The Democrat National Convention Commentary: Day 3

I’m joining commentary coverage late, as it’s 6:27pm.  I’m currently waging a war on my own apartment, but that’s a story for later.

Let’s just get this over with.  I hope the next four hours fly, because I’m ready for this pathetic excuse for a political convention to be over.

Okay, PBS, let’s get to actual convention coverage instead of fawning over the president and Democrats in pre-taped segments.  Par for the course, I realize, but I’m bored with this attempt at balance.  Though, Mary J. Blige’s set wasn’t sounding so great while you were carrying that, and the race-baiting “reverend” that was speaking before her, I could have done without.  Until they have a real guest in the box or start carrying a speech on the floor, I’m checking out.

One little note, though.  Am I surprised that the spin machine is really downplaying this move from stadium to arena?  For the uninformed – which doesn’t really include my audience – President Obama was supposed to deliver his acceptance speech at the Carolina Panthers’ Stadium – or as everyone else knows it as, the Bank of America Stadium.  It was a combination of bad marketing on the part of that name and the fact that the enthusiasm gap between 2008 and 2012 couldn’t be much greater that facilitated the move.  They’ll blame it on the weather, but it’s bad publicity that’s the real culprit.

Another little note, because I’m still bored with the PBS coverage/propaganda.  Yesterday, the convention “voted” to include “God” and “Jerusalem” in the platform.  The nays were very vocal.  That’s very telling about this party.  What’s even more telling is that they had to hold a second vote to recognize God and Jerusalem in the first place.  This party is obviously hostile to those of the Christian and Jewish faiths.  Which begs the question: why in the world would Jews continually vote for Democrats.  With all the hostility toward the Catholic Church, why would Catholics even contemplate voting for these people?  This anti-Christian, anti-Semitic party really needs a reality check. 

PBS is still bloviating.  They’re talking to “presidential historians” now.  I’m out. 

It’s 7:00, and PBS is actually joining coverage.  I guess they had a late News Hour or something.  No clue.  Regardless, they joined Caroline Kennedy mid-speech.  Could she be any more bland?  Remember what I was saying about Democrat speakers being robots?  Yeah, that’s happening again tonight.  Hello, Jesse Jackson.  She’s been droning on for the past five minutes, and I didn’t detect an ounce of enthusiasm. 

Yikes.  Poor former representative Gabby Giffords led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance earlier in the night.  Good for her.  Too bad she had to be escorted by the lamprey known as DWS.  I’m just surprised that Democrats 1) know the pledge, and 2) include the “under God” part.

Now former secretary of state, Madeleine Albright, has joined the PBS commentators.  Is it sad that this party is clinging to the past so badly?  She looks like she just crawled out of a coffin.  And isn’t it sad that she’s the go-to person in the Democrat Party for national security?  Bored.  I almost give credit to Judy [Woodruff] for asking Albright about the alleged lack of support for Israel.  Naturally, Albright is spinning it, saying Obama is a staunch supporter of Israel.  False. 

Former governor of Michigan  Jennifer Granholm – and current Current TV host – has the crowd surprisingly riled up.  Pretty sure she was doing lines of coke before this speech.  Holy cow. 

Eva Longoria just took the stage to try and inject a little attractiveness into this convention.  Too bad she’s a left wing hack and can’t really break out of her slutty character.  What makes celebrities think that we should listen to them about political issues?  Now she’s railing about paying her fair share.  What’s with these Hollywood hacks that like to preach about paying more, but don’t?  No one is stopping you, Eva, from paying what you believe is fair?  And she’s done.  She’s pretty attractive, but her politics make her lose points in that arena. 

Now the governor of Montana, Brian Schweitzer, has taken the podium.  Didn’t someone give this guy the dress code?  Lazy.  “He brought the wrong agenda to Massachusetts, and he’s the wrong guy to be President of the United States.”  So moving Massachusetts from #50 in job creation to #26 is the wrong agenda.  Oh, yes.  For Democrats, that’s wrong.  They’re renowned for wrecking economies.  Uh oh.  He’s bringing up gun licenses.  Isn’t that taboo here?  “That dog don’t hunt.”  Couldn’t you find a better catch phrase for the lemmings to chant?  I’m incredibly bored with this charlatan – trying to appeal to Midwesterners.  Fail.  He’s kind of reminding me of Cousin Eddie from the National Lampoon’s Vacation movies.  I’m surprised he’s using such bold language about taking out Osama bin Laden.  Too bad that that’s about the only legitimate accomplishment of Obama’s presidency – which you can’t really attribute to his leadership. 

Now, former governor of Florida, Charlie Crist – turncoat and Marco Rubio’s floor mop.  “I didn’t leave the Republican Party, it left me.”  Really?  “…Reagan would have been too moderate for today’s GOP.”  Really?!  Oh, let’s just talk common ground.  Again, I’ll translate.  “Common ground” to a Democrat means “taking ground from the GOP.”  When I look at this guy, I see a weasel.  Well, this is a first for the televised portion – the Gulf oil spill.  Talk about a political maneuver.  Obama tried to destroy the oil industry with that disaster.  Like his ole buddy, Rahm Emanuel, said: you don’t let a crisis go to waste.  Why doesn’t this guy just ask, “Can’t we all just get along and sing kum-bi-yah?”   

And now, failed presidential candidate, gold-digger, and Senator of Massachusetts, Mr. Ketchup Queen, er, um, John Kerry.  Oh, there it is.  “An exceptional country does care about the rise of the oceans…”  Knew he couldn’t get far into a speech without spewing Al Gore’s talking points.  Now he’s on to anti-war talking points and blame games.   Oh, yeah, because Mitt Romney wouldn’t have given the order to take out Osama bin Laden.  “Ask Osama bin Laden if he’s better off than he was four years ago.”  Backfire – yeah, President Obama screwed him too, but he’s a terrorist, not a citizen of the country Obama was elected to lead.  Now he’s propping up the “success” in Libya.  Right, because handing a country over to the Muslim Brotherhood is a “success.”  I’m so bored with this notion that Romney isn’t qualified to lead because of his lack of foreign policy credentials.  Really?  Where were Obama’s foreign policy credentials four years ago?  Now he’s saying that Mitt Romney is a flip-flopper.  Well, you are the authority on flip-flopping, aren’t you, Senator?  Oh my goat.  Get this pompous windbag off the stage.  He just made a Sarah Palin joke.  That’s how obsessive this party is.  It can’t let go. 

Okay, I had to take a phone call, so I missed the end of Senator Ketchup’s, doh, Kerry’s speech, as well as the first part of the interview with Bob McConnell, Republican governor of Virginia.  I’m surprised that PBS is giving time to the counter argument.  He’s not saying anything that he didn’t say last week, so I’m going to take a break for sustenance. 

For the love of goat.  How many times can one convention play I Got a Feelin’ by the Black Eyed Peas?!  Fail at both conventions.  That song was a lead-in for Dr. Jill Biden.  “…being a teacher isn’t what I do; it’s who I am.”  And probably a NEA pawn too.  There you go.  Prop up his religion.  He’s allegedly a Catholic.  This party has some serious ground to attempt to reclaim with Catholics.  Short and relatively sweet.  I don’t buy it, but it wasn’t divisive per se.

Now an introductory video for Joe.  This ought to be an evolution of hair plugging.  This video is dragging on and on.  Hopefully this means his speech will be shorter.  Unlikely.  You know what would have been better?  A sizzle reel of his greatest speech moments, culminating with his “put ya’ll back in chains” moment. 

And here he is.  Let’s see if he can top Clinton for awfulness.  Ew.  Did he just called Jill “kitten”?  Ugh.  Normally, I’d think it was cute, but it’s usually gross with Democrats.  Wow.  Really?  He just got his nights mixed up.  Twice.  He must be off script.  It was Tuesday night, when Michelle spoke, Joe.  This speech is a drag.  He’s trying to be solemn, but it’s coming across as sedated.  He sure doesn’t have the crowd riled up.  I’m so bored with this speech that I just trolled the other networks to see if anyone was carrying it.  Naturally, NBC is the only one.  I want to laugh at the points he’s brining up about the president’s character and his drive, but it just sounds depressing.  “[Romney] was willing to let Detroit go bankrupt.”  They did go bankrupt, Joe.  After we poured billions into them.  He says Romney would have approached the auto industry “the Bain way.”  I fail to see what’s wrong with that scenario.  They went through a managed bankruptcy anyways – after the bailout.  “Conviction, resolve, Barack Obama – that’s what saved the automobile industry.”  Really?  Wow.  That’s so lame.  I’m so distracted by Joe’s wattle.  He looks like he should belong in the PBS box.  Now we’re back to bin Laden.  As if that’s the administration’s accomplishment.  The SEALs and our intelligence agencies are the ones that got it done, they just did the obligatory thing and asked for the presidential go-ahead.  “…the finest warriors in the history of the world.”  – and only tepid applause.  This is so sad.  How much can you milk that one event for political gain?  And now he’s got them on their feet.  “Osama bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive.”  He’s really playing up this courage aspect.  Pretty sure Hillary has more [cajones] than Barack.  And now we’re on to DWS’s talking points, and the age-old “war on Medicare” that is prevalent at every single Democrat convention. There’s the mention of the Simpson-Bowles commission again.  When will he mention that Obama rejected that plan as well?  Apparently I missed the outsourcing talking points from DWS.  She must have saved it for this convention instead of giving excerpts of it throughout her appearances on [P]MSNBC.  Same thing with “DREAMers.”  Oh, this ought to be good.  He’s ripping Republicans on their term, “culture of dependency.”  And he completely missed the point.  Finish it up, Joe.  I’m bored.  “You deserve a president who will never quit on you.”  And now I want to make a Brokeback Mountain reference, but the idea of doing so kind of grosses me out.  Bored.  “We see a future…where one isn't forced to live in the shadows of intolerance.”  Was that a gay baiting or race baiting?  Not really following you, Joe.  And now he’s back to solemn, talking about taking care of our veterans.  I’m glad he’s not trying to make this partisan, but I think he’s trying (and failing) to cry, not trying to keep himself from doing so.  And he’s finally done.  It wasn’t as pompous or self-congratulating as Clinton’s, but just as misguided and unsatisfying. 

