Thursday Democratic National Convention running commentary thread

[J. J.]

Framing is hideous.  Too many celebrities; looks like a rock concert.  It's not being carried on the network however.

[J. J.]

Framing is hideous.  Too many celebrities; looks like a rock concert.  It's not being carried on the network however.

How much does the RNC pay you?

Nothing, the framing is hideous.  The speech itself is important.  Hell, even Harold Ford was was not overly impressed as of yesterday.

Like I said, 1996, the DNC overall was terrible, Clinton's speech was great.  Obama's (and McCain's) speeches are the most important things.  In this one, the secondary things are Michelle's, Hillary's, and Bill's speeches.  Hillary's was the only one that approached stellar, but the others were OK, and didn't do any harm.

This is bad, because it re-enforces the celebrity aspect, but it generally isn't covered by the networks, so it's limited.

[J. J.]

Framing is hideous.  Too many celebrities; looks like a rock concert.  It's not being carried on the network however.

How much does the RNC pay you?

Nothing, the framing is hideous.  The speech itself is important.  Hell, even Harold Ford was was not overly impressed as of yesterday.

Like I said, 1996, the DNC overall was terrible, Clinton's speech was great.  Obama's (and McCain's) speeches are the most important things.  In this one, the secondary things are Michelle's, Hillary's, and Bill's speeches.  Hillary's was the only one that approached stellar, but the others were OK, and didn't do any harm.

This is bad, because it re-enforces the celebrity aspect, but it generally isn't covered by the networks, so it's limited.

I can understand why you would want this to go over bad but you have to realize Americans have pretty short attention spans and are also mostly idiots so a rock concert feel is very good for winning over votes. I don't agree, if it was my choice, for my entertainment it would either be a mix of Warped Tour and Democrats speaking or just serious substance. Of course the former would never happen.

No, I love it as a Republican.  It's terrible, in terms of staging.  Not to mention that CNN has the audio screwed up.

That said, Gore is giving a absolutely kick-ass speech, which is better than Michelle's, Bill's, or Hillary's.  He just invoked the Bible.  And, the the major networks are not covering it.  He's being played on and off by "Let the Sunshine In," in another gigantically bad framing.

[J. J.]

I can't believe Gore wasn't being covered properly

This speech was the closest to a 10 that I've seen in this convention.

Setting is hideous; Brokaw just called it "imperious," and "extension of the Brandenburg Gate."  The crowd is too far from the speakers.  CNN screwed up the sound.  Oberman is trying to talk them out of it.

And the speech that I'm rating a near 10, isn't being covered by the network.

[J. J.]

the major networks really didn't cover Gore?

Yes, I checked.

They ought to fire whomever came up with this boneheaded idea for holding this in a stadium.

[J. J.]

will obama be doing any faith healing tonight?

people going to be leaving the stadium without the wheelchairs they came in on?

Not nice, but that could be the impression.  

They say the speech is long and that he uses the word "I" a lot.

[J. J.]

You can put the "inclusion" myth to bed with this speech.

[J. J.]

They say the speech is long and that he uses the word "I" a lot.

How much does Rush pay you?

Actually, I owe Oberman for that one.

[J. J.]

They say the speech is long and that he uses the word "I" a lot.

How much does Rush pay you?

And he just said it again.

[J. J.]

Durbin's doing a nice job.

[J. J.]

"He had a childhood like any one elses'."

No he didn't!

Anyway, quick, McCain should announce his VP right now!

Very true; the real story is compelling enough, but he won't use it.

[J. J.]

At least he didn't attempt to impersonate a poor person.

[J. J.]

Obama clearly wants this election to be about Bush, haha.

Ah, newsflash, Bush isn't on the ballot.

[J. J.]

Here comes the Clinton praise.

From a purely objective standpoint, this stadium thing isn't nearly as amazing as everyone thought it would be.

It did what it was supposed to: get 80,000 people watching the speech rather than 20,000.  60,000 more people will go home having seen this speech.

Visuals need him to, looking at people, talking to people.  The crowd is to far away to see their faces.

He just lost the Ayn Rand vote.

[J. J.]

Obama clearly wants this election to be about Bush, haha.

Ah, newsflash, Bush isn't on the ballot.

You're right, Don Quixote is out.  But Sancho Panza's on the ballot!

That's not who he's running against.  The windmill doesn't even exist.

[J. J.]

if yall wanted specifics I think you've got 'em

He'll do all that and cut taxes too.  

[J. J.]

He should have made copies of the SC speech and passed them out.

Okay, here is the tax thing.

[J. J.]

if yall wanted specifics I think you've got 'em

He'll do all that and cut taxes too.  

every politician offers something for nothing.  it's the name of the game

For an "old style" politician.

[J. J.]

The SC speech was a hell of a lot better.  

[J. J.]

Senator Obama's speech isn't doing anything for me, especially Senator Obama's anecdotes about his family, in particular his ones regarding grandparents and relating them to stories many Americans share today. One of the only parts of the speech I have liked thus far was one he mentioned eight is enough. Silly Barack Obama, this is politics not a syndicated drama-comedy from the late 1970's .

SC, plus some policy, was better.  I'm up to an 7.5.  Hell, Gore's was better.

"Last Best Hope," well, at least he's up to the 1990's with "Babylon Five."

[J. J.]

I really wanted to hear inclusiveness and something new; it's not here.

In many ways, it is a very retrospective speech; Obama just invoked the MLK speech.  It is not a forward looking speech.

[J. J.]

And during the entire convention, Obama and Hillary, or Bill, never appeared on stage together.

[J. J.]

OK, the music was...an odd choice.  I'll grant you that.

The music was part of the staging, and they should five the idiot who thought this up.

[J. J.]

Pelosi didn't wait for Noes.

Kennedy didn't embrace Carter in 1980. 

[J. J.]

You said Obama was arrogant.  I said a lot of people who say that really mean, "uppity".  Which is code.  Perhaps you meant uppity.  Perhaps not.  That's between you and your conscience.

I'm not sure what you mean by "uppity," but "arrogant" may be not to actually anyone for their votes.