The Subprime Primer Slideshow

You may have heard some noise about the U.S. economy either slipping into or teetering upon a devastating financial crisis. If you are like me, and could use some illustrative yet entertaining help understanding how we got here, check out the slide show I've linked to below. I discovered it courtesy of UESider, who knows her stuff regarding the current financial mess. (Warning: the last few slides contain profanity, so keep the kiddies away from the computer screen.).

Click Here to view the slide presentation

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Harry Potter Meets The Office

(beware of poor British accents)

Funny Videos | Funny Cartoons | More Video Clips

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Franz Ferdinand Is Murdered...Again

Leave it to the house band on Dancing With The Stars to murder another great song! This time it was the band Franz Ferdinand's song "Take Me Out." I guess I should just be glad the show recognized the song's existence, and I will interpret the song's murder as an historical homage.

(Song starts at the 2:10 mark.)
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Clarification: She said, She said

It has come to my attention that my last post didn't clearly distinguish between what Real Sarah Palin said and what Tina Faux Palin said. The point I tried to make at the end of my last post was that often the SNL writers lifted words straight from Palin. Click through to see some video comparisons.

The $700 billion bailout
Real Sarah Palin

Tina Faux Palin



"I'll bring 'em to ya"
Real Sarah Palin

Tina Faux Palin



Russia
Real Sarah Palin

Tina Faux Palin


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The Presidential Debate: What SNL did do.

Well, I was completely wrong about what Saturday Night Live would mock about Friday's Presidential Debate

• My bracelet's better than your bracelet. Each actor wore a bracelet, but neither mentioned it.
  
• Obama cannot remember John McCain's name. Not mentioned.
  
• Obama gives intricate, detailed, boring answer on an issue and McCain still patronizingly claims Obama doesn't "understand" the issue. They hit this general idea, but addressed it differently. Instead of an overly professorial answer by Obama they had him complain about McCain once singing Bomb-bomb-bomb-bomb-bomb-bomb-Iran to the tune of Ba-ba-ba-ba-Barbara Ann. McCain then patronizingly explained who the Beach Boys are and what their "Barbara Ann" song is.
  
• McCain calling Obama and GW Bush stubborn. Not done.
  
• Miss Congeniality. Not mentioned, but McCain did explain how as a Maverick he spent the last eight years undermining his party and President Bush.
  
• McCain's Eisenhower letter story. Not mentioned.
  
• Ahmadinajad. Also not mentioned.
  

Of course, I was also wrong to hope that the debate sketch would be funny. As I had to do yesterday, the sketch writers painfully searched for elements of the debate to mock and came up with mediocre material. The funniest bit came at the end when the moderator thanked Hillary Clinton for showing up ready to step in, in case McCain decided not to come. Perhaps acknowledging the lameness of the sketch, director Lorne Michaels did not place it as the opening sketch of the show. That honor, went instead, to a much funnier send-up of Sarah Palin's interview with Katie Couric. No surprise appearance by the real Palin, but there was this gem:

Every morning when Alaskans wake up one of the first things they do is see if there are any Russians hanging around… It’s our responsibility to say, ‘Shoo, get back over there!’

Click through to watch the actual Palin-Couric sketch as well as the Debate sketch via hulu.



Now compare with what Palin actually said during her real interview with Couric. Sometimes the comedy just writes itself:

Couric: Why isn't it better, Governor Palin, to spend $700 billion helping middle-class families who are struggling with health care, housing, gas and groceries? Allow them to spend more, and put more money into the economy, instead of helping these big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess?

Palin: That's why I say I, like every American I'm speaking with, we're ill about this position that we have been put in. Where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy. Um, helping, oh, it's got to be about job creation, too. Shoring up our economy, and putting it back on the right track. So health care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions, and tax relief for Americans, and trade -- we have got to see trade as opportunity, not as, uh, competitive, um, scary thing, but one in five jobs created in the trade sector today. We've got to look at that as more opportunity. All of those things under the umbrella of job creation.

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The Presidential Debate: What will SNL do?

Did you watch the Presidential Debate Friday night?  I did.  And I paid close attention to........what Saturday Night Live writers might choose to mock tonight in their opening skit.  Below are my guesses:

• My bracelet's better than your bracelet.
• Obama cannot remember John McCain's name.
• Obama gives intricate, detailed, boring answer on an issue and McCain still patronizingly claims Obama doesn't "understand" the issue.
• McCain calling Obama and GW Bush stubborn.
• Miss Congeniality.
• McCain's Eisenhower letter story.
• Ahmadinajad.

This list picks on McCain quite a bit, largely because Obama played it so safe last night and what McCain said and did was more memorable.  Actually, I don't think there was much to mock from the debate, but I hope a talented SNL skit proves me wrong.  What I'd almost rather see is a skit about McCain's decision to suspend his campaign and the will-he-or-won't he show up to debate shenanigans.  Also, be on the lookout for a surprise Sarah Palin guest stint.  Her security did a walk through on Wednesday.  So watch tonight and check back for an update to see how prescient I can be.

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Now THIS Is Effective Product Placement

plus

equals Perfect Product Placement

Thursday night the USA show Burn Notice included near the end of its mid-season finale a car chase scene which, in my opinion, perfectly integrated a product: the Saab 9-3 convertible. The character Fiona aided main character Michael by using the sporty Saab to interfere with and frustrate the gang of cars chasing his motorcycle. Specifically, she used the Saab's Electronic Stability Control Program (ESP) switch to turn off the Saab's traction control and slide the car around the other cars chasing Michael. Michael's trademark voice-over cheerfully describes what's she's doing.

The voice-over giving helpful knowledge of how to use devices and functions to get by in the spy trade is a typical narrative device of Burn Notice, so, to me, use of the sporty car and specific mention of its features fits seamlessly with the show's tone and style. Some might disagree. But then I don't come down that hard on product integration generally. I accept it as a necessary trade off. Most of the shows I like to watch are well written enough that product integration never gets in the way of the story, and occasionally, a show like this will integrate the product in a way that enhances the story. Well done, Burn Notice. Click through below to view a snippet from hulu explaining the car chase stunt and the product integration. And watch the show. It's very good.


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Lost in Literature

Across the pond on ITV (a British television station) they currently broadcast a miniseries entitled Lost In Austen. It tells the tale of modern day girl, Amanda Price, who wanders into and gets trapped in the novel Pride and Prejudice. (Pictured to the right: Elizabeth Bennet, Amanda Price, and Mr. Darcy). Amanda unintentionally trades places with the novel's heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, and proceeds to make a mess of the novel's major plot points, i.e., Jane marries Collins, Bingley runs off with Lydia. Additionally, she seems to cause almost every male character and at least one female character to lust after her. The greatest enjoyment of the miniseries, however, is to watch this modern-day girl run into much beloved characters and discover how closely or how distantly they resemble a reader's opinion from the book.

