The Democrats wrapped up their convention last night with Barack Obama's official coronation-- I mean, NOMINATION--as the Democratic candidate for the Presidency of the United States. His speech was all I thought it would be, full of flowing rhetoric and disappointingly short on specifics. Some things I noticed:
1) He is a superb speaker, probably the best I have seen since since Ronald Reagan over 20 years ago.
2) He specifically mentioned "defending Israel", undoubtedly an effort on his part to assure the many in this country who don't trust him on this issue.
3) While professing to honour John McCain's service to the country, he engaged in several sharper-than-anticipated attacks on the presumptive Republican nominee.
4) His speech was excellent, but it was not the Martin Luther King "I have a Dream" speech, ironically delivered 45 years earlier to the day, no matter what his breathless cheering section on MSNBC and William Kristol (!!) may say.
5) He specifically reached out to Republicans and Independents. This was a smart and prudent move on his part.
6) He attempted to answer some of the questions people have about him being a good Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. I don't know that he was entirely successful in is efforts to do so.
I don't think that the attacks on John McCain served him in good stead. He would have been better off outlining some of the specifics of what he would so as the President. For example, how exactly does he plan to pay for the $150 billion in "alternative energy investment" that he promised, especially if he is promising not to raise taxes?
On the Republican side, John McCain is set to announce his V.P. nominee at 11:00 a.m. this morning, and Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty has just ruled himself out. Speculation is centering around Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. I'm not sure if she's a good choice or not............
No comments:
Post a Comment