Posted on 07/26/2004 7:24:50 AM PDT by mattdono
Two great questions overhang the Democratic convention: Will the party succeed in stifling its rage and paranoia? And will the media report it if the party fails?
It’s a rule of modern political journalism: Republican conventions are always horrible, Democratic conventions always delightful. Either the Republicans are producing Nuremberg-style festivals of hate (as Houston 1992 was dubbed) or else they are cynically concealing their true colors (the top story line in San Diego in 1996 and Philadelphia in 2000).
Democrats by contrast can count on favorable coverage so long as they can avoid th outright rioting of Chicago 1968.
Still, this year they will have a tough time. This is a party that is in danger of losing its mind. Its previous presidential nominee Al Gore – who will speak in prime time – has given himself up to wild ranting. Its most important 527 advocacy group hosts on its website political ads comparing Bush to Hitler and 9/11 to the Reichstag fire. Its congressional leaders allow themselves to be photographed stepping into theaters to watch Michael Moore’s nutso “Fahrenheit 911.” Really, things have gotten pretty bad when Hillary Clinton begins to look like one of the most moderate and sensible leaders of the party.
Even if the wackiness is kept under wraps – whether by the organizers or a sympathetic media – the Democrats still have some tough work ahead of them. The Democrats have been following an interesting peek-a-boo strategy with John Kerry. I cannot remember the last time a challenger for the presidency generated so little news. It’s as if the Dems want to keep Kerry off America’s television screens – apparently on the theory that while Americans may like the idea of Kerry if they hear about him, they won’t at all like him if they hear from him.
So this week, much of America will see Kerry in action for the first time. The challenge for Kerry, his writers and handlers, is to present himself as someone who understands the lives and values of ordinary Americans. (The temptation will be to over-reach and present him as someone who actually shares that life and those values – but that will risk seeming ludicrous as the public learns about the Swiss prep school, the $8,000 bike, the voting record in the Senate, and the inherited family fortune.) Can Kerry do it? Can he project some personal warmth and sympathy? Can he suppress for an evening his disdain for political rivals and his orotund and evasive style of speech? Can he lay aside 35 years of Vietnam syndrome and credibly convey a determination to meet and destroy the nation’s terrorist enemies?
Personally, I don’t think he can. But that will be the big interest of this week’s big show.
Really, things have gotten pretty bad when Hillary Clinton begins to look like one of the most moderate and sensible leaders of the party.
Hmmm....
Regardless of what actually happens, the media will give it a favorable spin.
I've heard the same line used by several different media reports on Kerry's reception on the way to mound at Fenway Park last knight.
"Like everybody who throws out the first pitch at Fenway, Kerry got a mix of cheers and boos."
I bet the soldier who was supposed to throw the out the first pitch would have gotten a Standing O.
"Can't be" you say. "Freedom of the press<" you say. "The media would not allow is journalistic integrity to be manipulated by union thugs," you say.
Well, of course they would. Every time a union wants to extort more from management in a negotiation session, the union thugs order the media folks to abandon any concept of a free press and strike or threaten to strike. Talk about chilling effect on the people's right to know and for reasons of personal greed.
The media coverage is good because the media types are following the orders of union enforcers and, of course, because most are neocommunists.
Lance Armstrong is not only a great personal story of an unbelievable athlete, he embodies much that has made this Country the Greatest Country in history. His overcoming cancer and getting back on the Tour stronger than when he started is testimony to his personal fortitude. Unfortunately his marriage was a disaster although we do not know the specifics except speculation of his obsession with the sport. There are two children that have been tragically hurt by his bicycling and that cannot be diminished and is not what this story is about.
How is it that America can dominate a sport that the country has little interest in and is outnumbered by casual bike riders 100-1 vs the Europe and Asia? Between Greg Lemond and Lance we have completely dominated this race? What is it about America that it can continue to turn out these types of athletes from our minuscule numbers of competitors? It is simple, we have the most creative and innovative training methods ever devised. It is in our mentality that we are willing to experiment and create which sets us apart from the other autocratic Socialistic societies.
Lance Armstrong after he overcame cancer deturmined he needed a new way of riding a bike to get back in contention. He found that if he increased his leg speed and had a higher cadence he could climb hills faster than the standard slow cadence up the mountain. This allowed him to use his superior cardiovascular system to offset the weakness in his legs. As his strength increased he found that the high cadence became even more effective and has completely dominated the sport which continues to use the slow cadence method. The Europeans are now 5-7 years behind his training and with their inability to change will not use his methods. That is American know how and capitalism in a nutshell. In The USA necessity is the mother of invention and immediate flexibility is the key.
The Demosaurs would have Lance go back to the slow cadence so the Europeons would like him more. They feel the Eurotrash are the model to follow. They don’t believe that America should dominate but just run with the pack. Lance would rather be feared and admired than loved. He would rather run in front of the pack with a few loyal friends than with the middle or back of the peletron. He did not work as hard as he did and make as many sacrifices as he did so that he could give it away to the Germans or Frogs. He dominates the race and in the end it makes the race stronger, safer and better.
We witnessed the other end of the athletic spectrum on Sunday night. Yaaawn Girly Tax & Kerry lobbed out the first weenie pitch of the night. That was what you would expect someone who attempts to be France. Someone who has no American can do attitude but wants to give all the power to the world. There was no strength or honor in that muff, only an exhibition of strident inflexibility and wimpishness. That was a pitcher who would be happy if America ran in the rear of the peletron so nobody in front would be offended. The results of that pitch displayed what that belief will get you, a ball bouncing past the catcher on it’s way to oblivion.
You mean Kerry bumped a soldier at the last moment? Would that soldier be the one who got to catch the girlie man's "pitch"?
I wouldn't be surprised to hear Kerry blame the soldier for not catching the pitch.
Either way, it doesn't seem that things have changed all that much from 1971. Kerry's ambitions vs. the pride of a man in uniform...Kerry's amibtions will win out every time.
If Kerry was as smart as the press makes him out to be, he would have insisted that be able to catch the pitch and let the solider have the spotlight. Instead, he does what the demoSCUMs always do: hog the spotlight from the common man.
I will extend the analogy a little bit. Look at the team structure around Lance and compare that to the demoCREEP mentality.
Lance understands that in addition to his preparation, he needs to have a cohesive group, working together, with 1 goal in mind, to accomplish his goals.
demoSCUM, by comparison, aren't interested in working towards a common goal. They are only interested in pursuing their own narrow means.
For instance, there should be NO dispute that Saddam was a bad guy and needed to go. There shouldn't be any dispute, but yet there is. The demoCRETANs don't even mention the torture. The demoCRAPs don't even mention the raping of women and young girls, the disfigurement, the gasings, etc. What do they focus on? Sixteen words; 16 words and a lying member of their faction as the cornerstone of "Bush Lied".
As you aptly point out, they are more interested in "being friends" than being first (and righteous).
They, like the European riders, are still thinking the "old way" (i.e., slower pedal motion). The demoBARFs still have a pre 9/11 mentality with Kerry being the proverbial 9/10 man in a 9/11 world.
Unfortunately, the mass, partisan media is selling it out like they never have before. I only hope that the American people can see that it is Bush who has been paving the new way of dealing with terrorism. I only hope that the American people can see the new motions that our country is taking to fight terrorism and want that to continue.
We'll see.
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