So that got me thinking. What pieces of literature would I enjoy getting literally lost in? If I had to chose an American novel, I think I'd pick The Winds of War. Sure, it's dangerous, what with the whole world war brewing, bombs falling, and Jews deporting, but I would dearly love to meet Victor "Pug" Henry and his family. I would dearly love to smash a very sharp object over Aaron Jastrow's head. I would dearly love to hang with Pamela Tudsbury. And I'd dearly love to brush shoulders with history the way Pug did. It'd be great fun, just so long as none of the bombs hit me and the Nazis stay far away from wherever I am.

Click through to see what other novels I'm contemplating losing myself in and to see my mini critique of the miniseries Lost in Austen.

The mini critique
Two parts of the Lost in Austen miniseries do disappoint me.

• The script lacks clever wit and snark. Jane Austen's writing style demands this kind of homage. See the movie Clueless for proper, modern script treatment of a Jane Austen work. 
  
• The script lacks clever references to other works of Jane Austen. For example, modern-day girl Amanda Price shares a surname with Fanny Price, the heroine from Jane Austen's novel Mansfield Park, but the script fails to elaborate on whether the surname is a coincidence or a purposeful wink. I'd appreciate a reference by Amanda to a scrupulously moral older sister or her nosy Aunt Norris. Another example, when Amanda briefly takes on the persona of a wealthy merchant's daughter and attempts to bring Bingley and Jane as well as Mr. Collins and Charlotte Lucas together, the script fails to point out Amanda's similarity to Emma, the know-it-all, rich, matchmaking heroine in the Jane Austen novel Emma. 
  

Those are just my tiny nitpicks.

Happier thoughts continue as I get lost in........

The Great Gatsby. I just want to go to one of those fabulous parties that Gatsby throws, catch a glimpse of the man, maybe chat a bit with Nick Carraway (if that snob will even talk to me) and then head west and get away from that corrupt lot as quickly as possible.

The Three Muskateers. I would hang out with the boys: Athos, Porthos and Aramis. I will convince them not to waste their time on that pesky d'Artagnan and let me join their little group. If I catch sight of Milady de Winter, I'll warn Athos and he'll take care of it. I'll tell them Richelieu is not such a bad guy and we'll just take it easy. Sure, the plot of the novel will be ruined, but I'll be chillin' with my Muskateers, so who cares!

Northanger Abbey. If I had to chose a Jane Austen novel to lose myself in, this is it. I would absolutely LOVE! to talk to Henry Tilney. He is the only Austen hero who while being funny and charming still manages not to be a complete cad. He loves books and fashion, his sister is pretty cool, and his future wife Catherine is sweet with a fantastically wild imagination. Also, I'm as big a sucker as Catherine is for grand old abbeys, and hanging out in Bath in the 1800s would be quite fun and enlightening.

Lonesome Dove. Okay, I wouldn't want to stay lost for long in this novel for fear of losing a leg, or an arm, or my sexual dignity. The world in Lonesome Dove, while adventurous, is dangerous and hard. The novel has a high death count. But I would love to just sit and listen to Gus and Call bicker using them purty, McMurtry words.

I might think of some more novels later. Let me know in the comments what novels you'd get lost in.
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Glengarry Bhoys: Fiddler in a Kilt

I spent a chunk of this weekend at the Pittsburgh Irish Festival, principally on the trail of the Glengarry Bhoys, a wonderful high-energy Celtic Folk/Rock band. The best discovery of the weekend, other than a delightful band by the name of Pogey, was the new fiddle player for Glengarry Bhoys. His name is Darcy. He hails from Ireland. He wears a kilt. He fiddles. He spins. He steals the show. Also, he is a dead ringer for this guy.

Alan Tudyk

Seriously, I heard some great live music this weekend and I encourage anyone who reads this blog to visit these websites and give a listen to these great Canadian independent Bands. Pogey has a myspace page where you can hear their music. I highly recommend the song Johnny's Bottle. The Glengarry Bhoys also have a myspace page, and they offer samples of more songs at their own website.
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08 RNC: Live Blogging Nite 3

And so we come to the end. But before convention mania 2008 leaves, come spend one more night with me, PBS and my laptop as we chronicle John McCain's big night. 8:00PM tonight!
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8:00 Welcome to John McCain's big night!

8:03 The big question from Pundit Brooks: Will McCain say something unpopular to the crowd but popular with him and Independents. Something that signifies BIG change: Global Warming, Campaign Finance, Immigration. I don't think he'll do that here. Later, when he is away from the revved up base, he'll do it.

8:06 On stage: Governor of Minnesota, Tim Pawlente. He was second choice for Veep behind Palin. He starts off talking about character.

8:10 He talks about Sam's Club voters. I'm single, so I don't really shop at Sam's Club. Is there a set of Target voters? I shop there. And Ross. I shop at Ross! Good finds there.

8:12 Now a PBS correspondent is on the floor talking to an AZ delegate who cast the vote to nominate McCain during roll call last night. The roll call that I didn't get to see because they scheduled it during my sleepy time! I love roll call. It's American democracy in action. I'm a little peeved GOP that you didn't let me watch it before 11pm. You know how you could make up for it? BRING OUT THAT LIVE ELEPHANT.

8:14 Bill Frist is on the stage. I haven't been payin attention (elephants and all) but I think he just said "hell is a currency for peace"

8:15 No. He said health, HEALTH is a currency for peace. Hell doesn't make sense, though it is amusing.

8:18 I'm not sure why I have a slight elephant obsession. I just think that when you have such an awesome and far superior mascot (a donkey, an ass? What the heck were the Dems thinking in coming up with that one) you should celebrate it.

8:19 Seriously, every time he says "health" he keeps swallowing the "th" and all I hear is hell.

8:19 On the stage, the first woman to reach 3 star general in the marines. Hats off to this lady! Hats off to any female marine! She's here to talk about the first female marine officer killed in combat, a public affairs officer killed in 2006, Megan McClung.

8:23 Senator Sam Brownback from Kansas. Jim Lehrer tells me he was an early candidate for Pres during the primary. He must not have lasted long, because I really don't remember this guy.

8:26 He does a nice job of painting a picture of how Dems are a we "can't" do this party. Then he tries to lead the crowd in chanting "Yes we will." Which ends up being slow, awkward going at first because, well, despite being Repubs, the sound-bytes have sort of trained them to Obama's tune of "Yes we can." They keep shouting "Yes we will," when directed, but it's not very enthusiastic because, well.....they're not Obama Democrats.

8:28 Consensus from me and the unenthusiastic crowd: "Yes we will" is a poor slogan for Repubs. You know they are just DYING to go back to "drill, baby drill," which I admit, is much more fun to chant than even "Yes we can!"

8:31 I'm going to try to keep an eye on the football game playing over on NBC. It looks like they are at halftime. The worry is that the game will interfere with the start of McCain's speech and he will delay so that the football fans can watch him.

