Elvis "America"
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Posted on 09/01/2004 10:17:47 AM PDT by Happy2BMe
Schwarzenegger Tells Country 'America is Back'
By Bobby Eberle
Talon News
September 1, 2004
NEW YORK (Talon News) -- Poor immigrant turned action movie star turned California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared to an enthusiastic convention hall and a national audience that America "is back!" The California governor, who was one of the headliners along with First Lady Laura Bush at Tuesday night's session of the Republican National Convention, said that regardless of a person's nationality, religion, or ethnic background, "America brings out the best in people."
"Everything I have -- my career, my success, my family -- I owe to America," Schwarzenegger said (read full speech). "In this country, it doesn't make any difference where you were born. It doesn't make any difference who your parents were. It doesn't make any difference if, like me, you couldn't even speak English until you were in your twenties."
Schwarzenegger thanked America for giving him opportunities and making his "immigrant dreams come true."
"I want other people to get the same chances I did, the same opportunities," Schwarzenegger added. "And I believe they can. That's why I believe in this country, that's why I believe in this party and that's why I believe in this president."
Schwarzenegger, who is recognized across the country for his successful career in movies, was brought on for his "star power" and his ability to tell a personal story that the Bush campaign feels will touch undecided voters across the country. To that end, Schwarzenegger called out specific battleground states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Mexico, and said that Americans don't have to agree on every single issue to be "good Republicans.""[M]aybe, just maybe, you don't agree with this party on every single issue," Schwarzenegger said. "I say to you tonight I believe that's not only okay, that's what's great about this country. Here we can respectfully disagree and still be patriotic still be American and still be good Republicans."
Schwarzenegger told of his childhood in Austria during the time of the Cold War and Soviet occupation.
"When I was a boy, the Soviets occupied part of Austria," the California governor said. "I saw their tanks in the streets. I saw communism with my own eyes. I remember the fear we had when we had to cross into the Soviet sector."
Schwarzenegger added, "It was a common belief that Soviet soldiers could take a man out of his own car and ship him off to the Soviet Union as slave labor."
Schwarzenegger said that when he arrived in America in 1968, he saw the presidential debates between Hubert Humphrey and Richard Nixon, and started to form his political opinions.
"I heard Humphrey saying things that sounded like socialism, which is what I had just left," Schwarzenegger said. "But then I heard Nixon speak. He was talking about free enterprise, getting government off your back, lowering taxes and strengthening the military. Listening to Nixon speak sounded more like a breath of fresh air."
Schwarzenegger continued, "I said to my friend, 'What party is he?' My friend said, 'He's a Republican.' I said, 'Then I am a Republican!'"
The California governor, in a speech meant to uplift and inspire, also managed to interject humor through the use of some of his trademark movie lines.
On terrorism, Schwarzenegger said, "If you believe we must be fierce and relentless and terminate terrorism, then you are a Republican!
On the economy, Schwarzenegger referred to the Saturday Night weightlifting spoof of himself when he said, "To those critics who are so pessimistic about our economy, I say, 'Don't be economic girlie men.'"
"Ladies and gentlemen, America is back!" Schwarzenegger concluded. "Back from the attack on our homeland - back from the attack on our economy, back from the attack on our way of life. We're back because of the perseverance, character and leadership of the 43rd president of the United States, George W. Bush."
'America is Back' ?
When did we leave? :-\
"Girlie Men" don't like Arnold - ping.
The "Clinton Era" comes to mind.
He gave a good speech. Right out of a Hollywood script. GovRino said, John Wayne was his hero. If conservatives Wayne and Reagan are hero's to Arnold, I guess he can't be all bad. Well, OTOH....
I have been listening to Rush replay the speech today.
I am struck by the thought: if my grandparents hadn't been as brave as Arnold was, and come to America, I wouldn't be in America - or I might not be, at all.
My uniform is the return on an investment - and I will try and repay.
Ketchupman is being interviewed on Fox right now on Dayside w/Linda Vester. Good God, does he have a double talking for him. Ketchupman looks awful. He looks like he's in his 70s. He swears he and Te-RAY-za will take the WH. According to Ketchupman, the WH sofa is great according to Clintoon.
A lot of people here hate Arnold.
I agree with you.
( And THANK YOU for your service!!)
BUMP!!!!!!
Sorry. It was an impersonator called Steve Bridges.
I agree...when the WACKED OUT liberals were in control...
Rush is delayed one hour here in Austin, so I'll hear it later. Can't wait for that.
My uniform is the return on an investment - and I will try and repay.
Dittos to that statement.
Roger that, Sarge!
I'm Welsh, Scots, Irish and Cherokee ~ all are were immigrants except the Cherokee. :)
Who are the liberal hacks you're referring to?
BTTT!!!!!!!
Thank you bump!!!!
Although I'm not a big "Arnold the politician" supporter, the speech was pretty neat.
"Back from the attack on our homeland - back from the attack on our economy, back from the attack on our way of life. We're back because of the perseverance, character and leadership of the 43rd president of the United States, George W. Bush."
I hope the AM will forgive me for reposting a comment I made on another thread. I have been in Germany for 6 years now and travel to Austria frequently and have Austrian friends. I also speak fluent German. Below is a combination of a little research, personla experience and opinion.
Arnold is Austrian. That is what his politics are too. Check out a bit what how the Austrians think and you will get a good sense of how he does.
Of course, the Austrians in the West (near Switzerland) are much different from the Austrians on the East / South east border with Hungary. The mountain folk are well, mountain folk. They are close knit and act as you would expect people to act who have been isolated / protected from others from centuries. In other words, they are like the Swiss - make your own judgement.
The South/South East Austrians (I know I am making extreme generalizations, but stick with me) are the imperial Austrians of Hohenzollern / Austro-Hungarian / WWI fame. This is where Arnold is from. Thal to be exact - a city near Graz, Austria's 2nd largest.
They have flat green planes and forests. Ultimately they are a lot like the historical Prussians. Industrious and exact. A culture influenced by the necessary militarism of constantly fighting off the hordes from the East.
Austria as a whole, however is marked by a strong connection with the environment, a mild case of xenophobia, and a clear sense that you take care of your people, your land and your country (the incentives the state has for keeping the mountain region well kept are genious).
Finally, they have never come to terms with their crimes from WWII and their memory of empire is fading but not lost. In other words, the elixir of power has not turned sour like it has for Germany. Their country is too small to be a major power player but as individuals they have had an undue share of world influence - both positive and negative (see: Mozart, Freud, Archduke Ferdinand and Uncle Adolf).
I have seen nothing in Arnold's actions that does not reinforce all of these stereotypes.
Lastly, a very large number of Austrians speak German like uneducated American Southerners speak English. Slowly and sometimes incomprehensibly.
The strangest thing about Arnold is that when he speaks English, he has a German accent. But when he speaks German (which he does for the news occassionaly) he has an English accent(in German). So here is a man who can no longer speak any language properly. It would be more amusing if he weren't in charge of the world^s 6th largest economy.
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