The GOP Message Tonight: Shame

by: fladem

Wed Sep 03, 2008 at 00:19


There is only one message to draw the Republican Convention tonight:  the Republicans are ashamed of George Bush.  He did not appear in prime time.  He did not appear in person.  The Vice-President isn't even in the country.  In fact, Fred Thompson and Joe Lieberman are so ashamed of George Bush that they did not mention his name.  

It is an amazing night without precedent in modern convention history.  

I have to wonder, are rank and file Republicans really comfortable with their two-term President being treated as though he does not exist?

Update In the comments adamterando makes a critical observation: Bush was not mentioned by Thompson or Lieberman, but Clinton was! And the GOP Convention applauded!

fladem :: The GOP Message Tonight: Shame

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Good grief (0.00 / 0)
I don't think people really realize the levels to which they are super-fucked in this election.

I can bet there are a lot of budding Karl Roves in Minneapolis right now making their plans for challenging Obama in 2012.


Eh, I'm not really worried about 2012 (4.00 / 1)
Chances are that Republicans will once again nominate the "next in line", the completely unelectable Mitt Romney (who will look great next to the man he was defeated by). From there, the only question is whether it's 1996 all over again or 1964.

[ Parent ]
well (4.00 / 1)
I raised that point, thinking that a lot of GOP establishment is probably mentally moving on to 2012. 2008 is a lost cause.  

[ Parent ]
Oh, I see where you're coming from now (4.00 / 1)


[ Parent ]
to your point (4.00 / 3)
if President Obama fixes healthcare, he skates in 2012

[ Parent ]
Worry (0.00 / 0)
If Obama doesn't make some big moves to turn the country around, I can see him facing Jeb or Ron Paul in 2012.  By then, the GOP will be saying, George who?

They are looking forward to four years of sticking it to a Democratic presidents.  The years ahead are tough, they've left quite a mess.


[ Parent ]
Not Much Bush, But Same GOP Brand (4.00 / 1)
This night of the RNC was a complete failure for the GOP because all of it (yes, including the attacks) was presented in the context and form of the Republican brand that has been built over the past 8 years by Bush/Rove - a brand that is now in the gutter. This stuff will only appeal to GOP stalwarts (i.e., the 20% of Americans that still support Bush). McCain is going to have a hell of a time escaping this poisonous band at the RNC because of the GOP's insistence that the RNC be geared toward the party faithful. He tried to do this preemptively with the Palin pick and that has been a disaster.

McCain is in serious trouble because he is captive to the GOP and the GOP is in complete denial of how badly their form of ultra-partisan politics plays in America right now.


Yep (0.00 / 0)
They know the brand sucks, but it's all they've got.

[ Parent ]
Very good point (4.00 / 2)
and what's even more amazing is that Joe Lieberman did mention Bill Clinton in a positive light! And he got the republicans to applaud!

Yeah, really (0.00 / 0)
He was probably more positive about Bill Clinton in that speech then he ever was as a "Democrat" during the Clinton administration.

Sounds like their trying to win Bill Clinton voters too, whoever those are.


[ Parent ]
Trying to win some Clinton voters (4.00 / 2)
White ones.

Can it happen here?

[ Parent ]
With short memories. (4.00 / 1)


Montani semper liberi

[ Parent ]
Old (0.00 / 0)
I do not mean this to be out of bounds but, that sequence of speech makers was old.  The Republican party is sort of saying they are the party of "change" and yet, they promote speaking engagements of several old school members.  I include Lieberman in that group.  Man, that was an old group of speakers.  

You could call tonight tired old White Guys (4.00 / 3)
for Change...

[ Parent ]
Old White Guys (4.00 / 1)
Yes, that is where I was going.

[ Parent ]
Man And God Switch Places? (0.00 / 0)
Lieberman: "God Only Made One John McCain"

Adage: To err is human, to forgive is divine.

"Senate passes expanded GI bill despite Bush, McCain opposition"


Expectations After the Convention (0.00 / 0)
I am not necessarily an Obamabot but I really like the guy.

Even though we saw the CNN poll come in at 48-47, I doubt that is the real number as we have seen with the last 4 other national polls.  My guess is that Obama is 5-8 points ahead right now.  Will that change due to this piece of crap Republican convention, maybe.  But, that will be 3-5 points.  My point is that in two weeks   Obama will have the lead and solidify it over the next few weeks after that.  My guess is that at the end of the day Obama wins by 5 plus points and 30 plus states.  Do I have any basis for this?  No, but I know trends and I just do not see Obama relinquishing the lead.  Of course, there is always the unknown.  


Lieberman invokes Washington (0.00 / 0)
to assert McCain's nonpartisanship, but neglects the idea of "entangling alliances" that he himself personifies.  

 


Trying to deflect their own failure... (0.00 / 0)
...while lamely offering McCain-Palin as remedy for the failures they're pretending not to be responsible for. Please...

The Democratic push-back should be to kick the McCain campaign incompetence theme -- remember, in addition to the VP fiasco McCain ran his campaign into near bankruptcy last year too -- as 'more of the same' GOP failure and incompetence. Indeed, the incompetence of the McCain campaign provides a clever opening to remind voters of the greatest hits of GOP/Bush failures and incompetences (thank you, Gustav too).

In short, we've made the policy "more of the same" argument so they're trying a "reform" gambit. However the incompetence of the McCain campaign shows he's "more of the same" there too. Let's say it.

Health care reform = Employer payroll savings = More hiring and more jobs!


That's coming (0.00 / 0)
I think what you're seeing the Obama campaign do right now is to sit back, enjoy the fireworks, let the media do the heavy lifting and stock up for the fall.

There's no real reason for them to get in the way of this car crash and be seen as going negative when sitting back and letting it all happen seems to work fine.


[ Parent ]
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