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August 31, 2004

Watching the RNC: How to Torment A Democrat In One Easy Step

I'm currently sitting in my living room watching C-SPAN and trying not to put my head through my television. Even if I succeed in restraining myself, keeping up with the charade that is the RNC makes my head hurt. I'm glad I have Tivo since I have to pause it and ask my wife things like "Did he just say what I think he just said?" or "Would you classify her remark as ingeniously misleading or an out and out lie?". If you don't pause it, though, you'll talk right over the next half-truth, misleading statement, intolerant remark, gratuitous religious reference, or appalling exploitation of 9/11 for political gain.

What I will say, though, is that they sure do sound happy about the state of the nation and they want the rest of us to feel warm and fuzzy, too. This administration has spent the last couple of years scaring the living crap out of everybody and the last several months going hideously negative on the Kerry campaign around the clock. But when it comes time to sell themselves to a highly polarized populace with a big pool of undecided voters, they smile a lot and steer clear of two key things: substance and details.

The RNC spent yesterday morning throwing diversity, tolerance, and moderate voices to the wolves by adopting a platform that veers hard to the right. A group of former Republican governors and senators placed a full page ad in the New York Times with a plea for the GOP to return to moderate, common-sense conservatism... the Rockefeller wing of the party as they call it. The pro-gay Log Cabin Republicans, clearly stabbed in the back by this platform, launched a television ad against their own party Monday morning. I'm not sure why this comes as a surprise to them, though, as we've all watched the right-wing of the GOP hijack the entire party for years now.

Monday night, though, when the cameras came on, out came Rudy Giuliani who has been known for years as a moderate (if not left leaning) voice in the party. Rather than speak for diversity, inclusiveness or the slightest bit of moderation, he commenced exploiting 9/11 for political gain and even made repeated misleading allusions to the disproven and non-existant connection between Saddam and the fall of the twin towers.

McCain, who knows a smear campaign when sees one but won't just come out and say it in so many words, shredded his reputation as a voice of reason among his shrill colleagues and put a positive face on the war in Iraq. A few days ago he was scolding the administration for sending too few troops and not planning effectively for the quagmire we're in during this phase of "Mission Accomplished". The remarkable protests on Sunday that the television media barely covered had pallbearers with symbolic, flag-draped coffins... close to a thousand of them... that were a far more accurate commentary on Iraq and the administration's knowledge that seeing the real thing on the evening news is a major buzzkill.

What wasn't discussed last night was the economy, domestic issues, social issues or any of the other things this administration needs to distract us from due to their failures over the last four years. Beyond the failures, though, is the fact that this administration and much of the party backing it are hideously out of touch with the majority of the American populace. Of course they know it, too... but they have a populace to deceive this week. Talking about reality is NOT the way to get George Bush re-elected. So, after you cement a far right platform that speaks to your true agenda, bring out the moderates and commence with the charade!

So that brings me to tonight. The theme tonight was "People of Compassion". Speakers included Education Secretary Rod Paige, the man who several months ago compared the nation's largest teacher's union to a terrorist organization. He spent time trying to assure voters that George Bush has left no child behind. Funny... last I checked, he has underfunded the program by billions of dollars while saddling the schools with requirements that are impossible to meet without that funding (and some that can't be met even WITH the funding). Paige then twisted Kerry's justified criticisms of the failed program into another supposed flip-flop. Follow the logic here: Bush promises to fund a program. Kerry expresses support for the concept. Bush fails to deliver. Kerry rightfully criticizes the failed results. Having supported the original concept makes this... you got it... a flip flop. How very honest of you, Mr. Paige.

Bill Frist tried to sell the abysmal healthcare record of this administration with a delivery that I fully expected would end with a blue screen and a voice shouting a toll free number three times before encouraging us all to "Call NOW". I'm honestly not kidding about the tone and use of the toll free number, though. He actually did frame healthcare coverage as a product that you should "own" while waving one of those cards that have so many senior citizens confused and angry. The whole ownership spin on the dismantling of a true healthcare program for citizens is more than I have the fortitude to write about tonight.

Also beyond my strength to address tonight was the terribly unfunny introduction given by the Bush daughters or Ahnuld's blue sky speech and the fact that his words and behavior in the past represent everything that is hypocritical about this convention. George Bush expressing his devotion to Laura from, so far as I could tell, a Telepromptr left me about as cold as her subsequent speech. There are so many things missing and misleading about what I've seen tonight that I'd write all night if I don't stop now and get some sleep.

What brings me hope, though, is knowing that I've got a team I can vote for in November that are going to right many of these wrongs and get things back on the right track. Watching the next two nights is likely going to be as much fun as chewing on tinfoil... but I feel it's important for me to hear the unfiltered words of both sides (thank you, C-SPAN). I'll share my opinions with any who care to read them and, if you've made it this far, I invite you to share yours with the comment link below.

- Aaron

Posted by amahler at August 31, 2004 09:32 PM

Comments

Aaron,
Hey! Great comment! You and Debra Woodson are much braver than I am. I can't watch the Convention. I have been watching the U.S. Open and enjoying it much, much more.
I am going to try to show the JF YD's your web site next Wednesday at our meeting if we can get an LCD!!
Keep up the good work!
Martha

Posted by: martha at September 1, 2004 05:49 AM