others at his time as a community organizer:

Live Bloggin' as I Watch the Repubs' Convention...

I'm watching tonight's Republican Convention and trying out writing thoughts as I watch here...

Governor Huckabee is talking now. He says Obama's trip over to Europe wasn't worth it, as though the world's opinion of and collaboration with the U.S. doesn't matter. Cheap shot at how Palin supposedly got more votes running for a mayor's spot in Alaska than Biden got running for president--I can't see how that's actually true.

Now he's talking about McCain's time as a POW in Vietnam. It's a heroic period for McCain, and certainly shows some of his character; but, my problem with it is that many people have good and heroic stories, but that doesn't justify them as our next president in the way many seem to make it out to be.

I can't see that it's relevant that VP nominee Sarah Palin's intro includes explaining that she was a beauty queen winner...

They're talking now about her personal qualities, all which sound valid (and which Repubs often appeal to voters the most on, sometimes at the cost of actually balancing this with the issues though)...This lack of an issue-based focus among Republicans was shown recently with this recent comment by McCain's campaign manager: "This election is not about issues...this election is about a composite view of what people take away from these candidates."

The speaker (Hawaii governor) leading up to Palin's speech just used the (over-used) comment that Obama gives good speeches, as though that's a negative...

Same speaker just made a valid point that Palin has executive experience and that Obama and Biden don't, though McCain doesn't either to my knowledge. It's a fair argument that Palin brings something in the way of managing a big budget that they don't, however they deal with massive sums of money in Congress in some very similar ways...

It must be nice for them to be able to call McCain a "maverick" no matter whether he actually has held that up over the last few years (he really has not of recent).

Uh oh, here comes 'ol Rudy G. (Giuliani that is), former NY mayor, he's a real cracker-jack, will likely try and swing for the head with some comments based on what I've heard before...here he goes with the fear factor, talking about how we need to watch out for our safety...they really did just tell this story (with Huckabee above) of McCain's POW experience--I have no problem with the story, it's powerful, but they told it last night and earlier tonight, they just don't have to tell it again and again...now he's poking fun at Obama--literally, poking fun, saying it's a "problem" that he was a community organizer...wow, it really stokes the crowd though, this emotionalism...

Now he brings up the "least experienced candidate" comment, saying Obama's the least experienced in a 100 years--perhaps he thinks Lincoln, who had basically identical credentials to Obama, shouldn't have been in there...I can't believe Giuliani has the gall to bring up experience with someone like Sarah Palin as VP candidate--when Palin has at least the same, but I think measurably less experience then Obama; and it is a simple reality that McCain has had melanoma cancer a number of times and Palin may really have to take his place at one point...

And couldn't be the Republicans this time without Rudy here bringing up drilling offshore for oil--because that will really motivate us all towards healthy approaches to energy...and geez, I should've known that Rudy, who primarily campaigned for the Rep. nomination this year on his experience as NY mayor during 9/11, would bring the fear factor on in full strength, saying "Democrats are in a state of denial" about the real problems of terrorism--what a factually baseless statement.

Now Giuliani's talking up some cheap shots about changes in position for Obama--the most credible argument would be to walk through the points and consider what Barack said on those changes. Geez, this is pathetic though, really, it's an endless attack on Obama, and says so little about what McCain has to offer...

The crowd looks like it'd cheer on anything Giuliani here has to say; it's really unnerving and makes it seem as though the crowd would cheer on the same type of pathetic cut-downs (for lack of a more mature term for the pettiness of it) if it were a little kid getting pushed around on a playground or something--it's like Obama said in his acceptance speech last week, "making a big election about small things." I think I'll do another one of these posts to start over with Palin's speech above...

Update: Josh, a college buddy of mine who commented below, had a great comment on his blog about Giuliani's speech: "honestly, i don't think that i have seen as many disgruntled, angry white people in one room together as i have tonight watching the former mayor of NYC Rudy Guliani's speech tonight at the republican national convention. i mean seriously. they made fun of obama being a community organizer...they literally stopped and laughed at him. it sure is something to laugh at, you know, a young black guy trying to make a difference in his neighborhood and city. they showed the faces of young white men my age who scowled with what seemed like hatred in response to Guliani's cadences. where does the anger come from? honestly, i felt like i had a little vomit in my mouth each time Guliani smiled and used terms like "energy exploration" to describe the continued vain dependence on oil through drilling in alaska and wildlife areas rather than "exploring" renewable energy. or take when Guliani emphasized McCain's willingness to go to the ends of the earth to eradicate any enemy of the US with military power, and then pointing to Palin's religion as a sign of God's affiliation with the republican party."

As a note to readers, I have to say that Josh and I are in a bit of a different place in terms of our worldviews, but we've got so much in common at the same time; the fact that we were both offended on an ethical level at various qualities of Giuliani's speech shows, in my view, that people coming from somewhat different perspectives can still connect on areas related to ethics, humanity in general, etc. (as you and I happened to talk about last weekend Josh).

From the Horse's Mouth: Obama's Acceptance Speech

Below is a great speech worth watching from Thursday night when Obama officially accepted the Democratic nomination for president. Here's a few lines that especially stood out to me, with the video of the full speech below:

"[L]et us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag...

So I've got news for you, John McCain. We all put our country first.

