Tiger Hill

For those of you not familiar with the “Daisy” ad, here you go:

I’ve been quiet this week due to changes in my job, and frankly, I didn’t know how to write about the biggest news of the past week–the nomination of Sarah Palin.  Don’t get me wrong, I knew how I felt about her the moment I heard the news; however, I just didn’t know how to react to news that someone in charge of an state that has less people than my hometown(Memphis, TN) and my place of residence(Austin, TX) might be thought of as someone ready for an office just “a heartbeat away from the Presidency”. [sorry for the cliche]  With that said, do I think that Will Wynn or W.W. Herenton would be prepared to be Vice President?  Of course not.

I do like John McCain.  Although his stances on civil liberties and the Iraq War make me voting for him impossible, I thought that he would at least make a serviceable President and as his campaign slogan states—Put America First.  However, his choice of Sarah Palin has convinced me that he is nothing more than a normal politician that will do anything to be elected.  If he wasn’t, he wouldn’t pick a Vice President that is not nearly as qualified as hundreds of others in his own party.  I almost understand his wish to pick a woman.  However, there are numerous women who are immensely more qualified than her—my own Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, former NJ Governor Christine Todd Whitman, Senator Susan Collins, Senator Olympia Snowe, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, etc.  Why would he choose a woman who has only been a governor for less time than he has been running for President?  Why?  What would possess him to do something so short sided when our nation is at risk at home(civil liberties) and abroad(Global War on Terrorism, Iraq, Russian Resurgence, etc.)?  Do you really want her across the table from Vladimir Putin?  Hu Jintao?  Really?  I know I don’t.

Before getting into any analysis, let me just say that I’m very proud of this country for choosing a nominee that doesn’t look and sound like Generic TV President(i.e., Bill Pullman from Independence Day, or Mark Warner from, er, Virginia).  I know that everyone on TV and on the Internet has said the same thing, but it really should be repeated over and over.  America– no matter what you think of Obama’s politics—you did good.

Now on to Obama’s speech.  For the most part, he did what John Kerry couldn’t or wouldn’t in 2004–go to Senator McCain’s side of the playground and punch him square in the gut.  The Democratic proclivity to not answer attacks(Dukakis, Gore, Kerry) looks to be a non-issue in this campaign.  Examples:

And when I hear a woman talk about the difficulties of starting her own business, I think about my grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle-management, despite years of being passed over for promotions because she was a woman. She’s the one who taught me about hard work. She’s the one who put off buying a new car or a new dress for herself so that I could have a better life. She poured everything she had into me. And although she can no longer travel, I know that she’s watching tonight, and that tonight is her night as well.

I don’t know what kind of lives John McCain thinks that celebrities lead, but this has been mine. These are my heroes. Theirs are the stories that shaped me. And it is on their behalf that I intend to win this election and keep our promise alive as president of the United States.

As commander in chief, I will never hesitate to defend this nation, but I will only send our troops into harm’s way with a clear mission and a sacred commitment to give them the equipment they need in battle and the care and benefits they deserve when they come home.

I will end this war in Iraq responsibly and finish the fight against al-Qaida and the Taliban in Afghanistan. I will rebuild our military to meet future conflicts. But I will also renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression. I will build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century: terrorism and nuclear proliferation; poverty and genocide; climate change and disease. And I will restore our moral standing, so that America is once again that last, best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom, who long for lives of peace, and who yearn for a better future.

These are the policies I will pursue. And in the weeks ahead, I look forward to debating them with John McCain.

But what I will not do is suggest that the senator takes his positions for political purposes. Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other’s character and patriotism.

The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America, they have served the United States of America.

So I’ve got news for you, John McCain. We all put our country first.

The answer was a celebrity charge was very important in the beginning of the speech to stall any further use in this campaign without making Senator McCain look as petty as the attack actually is. Secondly, he rhetorically shuts down any future talk about his “patriotism”. Americans are a tolerant people. We are tolerant of ideas and tolerant of attacks on those ideas, but once they reach a level is beyond the pale, America will punish you and punish you hard.  By connecting his patriotism with his grandfather and to those currently in the Armed Forces, McCain’s surrogate attacks will have much less negative effect on Obama and a larger risk probability for McCain.