Now, who’s the warm up for President Kardashian?  (Yes, that’s a Rush reference, but it’s so perfect.)  Oh, so the warm-up act is Senator Dick Durbin from the always-politically pure state of Illinois.  He’s just hitting talking points.  I’m going to get more sustenance.  I love how he brought up the DREAM act that he authored, but can’t celebrate the success of this president in getting it passed.  Instead, he ursurped the checks and blances of our government and issued an executive order to enact it.

Now, a video about Obama and the past, narrated by George Clooney.  How lame.  This video is so awful.  It’s downplaying Barack, and emphasizing Michelle, Joe, and Bill [Clinton].  I want to throw things at the television already.  If that’s indicative of how this speech is going to go, pray for my television, it’s just the messenger. 

And here’s Michelle to introduce him.  A peck on the cheek?  That’s it?  She’s done more for your campaign than you’ve done in the last two.  Probably didn’t poll well to go all Al Gore on her.  Let’s see how abysmal this can get.  He’s been speaking for a few minutes and it’s almost as if I can predict every single word that he’s going to say.  It’s uncanny, really.  And now we’re on to DWS’s talking points.  Wow.  I realize conventions cover the same ground over and over again, but this one just seems like it’s so much more repetitive than the Republican counter-arguments last week.  Maybe it’s because there’s no ideas floating around this convention, but just defense and distractions.  He’s ripping on Republicans wanting tax cuts and to roll back regulations.  Why are those things bad?  Boring.  Where’s the plan for the next four years, Mr. President?  There hasn’t been even a notion of what you’d do with a second term.  You just keep saying, “we’re not done yet”, but what exactly are you not done with?  Wrecking the economy, stamping out the constitution, and stacking the Supreme Court with activist judges?  Okay, he just laid out a short “plan” that sounded oddly like what he said four years ago.  Are we going vintage here?  And there’s the outsourcing comment.  He’s DWS’s [pawn].  “Three proud words – Made in America.”  Obviously, you don’t come with that label.  Yeah, I just went there.  Oh my goat.  I’ve heard this speech a thousand times before.  Your writers need fired.  I’d get mad at this broken record, but this is so expected that it’s sad.  He’s propping up what he’d do with energy for our country, and morphing it into an environmental cause.  “…in this election, you can do something about it.”  I thought the last election was going to stop the rise of the seas and begin healing out planet.  That didn’t happen?  Oh, and back to energy.  You’re so in love with the idea of jobs?  How about green-lighting the Keystone Pipeline?  Yeah, didn’t hear that option floated here.  Now we’re on to education – you know, so we can hit all the notes that he’s hit in the same speech a thousand times before.  Where is something new?  Not that I really expect it, but the American people deserve better.  “…leadership that is tested and proven.”  Proven failure on nearly every level.  Bored.  Michelle doesn’t look very inspired.  Now we’re on to foreign policy.  “Our commitment to Israel’s security must not waiver.”  Way to court the Jewish vote.  You’ve got a lot of ground to make up.  “My opponent and his running mate are new to foreign policy.”  Guess what, Barack, I’d trust them any day with our foreign policies over you.    “…without insulting our closest ally.”  ARE YOU^%$#@! KIDDING ME?!  The Winston Churchill bust, anyone?!  Now we’re on to fiscal policy.  So bored with his logic.  Now he’s on to knocking Congress and alleging that Republicans just want to give tax breaks to their “millionaire friends.”  Come on.  I can’t even type any more, that’s how bored I am.  I’m pretty much auto-tuning him out.  It’s kind of a defensive mechanism.  “We’re not entitled to success.  We have to earn it.”  I guess success is the only thing that you think we’re not entitled to.  “We don’t think that the government is the source of all our problems.”  Well, Mr. President, I agree with President Reagan.  And last time I checked, he has an insurmountably better track record than you.  “The election four years ago wasn’t about me.”  Really?  Tell that to Samuel L. Jackson, who only pulled the lever for you due to your race.  I’m so bored here.  He’s hitting all of the obligatory points to get the crowds on their feet.  Must mean he’s almost done.  And still, there’s no real plan in sight.  Instead, he’s just playing to the demographics he needs to win – Hispanics, women, and gays.  “I’m no longer just a candidate.  I’m the president.”  And thank God we have a system that allows us to get rid of you.  At least, we have that system until (if/when) you get reelected, you decide you don’t like it and issue an executive order to get rid of it.  Still bored.  Wrap it up.  It’s 10:00pm, and the last 40 minutes has been nothing but a broken record/compilation of sound bytes from the last four years.  Now, the sob stories.  For the love of goat, could politicians not use these?  It’s political emotional whoring, and it’s ineffective.  Okay, he’s wrapping it up I believe, so I’m going to already write this speech’s obituary. 

This was a sad attempt to rile the base.  Maybe it worked, but a lot of words don’t win over those with an ounce of intelligence (i.e. anyone that’s not in that room).  Thirty-eight minutes of nothing but promising to fulfill promises he made four years ago.  And now they’re playing Brooks & Dunn’s Only in America.  Don’t ruin that song for me. 

It’s finally over.  I actually feel pretty good for the Republican Party coming out of this convention, because the Democrats had nothing to offer.  Basically, it was a “reelect us and we’ll make more speeches and hate on Republicans more.”  There was nothing of substance, and the whole atmosphere was so much less classy than what went on in Tampa.  Plus, this was almost as if it were the “old” party.  No youthful spirit, and a bunch of has-beens making speeches about accomplishments in former administrations.  There’s no record for Obama to run on, and if people would just use their brains, they’d see that reelecting him would be disastrous for our country.

Mitt Romney can win this thing.  It’s certainly possible.  I’m optimistic about his chances.  However, I’m also a realist, and see that this nation is teeming with idiots.  This should be Romney’s race by 20 points now, and a landslide on election day, but unfortunately it’ll be close down to the finish.  I still hold out hope.  I won’t be one to just sit on the sidelines and watch my country go down the tubes.  Is Romney perfect?  No, certainly not.  But after this convention, he’s clearly a better alternative to what this party in Charlotte has to offer.  This week has been tough.  If you stuck through it with me, I applaud you.  I apologize if you found some of the content off-putting or offensive, but let me assure you – this was the censored/restrained version. 

Thanks again, folks.  Good night.

Romney/Ryan 2012.  

The Democrat National Convention Commentary: Day 2

I’m already depressed.  It’s 5:59pm, and I’m dreading what’s about to come on the television.

Oh, so the wattle and the NYTDB take offense to the term “pundit”?  They prefer “analyst”.  There’s already an angry voice spewing at the podium, but he must not be very important – you know, like most everyone that has spoken thus far at this convention.  I’m bored listening to these “analysts”, so I’m checking out until I have someone else to direct my commentary towards. 

And here’s AFL/CIO president, Rich Trumka.  This ought to be lackluster…at best.  “Mitt Romney doesn’t know a thing about hard work or responsibility.”  Yeah, because being a governor or running the Olympics comes with no responsibility.  I didn’t know that organizing a union was a “fundamental human right”.  Where do these people come up with this?  Oh, and the class warfare has already started.  I don’t remember angry little men giving speeches last week in Tampa.  Pretty sure that’s a prerequisite to speak here – that, or if you’ll speak about abortion rights.

Now the Democrat Senate candidate from Wisconsin, Representative Tammy Baldwin, is in the PBS box hitting all of Debbie Wasserman-Shultz’s (henceforth, known as “DWS”) talking points.  “Work hard and play by the rules…level playing field…hard-working middle class families.”  Seriously, the robots have synchronized early tonight. 

Oh my goat.  It’s Nancy “Stretch” Pelosi!  Yikes.  She is just plain scary, and it looks as if “…the future of our party, the hope of America.”  No, madam plastic.  A win for your party is a loss for the country.  “President Obama has focused on jobs from day one.”  When was the last time his jobs council met?  Now she’s hitting the talking points.  DADT, ObamaCare, equal pay…the usual suspects.  “When you go to the polls, vote for Medicare.  Vote for President Obama.”  Do we really need to cover this material again?  Now she’s doing the same line for social security.  Now the same line about “women’s rights”.  “It’s just plain wrong.”  Lemmings, this convention is full of. 

Now we’re back to the box with Rep. Baldwin and the talking heads.  Bored. 

Now, Democratic women Senators.  Diane Fienstein (CA), Barbra Boxer (CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), and others.  They’re all being trotted out to the instrumental version of Katy Perry’s Firework.  Where’s Claire McCaskill (MO)?  Hmm?  Maybe she’s out trying to salvage a campaign she’ll probably still lose, even though she’s running against a loose-lipped opponent.  Going back to attractive women in politics.  If this sampling is any indication, Republicans own the field of hot women in politics.  Only three of nine of these women are but moderately attractive.  But I won’t dwell on looks, because you’re supposed to be looking at what’s on the inside.  If that’s the case, there’s a bunch of angry little men up there, again.  Barbra Mukulski (MD) was the spokeswoman for the group, and she’s got a wattle as well.  Just listening to her talk is vexing. 

Caroline Kennedy is joining the PBS box, talking about how Uncle Teddy [Kennedy] is at the convention, guiding them.  She says that she’s found that people are engaged on the issues.  If that’s the case, there’s no way her man, President Obama, can get reelected.  He’s got nothing to run on.  She’s actually a terrible commentator, er, um, analyst.  Monotone, unexciting, and bland.  She’s not hitting DWS’s talking points…yet.  So I have to give her partial credit.  She must not have been briefed.  Oh, there’s a “on the side of working families”.  Knew she couldn’t go the whole interview without caving. 

Jennifer Sanchez is performing, and it’s a nice break from the talking heads in the PBS booth.  Too bad this American Idol winner has to stoop to performing to this crowd.  And now they’re cutting back to the talking heads. 

Now the PBS box has the keynote speaker from last night, mayor of San Antonio, Julian Castro.  Let’s see if he goes from likable to angry little man without the smooth transition again. 

Now, the president of Planned Parenthood, Cecile Richards.  This ought to be depressing.  Oh, she just couldn’t resist the media-created Todd Akin controversy.  She’s not as unattractive as her NARAL counterpart, but her words are just as awful.  Okay, she’s not nearly as funny as she thinks she is.  “President Obama understands women.”  Does that mean he’s a woman, because no man understands women.  Period.  (Pun intended.)  She doesn’t exactly have the crowd riled up.  It’s more obligatory cheers than fired up.  Do the Democrats really think that having women renowned for abortion rights speak here will help win them votes?  And there’s the biggest cheer, for her mother, Ann Richards.  Should have seen that coming.  This was probably among the most deceitful speeches so far in this convention.  She barely mentioned anything about what Planned Parenthood stands for, which is nothing short of infanticide.  Instead, she tried to sell the idea of her organization being primarily for cancer screenings and birth control – not abortion, which is the real mantra of the organization. 

