Palin Speech Thread

by: Chris Bowers

Wed Sep 03, 2008 at 22:20


Here are some random observations on tonight's proceedings:

  • I liked the parade of losers early on. The woman who was kicked out of Hewlett Packard, followed by the guy who lost a Senate race badly last year.

  • Using so many speeches to trash eloquent speeches (the "mere words are not enough" attack that everyone uses on Obama) feels very post-modern.

  • Linda Lingle said that Palin would be a great Vice-President because she could help Republicans win more young voters, women voters, and independent voters. Usually, you don't hear such open-faced, process-oriented, demographic targeting in a political speech. Linda Lingle's message to voters "you should like Sarah Palin, because she will increase the Republican share of the vote in several demographic groups."

  • From what I understand, McCain refused an offer of early release from his POW camp because his men weren't being released, too. However, none of these speakers ever say that this is the reason he stayed. They just say that McCain refused release because he loved America. Without the larger context, it kind of sounds stupid.

  • Rudy Giuliani said that every four years people tell you that the upcoming election is the most important ever, and you shouldn't believe people who tell you that. Then, he said that this was the important election ever, and you should believe him. Then, when the crowd chanted "U-S-A, U-S-A!" he dorkily said in emotionless monotone and our of rhythm, "Yes. USA."

  • "Rill, baby, drill" seems to be the only idea equal to America for these delegates. From what I gather, drilling is the only issue more important than protecting zygotes among the crowd. Drilling and zygotes are clearly at the top.

Anyway, this is an open thread for Palin's speech.  

Chris Bowers :: Palin Speech Thread

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Palin Speech Thread | 75 comments
Um, Rudy, (0.00 / 0)
do you remember Pat Buchanan in 1992?  Perhaps you should back off being quite this extreme...  
Dunno (0.00 / 0)
lots of takeaway lines.

John McCain opposes the GI Bill.
[ Parent ]
It's hard to single things out (0.00 / 0)
Romney saying that only McCain has the balls to fight terrorists. Unless of course they're named bin Laden and or in Afghanistan.

Romney saying that we need more foreign trade and more domestic drilling back to back.

Romney saying that we should be afraid of the European economic model...even though their currency is stronger than the dollar.

Giuliani bashing Obama's "present" votes when McCain has missed 103 consecutive votes?

I mean...it never ends.

John McCain opposes the GI Bill.

All about tone. (0.00 / 0)
I'm not watching, but if that stuff's said with contempt, from a position of dismissive strength, it plays. If it's said a trifle wildly ...

My guess is that's the issue with Palin, too. If she can smile while she sticks the knife in, she wins. But if she can't, she doesn't.

[ Parent ]
Oh I forgot (0.00 / 0)
Huck saying that FDR was a hero in his town but he doesn't want any help from the government. I mean what?

John McCain opposes the GI Bill.
[ Parent ]
Zero, zero,, zero! (0.00 / 0)
Worst chant ever at a convention?
Gotta love this new Republican frame (4.00 / 1)
"executive experience"
Like making decisions about trash collection in a town of 6500 people is that big of a deal. Also, by this definition, none of McCain's vaunted "maverick" experience in the Senate for all these years is remotely "executive." How can they get away with this?

Save Our Schools! March & National Call to Action, July 28-31, 2011 in Washington, DC: http://www.saveourschoolsmarch...
It's not what she says (4.00 / 1)

 It's how she comes across.

 

"We judge ourselves by our ideals; others by their actions. It is a great convenience." -- Howard Zinn

[ Parent ]
It doesn't matter what she says or how she comes across... (0.00 / 0)
as far as the delegates and party faithful are concerned, she can do or say no wrong. Witness the over-the-top ovation reserved for the highest echelons of great, proven leaders and national heroes. This for a person the conventioneers know very little about.

Slacking toward the apocalypse
[ Parent ]
They just need a talking point. (4.00 / 2)
Doesn't matter much what the specific one is; just so long as they have an excuse.

