First Thoughts on the First and Second Nights of the RNC

Just as I promised (or threatened, depending on how you view it), I'm going to do what I did with the DNC to the RNC

1) Watching PBS's coverage of the RNC is interesting. On their first night of coverage, they talked over the opening statements of the first prime-time speaker. Even Jim Leher had to point it out...and then talked over her even more! I'll take Signs PBS Is A Leftist Network for $200, Alex.

2) Seeing First Lady Laura Bush and hopefully soon-to-be First Lady Cindy McCain yesterday issuing a plea to help people impacted by Hurricane Gustaf showed me why the two of them are seen as class acts. And seeing Senator Norm Coleman do the same thing within the first minute of his speech and the applause that came afterward shows me that the GOP is the true party of compassion.

3) Coleman comes out swinging at Obama and landing a haymaker? This is not a mild-mannered RNC!

4) A quick note about the Leftist Assholes (and I'm sorry for using vulgarity, but it's the only term strong and accurate enough to describe them) going after Sarah Palin's 17 year old daughter and using it to bash Palin herself. This is going to backfire on you in a BIG way. If she addresses the controversy tomorrow night and holds her own, you jerks are going to realize you torqued off the wrong lady.

5) MSNBC's Joe Scarborough said the RNC is being held in a smaller venue to make it appear as though there are more people attending. Now, knowing what I know about political conventions, the venues are usually picked well in advance of the actual convention. Making such a claim and having it be accurate would mean the GOP would have had to have known that the turnout would be small possibly even years before the convention.

6) For all the criticisms of the RNC being a "whites only club" in past years, I'm seeing a lot more colorful faces in the crowd and on stage than at the DNC. I guess when your ticket is 3/4 white as Obama/Biden is, you have to keep the white people placated by keeping them amongst their own...

7) Barack Obama's comments about the Leftist attacks against Sarah Palin and her daughter was rather...weak. Of course, when you have George Soros's hand up your butt like a Muppet, you probably won't criticize the other Soros Muppets for doing what he's paying them to do.

8) I've seen more scrutiny in the media over whether Sarah Palin is fit to be VP than I've seen them give to Barack Obama, candidate for President. Maybe they missed the memo on this, but Palin won't become President unless McCain gets elected and then cannot fulfill the duties of the office. I'd be more concerned about someone running for the big chair who hasn't been completely honest about his past and his present because, if he wins, he will get to be President.

9) PBS is taking an opportunity to malign McCain's pick of Palin. Mark Shields said that the Republicans he talked to outside of the RNC aren't thrilled with Palin as McCain's running mate. I didn't know the Xcel Energy Center had sensory deprivation tanks on site.

10) David Brooks of the New York Times gave an interesting perspective on Palin. He mentioned that Palin went off script to pay homage to Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro for helping pave the way for her ascent. Now, compare this to Barack Obama, who can't get through a simple statement, it seems, without stumbling and using more uhs than an orgy. In that head-to-head match-up, I give it to Palin.

And finally...

11) PBS's coverage of the RNC is interesting when compared to their coverage of the DNC. With the latter, they were almost reverent, as though saying the slightest thing that could be seen as negative would bring down the wrath of the Obamessiah. In just the hour or so I watched of their coverage of the RNC, they brought up a lot of negativity about McCain/Palin. I'll take Signs PBS Is A Leftist Network for $300, Alex.