8:36 Mary Fallin Rep from Ooooooooklahoma, where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain and the wavin' wheat can sure smell....oh you're not reading this for musical theater are you? As you might guess she speaks about the Oklahoma City bombing and ties it to responding to 9/11.

8:37 Now she references Teddy Roosevelt's big stick. (it's a political metaphor, it is NOT dirty). She neglects to mention the "speak softly" part of Teddy Roo's big stick strategy. It says a lot that she drops the diplomacy part of the Teddy Roo analogy.

8:40 PR Video!!! I almost missed them yesterday. Rudy spoke to long so we didn't get to see Palin's which had moose in it, which is the closest I could have gotten to seeing a LIVE ELEPHANT on stage. :(

8:41 About this video. I can't id the narrator, but it sounds like a voice that narrates a lot. It's about terrorism at home, domestic and foreign.

8:43 The Pollster in the PBS booth explains that Americans are less concerned about terrorism today. Probably, dare I say it, because GW Bush's fight against it at home is working.

8:45 Think John McCain will dare to give GW B a shout-out for the war against terrorism from the home front? Come on, McCain. If I can complement him, surely you can.

8:48 PBS Historians!!! What scintillating historical fact will I learn tonight?

8:49 Historical opinions on Pres candidates not having military experience. They don't think military experience is such a big deal historically. Huh. That wasn't very scintillating, PBS panel. You disappoint me. Bring out an elephant!

8:53 Football update: 10:29 in the 3rd quarter. Looks like the game will end right on time.

8:54 Awh. Shields talks about HW B's denial the night before his loss to Bill Clinton. HW thought the country would never elect a draft dodger. Well we did. Sorry about that. Want me to go find Ross Perot and bludgeon him with my Irony Mallet? It's not doing anything right now?

8:58 Are we creating a new World War II class with veterans coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan and are running as Dems? Excellent, interesting point. Next election: Bobby Jindal vs. Patrick Murphy?? (my suggestion, not theirs)

9:00 Lindsey Graham in the House! He brings up this little military event called THE SURGE! Still sounds like the name of a Palin child.

9:02 What? Graham places all of the success for the surge on McCain's and Lieberman's shoulders! Um, if it's such a good thing, maybe you should thank the EXECUTIVE who came up with it and enforced it? How is GW Bush not completely pissed off at this bunch?

9:05 Quote of the night:"Thank God for Joe Lieberman!" and GW Bush sits at home where he's just turned off the television in disgust.

9:05 Also Dem Reps plot how to ruin Lieberman's congressional life.

9:06 Did I hear right? Graham claims Al Qaeda isn't in Iraq anymore?* Dude. Not to be a "whiner," but Al Qaeda is still in Iraq and Afghanistan. If they weren't still there, we wouldn't be either. Unless, of course, they were never there in the first place.

(*) I went back and checked his speech. The line that caught my attention was "Iraq - A Muslim nation in the heart of the Arab world that rejects Al Qaeda."

9:08 Moose! Moose! The Sarah Palin PR video is on screen! (following an awkward transition by Graham).

9:11 Man! Guess the narrator game is so much harder with Repub PR videos. Their celeb narrators just don't have a high a profile as the Dems' celebs do.

9:12 She's a high school basketball star like Obama. So I guess playing basketball is no longer a sign of elitism.

9:14 If you are still playing the "maverick" drinking game with real alcohol, then you are seriously drunk right now.

9:15 TOM RIDGE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pennsylvania! Erie! A Republican who supports a woman's right to choose!! He used to be my governor.

9:17 He speaks about McCain's character and he does a very good job of personalizing and energizing it at the same time.

9:18 The only downside I see right now is the comb-over he's got going on at the top of his head sort of makes it look like he's wearing a yarmulke.

9:19 Ridge politely dings Obama AND Hillary Clinton. Now that's consistent criticism, I can live with.

9:22 Ridge: "The challenge of our time is not to change,...[but] to leave nothing to chance." Chance? Like picking an obscure untested running mate?

9:23 NFL update: 12:55 in the 4th quarter. Yep. Everything's running according to schedule. Now

9:25 Hey. Not cool. Ridge just stole soaring "no red state, no blue state" Obama rhetoric and applied it to John McCain. You can't slam the "pretty talking" speeches if you are going to liberally borrow from them.

9:30 It's not the stealing of ideas that bugs me. It's the hypocrisy.

9:31 Cindy McCain PR video. Gary "Lieutenant Dan!" Sinise narrates again. Cindy McCain travels the world rescuing children. She even adopted one. She adopted ONE! You hear that Brangelina? ONE. One child at a time, please.

9:34 On stage now: Cindy McCain and her family. The camera won't focus long enough on the stage for me to figure out if McCain's kids from his previous marriage are up there as well.

9:36 Thank you Cindy! She introduces all of them. Her step kids ARE all up there as well.

9:38 NFL Update: 6 minutes left. Uh-oh, it might end too early and the football fans won't accidentally keep watching Convention Coverage.

9:39 Obama: this campaign is not about us, it is about YOU. McCain: this campaign is not about us, it is about OUR COUNTRY. which is better? you decide.

9:41 Cindy McCain claims that Americans are the most generous people in history. I think there are some Native American populations who might differ with her on that.

9:42 I haven't been giving score updates on the NFL game because the Redskins are playing so the ending is a bit of a foregone conclusion. But in case you have a lot of faith or "hope" in the Redskins.......sorry, but YES, they are losing.

9:45 She keeps talking up the American West and Western values. Guess where some battle ground states suddenly are this year?

9:51 She's talking a long time. Now she's talking about Rwanda. She calls the woman from Rwanda her hero. Uh oh. She didn't get the memo. John McCain is our great American hero and country comes first, ergo John McCain must be your hero.

9:55 Cindy McCain is done. Finally. (Sorry, but she seemed to go on a long time).

9:56 Jim Lehrer helpfully asks historian Beschloss about the history of spouses introducing candidates. Beschloss says it started with Pat Nixon. Norton-Smith says it just took off from there: Ladies helping soften and shape their husbands' images. Now they talk about 1992 and that whole Hillary thing. Shields thinks the trend now with first ladies is "they are the tough ones," starting with the Giant Pearl Power of Barbara Bush.

10:01 13 seconds left in the game. I think they really are waiting for the football game to end. There's nothing happening on the floor.

10:03 7 seconds.

10:04 The game ends. McCain's video begins. (I'm not actually watching this on NBC...I don't get that channel so easy on the rabbit ears). Again, it's the narrator I've heard before somewhere else, but can't identify. I think it's one of the standard History Channel narrators.

10:08 The video is very good. Much better than any of the tv ads I've seen. It's hard to make McCain's story boring. The only thing is that the "History Channel" voiced narrator makes McCain seem old. It makes the video feel like a history documentary. But I think it only plays that way to someone young like me.

10:12 Oooh. Dramatic theatrics. The convention hall darkens and Fred "D.A. Arthur Branch" Thompson's voice inTONEs phrases about McCain's time in a box.

