I intended to watch the RNC speeches but ended up not being able to stomach much. As Glenn Greenwald accurately put it, they were "mocking, scornful, derisive, demonizing and deeply personal". The Democrats had taken a few stabs, but the theme was that McCain was a good American who is out of touch and outright wrong on the issues. Republicans can't win on the issues, again, so they portray Obama as worthy of contempt. Who are these people? Why does this work? Again, the DNC was castigated by armchair strategists for not doing the same, but, really, I'd prefer they didn't. Even mild, cornball, non-political jabs such as "McSame" are hard to say without a cringe. I mean, we're all adults, right? I guess not. And that's depressing.
P.S. Was Huckabee's big worry about "European ideas" a coded shout-out to the anti-semites in the audience, or simply a deep fear that the US will get all fancy-pants and civilized?
yes, but at what point will the american public vote issues over catchy phrases?
ReplyDeleteif it's not after 8 years of this bush administration, i reckon the answer will be "never".
I was thinking along similar lines in 2004, but I got optimistic again this year. So we'll see if I'm the idiot.
ReplyDeleteI think we're all idiots. The higher our education level, income, and IQ, the more out of touch with main stream Umerikah we are. I've heard many of my friends predict land-slide victories as soon as Palin was announced. Sadly, I think the inverse will happen. The Umerikun electorate is often given too much credit for being able to think, differentiate, and "do the right thing". Idiocrasy is taking hold in Umerikah, faster than anyone originally anticipated (Mike Judge's 2006 prophetic film - not a dark comedy, a 'future documentary').
ReplyDeleteI agree with Zim, I think it'll be "never".
I'm glad to see the Dems took the "high road", but sadly, I think it will get them no where. One phrase I kept hearing on NPR caller's minds Friday was "Jesus was a community organizer, Pontius Pilot was a governor". Sadly, most so-called 'Christians' who supposedly make up the majority of the Umerikan electorate won't appreciate that, being CINOs (Christians, in name only).
9 years from now (or 1:3 chance sooner) if it's "President Palin" I'll be locked up for sedition, or immigrated elsewhere... il faut voir.