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Sarah Palin—McCain's Ham-Handed Tribal Gamble and Continuing Arrogance
Tweet Share on Facebook August 29, 2008 Comment (142)Sarah Palin (or Susan Palin, as a Fox News reporter kept calling her this morning in a sign of how truly out of left field—deep, deep north-left field, beyond the Canadian border—this pick was) represents a gamble by John McCain that the Hillary factor is more important than the "experience" issue. It also shows (I hope) how little he understands the women's movement, and displays the arrogance that has marked his campaign so far.
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Barack Obama is Not An Alien
Tweet Share on Facebook August 28, 2008 Comment (21)DENVER—In case you weren't sure, Barack Obama is one of us.
Obama's speech this evening addressed three issues—Obama, McCain, and the nitty gritty, and did it well.
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Obama's Speech—Where's Truman?
Tweet Share on Facebook August 28, 2008 Comment (13)DENVER—One thing occurs to me on the pre-released Obama remarks we've seen: Where's Harry Truman?
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Invesco Interactivity—Genius for the Obama Campaign or Peril?
Tweet Share on Facebook August 28, 2008 Comment (3)DENVER—At sporting events the big board is used for various (often inane) gags to keep the fans amused between innings or downs or plays. The Obama campaign is certainly keeping in that spirit.
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Obama Speech Excerpts
Tweet Share on Facebook August 28, 2008 Comment (2)DENVER—Here are the first advanced excerpts of Barack Obama's speech tonight, which is apparently called "The American Promise." (Thanks to my colleague Liz Halloran.)
Nothing very surprising here: some good language on national security, the promised greater level of specificity policy-wise, and I like the line about a 10 percent chance on change.
We'll see what the rest of the evening brings.
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Obama's Stage is No Lincoln Memorial, Mini-Parthenon, or Greek Temple
Tweet Share on Facebook August 28, 2008 Comment (11)DENVER—You'll see soon enough but the stage tonight looks nothing like a Greek temple, the Lincoln Memorial or a Spinal Tap-esque mini Parthenon. It looks like nothing more or less than a generic Washington, White House-esque building.
Score another for the GOP spin machine.
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Looking Ahead to Barack Obama's Big Speech Tonight
Tweet Share on Facebook August 28, 2008 Comment (1)DENVER—Here are a couple of good curtain-raisers on tonight's big speech from The Denver Post and Bloomberg (and I don't say they're good just because they quote the author of White House Ghosts). And of course I commend you to Jack's take as well.
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The Democratic National Infomercial—What's the Point?
Tweet Share on Facebook August 27, 2008 Comment (8)DENVER—It's national security night here at the Democratic Convention. As we've sat here in the Pepsi Center (if you're facing the podium, we're behind and to the right, giving us an obscured view of the back left quarter of the speaker's head), various Democratic senators and ex-senators—Jack Reed, Evan Bayh, Tom Daschle, etc.—have been trotted out to explain why John McCain's America would be dangerous, while the United States of Obama would be a shining beacon of security and freedom.
As each man spoke, their amplified voice was not quite matched by the hum of conversation as delegates chatted on the floor. And it made me wonder: Do we really need conventions?
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Bill Clinton's Speech—By the Numbers, Sticking to the Plan
Tweet Share on Facebook August 27, 2008 Comment (9)DENVER—Bill Clinton used to make his speechwriters crazy with his willingness and ability to ad lib speeches. When I was writing my book on presidential speechwriters, some told me how they could tell when he was not engaged with a speech text: He would either give it as written or toss it out completely. A Clinton engaged would use the written speech as a starting point or a framework. He would riff, rewrite as he spoke—truly remarkable.
Make of it what you will, but Bill Clinton ad-libbed very little this evening.
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Veepstakes: Lieberman Watch
Tweet Share on Facebook August 27, 2008 Comment (1)Robert Novak writes that John McCain has received a stern warning against tapping Joe Lieberman as his number two. The word of caution came, Novak writes, from...Joe Lieberman. And he's apparently in disagreement with McCain's top strategists, who want Holy Joe.
Meanwhile, Jimmy P. at the DNC reports that it will not be Romney. Stay tuned.
