Posted on 07/28/2004 4:35:54 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest
John Kerry should be nervous. He seems more and more like an afterthought at his own convention. Judging by its coverage this morning, instead of the lugubrious Kerry, Today would love to see inaugurated on January 20th Barack Obama, the Democratic candidate for US Senate from Illinois.
Today led with a clip from Obama's keynote address in which he claimed there was "no liberal America, no conservative America, just the United States of America." Today claimed the speech "electrified" the crowd. It was a nice speech and certainly well received. But "electrified"? A bit of positive editorializing by Today.
Tim Russert, in a subsequent interview with Katie, joined in the gushing, speculating that Obama could one day become the first African-American President.
Campbell Brown surprisingly gave away the beans. She mentioned that Obama is a strong supporter of abortion rights and gun control, and is strongly opposed to the Iraq war. In other words, there's a very good reason for Obama to fudge over the differences between liberal America and conservative America - he is a big-time liberal, like every other national Democrat, and he knows that a significant majority of Americans reject liberalism.
Today mentioned this biographical note: Obama is the son of a Kenyan father and a white mother from Kansas. He was raised by his white grandparents.
Those FReepers who watched Teresa's speech last night and/or read the multitudinous comments about it on FR threads know that it was an excruciating embarrassment, with many observers remarking that to all appearances Teresa seemed heavily sedated, speaking in a very slow, depressed monotone.
Katie gingerly asked Russert what he thought of the speech, and specifically of Teresa's comment that she wanted an America in which "opinionated" women (such as herself) would be respected as smart and knowledgeable. Russert said that "this is who she is and they did the best they could with her" [!] Translation: "they know they have a problem on their hands."
Then it was on to Katie's interview with Elizabeth Edwards, who will introduce her husband tonight, and their daughter Cate [sic] who will introduce her mother.
Katie asked about Teresa's "shove it" comment, made to a journalist "from a conservative newspaper." If a Republican wife had told a NY Times reporter to shove it, would Katie have described the Times as a "liberal" newspaper, despite the fact that the Times' own ombudsman admitted last week that it is?
In any case, Elizabeth expressed the pious hope that Teresa's "terrific" speech last night would get as much coverage as the "shove it" comment.
There was some unintentional humor. Cate Edwards, the 22-yr. old daughter who will introduce her mother, unfortunately seems to have inherited more of her mother's looks than her father's. I'm not sure whose brains she inherited, but she seemed like a confused, somewhat clueless young woman.
Couric tossed her a very generic, gentle question about what she has experienced out on the campaign trail. Cate screwed up her face in a befuddled scrunch, looking like a seventh-grader who had been asked to describe Einstein's theory of quantum physics.
WOWS? Really? Those people on AOL are easily wowed then. She did have me rolling on the floor though. Actually, I take that back. The FReeper's comments during her lullaby had my rolling on the floor.
In fairness, the poor girl is young (younger than I am - now THAT is scary!) and is basically being shoved into the spotlight as a result of her father's candidacy. I think the Bush twins have shown much more poise with the media, but this level of attention is very new to Cate Edwards.
I feel sorry for her. It doesn't seem as if she's honestly interested in helping Daddy's campaign, does it?
WEll Barak said in his speech there should not be a Black or a White America ONLY AMERICA
AHEM
Mr. Obama does that mean the Congressional lack Caucus will now be disbanded ??
I await you answer and reccomendation
Interesting. Can you recall any of the "sure-things" who never made it? Ironically, one keynote speaker (I think he was the keynote) who DID make it was Bill Clinton, despite the fact that his interminable speech was universally panned.
She ain't that young. 22, Princeton educated, been on the campaign trail for a while. I've seen many high school and even middle school kids who are much more articulate.
That TeRAYsa appeared sedated was not a surprise; that her speech was--for the most part--"me me me" was also not a surprise; what DID surpise me was the EXTREMELY quiet, almost non-reaction of the delegates. The only ones who were excited were the weird women contingent (of which she is the queen).
Hmm, come to think of it, "Pharmboy" should have some professional expertise on the issue. Is it your considered opinion that she was sedated? Would it have been a normal dose to appear that slowed-down?
These are 'needy' people. . .they want to clap and cheer but it has not been 'effortless effort'.
The real challenge awaits them.
Can you imagine what it's going to be like at the Republican convention when W walks out on the stage? Now THAT is truly going to be an outpouring of love and excitement.
Here's a link to his column:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/25/weekinreview/25bott.html
Hyphenated name. Hyphenated eyes ?
. . .I would hope; but 'silver tongues' often get and worse; 'take the 'advantage'.
Obama struck me; as one with a 'silver tongue' so to speak; a kind of MLK magnetic draw in his appeal; but one could hear the cloaked Liberal undertones couched in what seem to be an attempt at a 'conservative' outreach.
All in all; he seemed a bit scary to me. . .
. . .thanks for offering some facts here re his record . . .want to know more about this man's record vs his rhetoric.
John Edwards probably had to go back and re-write his speech on 'two America's' after this one.
Flat affect, speech pattern and the look in her eyes say "medication" to me. They were also talking about it on Imus this morning. Mary Matalin was classy by saying that she would prefer to think that TeRAYsa did some intense yoga or meditation to get where she was last night.
My bias is pharmaceutical--more consistent results. I would cut back on the dose, though.
My guess on the med? Paxil. It is the most sedating of the (Prozac-class) SSRIs.
That'll dovetail nicely with Edward's "Two Americas" speach.
Thanks, Dr. PB. I was IMing with my sister, a very liberal lady from Massachusetts. She hadn't seen the speech and I wanted her to know about Teresa's drugged appearance. I just sent her your comments as evidence.
Nothing embarassing that I'm aware of, but a private life is just that. A private life. Her business, and her business alone. Politics today doesn't allow for that. Anything and everything is fodder for the opposition. Why anyone would submit oneself to that is beyond me.
LOL. . .ruth is, no one could make that climb to 'wow' for Teresa; and it showed.
Was the pained face she usually reserves for 'disgusting Republicans'.
Too funny; camera panned her; moved quickly off and no one offered so much as a word.
I noticed a few comments on the live DNC thread last night about Hillary's reaction, but even though I watched Teresa's speech somehow I managed to miss the shots of Hillary. I would have loved to have seen it. Was it really that blatant?
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