And McCain has executive experience from being a POW. Or something.

[ Parent ]
Sean at 538 says: (4.00 / 2)
"The RNC schedule had a video tribute scheduled, but Rudy was too busy enjoying his 30-minute prime time speech. They scrapped the video."

I'm starting to lose my faith in Republican governance slick electoral machinery.

Can Palin talk without prasing Democrats? (0.00 / 0)
Now she's going on about Harry S Truman???
John Marshall says she (0.00 / 0)
compared herself to him? Based on experience?
[ Parent ]
Bush 41 compared himself to Truman in 92 (4.00 / 1)
and Quayle compared himself to JFK.
[ Parent ]
So this is ... progress? (0.00 / 0)

[ Parent ]
She compared McCain to JFK (0.00 / 0)
Called McCain a true Profile in Courage.

John McCain opposes the GI Bill.
[ Parent ]
Standard rhetorical tactic (4.00 / 1)
It makes partisan attacks seem less partisan if coupled with praise for people in the other party.  Hence, why it is reasonable for a Democrat to say token nice things about some Republican to try to create an image of non-bias and fairness so that criticism is more effective.

Things You Don't Talk About in Polite Company: Religion, Politics, the Occasional Intersection of Both
[ Parent ]
Way, way out of her league (0.00 / 0)
The GOP base will eat it up, but she hasn't said anything meaningful.
Keep typing! I'm not watching. (0.00 / 0)
So relying on manic refreshing of seven blogs ...

She sounds good? Confident, smooth?

[ Parent ]
yeah (0.00 / 0)
She certainly hasn't dealt with any of the issues concerning herself.  The opening was all about how nice she and her family are, then later came a few more lies about the bridge and the earmarks, then lots of petty and tired attacks against "our opponent," which I think will only have the effect of allowing Joe Biden not to pull any punches.

Also, what's with the awful stagecraft?  The stand podium shot of her has a pure black background because the image on the backdrop stops about ten feet above the stage.  Pretty amateurish.

[ Parent ]
ejected (0.00 / 0)
who just got thrown out?
I Don't Know (4.00 / 1)
But I did notice that when she was being dragged out of the arena, she was being dragged through a bunch of empty seats.
[ Parent ]
I thought I saw a pink slip pulled on over regular clothes. (0.00 / 0)
My view was mostly blocked by security as they hauled her out past all the empty seats, though.

[ Parent ]
I'm struck (0.00 / 0)
By how they essentially have to run against Washington and the behaviour of the government of the past 8 years...which they have been running.

It's breathtaking.  Romney actually tried to blame liberalism for all the glaring failures of the Bush presidency.  

Conservativism never fails, it can only be failed.  

"servant's heart" (4.00 / 2)
Dogwhistling past the graveyard.
sexist joke alert (0.00 / 0)
"What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick".

Did Sarah Palin just compare herself to a dog??? WTF?

And she made a joke about her own comment on not knowing what the VP did?

"I think the economic logic behind dumping a load of toxic waste in the lowest wage country is impeccable and we should face up to that."
-Lawrence Summers

She's Phony (4.00 / 1)
Maybe I'm wrong, but she seems like a total phony.

It's hard to sell yourself as the epitome of small town America when you look like you came out of Hollywood central casting and nothing you say feels authentic. She's an actor. It shows.

Split screen this with Joe Biden's speech. Which one is authentic? Which one is real and which one is Memorex?

Did you notice how they "mom"'d her up... (0.00 / 0)
.... like they were trying to "De-hot" her?

I couldn't bear to watch... We'll see how America feels about her... if she can't improve from their original impression, then it really is over... otherwise, we've still got a horserace...

REID: Voting against us was never part of our arrangement!
SPECTER: I am altering the deal! Pray I don't alter it any further!
REID: This deal keeps getting worse all the time!