10:13 Coming out of the Dark! It's John McCain! Clapping, standing and cheering ensues.

10:14 Mr. McCain, you have 45 minutes to give the speech of your life. Your time starts........

10:15 .......NOW.

10:15 He accepts the nomination. Several in the audience, I imagine, are upset he did not hand it over to Sarah Palin.

10:16 Oh no. No. no. no. no. Some IDIOT flashed up a picture with a green law in the foreground behind McCain so it looks like, on tv, that infamous green screen is behind him again. Steven Colbert is going to have a FIELD Day with this.

10:18 Damn that green screen! It's so awful and distracting. How? How could they do this again? I imagine someone up in a booth somewhere making desperate phone calls telling whoever is in charge to "change the picture, change the picture, change the picture."

10:20 Oh, look. They changed the picture. AND IT'S STILL GREEN.....just different shades of green now. Because there is a cornfield behind him. Now they are up in the booth scrambling to find a picture without green.

10:23 The screen goes to Blank Blue now! Because they can't find a picture!!!! This is hilarious. Oh. Sorry. It's not Blank Blue. That's just the sky in a picture of a flying flag.

10:23 Okay. Green Screen nightmare gone. Let's see if I can pay attention to what he is saying.

10:24 "I intend to stand on your side and not in your way." Good line.

10:25 He mentions Palin and the crowd goes cray-zee.

10:26 McCain offers a warning to the big-spending, old boys crowd (a lot of whom are sitting in front of him) that change is coming.

10:28 About 12 minutes in and still no substantive policy programs for the future.

10:29 Now he talks about big spenders who bowed to special interests and earmarks. He claims that the first big earmark that comes across his desk, he will veto AND we "will know their names." Names like Sarah Palin? I've read that she requested an earmark that was on your no-no list Senator.

10:31 He's talking about the military right now. Pretty soon for that, his strongest asset. So maybe he is building up to talking about the economy. Hey, this could actually be exciting here. Go, John, Go.

10:32 Bad housing market mention! name check. Franklin County, PA name check! McCain's talking about how he will fight for the little people.

10:34 Tell me how you'll fight for them Senator. Either tell me, or bring out that live elephant. (Heh. you thought I'd given up on my elephant, didn't you).

10:35 He frames his argument by saying "we lost the people's trust" and the crowd actually cheers...lukewarmly, but they cheer. Then he claims he and the party will regain the trust by "getting back to basics." The crowd is able to cheers enthusiastically at that.

10:37 He runs through the litany of traditional Republican beliefs. John, you had me until "judges who legislate from the bench." (Sorry, it's a personal pet peeve. Lack of respect for judges who apply the law as opposed to politically popular positions.).

10:38 John McCain has a health care plan? I don't know what it is, but he tells me it will help, not hurt small businesses. (A tax credit does not a health care plan make). But how does that help an individual sitting at home who has inadequate insurance? I'm not for national health care, I'm just saying that John McCain, to get votes from outside the base needs to appeal to individuals not small business owners.

10:41 "Education is the civil rights issue of this century." Huh?

10:42 Oh my. The camera just focused on some lady in the audience who staccato screams like a muslim woman at a funeral. It's a bit jarring to see at a GOP event, but as long as she's comfortable with it, I am.

10:45 "Drill baby, Drill" It's back.

10:47 As president, McCain will work to establish good relations with Russia. It should be pretty easy for him to do, since Sarah Palin lives so close to Russia.

10:50 He talks a tiny bit about his family's naval career history re: WW II. I bet he loves the books "The Winds of War" and "War and Remembrance" as much as I do.

10:52 Heh. He wants to stop partisan rancor in Washington. He claims it's because people go to D.C. wanting to work for themselves and not for the American people. Hey, McCain, instead of worrying about rancor in D.C., why don't you not re-start a culture war across this country.

10:54 Here comes the "cause greater bit" It's good. Honestly, it's very good and moving. He talks about getting captured and "learning the limits of [his] selfish independence."

10:57 He tells his personal journey better than Fred Thompson did, which says a lot.

11:01 "My country saved me, and I cannot forget it." Awh.

11:02 McCain encourages us, if we are dissatisfied with the country, to join the military, be a teacher, help those who need it, serve a cause. Question: does community organizing count as service? 'Case some lady last night gave me the impression that you had to be elected for that kind of service to matter.

11:04 Serve your country, and God Bless America. And he's finished.

11:05 Wife on stage. Palins on stage. When do they let down the balloons? So far it's just confetti.

11:07 Balloons!! Glorious Balloons!! Elephant shaped balloons? Nope. Just normal shaped red, white and blue Balloooooons. So many balloons. And the giant background screen is showing fireworks.

11:08 Ahhh, I see some of the white balloons have stars on them. Bet those ones cost extra.

11:12 Was it the speech of his life? I think so. Let's see what the pundits think.

11:15 Pundit opinion: Obama is in for the fight of his life. Um, Obama's been fighting for his political life since before Iowa. Suddenly the prolonged, tight primary is forgotton?

11:17 Beschloss: yes it was McCain's best speech ever. He notes references in McCain's speech to language from Truman and Gore. Shhh. Don't tell the people on the floor that he was Quoting Gore.

11:19 Pollster thinks that in an otherwise successful speech, McCain failed to address the economic concerns most significant to Independents.

11:20 Liberal Pundit, Mark Shields thinks this speech was inferior to other McCain speeches.

11:22 Conservative Pundit, Brooks agrees speech has policy substance limitations, so not the best ever, but successful. He thought the emotional crescendo at the end was fantastic.

11:23 Well that's it. Really. That. Is. It. Thanks for reading. No live elephant. The most I can give you is this:


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08 RNC: Live Blogging Nite 2

Hey, remember in the Princess Bride when Princess Buttercup got plucked from obscurity and had that dream where she was elaborately presented to the townspeople and some dirty hag started calling her garbage? Well, tonight's gonna be just like that for Sarah Palin. Only multiply the dirty hag into a hundred "left wing media" bloggers and discard the Giant, the Sicilian, the Spaniard, the Albino, the Five-Fingered Man, the Wheelbarrow, the Holocaust Cloak and Cary Elwes.......and it'll be just like that. Come join in the fun with me and PBS coverage of Nite 2 starting at 8:00PM-ish.
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8:00 Welcome to the live blog. Coverage starts............NOW! (thanks to PBS and MSNBC's live stream, when PBS takes the camera off the stage, I can still follow on the internet). Tonight we hope for fewer PR videos, less biography, and more substance on economic issues. We expect lots of bashing of Obama and the maniacally evil liberal media. And I'm still waiting on that live elephant.

8:02 Hilarious! Speaking of the evil liberal media. The internet feed just focused on a shot of a sleeping delegate.

8:03 Pundits Shields and Brooks are as concerned as I am with yesterday's lack of substance. They also address the concern that Palin and Co. need to get a message across to important moderate Republicans and Independents without alienating those same voters by the socially conservative positions to which the media reports and intense Christian right enthusiasm have wedded her.

