Posted on 08/31/2012 7:58:17 AM PDT by IbJensen
TAMPA, Fla. — The Republican National Convention started off as an anxiety-ridden, soggy, depressing mess on Monday morning. By Tuesday night, the Democratic Party and Barack Obama in particular had to be an anxiety-ridden, soggy, depressing mess.
The transition between Monday morning and Tuesday evening was stunning. The Republican Party went into the convention on a low note after Rep. Todd Akin, Missouri Senate candidate, suggested that women's magic uteruses protect them from becoming pregnant via "legitimate rape," enmeshing the GOP in a battle of demagoguery over abortion.
Meanwhile, the convention had a legitimate shot at cancellation; it seemed that the entire city was going to shut down for Hurricane Isaac. And controversies over Sarah Palin and Ron Paul not being granted featured speaking slots at the RNC seemed to be fragmenting the RNC base.
And then there was Tuesday night.
Tuesday night the RNC showed that it has something it hasn't had since Reagan: star power and appeal to independents.
Both were on full display in the person of former Rep. Artur Davis. Davis, who is black, was one of the speakers who introduced Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention in 2008; he was, at the time, a sitting congressman from the state of Alabama. A Harvard Law graduate and famed stemwinder, he delivered an impassioned address on behalf of the then-senator.
How times have changed.
"Some of you may know, the last time I spoke at a convention, it turned out I was in the wrong place. So, Tampa, my fellow Republicans, thank you for welcoming me where I belong."
Davis is now a Republican. And he explained exactly why. "In all seriousness," he said, "do you know why so many of us believed? We led with our hearts and our dreams that we could be more inclusive than America had ever been, and no candidate had ever spoken so beautifully.
"But," he continued, "dreams meet daybreak: The jobless know what I mean, so do the families who wonder how this administration could wreck a recovery for three years and counting."
Davis wasn't the only spellbinder on the menu on Tuesday's opening night. Ann Romney appeared to give a joyous and well-calibrated address celebrating American woman and reintroducing her husband to the public as a solid husband and father, a caring human being and a trustworthy leader. Then, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie strode to the stage, clapping his hands in energetic anticipation. To say that the crowd was fired up would be an understatement.
There is juice to the Romney campaign. And Paul Ryan hasn't even spoken yet. The Obama machine no longer has the star power; they no longer have the orators. They have a rotten record — and it's a record on which they simply can't run.
No wonder they're scared.
Sandra Fluke sounds like a dying cat or a chimp playing a violin. My God that woman’s voice is worse than finger nails on a chalkboard. I thought 0bama was AGAINST torture!!!!!!
Talking about shaking, the 7.6 earthquake near the Philippines might throw a monkey wrench into Hillary’s plans to visit that part of the world next week. They have issued Tsunami warnings in Japan, Indonesia and a bunch of other places.
Interesting historical note for those who don’t know. “Forward” in English is “vpered” in Russian. Do a Google or Bing search. Check out the use of this term in the first half of the 20th century.
Democrats are wading into a tar pit here without even realizing it.
People are scared for their future, they want ideas and solutions not sermons about "a woman's right to choice" and birth control
At first I was disappointed that the GOP convention and its speakers lacked fire and did not directly attack Obama, but I think the generally civil tone of the GOP convention will be a stark contrast to the likely vitriol filled Democrat convention. I expect that every speaker at the Democrat convention will lambast Romney and Ryan and seek to scare voters, but will never address what Obama has done other than to blame Bush for making it so bad that Obama needs another four years to “fix” things.
You don’t win elections preaching to the choir.
Whaa, ya fuget Joe Biden?
When the choir is starting to show a tendency to wander off, it helps to pay them some mind.
There is something just nasty about the name Sandra Fluke. I’m not quite certain what it is, but every time I hear or see her name, I feel as if I need a shower, and the need to call a Catholic priest.
Joe Biden’s reported to be seeking asylum in a foreign country so he doesn’t have to debate Ryan.
May I steal that for my tag line?
RED MEAT fires up your base, it pumps the blood and gets them going, but elections aren’t won by your base, they are won by your casual voters.
This election, to win, is about letting those people who voted for Obama last time, and now recognize it was a mistake, that they have a serious alternative and why. You can’t club them in the face pointing out their mistake constantly with a club, its hard enough for humans to admit an error, let alone admit the error and act to correct it.
That was the message of the debate, you voted for him, its okay, you made a mistake its now time to fix it. This is a much better sell then “WHAT THEY HELL WERE YOU THINKING 4 YEARS AGO YOU IDIOT!! DON’T DO IT AGAIN!!!”
There is little doubt it will be far more civil, Obama is still arguing class warfare in his stump speeches, he hasn’t solidified his base, so you know the DNC convention will be ugly and nasty and that will turn off the casual voter.
Holy smoke, guy. The next time there is a mine cave-in or an earthquake in China, I’m not calling you to talk it over.
I’m from Minnesota and I am tired of people dissing Tim Pawlenty. He was a very GOOD governor for our state. He was governor in a liberal state where the House and Senate were in the control of the DFL (Democrat-Farm-Labor) party. It’s been that was ever since in about 1968 the state changed from identifying candidates as Conservative or Liberal (when conservatives were winning control) to identifing candidates as Republican or DFL. Go figure. I know good people who voted for conservative candidates until they changed the party designation, and then they began voting for the DFL candidates. Go figure.
Happily in 2010, the conservatives in MN finally reversed that record, we took control of both the House and the Senate!!!!
Tim Pawlenty single handedly protected the state of Minnesota from bankruptcy. He vetoed lots of pork barrel projects. For his efforts he was chastised repeatedly by the usual suspects: the unions, the news media, the education industry, etc.
I did NOT support Tim for the presidency. He is not flashy enough, not charismatic at all, not a great orator, but he is a good man, and he comes from genuine middle class roots. He is a social conservative as well as a fiscal conservative. To remain such when governing a state like Minnesota, is remarkable. He disappointed me with a few of his decisions - like his endorsement of John McCain in 2008, and his short dalliance with global warming (which he has since recanted), but he is a good man with good conservative instincts.
This is just my two cents worth.
Folks, when a Republican becomes governor of a liberal state (like Minnesota or Massachusetts) we cannot expect him/her to be able to walk on water, lower the rise of the oceans,heal the planet (like Obama promised he would do), etc. We need to be realistic.
Finally, there are few politicians with the courage and resolve of Scott Walker. That is why he is so admired today! Although we wish all our candidates had such tenacity and moral convictions, alas it is unreasonable to expect our entire lineup to match his record. But we can HOPE, can’t we?
After last night, I feel really encouraged. There were times when I felt that my beloved Mother was looking down and thinking, “YES! My country can be healed”. Or perhaps the ghost of Ronald Reagan???
So, with the help of Almighty God, and the hard work of us all, we can win this election, not just at the top, but all the way down the ballots!!!!
AWESOME!
You may be disappointed... as twisted as the 'rats may be, and as promiscuous as she has admitted herself to be, I don't think they're actually going to allow Ms. Fluke to do that on camera.
But, I could be wrong...
You were never going to listen with an open mind to anything the GOP did in Tampa so your opinion here is worth then useless.
You are merely desperately failing around for something to validate your per-conceived emotion based opinions.
DU-Dems think the wise old Biden is going to school the young whippersnapper. They are the same ones who decorated their Fitzmas trees prematurely, and were dreaming of a post traumatic Wisconsin when Walker was recalled and in jail.
With my compliments!
I’m not sure Joe is that aware of his situation.
I think he exists in a Wash DC dream world, LOL
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