[ Parent ]
Looks Like (4.00 / 1)
"Community organizer" is a new code phrase for the GOP.
[ Parent ]
they don't like what they don't understand (0.00 / 0)
They have no clue what "Community" or "Organization" means, so it must mean socialism, or something...

"I think the economic logic behind dumping a load of toxic waste in the lowest wage country is impeccable and we should face up to that."
-Lawrence Summers
[ Parent ]
"Community Organizer" (4.00 / 2)
Equates to "urban" for the GOP rank and file. I dunno, it felt like they were using it like a code phrase to me.
[ Parent ]
the irony is that... (4.00 / 1)
it is organizing that is going to defeat them.
[ Parent ]
AND SHE REPEATS THE BRIDGE TO NOWHERE LIE (0.00 / 0)
there's your gaffe, media
The media is too busy... (4.00 / 2)
 ...writing up the post-speech puff pieces.

Might want to unplug your TV tomorrow. And avert your eyes at newspapers.

McCain ordered them to stop being so accurate mean. They'll comply.  

"We judge ourselves by our ideals; others by their actions. It is a great convenience." -- Howard Zinn

[ Parent ]
Maybe... (4.00 / 1)
But I think a lot are getting pissed at McCain.  The time piece about them being bullied was great.
[ Parent ]
I'm sorry you're wrong! (4.00 / 1)
Those post-speech write ups where done earlier today!

The pundits probably aren't even listening... they're discussing (off camera) the cynicism of her pick while preparing their on camera gushing of how she pulled off a slam-dunk!

[ Parent ]
Yup, both that and earmarks (0.00 / 0)
I thought the same - she's going to get called on this tomorrow...or whenever she ventures out of the undisclosed location.

I think this is really falling flat - she's not at all authentic or likable.

[ Parent ]
And the PBS guy calls her out on it in the post-speech commentary (0.00 / 0)

[ Parent ]
Wow... (0.00 / 0)
On her false claim (AGAIN!) of her opposition to the "Bridge to nowhere" there was a noticeable pause before the applause.

You could almost sense the crowd realizing her lie.  I guess they all know how to use the internets.

Are they really saying (0.00 / 0)
'drill baby drill'?

Or just the same old 'drill here drill now?'

she refuses to use Obama's name (0.00 / 0)
Bush never ever said Kerry's name either.  
Also had to like the... (0.00 / 0)
comments about the Russian objectives on oil and gas.

She seemed so uncomfortable stumbling through it, but I guess it was necessary when you're pushing the "international experience based on being near Russia" theme.

Not like her relish in the small-town-is-the-only-true-America spiel.

Diss her at our peril (0.00 / 0)
She knows how to speak.  She's a female Reagan.  Watch out!
maybe (4.00 / 1)
but doesn't she come across as pretty smug to you?

I see no sunny optimism here.

[ Parent ]
Nasty and sarcastic (4.00 / 3)

 As concern-trollish as I get on occasion, I actually believe that having her come across as smug, rather than as innocent and noble, was a serious tactical error by the Republicans.

 The viewers were predisposed not to like her, given all the bad stuff that's come out, but probably could have been converted if she'd come across as more likable.

 And I don't think she did that.

 Though I'm sure CNN did.

 

"We judge ourselves by our ideals; others by their actions. It is a great convenience." -- Howard Zinn

[ Parent ]
You have your head up your ass... (0.00 / 0)
She has bumble fucked through this speech like a 5th grader in English class.  This is a terrible speech, she's a horrific speaker.
[ Parent ]
I Disagree (0.00 / 0)
She's smooth... too smooth. She's a phony. We're getting a speech from someone who had a career on TV before politics and knows how to act. And. It. Shows.

I say it again. Split screen this with Biden's speech. Which one is authentic? Which one is real?  

[ Parent ]
totally disagree with ya (4.00 / 2)
She's landing her punches with wit and a smile.  The speech is what it was supposed to be.  Good news is that I think, particularly with the bridge to nowhere bit, we'll still have some of our narrative going tomorrow.

