I watched the speech. Not in real time, because I was watching the Williams, Williams match of the U.S. Open, but I finally watched it. The title is actually a thought which came to me about 9 minutes into the speech.
I assumed her speech would be something to listen to. It wasn’t, at least not after a very short piece at the beginning.
It sounded like a women in a contentious PTA race, a little too snarky and contemptuous, a little too much like what those girls in high school used to sound like in the bathrooms when deriding other girls. Snark and contempt do not substance make. This actually made me feel a lot better for the Democrats chances.
The Huckabee Speech was far better and more presidential. If they want far right that should have been their choice.
Looking at it from the point of those who are already convinced, or want badly to be convinced, this might do it though. A speech which played to prejudices, fears, and special interests may work quite well on the Republican’s base, and those requiring a minuscule amount of persuasion. Those a little further along the fence, those who can think past the total partisan and insubstantial nature of the speech, not so much.
As we know emotion and story are what the McCain camp is going for.They say people don’t win elections on issues, they win on presentation, which is sort of like saying you really don’t have to get the essay answers right, or use proper grammar, because making the handwriting legible and attractive, and using the right size paper is enough. I know I wish at least one of my past professors had seen it that way. It doesn’t work that way in real life, but I am beginning to realize that elections have nothing to do with real life.
I’m sure the base will rally, but all this was all just a little too Pat Buchananesque for me. There were no real arguments against her opponents policy positions in the speech. I’m betting right now that some of the unsupported contemptuous attacks with no supporting argument are going to sit a little uncomfortably on the heads of those not so enthralled with this choice, those who wanTed more than show.
A pre-written speech she should have spiced up with argument, turned into something only a Bush speech writer would write,with a little I’m a little tea pot short and stout explanation of who she is.
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Slightly off topic, and provoked by all the complaining I have seen online over the last few days. I think I’ve written this same thing as a comment on at least 5 blogs over the last two days.
We have no right to attack her family.
We do have the right (in the case where a political candidate has an extreme view or ideology regarding policy, which in this case is abstinence only, no sex ed in schools), to know how it works for the candidate.
When see it doesn’t work for her, someone who believes in it, we assume it doesn’t matter to her, because her family is strong and close.
What I want to know is does she (or those saying we have no right to question her on this), not understand that not all women a have a strong close supporting family, or a mother with a shotgun? By her policy and ideology on sex education/abstinence she affects those she governs, and supporting a policy which didn’t even work for her gives us the right to question her and to use her family as an example on this, yes it does.
Peace
Your last paragraph perfectly sums up my experience. My whole perspective on the subject changed the moment I was presented with choices regarding that matter. Before then, I had all these theories about what was right and wrong. The minute I had to deal with what these choices meant was the minute I realized no one is qualified to judge until they actually put their theories into practice.
Palin certainly is not applying what she believes to her own family. I don’t know how she can think she can apply it to the rest of the country.
I had the experience in college where a couple of people who were adamant pro -lifers ended up getting abortions. It is funny how once you are in a certain pair of shoes they fit differently than you assumed. These were girls who preached it too, both ended up getting abortions and were thankful for the choice they didn’t think others should have had.
I’ve found that it pretty much the way it goes. I have yet to meet a pro-choice advocate suddenly become pro-life, especially after having an abortion. Why would you ever fight to give up more rights than you already have?
She does have a homeowners association president persona. I was content with the speech, even if I don’t agree with everything. It was as mean as and no meaner than Biden’s and approximately as substantial as Obama’s.
Except that it was riddled with as many lies as a Bush push for war.
Except the lies were too numerous, at least both Biden and Obama cited policy in their speeches where she did not. Drama, nothing more.
Conventions are great theater though, kind of like graduation.
If McCain is elected, and Sarah Palin becomes our V.P., I swear I am going to grab a number two Ticonderoga pencil and POKE MY EARS OUT. Oy! That voice. I can’t take it, Cooper, I tell ya I can’t take it.
I know.
Those who want to be convinced are thrilled.
The facts in the speech were limited and the falsehoods, or outright lies, were significant, but like you said no one cares about the lies.
I’m with the commenter above – not the poke the ear out part, too painful.
Good thing about that.
I liked the pharyngula link, hadn’t read that yet.
Love her voice and love her face.
Hate her politics and hypocrisy.
“Do as I say, not as I do.”
It was great political theater. I enjoyed it much more than I should, although I continue to be greatly insulted by her rants against community organizers.
I’m not going to rehash my own blog’s commentary on your space, but. …
Theater is a perfect word. Don’t ya love how this nation chooses it’s candidates…..