The best part of tonight?  No Bill Clinton and very little Hillary Clinton.  Thank God.

….and by raise my taxes, I mean cut them by almost $500.00.  Barack Obama’s plan will cut my taxes by $481.06.  This is $456.27 more than John McCain will cut my taxes.  My oldest brother, who is a devout McCain supporter, would pay $2,443.75 less in taxes and my middle brother will pay $5,856 less in taxes.  So when John McCain says Barack Obama will raise your taxes, he surely isn’t talking about you.

I’m not a huge Barack Obama fan.  I saw him speak at Auditoium Shores in Austin, TX in May 2007 and wasn’t nearly as impressed as the other 20,000 in attendance were.  However, I haven’t heard him defend and defend lies as undeniable truths they way McCain and the Republicans have.  I would much rather deal with inexperience than dishonesty any day of the week.

7:32PM- Real life takes a back seat to the bizarre for me.  Yes, more speeches about moving forward not backward.  I don’t know what that means, but it sure does sound good.  On MSNBC, my former congressman, Harold Ford, Jr., still trying to sound like a Republican.  “I agree with my Republican colleague that this convention is only a B+”.  Now, he is campaigning for McCain telling a story about McCain hitting his head on a helicopter.  Man, how did he win the 9th talking like that.

7:37PM- Baby Ford just channeled both Jesse Jackson and Johnnie Cochran at the same time.  “If he makes the case, he’ll win the race.”  Dr. Seuss would be impressed.

7:40PM-Why do people still listen to Donna Brazile?  Her only “expertise” is losing an election with a sitting vice president during the strongest economy in 50 years.  At least Bob Schrum had Michael Dukakis, what’s your excuse Donna?

7:44PM- Michelle Obama looks like she is being choked by two blue carnations.  HOT!!!!

7:45 PM- Looking through some other blogs, FiveThirtyEight has new polling with Obama up 13 in New Mexico and up 5 in Nevada.  Interesting.

7:48PM- Correction: Michelle Obama is being chocked by 4 blue carnations.

7:49PM- James Carville is the only grown up(did I just say that?) on CNN.  Do these people think that Bubba is going to tear Obama to shreds tonight?  It sure does sound like that.

7:55PM- In breaking news, Barack Obama is flying to Greece to accept his nomination at the Parthenon.

7:57PM-Drudge is reporting that McCain has decided on his running mate, and yes, he has chosen Chuck Norris from Delta Force.

8:01PM- Rep. Meek blew his introduction load at the beginning of his speech.  A definite no-no.  Does Bill Clinton only have that one powder blue tie?

8:03PM-Michelle Obama looks in much better spirits tonight than when Hillary spoke yesterday.  By the way, does anyone else remember the last time Bill Clinton introduced someone at the National Convention?  I bet Dukakis does.

8:09PM- My internet is as stop and go as this speech is.  Not so good so far.

8:10PM-Bill doesn’t have the fire tonight.  Maybe, he is trying to be serious Bill or maybe he just doesn’t care.

8:12PM-He does seem sincere.  Bill has always been expert in knowing his audience.  Maybe no better politician in my lifetime.

8:14PM-Why don’t the Dems not focus on Bush more?  I haven’t heard his name once during Clinton’s speech.  They are really missing a great talking point.

8:18Pm- Is Bill talking about the same autistic children that HIllary mentioned?  You can’t double dip a hard luck story.

8:19PM-Even as he istalking about the Republicans, he still won’t say Bush’s name.

8:26PM-Clinton just finished up.  I believe his speech, while toned down from normal Clinton fare, will be effective.  He laid out the case and finally went after the foreign and domestic policy plunders of Bush and Company.

8:37PM-Joe Biden coming up soon.  I would love to hear him mock George Bush’s “they haven’t lead  and we will” acceptance speech in 2000.  They haven’t led and the American people need to be reminded of that.  Going back to Clinton’s speech, it does exactly what Obama needs….to set out the reasons for an Obama presidency and against a McCain presidency.  By the way, John Kerry has some anger left over from 2004.  He is going after Bush like my German Shepherd after a T-Bone.