End of the day:
-They've decided to run on the surge.  Apparently the plan is to convince the American people to like the war again.  um, yeah, good luck with that.

-The scrutiny isn't going to end.  She's going to need to give an interview someday.  That's when the wheels come off the wagon.  She used to be a sports reporter, of course she can land the heavily prepped speech.

-They're running on change.  In this particularly setting, when they and they alone have the mic, that can sound fine.  But afterward?  How completely are we supposed to all forget the last eight years?

-Their lines on the economy are unbearably weak.  "Dems will raise your taxes!" just isn't gonna cut it.

The fundamentals are still massively in our favor.  If we can't win this election, we should get out of the election-winning business.  I think I'll open up a restaurant in Albuquerque.

[ Parent ]
She Slowed the Bleeding (0.00 / 0)
She didn't stop it.

The time is nearing to let Biden out of the tiger cage.

[ Parent ]
And you'd be wrong... (0.00 / 0)
Please see the earlier comment.
[ Parent ]
Agreed (0.00 / 0)
I was worried before it started...now, not so much.  I think it was horribly delivered.  And the content was without anything compelling.
She and Rudy attacking community organizing both sounded mean, with condecension that just didn't work.
[ Parent ]
Well, she didn't drool (0.00 / 0)

 Given where the bar was set, this was an astounding triumph for her.

 By objective standards, the speech is just meh. Standard pug boilerplate.

 She'll stanch the poll bleeding and stay on the ticket, but I don't see her reclaiming too many independents -- much less Democrats.

 But stranger things have happened. The media WILL shower hosannas upon her, and that'll give her a bit of a credibility boost too, at least in terms of perception.

 Not a home run. But not a strikeout either.  

"We judge ourselves by our ideals; others by their actions. It is a great convenience." -- Howard Zinn

[ Parent ]
Look on the bright side (4.00 / 1)
This is probably the zenith of the convention.

Can anyone even imagine McCain being even this good?

[ Parent ]
Very True (0.00 / 0)
I think Palin's speech may actually overshadow McCain's given the circus sideshow quality of the past few days.
[ Parent ]
I think her approach is a mistake given the nature of the race (4.00 / 1)
We won't know for a couple of weeks, but I really do believe their approach is out of the 1980s. You think that's a good idea. I happen to think the voters to whom this would appeal is about a decade over it.
[ Parent ]
Actually (0.00 / 0)
this is what Noonan claimed was the point she was making today on the open mic...

That the concept of the McCain campaign is based on outdated ideas... the line "its over" is supposed to be applying to their dated concepts.

[ Parent ]
Well assuming for a second that Noonan was right (0.00 / 0)
I don't disagree with her. The Republicans have won because they have always been able to pivot using fear while presenting themselves as the party of "morning in America."

I am not exaclty sure what one is supposed to do with the cognize dissonance of a woman who presents herself as a conservative who should be home under her own belief system taking care of her kids, but is instead here being harsh ina way that is outdated with where most persuadable voters are.

She certainly isn't going to be seen as evil, but attack dog? As something more than Ms. Palin Goes to Washington? I don't see it.

[ Parent ]
Ah, yes, the irony of it all... (0.00 / 0)
Gotta love it!
[ Parent ]
4 years is a long time... (0.00 / 0)
I forgot how childish and assholish the GOP is.

That goes for Palin, too. Hell of a rewrite her speech got.

And White (0.00 / 0)
The only person of color I've seen is sitting on MSNBC's panel right now.
[ Parent ]
Drill now....lie about Obama... (0.00 / 0)
drill now (I know about energy)...lie about Obama. Lie about energy, lie about Obama.  Lie about Iraq, lie about Obama.  Lie about my own record, lie about Obama....Repeat endlessly until November.  

Disgusting and despicable, though not unexpected.  But more than I can stomach.  God save this country (and the world) if it votes these two into the White House.