I’ve felt it was ok. The lies are pretty standard but comparatively the lies in the speeches of the Democrats were not as frequent, hers are easily checked.
That McCain didn’t vet her
is what we should be seeing as the problem.
Is this the way he’s going to make all his decisions? That’s scary.
it’s a shame we have to think of lies as “pretty standard”.You’re right though the fact she wasn’t vetted well before hand doesn’t give me much hope for how he will conduct the office business.
The part of me that admires her is my Alaskan part – independent, take no BS from no one. Keep in mind, the general feeling amongst Alaskans is Alaska first – the lower 48 never understands their country folk up north. That said, Palin is flat out scary. I have nothing to say about her kids except for the fact that she’s border-line exploiting them, especially Trig, who obviously should have been at home in bed.
I’m feeling pretty good though about Obama’s chances considering he now looks moderate compared to the Republican platform.
Independence is a good thing but Independence which support faulty policy and lies … so much.
She made her family our business. How can you argue pro choice? Someobody will retort that’s attacking Palin in two ways–her daughter and her son
It was a stupid speech that wasn’t fact checked news.yahoo.com/story//ap/20080904/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_fact_check
But it galvinized people
I got a comment in the stupid personal post I wrote yesterday about “my little world” and it took me back to the time when I couldn’t write my name without being attacked
It wasn’t fun
I’m having a real hard time with this all as I don’t believe in personal attacks–but I do remember when the radica right ruled the blogosphere
I always tried to be fair and to understand them though I wasn’t afforded that courtesy
Her speech empowered them. There are many people who have been feeling complacent about Obama winning
I’m tired of hearing about how people 35 and under are color blind–I will believe that after the election, maybe
Maybe I had a different blogging e_perience than most people, but there are times I wish I never heard of a blog as I know how sick the radical right can be. I must take them as a threat
It wasn’t checked and contained mostly lies but the people she is talking to don’t care, that really is the point.
John posted a link to a Phyrangula post called “This Is How We Will Lose”, and it may not be fair but it is how it is. It is why we lost last time. The way we went about it failed and it will fail again if people keep doing the same thing.
I’ll be back later – got school, sort of like got milk only harder.
Cooper just read your post at Blogher and loved it e-cept for one point. Every woman I know personally and I know many–has ovaries that barely work or don’t work and do care very much
It’s obvious how we’re going to lose–by playing nice or playing aganst each other
You can say whatever to me; I can say whatever to you and well we don’t need a pre-nup
I think Biden can easily take her on issues but people will say that he plagurized. That you can’t plagurize an idea is beside the point
I went to an EST now called Landmark meeting last night—one of my oldest and best loved friends is very immersed in it
She pays and pays and pays–I asked how she benefits–someday in the future–she’s been doing it for a decade
Then I woke to hysterical calls about how we’re going to lose, and read that comment that brought me back two years
I was referring specifically to former Hilary supporters. The ones who were absolutely vapid in their revenge tactics – being willing to dump all their previous ideologies – and most of them being around that age.Much easier to do when some of it no longer directly affects them/
Right on, Cooper!
Takes Bow.
I’m glad you stopped by,I know politics is not your thing.
Well said, Cooper. If Palin had appeared where I live in Canada making fallacious ad hominem attacks against her opponents, using cheap theatrical gestures and delivering a speech that totally lacked substance as it did not address the key issues, she would have NOT been elected as a dog catcher. The folks in my small community would have scoffed her and tossed her out with the cod swallop. In America she’s a Vice Presidential candidate. Go figure.
They eat that stuff up here. It’s most embarrassing really. Not a independent thought in the world.
Actually those conventions are all theater and nothing more.
Didn’t see the speech. Heard about it from my coworkers at the routing place…Pro-Republicans that they are. (And poor too!!!)
Anyways, the concept of actually standing on the right side of a family issue, that goes with your belief system, is lost on polys on both sides of the isle.
As much as I am a heavily liberal person, I do have my conservative streaks:
1) Fiscal conservative. If people would stop thinking money is ment to be spent, and never saved, we might turn the tide.
2) I don’t think men should vote AT all on abortion rights. How can I make a personal decision on another’s life when I don’t have the ability to do such – bring a life to this world?
I support life, I really do. But I understand I haven’t the quals to make a person choose which way to run a life – and keep one – in the face of long odds on eventual success.
If adoption was such a good plan, why don’t those affluent Republicans (and Demos) adopt more? Be Bradgelina for a change.
Well, that’s all.