8:07 On the internet feed, a woman of Asian descent who claims she is a Democrat (turn coat!) reads the teleprompter...poorly. I see why PBS is ignoring it. She's talking about a $5,000.00 tax credit for small business to purchase health insurance.

8:11 Michael Williams (chair of the Texas railroad commission) takes the stage and PBS thinks he's important enough to show us. He is also a person of minority descent, in this instance a Black man. He is also a Democrat (turn coat). He slams Barak Obama.

8:12 He just slammed teaching unions.

8:13 He supports fetuses. And lower taxes. My question is WHY THE HECK DOES THIS GUY IDENTIFY HIMSELF AS A DEMOCRAT?

8:15 Now on stage, a person of Hispanic descent. I think he may actually be a Republican. Way not to be a turn coat!! Oh, here is his name. He is Luis Fortuno, the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico. Um, dude, didn't they tell you. You are from Puerto Rico. You don't get vote for president. They really should have explained this to you, before you came such a long way.

8:18 Jim Lehrer explains that Luis Fortuno is the non-voting delegate to Congress for Puerto Rico. So he's just like Elanor Holmes Norton only his Puerto Rico can't even vote for President. At least D.C. gets 3 electoral votes.

8:21 Meg Whitman, former president and CEO of ebay and big McCain supporter. She talks about succeeding in business as a woman.

8:25 She talks about energy independence, and lowering taxes. People! My roads have lots of pot-holes. The bridge near where you are speaking FELL INTO THE RIVER. This country needs money for infrastructure. Lowering taxes will not leave enough money over to fix the breaking bridges. Just a concern, I'd like to raise.

8:33 First Repub PR video of the night. PBS isn't showing it and I can't guess the narrator, so, well, the thrill is gone for me.

8:34 Hold on, this narrator sounds like a character actor I remember from an episode of Angel. Victor Raider-Wexler. That's my guess.

8:40 On the stage, Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlitt-Packard speaks on stage. Wow, so far tonight, the GOP is doing a good job of limiting number of old white guys on stage.

8:46 She keeps talking about 2013. She is really looking forward to that year. Me, I'm just working my way to 2009. On year at a time, Lady!

8:48 She says McCain will veto bills laden with pork. I really don't see how he is going to do that alone. My understanding is that EVERY bill that goes to the president is full of earmarks. To keep that promise he'll have to veto everything. To really limit pork he needs a set of allies INSIDE Congress. Seeing as how there is an election coming up in which other people are also running for office, you think some Congressman or Senator would get up there and say: "I will support McCain in Congress and work with him to limit pork/earmark spending." No one has done that. Instead, they try to harp on McCain's bi-partisanship. I'm just saying, they could make the argument more persuasively while helping out some Rep's reelection bid.

8:53 Sigh! Now Gwen Ifel's on the floor talking to some delegates who actually say that Palin's quality as a "good mother" is a factor to be considered in supporting her nomination. Argh! Comments like that explicitly invite the questions by the "evil liberal media" regarding her ability to juggle family and work. BECAUSE OF THOSE COMMENTS IT IS A LEGITIMATE QUESTION. If you don't make those comments, and you shouldn't, it's not a legitimate question.

8:56 On stage now: former Lt. Gov. of Maryland, Michael Steele. By the way, he's Black.

8:58 Is it wrong of me to be pointing out people's skin color and ethnic descents?

8:59 A camera shot of the floor shows people passing out "Palin" signs. T minus 1.5 hours until the Queen appears! Oh, the anticipation!

9:00 I would make tonight's drinking game "every time someone says 'Country First'" but seeing how that is the actual campaign slogan, it seems to easy.

9:01 Heh. Former Lt. Gov. just said "drill baby, drill baby, drill baby now"

9:02 And the crowd is now chanting "drill baby, drill" There's your sound-byte environmentalists! Start filming your 527 ads right now.

9:03 "Do you put your country first?" he asks. "We all put our country first," is what I still want to reflexively answer. Damn you and your accurately put eloquence, Barak Obama.

9:05 Mitt Romney takes the stage. Get ready for some serious Obama bashing.

9:07 Mitt Romney is calling Washington liberal. Sometimes I think that no matter how many conservative policies the Repubs wrangle out of Washington, no matter how many terms the Repubs get controlling Congress and the Presidency, they will inexplicably never be satisfied.

9:10 In case you were wondering, yes, Romney still wears Ronald Reagan hair.

9:11 Huh, so far he's just bashing liberals. You know, like the ones who make up the vast majority of the state he used to govern. When does the Obama bashing start?

9:12 Woah, Romney. The mortgage crisis is partly the fault of fiscal conservatives who de-regulated banks. (the bigger part of the fault is of stupid people who think they can get something for nothing and not have to pay the consequences). You can't blame the mortgage crisis on liberals. That won't wash.

9:13 He just bashed Al Gore's private jet. Legit if he's bashing Al Gore for hypocrisy on environmental issues. No so legit when you consider that Romney probably has at least one jet of his own, highlighting how he's not really one-with-the-common man.

9:15 Romney sooooo wants to run for Pres in 2012. This dude will say anything to get this base excited. And then he has the gall. The GALL. to mention "straight talk."

9:17 I really don't like Romney. He comes off slick and pandering to me.

9:17 Romney is done. And I don't think he named Obama personally once. Just the liberals. Like I said, he's just trying out his rhetoric for the 2012 campaign.

9:19 PBS Panel of Historians!! They talk about running for office when the economy is down. Huh. Beschloss points out that in 1980 when inflation and unemployment were high, the race between Regan and Carter was still tight. It widened when Regan framed the race with "are you better off than four years ago." I love this history stuff!!

9:21 David Brooks agrees with me, that Romney's speech was practice to be the next right wing nominee. 2012, here Romney comes. Their right. What really took the cake was calling the Roberts Supreme Court "liberal."

9:26 Mike Huckabee speaks next. I don't agree with half of what this guy says, but I like him.

9:27 Mike Huckabee thanks the "elite media" for unifying the party. Elite media says "you're welcome, crazy red-necks."

9:28 Mike Huckabee respects Obama and celebrates his achievement and agrees with him that this election is about YOU! See how nice, Huckabee is, while making his point. This is why you can't not like him.

9:30 There he goes. Huckabee bashes Obama for going to Europe and talking to people who can't even vote. Hey! Then why did you bring out the Puerto Rican? Oh, worse, Huckabee says, Obama brought back European ideas!!! European ideas like Enlighenment? John Locke? Adam Smith? We don't want any of that.

9:35 Huckabee claims that Palin got more votes running for Mayor of Wasilla than Biden got running for president. Sadly, I'm pretty sure he's wrong about that.

9:39 Huckabee told a story about desks, that my roommate assures me was very moving.

9:45 The governor of Hawaii is now speaking on stage, she assures us that Queen Sarah Palin will not reinvent herself in this campaign. (like Romney just did?)

