Posted on 08/31/2004 10:06:40 PM PDT by Pikamax
Man of Steel Flies Into Gotham
By Tom Shales
Wednesday, September 1, 2004; Page C01
People don't commonly associate adjectives like "cool" and "hip" with the Republican Party, but the first broadcast television coverage of the party's convention, from Madison Square Garden in New York last night, revealed the GOP to be more media-hip and glitzy than the Democrats were earlier this summer.
The event, a giant rubber stamp convened nominally to renominate George W. Bush for president and -- unless Rudolph Giuliani comes riding out from the wings on a white horse -- Dick Cheney for vice president, was put together by people who seemed determined to make it entertaining for TV viewers at home. Today's viewer is, of course, tomorrow's voter -- or November's, at any rate.
Thus the centerpiece of the evening, the equivalent of the "feature attraction" at the movies -- framed by such short subjects as first lady Laura Bush and the entertainingly embarrassing Bush Twins (who seem to be starring in a Paris Hilton-style reality show of their own) -- was one-time Hollywood leading man Arnold Schwarzenegger.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
The choice of NYC was brilliant. The protesters are adding to the publicity. The speeches are fantastic. This is great theater, great politics, great TV... great, great, great...
And I don't even know the details of who organized all this. Who should I be saying THANK YOU to?
This convention has been great so far. (but I like the way you said it better!)
The choice of NYC was brilliant.
Mr. Shales seems a wee bit snarky, don't he? Guess that's how you write a column when you're a "style" columnist.
I have been very impressed by the RNC and the speeches I've heard. Arnold was great tonight!
Shales won't give the GOP any compliments unless he can make them backhanded.
I think I heard 900 arrests today.
Absolutely right. The choice of NYC was brilliant, couldn't possibly top that. Great on all counts.
**Massive mangler of the English language though he be, Schwarzenegger is a star, and proved it with a rousingly partisan, old-timey kind of political speech that was refreshingly combative and filled with bravado. It made the Democrats look like Clark Kent, "mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper," while Arnold came bursting through as Superman, the guy who gets the job done and punches do-badders in the snoot.**
LOL!
Actually, we have been persecuting Rather for years for being a "hockey puck" and we've been slapping him around "like a liberal" (though he deserves worse).
The Dems have NO idea how bad these protestors make them look. They're so blinded with hatred of Bush, they aren't realizing what 98% of Americans think of people assaulting policemen, screeching at cameras and cussing out little old ladies from Iowa. The GOP could not have dreamed for a more effective reception!
Also from the article:
**At the Fox network, the Republican convention is being covered as if it were a happy birthday party for God, with the channel's right-leaning commentators and anchors hanging on for the joyride of their lives, all but turning cartwheels. But even Dan Rather of CBS News, whom conservatives have been persecuting for years as being "liberal," was taken with Schwarzenegger's very combative speech, saying he "slapped Kerry around like a hockey puck."**
LOL!
Paraphrase Rather, Late 1992 or early 1993:
"If only we could be 1/10 th as good as you Mrs. Clinton..."
Captain Dan wants to keep that 2008 slot open for Sir Hillary. He's just as liberal as ever.
**The Grand Old Party is giving a grand new kind of convention.**
I wish they'd show every one of them on TV - live.
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