Judy [Woodruff] is actually kind of taking it to Mayor Castro on “reproductive rights”. Basically, she asked him why the Democrat party doesn’t seem open to a pro-life candidate.  And Gwen [Ifill] followed up with bringing up his Catholic background.  He’s waffling.  Basically he just said that Catholics are pro-choice, and now he’s walking that comment back.  I don’t think he’s comfortable with this conversation.  He’s sweating.  And the NYTDB just saved the mayor from further waffling and changed the subject back to the economy.  Bad interview, Mister Keynote. 

Now a veterans video.  This ought to be as close as patriotic as this convention gets.  I took a break during this, but the last two speakers, both veterans, were almost non-partisan.  I can appreciate that, but I don’t think they realize that taking care of our veterans isn't a subject President Obama owns.  Everyone in their right minds would want to do that.  They should take another look at his stance on the military.  Like, how cutting the defense budget would seem like a good idea. 

Now, Gov. Deval Patrick is joining the talking heads in the box.  I think the NYTDB is getting irritated that no one is going to give him a straight answer to his question, “What’s going to be the most important legislative accomplishment of Obama’s second term.”  And now the wattle is following up with whether Gov. Patrick thinks Mitt Romney is a felon.  Really, people?  Come on.  Break.

Sister Simone Campbell – executive director of NETWORK, a nun, and Ryan budget-hater – is now at the podium.  I love how she’s talking about compassionate acts but it’s morphing into government control.  “This is part of my pro-life stance, and the right thing to do.”  Sorry, Sister.  There’s no such thing as a pro-life Democrat any more.  We’ll welcome you to the Republican Party when you see that government control will never be as good as the compassion you advocate.  Oh, and when you stop knocking a budget that seeks to save this country’s future. 

Now, Mayor Rahm Emanuel of Chicago is joining the PBS box, talking about campaign finance reform.  I knew we couldn’t go a whole convention without the Koch brothers being mentioned.  I find the Democrats to be at the height of hypocrisy on this issue.  Rail against super PACs, then embrace them.  Bored.  “Republicans didn’t vote for President Obama’s budget.”  Neither did Democrats, Rahm.  Now he’s talking about Republicans wanting to rewrite history.  Really?!  Look at how presidents [F.D.] Roosevelt, Kennedy, and Clinton are revered in history books, while diminishing the successes of Reagan and [G.W.] Bush.  Get real, Rahm.  What a tool. 

Bill Butcher, a brewery owner, is now at the podium.  This is the Democrats’ attempt to prop up their small business credentials.  Short speech.  I figured he’d rail against Romney.  Fortunately, he didn’t.  He’s just misinformed about the president being on his side. 

Now, California Attorney General, Kamala Harris – probably the most attractive woman to speak thus far.  Now watch her ruin whatever attractive qualities she has by spouting DWS’s talking points.  I love how she’s railing about the housing crisis while not accepting the notion that it was her party that created said crisis.  Oh, now she’s on to railing on Wall Street.  Attractive, you may argue, she is, but she’s also a pawn. 

Now a video about immigration.  It’s propping up executive orders.  I have a serious issue with this.  If he’s just going to ignore the laws regarding immigration, what other laws is he going to ignore and issue executive orders to change? 

Benita Veliz, an illegal immigrant, is now at the podium.  Nothing against her, but get in line to do the immigration thing the legal way.  Oh, so the illegal immigrant was just here to introduce Cristina Saralegui, from Telemundo.  No wonder I’ve never heard of her.  Could this Cuban look any more Aryan?  Was that too far?  I think the Democrats are worried that the Republicans have lost their monopoly on Hispanic voters.  Hence, Castro, Veliz, and Saralegui.  I’m bored.  Did she just say, “He helped create a Second Great Depression.”?  If so, I’m sure she didn’t mean to, but she’s right.  Let me translate for you all.  “Comprehensive immigration reform” to Democrats means “amnesty” and “open borders” for the rest of us.  Now she’s railing on Arizona’s immigration laws.  Have I mentioned how much I love Jan Brewer?  Yikes.  That was just lackluster. I couldn’t understand half of it – because half was in Spanish.  Lame.  There was nothing in her speech about learning English, like her Republican counterparts championed last week. 

Now, the president of Carmax, , is at the podium.  And he just blamed Bush.  I’m taking a break.  I wish it was to self medicate, but it’s just not the case. 

And now a video on the auto industry.  This ought to be wrought with inaccuracies.  Yep, slamming Mitt Romney’s op-ed in the NYT.  Seriously, where is the mention of the Chevy Volt?  Where’s the mention of how GM and Chrysler actually did go bankrupt, after the bailout?  Yeah, inaccuracies.  Where did they dig up these pawns.

Who’s this Karen Eusanio.  Oh, naturally, a UAW member.  I assume she’s here to introduce someone?  “President Obama didn’t think about the polls or the politics.  He thought about the people.”  Sorry, honey.  All that Democrats pay attention to is polls and politics.  And there’s Michelle.  I guess she’s not here to introduce anyone.

Okay, maybe she was an opening act for Bob King, UAW president.  Labor leaders speaking at a convention just seems like a conflict of interest.  But then again, unions are just money laundering operations for the Democrat Party.  And now, we’re going to rip on Bain Capital.  It was only a matter of time.  Since when are labor laws, strong unions, and collective bargaining “basic human rights.”  Is this a fantasy event?  Where’s the cosplay?   Now he’s ripping on Wisconsin.  Why?  I think Gov. Walker is doing a phenomenal job taking on the overgrown behemoths that you represent. 

Oh, this ought to be good.  Former employees of Bain Capital – also known as political pawns.  Bored.  This is such a joke.  Speaking of jokes, there’s Joe Biden.  And this is a cyclical double negative.  I don’t hate Mitt, but I hate him.  Really, folks?  Oh, they have beer in the stands.  I’m envious.  Can you tell that I’m easily distracted from the political pawns that will be discarded after the election?  Yikes!  There’s Al Franken, doing his best Jack Nicholson as the Joker impression.  Scary. 

Now, back to the talking heads.  The NYTDB is still upset that the convention hasn’t taken his advice.  I don’t think he realizes that this actually reflects bad on Democrats.  I doubt that’s his intent.  Now the wattle says that we celebrate the auto bailout.  We do?  News to me.  Oh, so this was just a transition into a rant about Clint Eastwood.  Typical liberal.  Bored.

Oh my goat.  This ought to be just awful.  Sandra Fluke (aka, slut) just took the podium.  How long until she mentions Rush Limbaugh?  Oh, so now she’s fear mongering.  Oh, there it is.  Not by name, but it only took her a minute.  But she’s back to fear mongering.  She’s in good company.  “…forcing us to endure invasive ultrasounds.”  What is invasive about an ultrasound?  And there’s the media-created Todd Akin controversy.  That only took two and a half minutes.  This broad is a robot.  Pretty sure she got a makeover before this.  How does it feel, Miss Fluke, to whore yourself out to the Democrat party?  After the election, you’ll be discarded like a form of birth control you advocate.  Too far?  Too bad.  I have no respect for a woman who doesn’t respect the unborn.  Plus, activists don’t do it for me.  Finally, it’s over.  Eight minutes too long. 

Jim Sinegal, former CEO of Costco, is taking the podium.  His warm-up act will be very easy to follow.  Very easy.  Yes, read into that.  I know I sound like a chauvinist, but I really don’t think these women can be demeaned any more than they’ve demeaned themselves by their own words.  Mr. Sinegal’s speech is lackluster.  Monotone, uninspiring, and misguided.  Hahahaha!  One of the delegates is asleep!  Classic! 

And now, Elizabeth Warren, Senate candidate from Massachusetts - and 1/32 American Indian?  “I never dreamed I’d be the warm up act for President Bill Clinton.”  How deep do I need to read into that?  (Yes, I know, there were several double entendres in there.)  Oh goat.  “The system is rigged.”  We’re going to go there, then?  Bored.  There’s the “fair share” comment.  Lame.  Now she’s saying Mitt Romney would raise taxes.  Isn’t it your party who wants the Bush tax cuts to expire?  I think she’s got a sick fantasy of Obama fighting for her.  The way she’s describing his alleged taking on of the big banks, it’s a little disturbing.  Have I mentioned that I’m bored?  And there’s the equal pay reference. Beating a dead horse, anyone?  She just invoked Matthew 25:40.  How about the Democrats look up Exodus 20:13?  Where is the person with the stage hook?  This has been going on for far too long. 

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa just stepped up to the podium.  He’s here to introduce former president, Bill Clinton.  I find his presence here fascinating.  Naturally, here to scout out interns, er, um, prop up his wife’s 2016 run, er, no, why is he here? 