9:46 My roommate is shocked that Hawaii has a Republican governor. She thinks Hawaii was on crack that election cycle.

9:52 Oh My. I think they are chanting Queen Sarah's name. No. they are chanting "zero."

9:54 Roommate points out that the 49th state is talking up the 50th state.

9:55 Hawaii lady points out that you can fit a lot of Delawares inside of Alaska. Well, gee, thanks for the geography lesson. We'll just ignore the whole population difference, because WE ARE STUPID.

9:56 Tonight's drinking game: every time someone says the word Maverick.

9:58 Time for the PBS historians, and talk of the gender gap. Dems are killing, KILLING, Repubs in the gender gap.

10:00 On stage now: Rudy Giuliani. He will introduce Palin. He assures us that he is not running for president and he does support John McCain. Thanks Capt. Obvious.

10:03 He says "we the people," not "the left wing" or the "celebrities" get to decide the election. Didn't anyone tell him that most American celebrities and media members are citizens and can vote?

10:05 John McCain is a "true American hero." Think they'll name a GI Joe character after him?

10:05 Alert, alert, alert!!! Giuliani just said McCain was tortured! Oops. He didn't get the GW Bush/Fred Thompson memo not to mention torture (because it might remind the country how WE ARE TORTURING prisoners)

10:08 Giuliani starts the Obama bashing. A Lot. "Barak Obama has never led anything," RIDICULOUSLY claims Giuliani. The evil liberal media will have a field day with all the exaggerations and extrapolations he's making with the Obama biography.

10:13 Heh. There's a shot of Huckabee in the audience. He looks uncomfortable. I'd like to think it's because of the crass arguments Giuliani's making on stage.

10:14 The "drill, baby, drill" chant is back.

10:15 Gotta say, Giuliani is having a lot of fun up there. He might not want to leave the stage.

10:16 Giuliani complains that the Dems didn't mention 9/11 in Denver. Well, thank goodness you are here, Rudy to remind us about it.....and brag about yourself at the same time.

10:18 Giuliani asks how many times Obama has changed his position? Should you really start talking about flip-flopping when Ms. Bridge To Nowhere is coming up next? Should you really start talking about flip-flopping when McCain has to explain his position on immigration. When John McCain has to explain how he voted with GW Bush 90% of the time but now wants to reform all those decisions? I just think you might be digging a bit of a hole here, Rudy. Be careful.

10:22 He's not being careful. The evil liberal media is going to slam him on a lot of stuff in this speech, not that he or anyone else in that convention center cares.

10:23 Finally, Giuliani changes tone and compliments McCain and Palin. Oh no. He's back to crassly mocking Obama. Nice shot about "clinging to religion though."

10:24 So Rudy seems to be implying that governing a town of 10,000 people is about the same as governing a town of 3 million? Yeah. Again, I'M NOT THAT STUPID.

10:26 With Romney, Huckabee and Giuliani tonight, how the heck is the McCain-Palin ticket going to transition to a message that resonates with the Independent voters? While he's firing up the crowd, and having a good time, he's providing no sound-bytes that will attract Independent voters.

10:29 Here' she is. Miss Wasilla. Sorry. I mean Queen Palin. Finally. She emerges from GOP seclusion where she has been vigorously practicing how to say Medvedev and Ahmadinajad.

10:30 I say it's pretty near impossible for her to give a bad speech tonight, what with the way this crowd loves her and is already riled up.

10:31 She accepts the nomination for VP? What? No roll call? No floor nomination? No seconding? GOP! Don't skip the fun, wonky nuts and bolts part.

10:32 You know, she's probably wearing the most expensive suit she has ever put on. Look what the lower 48 Dems have done to you Sarah! They put you in elitist designer clothes!

10:34 Oops. She just name checked "Profiles in Courage." Does she know JFK wrote that book?

10:35 She's introducing her kids....grand baby-gate, will she mention it?

10:38 Nope. Thank goodness.

10:39 Still talking about her family. She's on her parents how.

10:41 Huh. She name checks Harry Truman. Let's hope if she becomes president she can show the surprising skill that Harry Truman did. Uh oh. Did I say "hope?"

10:42 She dings Obama for "looking down" on her experience as mayor, and then bashes him for being a community organizer. No actually. She bashes the profession of community organizer. So much for that message of "service" from yesterday. Guess "service" of a small community only counts if you are elected to service.

10:44 She tells the liberal elite media to shove it. Yeah, if she ever lets herself be actually interviewed by any of them, I don't anticipate things will go so well.

10:48 She talks about ethics reform. She talks about spending reform. Also mentions how she got rid of the AK governor's jet and home chef. Which is pretty awesome.

10:50 Uh oh. She brought up the bridge to nowhere. The Dems will be taking that sound-byte, pasting it next to this picture and broadcasting a campaign ad in a TV market near you.

10:53 New drinking game: every time the crowd chants "drill baby, drill"

10:57 Man, these people love her. The same time she dings Obama for having a worshipful following, these delegates are looking at her like she's the second coming.

10:59 Ooh, she's naming states. She does know the names of some of the lower 48 states. See, liberal media. She's completely qualified!

11:00 Her delivery is good, but she's a little too smug when she tells a joke. She'll have to adjust that before less partisan audiences. Other than that, she's doing excellent.

11:03 She rips on community organizers again. Which considering her "folksy" message is a little galling. Those people do thankless work for little pay and no glamor. They also serve communities who need help. Not cool, Lady. Stick to criticizing Obama. Lay off disparaging a profession. Especially a profession that has a history of being on the edge of REFORMING politics and generating REFORMERS.

11:05 She's done. They will take her back into seclusion where she will answer absolutely NO questions from the press.

11:09 The family join her on stage. Her baby is very, very cute.

11:10 John McCain! He comes out on stage (a move he totally stole from Obama who did the same to Biden last week...he's even speaking with a hand-held mike like Obama did).

11:11 John McCain compliments Sarah Palin and her "beautiful family."

11:14 Pundit Brooks is in love with her delivery style. Shields is amazed, as I am, that she brought up the bridge to nowhere. Gwen Ifel seems to worry that McCain can't top Palin's speech tomorrow night.

11:16 Historian Richard Norton-Smith wonders as I do how this night will play for Independents at home. Beschloss thinks this is the first time a Pres nominee and a VP nominee have ever hugged. Beschloss also thinks Palin didn't tell us any new information about herself, which will be a problem in future interviews (if she even ever has any). The other Historian, Panil, thinks she exceeded expectations with her demeanor. The Pollster thinks she played the folksy and populist notes well. She will appeal to Repub and Dem populists.

11:23 The pundits are still talking. But I'm tired. So I will leave the broadcast early. Oh no. They are ending it too. Good night. I'll be back tomorrow night for the last Nite of the DNC. Let's see if John McCain can have the speech of his life.








