As promised, here are a few impressions from last night’s Republican National Convention:
Last night was, apparently, cradle robber’s night at the RNC. When I tuned in, President Bush and Laura Bush were speaking, and the camera was making repeated cut-away shots to Cindy McCain. All I could think when I saw her was:
- Fake – totally unauthentic (at least Bill sold it when he mouthed that he’d “love Hillary forever”)
- Rich (only by virtue of being born)
- Why in the world would she marry him?!?!?
Then Fred Thompson got up to speak. While his wife was not in the audience for the repeated cutaway shots, I couldn’t help but recall all the disturbing pictures I used to be subjected to of his super-young wife. What are these young ladies thinking?!?! I know we have Viagra and friends nowadays… but please!
Furthermore, I think the TV crew was on loan from a local high school or public access channel. A frequently used camera angle shot directly into the teleprompter, and the sound mixer was asleep at the wheel as the same rabid man went “ahhhhhha ahhhhaha” directly into the ambient sound microphone every time the crowed cheered. You could hear the same annoying man all night long with his beer bellied blathering.
As for the speeches and the issues? It’s sad state for the party when the headliners are check-for-a-pulse Fred Thompson and McCain’s BFF, the “independent democrat” (whatever that means) Joe Lieberman.
Don’t get me wrong, I really like Joe Lieberman and his ability to see past party and dance down the center line of the political spectrum, and there’s nothing that Republicans like more than a defector, but you know your party has gone seriously wrong when Bill Clinton is openly praised over the podium at the Republican National Convention. I have never seen or heard a more awkward silence or larger scale eye-rolling before!
Fred actually had some zingers in his speech. I enjoyed most of it, and he paid a fitting and emotional tribute to John McCain’s military service. His high point was when, after he had extolled McCain’s service, he stated that this was a man you could entrust the Presidency with. Ding… chord was struck. It’s not experience vs. Inexperience… it’s trust. And therein lies the problem, I don’t trust anyone yet. Unfortunately, Thompson only got that far. Rock star status was not achieved, and the speech ended on a dud.
Lieberman followed a similar dudly pattern, only scoring some points with me on his direct appeal to independents. Hey.. it says something when someone is simply shameless enough to come straight out and ask for your vote – and in the same breath give you a compelling reason for you to give it.