Ok, she just dissed the whole Republican party (0.00 / 0)
By referencing the "comfortable lobbyists" who fought McCain in 2000.  Uhm, didn't those people support that other guy, who went on to be President?
Did you forget? (4.00 / 2)
The whole theme of the Republican National Convention is "We're not the Republican Party!"
[ Parent ]
Yes, but McCain/Palin is running (0.00 / 0)
against the Republican Party. They're members of the Republican Party.
[ Parent ]
my head's gonna explode (0.00 / 0)
They juxtaposition of Palin saying that Obama wants to read terrorists their rights with her re-telling of the POW McCain enduring torture and giving the thumbs-up is just plain mind-boggling.

"I think the economic logic behind dumping a load of toxic waste in the lowest wage country is impeccable and we should face up to that."
-Lawrence Summers
Boring (0.00 / 0)
I tried watching some of today' s speeches - can't stomach it.  They are hype, lies and boring...

The fun part was watching the pan of the audience - all older, all white and many bored.  Except for the stepford wife Cindy - she has a botox grin all the time.

It's more fun reading the comments here:-0

Lynn

She's openly picking a fight with the media (0.00 / 0)
She'd better not get on the wrong side of Wolf Blitzer.

Slacking toward the apocalypse
Republicans have some fucking nerve complaining about torture. (4.00 / 1)
I can't stand it.  McCain's soul is dead if he feels no shame over this after what he's stood back and enabled in the last 5 years.

And you know what? (0.00 / 0)
It is really weird how unresponsive that little baby has been through this whole night.  Makes me think dark thoughts about how maybe somebody got a little cough syrup with his formula.

McCain's on-stage appearance (0.00 / 0)
is painful.

Why did he even bother?  It seems his whole campaign is predicated on copying Obama's moves, but poorly.

He didn't even say anything...

He should have tried to change it up a bit, something, anything...

I guess I shouldn't complain.

yeah (0.00 / 0)
If anything he looks like he's imitating his opponent's actions, which is not what you want to do when you're running for President.

"I think the economic logic behind dumping a load of toxic waste in the lowest wage country is impeccable and we should face up to that."
-Lawrence Summers
[ Parent ]
Why is no one calling this the McPalin ticket yet? (0.00 / 0)
Seems kind of obvious. And, of course, it's totally sexist of me to say this.

I are teh radical librul.

"Those who stand for nothing fall for anything...Mankind are forever destined to be the dupes of bold & cunning imposture" -- Alexander Hamilton

Harry Reid just basically called her "shrill"... (0.00 / 0)
Why oh why did he feel the need to give them more ammunition to back their charges of sexism?

At least he didn't compare her to Hitler.

Slacking toward the apocalypse

POW release (0.00 / 0)
"From what I understand, McCain refused an offer of early release from his POW camp because his men weren't being released, too."

My understanding is that he believed at the time that the first POWs to be captured were supposed to be the first ones to be released. I have no idea if this is actually part of the Geneva Conventions.

The "Stayed because he loved his country" frame is intentional (0.00 / 0)
I'm glad you made this observation:
From what I understand, McCain refused an offer of early release from his POW camp because his men weren't being released, too. However, none of these speakers ever say that this is the reason he stayed. They just say that McCain refused release because he loved America. Without the larger context, it kind of sounds stupid.

By cutting details from the story it ceases to represent any real logic, serving only as a moral framework. If the "Stay in pain if you love America" pill is swallowed, the Iraq debate will become a choice between a strong McCain who loves his country, and a weak Obama who hates America.

That frame must be broken. Barack Obama and the left must attack the very notion of supplanting the moral logic of McCain's POW decision with the moral logic of redeployment from Iraq. You could say he's trying to solve 21st century problems with 20th century logic; you could suggest he's trying desperately to relive his glory days; you could say his judgment is clouded because all this hero-worship has gone to his head. Either way, gotta break it.

Chris, I hope you'll keep noticing and commenting on the bait-and-switch frame-job. We need to define their moral logic and attack it.

Palin Speech Thread | 75 comments
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