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08 RNC: Live Blogging Nite 1 (of Day 2)

I know, I know. I promised you a live blog on Monday, but then this little watery, wind storm in the Gulf of Mexico sort of postponed things. But all is back on track (with substantial modifications). So tune in tonight. Again, I'll try to start blogging around 8:00 PM-ish.
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7:56 Coverage starts early!! Woo-hoo! But nothing's happening. The Republicans are playing Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" Don't stop believing in what?

8:01 Republican PR video, narrated by Boo Radley. Darn it! Don't tell me you are the narrator, Robert Duvall. The fun is in guessing. What-ev. PBS isn't even showing the video. Why not? It showed all the boring Dem PR videos. Mainstream Meadia (MSM) bias!!!!!!

8:03 Some lady is on stage talking up Minnesooota's hospitality. PBS still isn't showing it.

8:04 There they go. Ann Davidson, they show her speaking. Now my msnbc interne

8:06 Did she just call Sarah Palin, Sarah Polente?

8:07 Pink Elephants!!! I want to join that group. Do you have to wear a pink hat? Drink pink drinks?

8:08 Minnesota Senator Coleman speaks now. He's Jewish. A Jewish Republican? You betcha!

8:10 He reminds us about homeless people on the gulf coast. Republican drinking game of the evening: every time they say "gulf coast"

8:11 First direct Obama slam clocks in at 8:11 PM. That didn't take long.

8:12 This guy is a little boring. Bring back the pink elephant lady!!!!!!!!

8:13 The offer is still open Republicans. You bring out a live elephant, I'm voting for you!

8:14 My roommate points out someone in the audience is dressed up as Abe Lincoln. She says she would have attended if she had known it would be a costume party.

8:15 Essay winner! Topic: What does the American Flag mean to you. My answer: Olympic gold medals baby! The Minnesota student who won the essay contest has a much better answer than mine and she narrates it over some patriotic film clips. Her Minnesota accent is just precious.

8:19 The authoress, Victoria Blackstone, comes out and leads us in The Pledge of Allegiance. That was nice.

8:22 In the studio, Mark Shields is talking about that darn Palin grand baby. Yo. If you think it's not something we should be talking about, then DON'T TALK ABOUT IT. Yep. He's still talking about it.

8:23 Still taking about the grand baby. Oh yeah, and they're still talking about it in the context of "we shouldn't talk about it." WASTE OF TIME.

8:25 Argh! They're still talking about it.

8:26 Whew. No more baby talk; instead, Gwen Ifel (who will moderate the VP debate) asks Tucker Bounds, McCain mouthpiece, about Sarah Palin's qualifications. Oh Man, Campbell Brown ripped him a good one the other day on CNN when he couldn't name a single foreign policy decision she made as governor. I wonder if Gwen can make him look just as stupid.

8:28 Watch Tucker play defense: (1) Earmarks Palin got as mayor are okay since on her way to becoming governor she took a side trip to Damascus and saw the light and will never, ever do it again (except for those times that she did do it again). (2) She was totally vetted, all this stuff we are just learning about her McCain knew the whole time, which must be why it is going over so well with Dems and Independents.

8:30 Campbell kicked his ass much better.

8:33 Returning to the stage, Michele Bachmann, representative from Minnesota is speaking in a bright, Bright, BRIGHT yellow dress about how happy, Happy, HAPPY she is to be there. Actually, I really like her dress. I like yellow. And the dress has a cute belt buckle near the top.

8:36 Second Obama dig clocks in at 8:36. You know, for Republicans, they really are laying off the Obama digs. Must be a hurricane hangover.

8:38 I love how the Republican delegates have color coordinated their outfits by state delegation. Organization baby!

8:40 Wes Gullet and his daughter Nikki of Phoenix, Arizona take the stage. They are here because of Cindy McCain. They want to say hi to Cindy and her adopted daughter Bridget who are in the convention hall.

8:41 Nikki and Bridget were found by Cindy McCain in Bangledesh in an orphanage. She brought them to the U.S. for medical care and new parents. Awh. Cindy McCain is crying.

8:48 Back in the PBS booth, historian Michael Beschloss tells us about the history of "vetting." He pegs Tome Eagleton as the turning point for the modern vetting process.

8:49 Historian Richard Norton-Smith is having Dan Quayle flash-backs. PotatoE, Patata, I say.

8:57 Still talking about Dan Qualye. Where is Dan Qyalye? What happened to him?

9:01 Over on the internet feed, another speaker as mentioned "gulf coast," so take a drink you folks at home.

9:02 PBS is still talking to pundits and surrogates. They assure us that McCain is NOT temperamental. He is NOT/NO LONGER a darling of the press. Hmmm. Notice how, when he is no longer competing for primary votes against other, more-conservative Republicans he is even tempered and unfairly treated by the media.

9:05 Bushes in the HOUSE!!! HW and Barbara. They take seats near Cindy. But HW starts working the crowd who start yelling OBAMA, OBAMA. Sorry, it just sounded like Obama. Jim Lehrer says they are saying BUSH 1, BUSH 1

9:08 Next speaker: Capt Shanna Hanson, firefighter and first responder to the collapsed bridge last year. I'm still amazed that only 13 people died. Do you think she'll address how McCain will improve the country's infrastructure while still cutting taxes?

9:09 "gulf coast" mention 2 times. 2 more sips of my ice water.

9:11 another video is playing, but PBS is again ignoring it. I can't identify the narrator. The video is about Abe Lincoln, if you care.

9:13 The Republican party, somehow, is lacking speakers as interesting and compelling as the Democrats had. They have fewer speeches and are forcing the PBS pundits to keep talking about the same things. Good news for me. I get to have snack time.

9:14 Tommy Espinoza. Hew was a in Vietnam with John McCain. Now, THIS is interesting and compelling.

9:18 He's a nice, straight-forward guy with good enthusiasm. Sort of impossible to snark on.

9:20 On the floor, a PBS correspondent interviews a Vietnam vet who shared a POW cell with McCain, and it really illustrates how WELL John McCain has aged. This guy looks cowed by time. John McCain, by contrast seems spry. Oh, this guy is 83. Explains the difference in appearance.

9:23 Christine Todd Whitman!!! She could be a VP? Why not pick her, McCain? Oh, right, she doesn't pander to your base. Sorry, I brought it up. Todd-Whitman speaks to Gwen Ifel about GW Bush's legacy.

9:29 Todd Whitman does an excellent pitch for John McCain.

9:30 David Brooks points out Repubs are losing young people (me) and middle class people (sort of me....depending on what your definition of middle class is). So, McCain will have to move to the center. By picking a progressive Veep? Oops. Guess he'll have to do it some other way. AND QUICK!!!!!!

9:33 David Brooks brought out the funny. Only a PBS pundit would make a joke while referencing 1066 and the Battle of Hastings!

9:34 On the stage and in the internet feed, another PR video is playing and the narrator sounds like Gary Sinise.

9:35 PBS actually will show this video. And this time Jim Lehrer ruins my guess the narrator game. At least I was correct, it is Gary Sinise.