Why is he getting such an ovation?  This should be a cake walk for him.  He doesn’t like Obama, but lying through his teeth is second nature to this guy.  I do find it ironic that Vice President Joe Biden isn’t speaking tonight.  Probably because he doesn’t have a chance of holding a candle to Rep. Paul Ryan’s speech a week ago.  “I want to nominate a man who’s cool on the outside, but burns for America on the inside.”  Again, how am I supposed to read that?  “In Tampa, a few days ago, we heard a lot of talk.”  Not as much hot air as we’re getting here in Charlotte.  One of my sources just told me that if throwable objects were available, they’d be hurled at the television set.  And he’s just warming up.  Yikes!  There’s his and Hillary’s spawn!  And there’s the tell – licking the lips.  So, Republicans are the party of hate?  Right.  This guy is a comedian.  Biting his lip now.  Is that another tell?  “What works in the real world, is cooperation.”  Right.  “Cooperation” to a Democrat means “Republicans caving to their tantrums.”  “He is still committed to constructive cooperation.”  Really?  Wasn’t it Obama that said that “elections have consequences, and [he] won”?  Now he’s heaping praise on Joe Biden and his wife.  “…more partners and fewer enemies”?  Are you kidding me?  Turn your back on Israel and the UK and embrace the Muslim brotherhood?  That’s making us safer?!  I’m so bored.  He’s droning on and on about partisanship in Congress.  Really?  Republicans left Obama a mess?  Last time I checked, the Democrats were in control of Congress starting in 2007.  Who left the mess for whom?  “Are we better off than we were when he took office?”  NO! NO! NO!  Anyone with half a brain knows that.  Don’t try to spin this.  We’re not impressionable interns.  “No one could have repaired the damage he found in just four years.”  Maybe not, but what he could have done, was attempt to stop the bleeding.  Instead, he ripped any band-aid that was on the mess off and sunk the knife deeper.  Did you see the national debt top $16 trillion?  That’s not leadership, that’s abject failure.  I’m so done with this bloviating douche bag.  “The auto industry restructuring worked.”  Before they went bankrupt?  If this guy was Pinocchio, his nose would be in the Atlantic Ocean by now.  And that’s just from this speech.  Gaffe.  “It will cut your gas price in half, er, it will cut your gas bill in half.”  What, bringing up the fact that gas prices have doubled since Obama’s inauguration is a touchy subject?  Wrap it up, Bill.  (TWMS?)  I’m bored, and if you don’t end this lie-fest, I’m going to start chucking my shoes at my television.  I have size 16 shoes, and I like my television.  Don’t make me do it.  Oh, man.  Now he’s just getting to ObamaCare – a term he calls “derisive.”  Aptly labeled.  And just a news flash, over half of Americans favor repeal.  It’s a poll.  You should take notice.  And now he’s taking on Ryan’s Medicare plan.  He is going to crash and burn.  This is making no sense.  And I don’t think anyone in the convention hall is following him either.  They’re just mindlessly cheering.  Because, I mean, it’s Bubba, baby.  This is the stalest argument in the Democrat playbook – and right out of DWS’s talking points.  How many times can you say “end Medicare as we know it”?  And now he’s on to the work requirement for welfare.  Why are we supposed to trust him when he says, “Here’s what happened.”  Did we believe him when he told us what happened with Monica – the first time?!  I love how he’s taking credit for welfare reform, when it was Newt Gingrich and the House Republicans that dragged him kicking and screaming to the table to do so.    For the love of goat.  Now he’s on to debt.  “We’ve got to deal with the debt…What has the president done?”  ADDED TO IT BY $5 TRILLION DOLLARS!  He didn’t even take the advice of the Simpson-Bowles commission!  How many times is PBS going to cut to Rahm “The Fake Tan Rat” Emanuel?  I’m fuming here.  Listening to this guy talk reminds me of how much I loathed him when he was in office.  I was 15 when he left office.  I was raised right and was politically smart from a young age.  Why?  Because I wasn’t indoctrinated in public school.  “We simply cannot afford to give the reigns to someone who will double down on trickle down.”  Seriously.  Get this guy off the stage.  “If you want every American to vote, and you think it’s wrong to change voting procedures…”  Because the Democrat party would never partake in voter fraud.  The fact that I’m still writing infuriates me.  Finally.  It’s over.  The vile man is leaving the stage.  Really?!  Did Bill just bow to Barack?  Taking a cue from our current president, eh?  Get these two idiots off the stage. 

I’ve muted the talking heads.  This was a terrible speech.  Oh, don’t doubt me – the Democrats and their willing spokespeople in the media probably loved it and are [self-gratifying] in the press boxes.  But I loathed every minute of it.  Anyone who buys any of this pathetic excuse for a president’s [malarkey] really needs to see a psychiatrist.  The whole night was a train-wreck.  Worse than last night.  I hate to imagine what’s in store for the finale tomorrow night.  I look forward to it being over.

The Democrat National Convention Commentary: Day 1

Okay…really late to the game here, but I don’t think I missed much.  I know I’m uber-biased, but this is going to do a number on my psyche.  It’s a good thing I’m not a big drinker, otherwise, I’d have alcohol poisoning before this week is over.

It’s 7:24, and this thing has been going on for over an hour.  I think I missed Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.  How tragic.  The last 15 minutes has been brutal, but this is where I’m joining PBS’s coverage.  Oh, hello Jesse Jackson: pillar of morality and common sense.  (Warning: sarcasm is going to be rampant the next three days.)

Now the NARAL spokeswoman (Nancy Keenan) is spewing abortion talking points.  The disgusting thing is that she’s getting huge cheers.  It’s sickening.  Naturally, she had to bring up the media-created controversy involving Todd Akin, and the hideousness that is Sandra Fluke.  I love how this broad (yeah, I’m using demeaning terms for women who have demeaned themselves for aligning with such horrible agencies) never mentions the child these women are carrying.  “Women in America cannot trust Mitt Romney…He would repeal ObamaCare.”  I fail to see the problem here.  Seriously, you should hear this broad.  And it’s the Republicans who are the angry party.  Remember how last week I was saying that there weren’t any unattractive women at the RNC?  Yeah, not the case here.  Actually, I’m having difficulty figuring out which ones are men, and which are women. 

Ugh.  Sheilds (aka “the wattle”) and Brook (aka “the NYT douche bag”) are back.  Nice, Brook actually just made a decent point.  Of the 32 speakers, they’re either a politician, labor leader, or activist.  No one speaking is from the private sector. 

Tammy Duckworth just took the stage.  She’s running for the House in Illinois, and she’s a double amputee Iraq veteran.  I don’t want to sound cynical, but I’m pretty sure she’s just being trotted out for military credentials.  Too bad she doesn’t know that she’s just a ploy.  Dude.  Is that an old man chomping on a cigar?  I’d need something stronger.  Nice.  There’s a guy with earbuds in.  Super respectful.  Eesh!  It’s “Plugs” Biden!  Oh, and there’s the “Obama got Osama” reference.  And naturally, we had to have the obligatory DADT and women in combat references.  And now for the sympathy pull.  Whoa!  The “USA! USA! USA!” chant.  I didn’t think that was possible with this crowd.  I applaud her service, but I feel bad that she doesn’t see her appearance here as anything more than a ploy.

Governor Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island just took the stage.  He’s the only “Independent” governor, which is kind of like saying that Barney Frank is a bisexual.  It’s a farce, which is why he’s here, at the Democrat National Convention.  “We’re liberal in the best sense of the word.”  There’s a good sense of the word.  “There’s really nothing conservative about today’s Republican party.”  Logic, buddy, get some.  Oh, so that’s why he’s here, to be Al Gore’s surrogate.  “We believe in freedom.”  No you don’t.  Now the obligatory abortion and gay rights statements.  I’m bored.  Now we’re on to education.  Sure, talk up the public education system that liberals have wrecked and then blame Republicans for wanting to give people a choice in education.  Lame.  “We believe in fiscal responsibility.”  I didn’t know this was a comedy show.  Oh…there he is.  Barney Frank.  Dude.  I’m kind of psychic. “…the values of Abraham Lincoln.”  Who was a Republican.   What is this show, besides a comedy?  A Democrat hour with special guest appearances from former RINOs who have finally come out of the political closet?  

Stacey Lihn, a mother – who must be an activist – just took the podium to talk about how much she cried with joy when ObamaCare passed and was upheld by the SCOTUS.  This is disgusting.  Trot out children to sell a policy.  And her little girl is crying.  It is pretty sad.  Sad that the Democrats are stooping so low.  And now the “Four More Years” chant has started.  Lame. 

Former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland just took the stage.  Is there a reason he’s yelling?  Oh, he’s the union talker.  Okay…took a little break from typing for a little liquid refreshment.  Unfortunately, there’s no alcohol in my pad.  This has been tough to listen to.  Strickland is an angry little man that’s trying to rip Romney apart.  Lame. 

And now, Kathleen Sebelius, former Kansas governor and current Secretary of Health and Human Services.  I loathe this woman.  The scary thing is that she’ll have so much power if this legislative atrocity that she’s propping up is fully enacted.  “ObamaCare is a badge of honor.”  Well, that’s telling.  “If you’re under age 26, you can stay on your parent’s plan.”  Isn’t that sad?  To basically say, “Just be a slacker until you’re almost 30.”  I can’t stand that she’s propping up Obama passing ObamaCare when it was actually the idiots in Congress who actually did so.  Sure, he spearheaded it and signed it, but it was the loons in Congress who wrote the elements she’s spewing on about…and then they didn’t read it.  Really, Kathleen?  You want to talk about Medicare?  How about talking about how ObamaCare robs from Medicare to pay for its huge bill.  I’m so bored.  “If you work hard and play by the rules…” These people are robots. 

Here’s Rahm Emmanuel, mayor of Chicago, and future convicted felon (if you go by Illinois government officials’ track record).  This guy just looks like a rat.  A rat with a fake tan, that is.  “…we have a once in a generation president.”  I hope he’s this generation’s Jimmy Carter.  Again with the robot statements about infrastructure, Wall Street, and 29 months of employment growth.  People who buy this load of [malarkey] should really have their heads examined.  He’s really having trouble getting this speech out without stumbling.  His microchip must be malfunctioning.  I love how people are propping up how Obama saved the auto industry.  Yeah, maneuvered to save the industry by bailing them out…before they eventually filed for bankruptcy anyways.  How’s that Chevy Volt doing, Rahm?  “The president never changed his views to suit the audience or the moment.”  [Malarkey.]  Gay marriage, anyone?  A delegate is holding up signs saying “Demand our right to travel to Cuba.”  So confused. 

So, Barack’s sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, and Michelle’s brother, Craig Robinson, have taken the stage.   What’s all this talk about Head Start?  Propping up another government agency?  “He named two brilliant women who understand our lives to the Supreme Court.”  I wouldn’t call them brilliant.  I’m more prone to the term “activist”. 

Sorry, I got bored.  So I went to make supper. 

Lilly Ledbetter, an equal-pay activist, is at the podium.  I’m pretty sure her plastic surgeon needs fired.  Have I mentioned how boring this thing is?  It’s basically a bunch of angry talking heads. 

Governor Deval Patrick from Massachusetts just left the podium.  Passionate, and I’ll give him credit for telling Democrats to grow a backbone.  Other than that, it’s nothing you haven’t heard on [P]MSNBC. 

I’m so bored.  Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley has got the drones in the crowd chanting “Forward, not back” on cue.  He’s passionate as well, but every speech so far has been the same.  Pretty sure Debbie Wasserman-Schultz got the talking points pounded into their heads.