8:43PM- Nice touch with Obama’s uncle.  I just wish that Biden had done that instead.  No one is watching right now.

8:49PM- McCain will announce his VP Friday morning. The speculation is still between Lieberman, Romney, Ridge, and Pawlenty.  I just can’t believe that the Republicans will be excited about Lieberman?  McCain is still running ads targeting Hillary supporters.  Does he honestly believe that this is the best use of his money?  I guarantee when he has only public funds after his convention he won’t waste money on such a small section of the electorate.

9:00PM-Wolf Blitzer-”Stephen Spielberg has worked REALLY hard on this amazing video.”

9:07PM-Tom Hanks is starting to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger’s little brother.  A very good video..very moving. I’m sure Repubs will say that Spielberg hates America.  FYI, Wolf Blitzer has a puppy crush on Stephen Spielberg.

9:13PM-CNN confirms Drudge’s McCain story.  He will announce his VP early Friday morning and will probably leak the story tomorrow afternoon.  Is there anyway he would pick Meg Whitman?

9:17PM-This woman is HORRIBLE!!!!!! Quincy Lewis just making Joe Biden look horrible and the Democrats like 60’s socialists.  Nice Harold Dean moment.  What could be better than that?  Follow with Nancy Pelosi.

9:24PM-Beau Biden looks like he should play a TV President.  FYI, he literally says literally as much as his dad…literally.  How many times tonight will we hear about the deaths of his child and first wife?  4 or 5 times so far.  It’s a moving story, however, there could be a backlash if you use it too much.

9:28PM-Looks like John Kerry has impressed.  Beau Biden is a great speaker.  Give him some seasoning and he might be running for President.  Here comes Joe.

9:31PM-Joe Biden has borrowed Bil Clinton’s tie.  Nice line about his wife. “Leaves me breathless and speechless.”

9:35PM-Joe Biden’s mother is priceless.  On the verge of tears with pride.  CNN has shown her more than Joe.  I know what you’re wondering….Yes, Yes she accepts the nomination to battle Chuck Norris in a Vice Presidential Debate.

9:39PM-FINALLY!!!!!! Someone mentioned Bush by name.  Kerry doesn’t count….no one was watching.

9:41PM-The last 3 minutes of this speech have been absolutely masterful.  Biden can definitely speak to the mythical “Average American”.

9:50PM-Biden is really going after McCain.  These are points that he and Obama must make to win this election.  He is echoing the “They didn’t lead, we will” meme.  Very good job so far and I feel very sorry for the man he debates in the fall.

10:10PM- Biden did what I thought was unlikely; overshadow Bill Clinton.  He was definitely the star tonight with his ability to first connect with the viewer and then ramp up the charges against the McCain, Bush, and the Republicans.  Yes, he did stumble, yes he did stammer, but that connects when done correctly.  Bush proved that in 2000 and 2004.

New Orleans is once again possibly in the path of another hurricane.  To my friend, Val, living in New Orleans.  Get the hell out and come to Austin.  I’ve got an extra ticket to the Toadies.  It’ll be much more fun than this.  Everyone else, be safe and get out if need be.

FYI, Bush is scheduled to speak on Monday at the Republican National Convention.  What would the political ramifications be of President Bush speaking at a political rally on the day that New Orleans is getting hit by a hurricane?  I surmise that the Bush and McCain camps wouldn’t be idiotic enough to allow that to happen.  Bush would do what he should’ve done during Katrina–acted like he gave a damn–and the Republicans will move around their convention schedule.

The crowd loved it, Bill loved it, Michelle Obama loved it, and the media REALLY loved it, but that line is exactly what is wrong with political discourse in this nation.  Not that I’m telling you anything that you don’t already know, but we are a nation of single serving, ready made talking points that don’t tell us anything about what either candidate believes about the problems that plague this nation.  How bout talking up the gradual loss of civil liberties?  How bout the falling dollar?  How bout an overstretched military?  These are real problems that we, as a nation, must fix now.  However, they are issues you must talk, debate, and discuss.  They don’t make for sound bites for our short attention span.  No matter how you feel about Dick Morris, you must read his book The New Prince.  It is as much genius as it is terrifying in cynicism and ruthlessness.