Posted on 07/31/2004 2:59:56 PM PDT by forest
The meeting in Beantown was listed as the Democratic party convention. However, the number of media and gunslingers far exceeded the amount of convention delegates attending. The gunslingers could be pacified with a doughnut or two a day. Not so with the scribbling set.
Reporters tend to get a little testy if they are not provided comfort, free food, booze, and bathrooms -- usually in that order. But, the DNC didn't deliver. First, most media people had to go through security lines. Then, to save a few bucks, the DNC skimped on toilets for the media. On top of that, security would not allow media people to bring booze or food into the convention center, so many reporters watched the convention from the local bars (Hence, the reason some of those stories were written the way they were.) As part of the security, media people were issued an anti-terrorism kit consisting of an evacuation hood, a whistle and a flashlight. Really, that's no joke. . . .
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, the Chairman of the Democratic National Convention, admitted to reporters that this is the first Democratic National Convention made up of over 40 percent minority delegates -- political correctness run amok, in other words. I couldn't help but notice that most of them apparently got their work ethic from John Kerry. Almost every time the camera panned the convention hall, I saw many, many empty seats. Of course, those missing delegates could have been busy giving media interviews to the reporters . . . at the bars.
Day one -- yawn -- Clinton, Clinton and Gore lied a while. Not much at all to report there.
All in all, it was really a dreadful first night.
Carter (remember THAT presidency?) actually tried to instruct George Bush on Middle East policy, Gore continued carping about the vote count in 2000, Hillary gave an advertising speech for herself on the way to introducing Bill, and Bill gave a very well delivered liberal litany of lies and half-truths.
Media babblers and scribblers (some sober) act like cheerleaders for the Social-Democratic cause, of course, so reports were glowing. The media rated style over substance, so all the mistruths were overlooked. But, the American people did not agree. Television network ratings were way down. After all, Carter, Gore, Clinton, and Clinton were going to support Kerry -- yawn -- that was expected. So who the hell cares? The result was, network viewers actually decreased when the Clintons appeared.
Howard Dean received a better reception than either of the Clintons. He didn't actually say anything noteworthy, it's just that the delegates were happy to see someone they liked and woke up long enough to give him a long standing ovation.
Day two's highlight was, of course, Teresa.
She got all dolled up in a very bright suit, found her hairbrush and actually used it a little and had someone rub some orange stuff onto various places on her face and neck.
Teresa talked mostly about herself, then a little about her husband. Again, nothing noteworthy. Commentators agreed that was the first time a candidate's wife was given a prime time speaking spot and may well be the last.
Day three, Wednesday, there was a little action when Reverend Al (Sharpton) put on a rip-roaring Saturday Night Live style skit that entertained the crowd for a while.
Oh, and John Edwards spoke, too. Turns out, the Edwards family are quite good speakers. The problem was, John Edwards tried to interject a little substance in with his bright style. Didn't work. He didn't get his facts straight. People noticed.
My favorite was Edwards' proposed a plan to rely on NATO to "build a stable Iraq" and count on "other countries to forgive [Iraq's] enormous debt and participate in the reconstruction."
Someone should have informed the junior senator, who may never win an election again, that the North Atlantic is a bit far from Iraq and NATO, as an organization, was formed to defend Europe, not butt into the politics of the Middle East.
Day four, finally!
Kerry wants everyone to think he wrote his own speech. Ain't true. Terry Edmonds, formally a Clinton speechwriter, and a cast of others, actually wrote most of the speech.
First, though, America had to sit through a Kerry propaganda film because Kerry wanted everyone to know he was in Vietnam for a couple months. The subject matter was rather uninteresting, but the film was well done.
Kerry's speech was just political babble interlaced with a few cheap shots. Generally, it was devoid of any real facts or specifics. Kerry's theme was "help is on the way." Problem is, little of the "help" Kerry promises are things the federal government should even be involved in. Typical Social-Democratic Party stuff, in other words. More of their same old failed policies.
On Fox News, Neil Cavuto summed up the convention correctly: "Damn dull!"
Over 40 percent minority delegates.
Many empty seats.
Television network ratings were way down. Terry Edmonds, et.al., wrote Kerry's speech.
You know, the TV cameras went out of their way to focus on "minority" delegates, and the predominance of black music in the background was unmistakeable. I wonder whether the 60% of the electorate who is not "minority" will have a response to the subliminal messaqe here.
That's a thought.
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