Joaquin Castro, a Texas State Representative, just took the podium to introduce his twin brother, Julian Castro, mayor of San Antonio.  “[San Antonio] looks like the America of tomorrow.”  How deep am I supposed to read into that?   And there’s I Got a Feelin’ by the Black Eyed Peas.  Whoever organizes events this big should take notes: that is the most overplayed song for any gathering and should be stricken from playlists henceforth.  So, Julian has taken the stage this convention’s keynote address.  He’s just going through backstory.  I’m only half listening.  Now he’s talking about hard work.  What would a Democrat know about that?  They promote a welfare state.  Oh, how ironic.  There’s will.i.am.  Figures.  “How do we multiply success?  The answer is Barack Obama.”  Oh, this guy is funny.  I wonder who writes his jokes.  And now he’s going from nice guy to tough guy.  Not a smooth transition.  Could the people in this audience be more lemming-like?  “Mitt Romney says no!”  Even this guy’s daughter has her hands over her ears.  Kids shouldn’t be submitted to this circus.  Oh, there it is.  Bringing up the deportation fiasco.  Yeah, that’s a good plan.  Support breaking laws.  And now we’re on to class warfare – a common theme from tonight, I’ve just been too bored with the talking points to bring it up.  I do find the idea that Obama brings jobs home ironic when so much of the stimulus plan gave money to companies overseas.  But then, hypocrisy is okay when you’re a Democrat.  And now we’re back to the personal sob story.  Normally, I’d be inspired by it.  Unfortunately, this guy just sounds like any other public school-educated drone that is predisposed to be liberal.  He’s done.  Meh.  This guy’s got nothing on Chris Christie.  We’ll welcome him into the Republican party when he comes to his senses.

And now we’re treated to a video about Michelle.  Oh, how I just can’t wait for this…I wonder if she’ll talk about when she became proud to be an American.  Oh, hello Valerie Jarrett – daughter of an Iranian Communist.  You’re one to talk about legacy.  I love how this video is trying to make her human.  She’s got nothing on Ann Romney.  You know, I don’t really care about her wanting to educate kids about exercise and diet, but it’s another to force kids and their parents into adopting her agenda.  So bored with this video.  And now we’re on to the first family.  Bored.  I wonder how long before these girls go all Lindsay Lohan.  I truly hope not, but I wouldn’t be surprised. 

Elaine Brye, a military mom, just walked out to introduce Michelle.  “I’m not even a political person.”  [Malarkey.] Otherwise you wouldn’t be here.  How many people write Christmas letters to politicians?  It must have said, “I’m a political ploy.  Use me.” 

It’s 9:39pm.  I bet she doesn’t get off the stage before 10:00pm, but here she is.  Michelle Obama, in rare form.  You know, trying to be genuine.  It’s hard not to compare this little bit of her speech about who she’s seen across the country to the hands bit from Rick Santorum’s speech last week.  This one pales in comparison.  And now we’re on to trying to humanize Barack.  “When Barack started telling me about his family…I knew I’d found a kindred spirit.”  Oh, your family was routed in Marxism, Communism, and Anti-colonialism too?  Small world.  And now we’re back to the equal pay mantra.  Look, there’s nothing wrong with equal pay, but have these people ever heard of beating a dead horse?  Or is this just trying to prop up one of the administration’s few less confrontational/controversial successes?  “Being president doesn’t change who you are.  It reveals who you are.”  Again, how deep am I supposed to read into that?  And now she’s hitting all of Debbie Wasserman-Schultz’s talking points.  And probably the biggest cheer thus far was about choices women make with their bodies.  What about the child that they may be carrying.  Who in your party will stand up for them?  “…these issues aren’t political.”  [Malarkey.]  Everything with Democrats is political.  There’s the “who we love” talking point.  Again.  We get it.  Democrats love the gays.  We don’t hate them; we just don’t think we need to redefine marriage to coddle them.  “We can trust Barack to do what he says he’s gonna do.”  Then why is Guantanamo still open?  Why hasn’t he gone line by line in a budget?  Why haven’t the seas began to recede or the planet begun to heal yet?  Broken promises, Michelle.  Don’t try to spin it.  We’re not stupid.  Apparently a bunch of folks in that convention hall are, but Americans are not.  Oh, 10:00pm.  She’s still going.  “Surely we can get to the polls on election day and make our voices heard.”  Pretty sure I’m reading too far into this, but I’m pretty sure that was a voter ID subtext.  Nice.  A dude with a Robin Hood hat.  Too bad he missed the point.  Oh, is she going to do it?  Tear up?  Great actress, that Michelle.  I wish she was being genuine, but I just don’t buy it for a second.  Well delivered speech and easily the best of the night.  And why isn’t Barack here, the way Mitt was here for Ann?  Oh, that’s right.  He’s out trying to salvage a fledging campaign.  Michelle has nothing on Ann Romney, but she did her best to try to deliver a similarly-themed speech as she did last Tuesday.  Fail.

And now, the talking heads are [self-gratifying] in the PBS box.  I’m not listening any more.  I didn’t even catch the first hour and fifteen minutes and it was still brutal at every turn.  Sure, Michelle almost sounded like someone with a soul, but it’s a farce.  Everything with these people is a ploy to get voters.  I’m not buying it.  One night down, two to go, and it only gets worse from here folks.  I won’t be offended if you don’t stay tuned.  

The Republican National Convention Commentary: Day 3

Okay, it’s Day 3, and after last night, I’m jazzed.

Not too thrilled that I’m watching this, yet again, on PBS.  I wish I had C-SPAN or FOX News for this, because I really don’t like this Gwen Ifill/Judy Woodruff/Mark Sheilds/David Brooks commentary.  Truly lackluster.  I either want moderately intelligent commentary (FOX News) or none (C-SPAN), but my fiscal stance doesn’t justify cable, so I’m settling for PBS.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is joining them in the box, but I doubt he’ll be able to speak some sense into them.  I’m not even going to commentate, because Brooks just dropped a stupid question that anyone with any sense would know about the divided Senate.  These people give journalism a bad name – like most “journalists” nowadays.  Nice.  McConnell just verbally slapped Shields.  Fantastic.  And now they’ve swapped McConnell for Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois.  Incredibly lame to invite a Democrat to commentate.  Why don’t you just invite Rachel Maddow?  Talk about a robot.  This guy has hit every misnomer and standard talking point of the Democrat party. 

Now we’ve shifted to a pre-taped interview with Tagg Romney, one of the nominee’s sons.  Not as polished as his mom and dad, but seems just as genuine. 

Oh, so we’re not going to carry Speaker Boehner’s speech or the Pledge, but we’re going to interview the writers of a book about Romney?  Oh, and they’re both writers for The Boston Globe.  Wow.  Tacky.  How disrespectful.  They’re commentating instead of carrying the national anthem.  Even tackier.  Oh my goat.  These lunatics are driving me up the wall.  Now we’re shifting to “presidential historians”.  Great.  Commentating break. 

Oh, did we just realize that Boehner was at the podium?  Ugh.  I Got a Feelin’ again?  Fail again, RNC music supervisor.  The floor is looking a lot more vibrant tonight.  The people, that is.

Congressman Connie Mack of Florida just took the stage.  Good speech.  Short, sweet, and to the point.

They just showed a Reagan legacy video.  I’m not going to lie, I swelled with emotion.  Not a blubbering mess like women watching the latest whoring from the mind of Nicholas Sparks, but rather, pride in America and respect for a great man. 

Now Newt and Callista Gingrich are at the podium, talking about Reagan’s legacy.  Ooo…Newt, I  love you.  I don’t love your personal life, but I love your political resolve.  Thanks for likening this novice in the White House to the failed Jimmy Carter.  Callista is no Ann.  Too robotic.  Great words. 

Now we’re playing a Hispanics video.  Not too keen on these things.  Too much like pandering.  Their words are right on, but this seems too heavy-handed.  Though, I think I just find it odd in this party, whereas pandering is commonplace in the other.  What really irritates me about this video isn’t the content, but that Governor Luis  Fortuno of Puerto Rico plays a major role in it.  And his remarks weren’t carried last night. 

Now Craig Romney, Mitt and Ann’s youngest son, is delivering remarks in Spanish.  Not terribly keen on this, but I’ll give him credit, because he did missionary work in Chile.  Okay, I like this kid.  He got choked up talking about his grandparents.  Short, but sweet. 

Now a video about the American dream. 

Now former Florida governor Jeb Bush is at the podium, flanked by Sean Duffy, a teacher from Texas, and Franz Placide, a student of school choice from Florida.    “I love my brother.”  We do too.  “Mr. President, it’s time to stop blaming your predecessor for your failed economic policies.”  Preach.  “…a real leader would accept responsibilities for his actions.”  Amen.  Now he’s on to education.  This kind of seems like riding on the winds brought by Condi last night.  I hate to critique a fellow Republican, but Mr. Duffy , you look like a bearded ginger version of Rachel Maddow.  Though, you aren’t foaming at the mouth, so I’ll give you credit.  Excellent milk analogy on school choice, Gov. Bush.  “You can either help the politically powerful unions, or you can help the kids.”  And he just brought up Gov. Walker’s fight for education.  The crowd loved it.  Did I mention that Gov. Walker annihilated the [P]MSNBC whack-job panel last night?  Epic.  Look it up.  Okay, back to Gov. Bush.  I really like how he never said that a quality education is a right, but rather an opportunity. 

Okay, PBS is taking a break.  Switched over to the Kansas City/Green Bay game.  No surprise there.  Green Bay is up 14-3.  Go Packers!

Ooo…I think I can see Meghan Kelly from the convention perch.  So much more attractive than these bloviating windbags, Brooks and Sheilds.  They think this convention is “too idealistic.”  Really?  That’s a bad thing?  Commentating break.

Now PBS’s guy on the floor is interviewing Ted Cruz.  He’s asking him about the Tea Party.  Cruz is giving this guy a great schooling.  We’re not going to cover the current speaker, instead we’re going to listen to the “presidential historians” ponder whether this is the return of the Goldwater era.

