For all of you who were appalled at my review of the Palin speech, maybe I can make it up to you: I thought that Mac gave a great speech last night. There was a pander here and a pander there but on balance it was a hell of a speech. A guy who has been through what McCain has and at his age should be on the backside of the hill. Not McCain, he’s standing in the middle of a cheering crowd asking, no, demanding that we fight with him to fix our Country.
As to content, I thought it was right on the money. Whether he can actually do all of that stuff is a bit of an open question but I liked what he had to say. I re-watched the Palin speech and I just can’t like it. Sorry…:)
September 6, 2008 at 9:44 am
No question, it is a gift to be able to give a rousing convention speech,
but it it doesn’t guarantee victory on election day.
William Jennings Bryan’s “Cross of Gold” at the 1896 Democratic
gathering “touched off a demonstration lasting over an hour, during
which delegates shouted, cheered, wept and carried Bryan
around on their shoulders” (“Presidential Politics” by Paul Boller).
Bryan,though,went on to lose to McKinley and his brash young
VP Teddy Roosevelt.
September 6, 2008 at 10:55 pm
Andy – what can’t you like about the Republican VP’s speech? Many conservatives have felt betrayed by the Republican Party. Many felt hopeful to have somewhat of a voice in policy. What’s wrong with wanting the Party to live by the principles of the Platform? Otherwise, why have them!
September 7, 2008 at 8:13 am
Lindy: my comments have more to do with form and delivery and not so much with the content. In fact, allow me to be clear: my comments have had nothing to do with actual content of either Palin’s, Obama’s or McCain’s speeches.
McCain gave a stem-winder, Palin tried but I just wasn’t convinced.
September 8, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Andy,
I think you are right on the money with the McCain speech, and WAY off the mark with the Palin speech. Pundits analyzing the speech and it’s delivery are using the “R” word, as in “Reaganesque”. I have to agree. She had a great story to tell, and she told it very, very well.
September 8, 2008 at 2:53 pm
i didnt watch much of McCains speech cause i have heard him speak many times over the years but Palins speak was captivating and i really enjoyed her speech
September 9, 2008 at 12:56 pm
One of the great things about the net is being able to scan newspapers
from around the country. The Juneau Empire refers to
Gov. Palin as the “Thrilla from Wasilla”. — well, I thought it was funny.
September 9, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Let’s see, Andy likes McCain’s speech but didn’t like Palin’s. Something tells me Andy preferred New Coke to Coca-Cola Classic, and likes the animated Star Wars film better than the original three.
There’s one in every crowd.
September 10, 2008 at 9:23 pm
I read quite a lot but I’m a child of the movies, Mayor. The first movie I saw in a theater that wasn’t a “Herbie” movie was Star Wars and it is still one of my favs…
September 12, 2008 at 11:43 am
The first I can REMEMBER seeing was Blazing Saddles. That probably dates me pretty badly…. 🙁
I thought BOTH speeches were excellent. Both appealed to who they needed to appeal, I thought.