America, our work will not be easy. The challenges we face require tough choices, and Democrats as well as Republicans will need to cast off the worn-out ideas and politics of the past. For part of what has been lost these past eight years can't just be measured by lost wages or bigger trade deficits. What has also been lost is our sense of common purpose - our sense of higher purpose. And that's what we have to restore.

We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country. The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang-violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals. I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination. Passions fly on immigration, but I don't know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers. This too is part of America's promise - the promise of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort.

I know there are those who dismiss such beliefs as happy talk. They claim that our insistence on something larger, something firmer and more honest in our public life is just a Trojan Horse for higher taxes and the abandonment of traditional values. And that's to be expected. Because if you don't have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare the voters. If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from.

You make a big election about small things...

This country of ours has more wealth than any nation, but that's not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military on Earth, but that's not what makes us strong. Our universities and our culture are the envy of the world, but that's not what keeps the world coming to our shores.

Instead, it is that American spirit - that American promise - that pushes us forward even when the path is uncertain; that binds us together in spite of our differences; that makes us fix our eye not on what is seen, but what is unseen, that better place around the bend.

That promise is our greatest inheritance. It's a promise I make to my daughters when I tuck them in at night, and a promise that you make to yours - a promise that has led immigrants to cross oceans and pioneers to travel west; a promise that led workers to picket lines, and women to reach for the ballot.

And it is that promise that forty five years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together on a Mall in Washington, before Lincoln's Memorial, and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dream.

The men and women who gathered there could've heard many things. They could've heard words of anger and discord. They could've been told to succumb to the fear and frustration of so many dreams deferred.

But what the people heard instead - people of every creed and color, from every walk of life - is that in America, our destiny is inextricably linked. That together, our dreams can be one.

"We cannot walk alone," the preacher cried. "And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back."

America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future."



Go here to see a whole pile of other speeches from the Democrats' convention (e.g., Al Gore, Virginia governor Tim Kaine, Bill Clinton, etc.).

Hillary's Clearest Voice--But Why?

I can only imagine the speech Hillary shared tonight coming from a deep reflection on the reality before our country--honestly. I didn't hear her speak with that degree of clarity throughout the primary season, though perhaps I missed some of the occasions where she did. Nevertheless, she seemed much more at ease and at the same time full of conviction as she spoke tonight; I almost just went to sleep instead of listening because I was quite frankly bothered by some of the ways she handled the primary season, and expecting a pat speech that I'd rather sleep through. So either she's an unreal actor or she was deeply moved by considering the depth of importance behind this race--I think it was the latter.

I'll look to paste the video in here when it becomes available, so take a listen if you didn't hear it yet--not to just hear some difference in her speech though, but because of the education and the encouragement she actually provides on the absolutely critical issues before us: lack of affordable health care, devastating conditions for the poor (and increasingly, the middle-class), unhealthy foreign policy, and so on.

As a last reflection on the speech though, I suppose it's most moving because it, as I noted above, does seem to have been Hillary's clearest moment this election cycle; maybe that indicates how important everything is...that is, if she was able to actually change the nastiness that at times characterized her campaign, perhaps it was because she realized how we may be reaching a tipping point where the damage to our country and our people, the rest of the world and so forth, is becoming irreversible--perhaps she's more clearly realizing the actual consequences that are behind the already cliche-sounding phrases about McCain continuing Bush's policies. That's my view after hearing the speech at least, that she may simply have taken the time to reflect on the treacherous waters that she would be culpable for helping propel us into if she did not fight hard in the opposite direction. Hopefully the damage that she did do (in my honest opinion) can begin to be outweighed by speeches such as this, though unfortunately actions have consequences, and we will see.

Above photo credit: Wall Street Journal.

Update: Here's the link to a video of Hillary's speech.

Michelle Obama, Rounding Out the Candidate

So the Democratic Convention is going on through Friday of this week, with Barack accepting the official nomination for president with his speech on Thursday night. But let this be a sign of the man--he did not have this leader or that in the Democratic party or otherwise as the keynote speaker last night--the first night of the Convention; rather, he had his wife, Michelle Obama, in the top spot. And let me just say here--good choice. She rocked the party. But more than that, she spoke with a richness of values that just seeped through the video and hit me good (yes, good).

Take a look yourself and I think you may see the reflection of Barack in her, and her in Barack, in the way I did; as she herself says in the speech, both of them were raised with values that informed their outlooks and individual entrances into public service. So, I think that while we have a great man in Barack alone, we have a richer, fuller consideration than that, for Michelle clearly brings so much to the table in terms of her strength, mind, humanity, and so forth (in addition, they both of course have two little girls and the related understanding of families that affords). I actually am including three videos below: the intro video they showed of Michelle's mother telling the story of her daughter and their family; the in-person introduction that followed by her brother, Craig Robinson; and Michelle's own speech (I'll have to add a few other videos of Michelle in some later updates to this post, but you can also watch and read more about her here, on Obama's website). And oh, while I'm thinking about it, earlier in the night they showed a great tribute video to Sen. Ted Kennedy, highlighting things like his relationship with JFK and Robert Kennedy, after which Kennedy gave a stirring speech on how much new hope (yes, hope) Obama imbues him with--and remember, Kennedy has been in Congress for over forty years.

Video of Michelle's mother telling Michelle's story



Video of Michelle's brother introducing her



Video of Michelle's speech



Update: That didn't take long, here's another speech from Obama's website that I happened to have already heard a few weeks ago; it's Michelle speaking at the "Democratic National Committee's Gay and Lesbian Leadership Council":