Now we’re hearing from tenants of the Mormon church.  This guy is propping up Romney’s faith credentials.  Last night, I read a thread of conversations about the evangelical thoughts on his Mormon faith.  Ooo.  Gov. Walker is sitting with Ann.  Sorry.  A.D.D.  I’m just having a hard time getting into this guy’s speech.  It’s monotone and I don’t think he’s capable of moving his upper lip.  It’s not without substance, just not stirring.  Okay, his name is Bishop Grant Bennett, and I think his left eye is fake.  Sorry.  A.D.D. again.  Now Pat and Ted Oparowski are at the podium.  They’re telling a touching story about their son’s illness and the character of Mitt Romney throughout.  Great story, great folks.  Now, Pam Finlayson is at the podium.  Another touching story, and I appreciate how she’s getting choked up – shows the genuine side.  Great story. 

If these whack-jobs start in on Romney’s likability, I’m going to blow a fuse.  And….there Gwen goes.  I’d go on a commentary break, but former Mississippi governor, Haley Barbour, is in the booth.  He just zinged Sheilds: “You and I both know that if this election is about Barack Obama, Mitt Romney is going to win.”  Brooks just took a condescending tone with Barbour on Medicare, and I love how Barbour is calmly putting him in his place.  How did we get back to Medicare?  I thought we were on likability.  I know we won’t talk about faith on PBS, but come on.  Why are you moving to immigration Sheilds?  You just tried to demonize Governor Jan Brewer of Arizona.  Fail.  Your wattle amuses me though.  Barbour’s response about securing the border, though – brilliant.  Zing!  Barbour just lightly slammed Brooks comment on cutting funding for public broadcasting.

Tom Stenberg, former CEO of Staples, just took the podium.  The crowd is chanting “You built that!”  Love it!  “Who would make a better president?  [Paraphrased:] Someone who likes saving a dollar on pens and paper, or someone who wastes $500 million dollars on Solyndra?”  I love how he’s getting the crowd in on this, “They just don’t get it.”  Classic.  Good speech. 

And now the talking heads are talking about how the Mormon stories not getting out until now is “campaign malpractice.”  Really?  Judy is actually trying to make a good point, that Ann said Mitt doesn’t like talking about himself. 

Now, Ray Fernandez, a Florida businessman, has taken the podium.  He’s propping up Romney’s work at Bain Capital, and how Bain helped he and his wife build their own business.  Very short speech, but absolutely necessary. 

Commentary break.  I need sustenance, and they’ve shifted outside the hall to other talking heads.

Former Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey is at the podium now.   She’s here to prop up Romney’s tenure as governor of Taxachusetts.  Okay, there’s something I didn’t know.  She says that he never took a salary when he was governor.  That’s kind of Ron Paul-esque.  “…he will never apologize for America.”  I think that’s the first time I’ve heard the apology aspect at this convention. 

And back to the talking heads.  More sustenance. 

Now, Jane Edmonds, former secretary of workforce in Romney’s cabinet – and a liberal Democrat – is at the podium.  This ought to be interesting.  She’s really propping up his promotion of women in government.  That was good.  I’m not aligned with her ideologically, but I have great respect for her.  She’s not afraid to say that she respects his authenticity and passion. 

Now the talking head are blabbering again.  Why can’t we watch whoever is performing right now.  Sounds a lot better, just in the background, than these windbags.  Now this “presidential historian” just tried a subtle blow at Governor Chris Christie.  Oh, it’s Taylor Hicks performing.  Nice.  Another “American Idol” alum. 

Kim Rhode, a gold medalist in skeet shooting, just took the stand.  Apparently, this is the Olympics segment.  She’s joined by Dan Jansen and others.  Scott Hamilton – wow, that one surprises me. She just introduced the hockey captain from 1980 Olympic team, Mike Eruzione.  Big chant, “USA! USA! USA!”  Love it!  I kind of want to go re-watch Miracle now.  Derek Parra is speaking now.  These guys are doing a great job showing how well Romney managed the Olympics.  A.D.D. moment: Hello, Paul Ryan.  Let’s be friends.  Okay, Mr. Parra’s story is incredibly touching.  I don’t remember this story of the World Trade Center flag at the 2002 Olympic Games.  Well done, sir.

Oh, man.  I’d rather listen to BeBe Winans instead of the commentary.  I’ll commentate instead.  I really wasn’t as jazzed about tonight’s lineup, because I didn’t know hardly any of them.  However, this is going quite well.  I just love how these talking heads are just flummoxed at the idea that Mitt relates to “normal” people.    Seriously, I want to listen to BeBe.  Wonderful.  Ooo…they’re cutting to him.  Surprising.  Fantastic!  Gwen: “That was worth listening to.”  Instead of you, Gwen, any day. 

Have I mentioned how excited I am to see Clint Eastwood here?  Can we just have him throw the Obamas out of the White House onto the lawn and then say as only he can, “Get off my lawn!”?  Please?!  Can’t wait!

Now we’ve got an Olympic tribute video.  Check that, this is more of a overview of Romney.  Great video.  YouTube it.

Oh.  Hell yes.  Love the backdrop behind Clint.  Classic.  Can’t wait to hear what he has to say.  I don’t think he’s using the teleprompter.  Love it.  I can’t even commentate.  You must YouTube this.  Epic.  “Politicians are employees of ours.”  Preach.  “When somebody does not do the job, we gotta let ‘em go.”  This is fantastic.  “Go ahead… MAKE MY DAY!”  That was AWESOME!

That may be the first right thing the talking heads have said all week, “Tough act to follow.”  But I think Senator Marco Rubio of Florida is up to the task.  Love this guy.  This guy’s got passion.  I can’t wait to see “President” in his title in eight years…  He just took on the Obama campaign’s slogan “Forward”.  Fantastic.  “Hope and change has become divide and conquer.”  Word.  “This election is about your future, it’s about yours.”  Agreed.  “Almighty God is the source of all we have.”  Preach.  Literally.  “Faith in our Creator is the most important American value of them all.”  This guy is awesome.  Passion, charisma, and heart.  He’s got a captive audience.  I think he just had a minor gaffe, and I’m sure the talking heads will have a field day with it.  Regardless, great speech.  Love. That. Guy.

And here’s Mitt.  Coming in on the convention floor, instead of from backstage.  Classy.  And now the talking heads are blabbering about the stage change.  Mitt really does look humbled by this.  Okay, up till now, I’ve actually been kind of captivated by the speech, but now the protestor(s) is interrupting.  Too bad PBS didn’t have a good angle.  I bet they were in the [P]MSNBC box.  Good speech, thus far.  I’m kind of dropping the commentary ball here, but it’s not really something I can talk about while watching.  It’s pretty engrossing.  Okay, best quote yet: “In America, we celebrate success.  We don’t apologize for success.”  Word.  I think we’re getting into the meat now.  Ooo….a five step plan.  1) Energy independence, 2) Education choice, 3) Trade, 4) Cutting the deficit and balancing the budget, and finally, 5) Promoting small business (reeling in regulations and repealing and replacing [?] ObamaCare).  I like that.  A business plan.  “As president, I’ll protect the sanctity of life.  I’ll honor the institution of marriage.”  Thanks for addressing these issues from such a huge platform.  “My promise is to help you and your family.”  “[In a Romney administration,] Mr. Putin would see a little less flexibility and a little more backbone.”   Great speech, Governor.  I’m behind you. 

This was a great convention.   Look at all the people on this stage!  Fantastic!  The talking heads are bloviating.  I’m going to sign off.  I’m excited.

Ugh.  And I just realized that I’m that much closer to next week’s swirling vortex of doucheism in Charlotte.  Don’t worry; I’ll cover it so you don’t have to.  Taking one for the team, that’s me.  I don’t look forward to it, but I’m going to do my best not to throw things at the television.  

The Republican National Convention Commentary: Day 2

Night 2. Let’s go. 

Okay, the color guard is out, and they’re disabled veterans.  Nice touch.  Naturally, the PBS coverage isn’t going to carry the Pledge of Allegiance.  I’m surprised they’re carrying the National Anthem, sung by Ayla Brown, daughter of Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts.   Lovely.  So was the song.

Okay, so the wattle from last night, Mark Shields, a syndicated columnist.  The New York Times douche, David Brooks. 

Why are these talking heads dwelling on the alleged lack of personal likability on the part of Mitt Romney?  He’s perfectly likable, and seems pretty genuine.  How about we talk about the two-faced person occupying the Oval Office?  The wattle just said “we know Chris Christie better after a half-hour speech last night than we know Mitt Romney after two presidential campaigns.”  Really?  Where has this fossil been for the last year?  I’m bored with this.  I’m halting commentary until they bring in a guest or shift to the stage.  The color guard just left the stage.  Classy.  Christina Bellantoni, political editor of the News Hour, just joined them.  Still not going to commentate. 

The Ron Paul video just started.  I’m intrigued by this.  Okay, I’ll admit it, I think this is a ploy.  I agree with some of what Paul stands for, but some of his views are out there.  I really think this is a way to reach out to the Paulites, and bring them into the fold.  Good move, but I don’t think it’ll do a whole lot of good. 

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is taking the stage.  He’s not really saying anything that knocks it out of the park, but he’s doing fine.  McConnell isn’t the best speech giver, but he’s been a bulwark in the Senate against the rat known as Harry Reid.  Okay, there was a nice pun about how Obama is looking “for a spot on the PGA tour.”  Props.  “To call this a recovery, is an insult to recoveries.”  Word. 

Okay, talking heads, you should just let Jack Blades Back in the Game blast and shut up for a while.  Oh, really, Brooks, get a little dig in at Palin being “kicked off FOX tonight.”  Since when?  I love how these idiots talk about the Tea Party like they know something about it.  Completely devoid of intellect, that’s how I would label them.

Okay, Rand Paul, Senator from Kentucky, is taking the stage.  “When the Supreme Court upheld ObamaCare, the first words out of my mouth were, ‘I still think it’s unconstitutional.’”  “The whole damn thing is still unconstitutional.”  Preach.  He’s reiterating the “you didn’t build that” comment.  If this were a drinking game, there’d be some alcohol poisoning by now, but you can’t really drive that point home enough.  I’m not going to lie, these oriental names tripping him up are kind of amusing.  Thank you for bringing up the Keystone pipeline.  Okay, he wasn’t as awesome as I thought he might be, but he was still petty good. 

Now we’re on to the Bush video, of 41 and 43.  Is there any classier first lady than Laura Bush?  Integrity.  Exactly.  I didn’t always agree with either of their actions, but I have tremendous respect for both of them.  That was a superbly classy video.  Funny, touching, and just a nice touch.  I’m surprised that the talking heads are almost giving both men props.  Okay, Sheilds.  You’re driving me up the wall.  Now he’s back to this “Mitt Romney isn’t personable” talking point.  Just shut up. 