9:38 Gary narrates the tale of Navy Seal, Mike Monsour, who won the Medal of Honor in sacrificing his life for his fellow soldiers.

9:42 Question? Why is Barbara Bush wearing a Lei on her arm? Quick! Someone explain to her that Barak Obama is from Hawaii. See, this is what happens when you don't watch the opposing convention. You miss out on important information.

9:43 The convention continues to recognize other medal of honor recipients, many POWs, and veterans in the audience including HW Bush!!!!! Yay for Bush #1 and for all Navay Pilots. Disclosure: My uncle was a Navy Pilot.

9:45 Laura Bush is on the stage. She as excited to see her inlaws in the audience as I am.

9:46 Sarah Palin gets a bigger cheer from the crowd than McCain does. These people don't seem to see the problem with that.

9:47 Laura starts rattling off all the women who have served in the GW Bush administration. If you call naming only three of them "rattling." Seriously, Laura, you couldn't think of at least two more?

9:53 Ladies and Gentlemen, via satellite, Laura's husband and our President: GW Bush. Wow, he starts off talking about the hurricane without mentioning...whoops...there it is, "gulf coast."

9:54 GW gives a shout-out to his mom and dad. Awh.

9:55 GW talks about McCain being tortured and how the torture was ineffective in getting McCain to break. He and the cheering delegates exhibit no sense of irony as GW says this.

9:58 GW talks up "The Surge," which, coincidentally is the planned name of Sarah and Todd Palin's next child.

10:01 GW talks up his wife, and the smile on his face is very sweet.

10:02 GW blesses me and America. And then he goes away.

10:03 But Laura picks up the figurative baton and thanks the delegates and Repubs at home for supporting the Bushes.

10:04 Another Video?! I can see why PBS has quit showing the ubiquitous PR videos.

10:08 Fred Thompson, a.k.a. D.A. Arthur Branch, takes the stage. Someone should tell the organizers that changing the pictures on the gi-mungous TV screen behind the podium is distracting for TV viewers like me.

10:11 Right now, Thompson is talking more about Palin than McCain. Not the best thing to do during the 10:00 PM ABC/NBC/CBS broadcast. Average Joe America might not get the message of who JOHN McCAIN IS!!!

10:14 Finally. Thompson speaks about the presidential nominee. With less enthusiasm, I note.

10:15 Thompson points out all the McCains in the audience. A respectable bunch. Still, nowhere near as numerous as all those freekin' Bidens.

10:16 Thompson brags about John McCain's demerits at the Naval Academy. I'm sure kids tomorrow, at school, will use it as an excuse when they are sent to detention. "I'm sorry mister Vice Principal but I learned from John McCain that demerits are an honorable, leadership building, trait. So can I be excused from detention, please?"

10:18 Thompson starts telling the entire Vietnam story of John McCain...in detail. If this gets re-hashed in another Repub PR video, I will be very annoyed.

10:22 Thompson talks about how McCain, under pressure of torture, gave false information. The applauding crow STILL DOES NOT GET THE IRONY. I'm sure each one of them approves of torture techniques for extracting information from terrorists and believes that such techniques get reliable information. It makes you want to hit them on the head. I want my own irony mallet. I'll take it to Minnesota and start smacking torture and "severe interrogation techniques" supporters with it. I won't smack them too hardly, of course. That might be torture.

10:26 Thompson mentions McCain's fight against earmark spending. Funny how he doesn't mention Sarah Palin this time.

10:27 Thompson just dissed Obama for using teleprompters. Hey pot! If you look closely at those teleprompters surrounding you on stage, they have pictures of kettles on them. (And I really hope he isn't using those teleprompters (it looks like he isn't) because otherwise, what he just said is dumber than dumb).

10:31 Oooh. Tax talk. That gets a standing ovation when Thompson makes a good point about taxing businesses. He can keep that ovation as long as he doesn't talk about that sinker of an economic idea: Gas Tax Holiday.

10:33 Giant, Huge, Boisterous Ovation for not killing fetuses.

10:35 Instead of blessing me (as the President did), Thompson signs off by blessing John McCain and America.

10:36 Mark Shields notes that Thompson got the biggest cheers for knocking Obama, but not for talking up McCain.

10:40 Turncoat Joe Lieberman takes the stage. Lots of Repubs like him. I can't understand why? It's just so strange to see him up there.

10:40 He said "gulf coast," take a drink!

10:42 Joe Lieberman decries partisanship at a PARTY Convention. As you expect, he gets barely any applause for that.

10:43 Joe explains why he's here: Country matters more than party. Then he talks about how being American is more important than being in a party and he comes close to Obama's message of "We are American's first." Heh. Obama said it better.

10:45 Joe keeps talking up this version of a unity theme, which doesn't seem to fit, because I associate unity with the eloquence of Obama.

10:47 No applause for the Patriot Act? What's wrong Repubs? I thought you loved the Patriot Act? I thought your party platform requires you to love it and all phrases that contain the word Patriot or Patriotism. You patented patriotism, right? No one is ever allowed to question a Republican's patriotism, right?

10:49 Very mild applause for fighting global warming. And the Repubs wonder why they are losing young people.

10:50 Kids, eloquence is bad. Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad. It means you are an elitist.

10:51 Lieberman alleges that Obama has been unable to take on powerful interest groups within the Democratic Party. Um. Didn't Obama beat the Clinton machine to get the nomination?

10:53 Lieberman keeps talking about national unity. It's very confusing, because the Republicans' inability to compromise and allow McCain to select a moderate Veep candidate, pretty much shows me how NOT READY this party is for "unity."

10:55 Now he's talking about unity in the context of war in Iraq. Even more confusing since polls say that most of the country is unified in wanting the troops to come home right now.

10:56 Ooh, Lieberman speaks directly to Dems and Independents watching at home. He does so by saying nothing of substance. He tells them to vote for McCain because he is a "straight talker" and a "restless reformer." Oh, well, Joe. If you say so, then sure!

10:59 Lieberman wants me to vote for the man who has always put America first. I guess he didn't get the Obama memo. WE ALL PUT AMERICA FIRST! (I really do like that Obama line, of course, it is eloquent, ergo it must be bad. Joe Lieberman spoke without eloquence, ergo he must be good.)

11:01 The big speeches are over. None of them that enjoyable or interesting except for the President's and Laura's.

11:02 The historians note that tonight asked people to vote for McCain based on his biography rather than his policies.

11:05 Historian Michael Beschloss is as skeptical as I am at the resonance of the tacked-on unity theme. He especially notes the Irony (where did I put that Irony Mallet?) that Lieberman, who was not chosen Veep because the Repub party couldn't stomach a Democrat turned Independent, espouses bipartisanship.

11:09 Nite 1 of Day 2 is over. See you tomorrow, where the Repub delegates will go INSANE over their new queen Sarah Palin. Also, we might hear something about McCain's substantive policy agenda, but don't get your hopes up.






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