I’m surprised they’re carrying the tail end of Jeanine McConnell and Chris Devlin-Young’s introduction of Senator John McCain of Arizona.  Hello, Gov. McDonnell.  I really don’t understand why McCain is here.  I’ve never been a fan of his.  I have great respect for his service to this country, but as a politician, I’ve never cared for him.  Now, Governor Jan Brewer of Arizona (who it just flashed on screen), I love her.   Look, I’m liking everything he’s saying about the veterans and those serving today, but I can’t shake this notion that the RNC is letting, by all accounts, a loser address the convention.  He lost four years ago, so how is anything he says supposed to rev the engines of those here today?  Okay, props for addressing the US-Israel relationship.   Oh, ten points for hitting the administration on the media leaks.  I do like how he’s addressing the uprisings in Iran and Syria.  Not necessarily because it’s the job of the US to be the world police (yes, I now have America, F--- Yeah! stuck in my head), but because the president has been completely uninvolved.  This is a job for the UN, or at least, it’s what they should be doing were they not about the most corrupt international organization in existence.  Okay, I’m off the soapbox.  McCain is wrapping up, and not a moment too soon.  I still don’t understand why he’s even speaking.  I can think of about ten other people who could have filled the slot. 

And naturally, PBS has to bring up the Todd Akin media-created controversy.  Ooo…now Rick Santorum is joining these whack-jobs in the PBS box.  This guy is so likable, and showing these tools that this election isn’t just about social issues.  And now they’re trying to still make this election about likability.  Santorum is actually giving into them.  I wish he’d just say, “Let’s talk policy, or about what a train wreck this current administration is.”  Naturally, PBS isn’t carrying a woman speaker.  They’d rather ask Santorum about his sweater vests. 

Pam Bondi, Attorney General of Florida was completely cut out.  Now they’re cutting to Sam Olens, Attorney General of Georgia.  Oh, so this is a joint speech, back to Bondi.  They’re slamming  ObamaCare, and talking about their efforts to stop it.  “It is a tax.”  Preach.  A little robotic, but I liked what they had to say. 

Now Senator John Thune of South Dakota.  Don’t know a whole lot about him off the top of my head.  “[In a basketball game] President Obama would be easy to defend, because you always know he’ll go to his left.”  Nice.  Thank you so much for brining up the farming issues.  This administration’s war on family farms – especially trying to keep farm kids from helping out – is an issue near and dear to me.  Okay, a fairly short speech, but effective. 

Really, Brooks?  You’re going to lump the Occupy movement in with the Tea Party?  These guys are a joke.  And now we’re back to Sheilds still talking likability.  And now they’ve dug up a Pew Research fossil.  You should see this guy.  Talking about the youth vote.  They interviewed the youngest delegate there, a 17-year-old that showed more in the two minutes they had him for than they can get out of this talking corpse.  I know this sounds mean, but I don’t have kind words for people who are so blatantly partisan.  You should see this dude’s teeth.  He’s bashing my boy, Paul Ryan.  And now we’re interviewing John McCain. 

Okay, an update on the FOX-Palin note from earlier.  She’s not appearing on FOX tonight, but she doesn’t elaborate.  Apparently she wanted to talk about McCain.  I can see why FOX wouldn’t want that.  Oh, and I didn’t glean this from PBS.  Thanks, Drudge Report.

Now this Pew (Andre Kohut) guy is saying that young people are “packaged liberals”.  And that, ladies and gentlemen, is an indictment on the public school system.  These people are infuriating me.  I get it, this is PBS, but it’s nonetheless irritating.  Bored. 

Okay, now Senator Rob Portman of Ohio is taking the stage.  I don’t know much about this guy either, but I’ll admit that I found his spot on Romney’s short list as nothing more than pandering to get votes in Ohio.  So glad Romney went big with Ryan.  Okay, I’m liking this guy.  He’s making a great analogy about how Romney would be better trusted with investing our personal wealth, so why not trust him with the wealth of our nation?  “President Obama says he deserves reelection because his policies have worked.  Not in this universe, they haven’t.”  Love it!  Okay, now I know why this guy was on his short list.  Energy, reforms, jobs – all key elements.  But I still love Ryan more.  Getting giddy for his speech. 

Steve Cohen, an Ohio businessman, is at the podium.  “…the unnecessary war on coal.”  Preach.  Short speech. 

Okay, so I missed the running commentary on the PBS booth’s guest, Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconson, but he had some great points.  Now the PBS guy on the floor has found a Missouri delegate that will talk about the media-created Todd Akin controversy.  The whack-jobs in the booth couldn’t wait to talk about this.  Ugh.  Get off this unnecessary topic.  Though, I understand why they’re talking about it, because they don’t want to talk about real issues. 

And now, former Minnesota governor, Tim Pawlenty.  “Welcome to Barack Obama’s retirement party!”  Love it!  “When Paul Ryan speaks, Joe [Biden] will finally get to hear what a real vice president sounds like.”  Amen, brother.  “Barack Obama is the first president to create more excuses than jobs. … Mr. President, if you want to find fault; I suggest you look in the mirror.”  Word.  “It’s understandable.  A lot of people fail at their first job.”  Love this!  “In a few months…Barack Obama will at last get some experience in the private sector.”  Great speech.

Now, former Arkansas governor, Mike Huckabee.  Oh, yes he did.  “…the awful noise…was Debbie Wasserman-Shultz practicing her speech for next week.”  LOVE IT!  “We Can Do Better” is clearly the theme for the night.  “We Did Build It” is also paramount, but they’re really taking it to the president tonight.  “We’ve tried the one the press thought was perfect, and that hasn’t worked out too well for us.”  Word.  This guy is good – smooth, confident, but not condescending.  “…feed me, lead me, then bleed me.”  Perfect analogy.  This is great.  He just threw out the evangelical card and totally called out the president on his faith credentials.  Now he’s on to defending Catholics.  “I feel better about a President who would give generously of his own money, than mine or yours.”  Word.  “In the real world, you get the prize for producing something; not just promising something.”  One of the best speeches thus far.  Love that guy.  If you are an evangelical or on the fence about voting for Romney based on his religion, YouTube this speech. 

And now Condoleezza Rice is taking the podium.  I have the utmost respect for this woman.  I realize her speech has already been leaked, but I waited to hear it live.  I don’t think she’s using the teleprompter.  Makes me love her even more.  I can’t even do a pull-quote from this thing.  It’s that good.  This woman is a rock.  Okay, pull-quote: “Peace really does come through strength.”  Preach!  Oh, and now she’s on to energy independence.  “It does not matter where you came from.  It matters where you are going.” Oh, yes.  She’s talking class warfare.  I love this woman!  She has got this crowd revved up!  Now she’s on to immigration.  “…you may not be able to control your circumstances, but you can control your response to your circumstances.”  Education.  I love her thoughts on this.  Can’t really put it into words.  Oh.  Hell.  No.  They did not just cut her off.  What.  The.  Deuce?!  Had to switch to CBS, just in time to see her finish.  That was so incredibly homosexual, the epic PBS fail, that is.  Condi’s speech, however; pure dynamite.  Seriously, YouTube it. 

And now CBS has gone to commercial, instead of carrying Governor Susana Martinez of New Mexico.  I’m going back to PBS, who are joining her speech late.  I’m trouble getting into Gov. Martinez’s speech, since it’s pretty much impossible to follow Condi.  Except she just said that, when she was a teen; she carried a Smith & Weston .357 Magnum.  She just got so much hotter.  Gov. Martinez is just another example of how attractive women in the Republican party are.  Maybe it’s just their words, but you won’t find any scary creatures masquerading as females roaming the aisles here.  Those will be in Charlotte next week.  Ooo…now she’s talking about the president needing to own the economy and the debt because, “he did build that.”  Great speech, governor.

Okay, this is it.  The speech that I’m most looking forward to.  And here he is, Paul Ryan.  I’m in love with this guy’s words.  Let’s see if he can electrify this audience the way Sarah Palin did four years ago.  “After four years of the runaround, America needs a turn around.”  Oh, Gov. Walker (who just showed up on my screen), I love you too.  What an all-American this guy Ryan is.  Great family, and obviously heart-felt in his delivery.  Hello, Speaker Gingrich.  Dude, Walker is crying.  It’s that big, this moment.  “…the recovery that was promised, is nowhere in sight.”  This guy has a captive audience.  He’s driving this thing home, in the first ten minutes.  Brilliant.  “Why would the next four years be any different than the last four years?”  Preach.  This guy is awesome.  I don’t even know why I’m typing, you just need to see this to believe it.  He just dismantled ObamaCare in two sentences.  Oh, yes.  Play that Medicare card.  That just happened.  “The greatest threat to Medicare is ObamaCare, and we’re going to stop it.”  I’m at a loss for words.  I’m giddy with excitement.  He just called the Obama campaign “a ship trying to sail on yesterday’s wind.”  He’s getting wound up, and I – along with everyone in that hall – am loving it!  This guy is going to eviscerate Joe Biden in the forthcoming debate.  “One president, one term, $5 trillion in new debt.”  “We need to stop spending money we don’t have.  Really simple.  Not that hard.”  Making the not so complex even more easily understood.  What’s so telling about Ryan is how he’s passionate about getting on the right track, not like the angry finger-pointers on the left.  “…to this day, my mom is my role model.”  Standing ovation for mom.  Pure class.  “We will keep federal spending at 20 percent of the GDP or less, because that is enough.”  I love when he talks fiscal policy.  “…this issue isn’t the economy that Barack Obama inherited…but the economy that we’re living.”  I know I’ve used this phrase before, but this guy is pure dynamite.  “…a country where everything is free but us?”  I can’t even write about how great this bit is now.  You must watch this.  Every American should.  “My playlist starts with AC/DC and ends with Zeppelin.”  Epic.    “By the way, being successful in business; that’s a good thing!”  Word up, yo!  “Our rights come from nature and God and not from government!”  Preach.  He’s bringing it home (again).  He’s awesome.  Just wrapped it up.  Pure gold.  Fantastic.  I don’t have enough adjectives.  I won’t say he electrified the crowd the way Sarah did four years ago, but it was pretty close and just as substantive. 

I am so done with these bloviating windbags on PBS – or any of the networks, for that matter.  Just switched them off.  That’s why I watched.  I wanted my own opinion of his speech, not theirs.  Fantastic.  YouTube it.  (Yes, I just used “YouTube” as a verb.  Get over it.)  I don’t know how Mitt Romney will top this tomorrow night, but I’m excited to see him try.  Stay tuned.  

The Republican National Convention Commentary: Day 1

[Sorry for the formatting. It's a work in progress.]

Okay, so I’m a little late to the game here.  It’s 6:46, and I’m just sitting down to type.  I’ve been watching PBS’s coverage of the RNC since it started at 6:00, but my computer wasn’t cooperating, so I apologize for not giving running commentary during the remarks given by Speaker John Boehner and RNC Chairman Reince Priebus.  They didn’t really say anything that I haven’t already, but their speeches were fantastic.  However, they weren’t near as energizing, for me personally, as the wonderful woman who just finished her speech.  Before tonight, I hadn’t ever heard of Mia Love, the mayor of Saratoga Springs, Utah.  What an electrifying speech.  And naturally, the talking heads on PBS tried to demean her speech by saying she’s just trying to steal Obama’s story.  Super lame.  Just because she’s black, she’s riding on his coattails?  No.  She had more substance in her five minute speech than I’ve ever heard in our president’s laboriously lengthy speeches.   Fantastic.

This isn’t going to be my typical running commentary, but more like an overview of each of the speeches – I may do full-bore commentary for Ann Romney and Chris Christie – but I’ll try to include quotes.

The talking heads are still going.  It’s really no surprise that they’re not covering Janine Turner, and they should really shut up and let [the country crooner whose name I can’t find] entertain without them talking over him.   

Obviously, the themes of the night is “We Can Do Better” and “We Built It”.  Both are noble and so true.

Sher Valenzuela is speaking now.  She’s running for lieutenant governor in Delaware.  Very professional.  A business leader who obviously cares about the direction of the country.   Talking about over-regulation, being able to grow a small business.  Good stuff. 

Now that Ms. Valenzuela is done, the talking heads aren’t wasting any time trying to tie Hurricane Issac to this convention. 

I’m shocked.  They’re actually airing the Oak Ridge Boys’ performance of Amazing Grace.  Wonderful!

Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers just took the stage.  “We Built It” Love it.  As a side note, there hasn’t been an unattractive woman on this stage.

Hello, Senator Kelly Ayotte.  “In addition to being a United States Senator, I’m also pretty good with a snowplow.”  Hot.  Finally, someone who brings up ObamaCare.  “President Obama has never even run a lemonade stand…And it shows.” Love it. 

Okay, a nice businessman just had a little speech.  Not terribly polished, but fits nice.   

Governor John Kasich of Ohio just took to the stage to the tune of I’ve Got a Feelin’ by the Black Eyed Peas – one of the most annoyingly overused songs ever.  Fail, RNC music supervisor.  “We killed the death tax” Preach.  This guy is fired up.  Now he’s addressing the debt.  Love the debt clock hung in the arena.  Perfect.  “Taxachusetts”  Love it. 

Nice, we’re not going to watch the video that uses Obama’s own words against him.  Instead, the talking heads are going to fixate on this Ron Paul delegate “controversy”.  Yes, the rules change is concerning, but they’re trying to make a bigger deal out of this than necessary.  Naturally, the media types (to borrow a phrase from Rush) are trying to paint the convention as divided or fractured.  Are we not going to hear from Governor Mary Fallin of Oklahoma?  “Kerfuffle”, Gwen [Ifill]?  Really?  I do like this Luis Fortuno, governor of Puerto Rico.  Governor Terry Branstad of Iowa is also on with the talking heads, and he’s pretty good as well.  He’s fired up and driving Gwen crazy.  It’s quite comical.   

Ooo.  The PBS guy on the floor is about to take on [former governor John] Sununu.  Love that guy.  I love how the talking head is trying his best to make the Republicans look bad, but Sununu isn’t having any of it.  Though, he didn’t really get unleashed.

Ooo.  Governor Bob McDonnell of Virginia just took the podium.  I like this guy.  Don’t necessarily agree with him 100 percent of the time, but I still like him.  “The EPA is the ‘Employment Prevention Agency’.” Love it.  “Talk is cheap.  Results matter.”  So true.  Why did we shift away from him as he introduces Bev Gray?  Oh, because this is PBS.  Let’s see, that’s three women that PBS hasn’t carried.  And it’s Republicans who hate women.  Right. 

And again.  Not airing the video of Obama’s own words that are so easily used against him. 

Oh, yes.  Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin is taking the podium.  Really love him.  The crowd does too.  Cheese head in the Wisconsin delegation!  Love it!  Okay, Gov. Walker, I love you, but I hate sob stories.  Granted, yours is uplifting – as opposed to depressing, like our president likes to say – but you’re better than this.  “The ‘R’ next to [Romney’s] name doesn’t just stand for ‘Republican’, but also for ‘reformer’ [with the selection of Paul Ryan as his running mate].”  Oh, you left too soon.  Sad. 

Seriously, where did PBS dig up these talking heads?  One is from the New York Times.  That speaks volumes.   Oh, and we’re not going to carry Governor Brian Sandoval of Nevada’s speech?  Is this just to appear not as sexist?  You still suck, PBS.  Oh, and now you’re trying to justify the “You didn’t build that” comment, Judy [Woodruff]?  Indefensible.  Even in context.  But Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming isn’t letting them have it, and he’s doing so concisely and calmly.  Very Paul Ryan-esque.  PS – this Botoxed douche from the NYT is scary.  And the other one is just the male version of Debbie Wasserman-Shultz with 30 years and a wattle.  He’s really talking up the federal government. 

Whoa.  Why are we showing a video?  Oh, so Gwen and Judy can talk over it.  Apparently [former Senator] Rick Santorum is about to take the stage.  Ooo.  Newt Gingrich is in the box, but first, Santorum.

Seriously, I like this guy.  I backed him in the primaries, so it’s nice to see him here.  “Graduate high school, work hard, get married before you have children.”  Preach.  “We must stop the assault on marriage and the family in America today.”  Word.  He’s really bringing it on this executive order [baloney].  I’m loving this hands bit.  “…born and unborn.”  Perfect way to weave in a pro-life message.  “In November, we have a chance to vote for life and liberty, not dependency.”  Great speech.

Okay, Newt.  Let these whack-jobs have it.  Oh, and we’re not carrying Ted Cruz’s speech.  Racists.  How ironic.  Newt is talking about how broad the Republican party is and how the media doesn’t want to show it.  Oh, so now we’re going to Mr. Cruz.  Must not like what Newt is saying. 

Oh, I love it.  He’s working the stage, not just standing behind a podium.  I’d love to see Obama do that, but I don’t think the TOTUS is portable.  And the Texas delegation is loving him.  Normally, I don’t like multi-lingual speeches, but I’ll let it pass, because this guy is propping up freedom.  “Government is not the answer.”  Nice way to invoke Reagan.  Love it.  He’s propping up learning English and not taking a handout.  Good stuff. 

I like this Artur Davis, former congressman from Alabama.  “You thought it was the glare, some of us thought it was a halo.”  Nice.  PS – this guy is a former Obamaite.  He’s really taking it to the Democrat party.  Lovin’ it.  I just love his southern twang.  Lots of people say such a twang makes you sound unintelligent, but I love when people embrace it.  “We bend, we do not break.”  Fantastic.  “2008-2001: Lesson learned. 2012: Mistake corrected.”  Great speech. 

Oh, nice, we’re not carrying Nikki Haley, governor of South Carolina.  I love her, so naturally, PBS isn’t going to cover her.  Typical. 

Ugh.  I’m switching to NBC, because my local FOX station isn’t doing convention coverage.  Lame.  Actually, screw this.  I don’t want to listen to the [P]MSNBC types.  I won’t be able to handle it if Rachel Maddow comes on.  I’m over to CBS, where they’re more concerned about Hurricane Isaac.  Thinking I’ll switch back to PBS, sadly.  Okay, back to PBS.   Newt is taking on the wattle. 

Luce Vela Fortuno, first lady of Puerto Rico, just took the stage.  Again, I don’t think there is an unattractive Republican woman in the arena.  She’s here to introduce Ann Romney.  Dude, I could listen to her talk all night.

And here’s Ann.  Looking good.  The lady in red.  The crowd is loving her.  Well done, Ann.  Mention Hurricane Isaac, but don’t dwell on it.  She’s poised and pleasant, and apolitical, really, but she’s not a robot.  She’s really got the crowd wrapped around her finger.  She says she and Mitt don’t have a “storybook marriage”; they “have a real marriage.”  “…Mitt Romney was not handed success; he built it.”  Love this woman.  “Mitt doesn’t like to talk about how he’s helped others, because he sees it as a privilege, not a political talking point.”   Ooo…hello Condi.  Sorry.  A.D.D.  This speech is dynamite, and not in the political sense.  This gal has got heart.  Well done! 

Now Christie.  Love. This. Guy.  Not 100 percent aligned with his views, but he’s fantastic.  Unconventional and a true leader.

“The public needs to start being treated like adults.”  I’m surprised they’re playing this video.

“Tonight, we’re going to choose respect over love.”  Loving this.  I do wish he’d get more to the meat, but I’ll take his recalling his fight with the teacher’s unions.  “Our ideas are right for America, and their ideas have failed America.”  That’s more like it.  And he’s on to fiscal policy.  Loving this.  He just dropped my favorite word of late, “coddled.”  So glad he’s on the same page as me.  Now he’s taking it to education.  Have I mentioned that I love this guy?  “They believe in teacher’s unions.  We believe in teachers.”  Word up, yo.  “When there are people in the room that are more concerned about doing the job they were elected to do, than they are about winning reelection…”  Ooo…take on ObamaCare.  “It is time to end this era of absenteeism in the Oval Office.”  Seriously, I know why Ann Coulter loves this guy.  “Mr. President, real leaders don’t follow polls, real leaders change polls.”  “We’ve never been victims of destiny.  We’ve always been the masters of our own.”  Preach.  Side note – Romney sure looks humble when Christie keeps lauding him.  Props.  This guy is awesome.  He’s done, and the crowd wants more.  Epic. 

This was a great kick off to the convention.  It’s too bad they’re not carrying Three Doors Down, because I guarantee you they’re much more entertaining than these talking heads.  I’m stoked for the next two nights.  Stay tuned.  

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