Now I'd like you all to sit back for a moment and take a deep breath. We don't like this guy, but everyone needs to step out of their FR personality for a moment and ask if he is connecting in the country.
We need to know this. We know the media will crown him Christ the King after his speech.
How do you all think he's really doing out there?
Be Seeing You,
Chris
Notice the tepid applause regarding 9|11.
Indictive, no?
When flags WERE hanging from porches.......
MY FLAG STILL FLIES YOU JERK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't underestimate him at all. I think he is connecting, and he has a lot of charismatic people on his side like Barack Obama for instance.
I think the people who hate President Bush are pleased with him no matter what he does. He's "connecting" with that set of people.
As far as trying to out-military, out-American, out-hip the rest of the country, I would say it's not gonna fly.
Chris, I want to say he's bombing but the democrats are
masters of propaganda and really know the art of emotional
manipulation. He could connect, but I think the country's
memory of Vietnam is a bit longer than he thinks.
Bomb.
" We know the media will crown him Christ the King after his speech.
How do you all think he's really doing out there?"
It's hard to tell because he is rushing so fast and stepping all over his lines.
Unless viewers have gone to the Evelyn Wood's School of Speed Listening, they might not be able to follow any of the hamster lickers words.
I think Teresa better step down his Ritalin.
Now back to our regularly scheduled ridiculing of a complete and utter nincompoop.
Chris, the same people who elected Clinton, and who tried to steal the election for Al Gore, are going to do everything they can to elect this guy. My only hope is that Hillary won't allow it to happen.
You asked for honest opinion.
In my opinion, the very beginning was beyond lame and he stumbled. The Bush bashing revs this crowd up big time and that's when he does well. I am stunned, as I have been from the beginning of the convention, that they don't allow the crowd to chant longer.
He is being incredibly pompous right now--quoting Ron P. Reagan by name and saying he, John Kerry, doesn't wear his religion on his sleeve. I honestly don't know how appealing America will find such a revolting approach. We shall see.
His speech was too long, and short of a supported central focus. But despite being long, he delivered it much too quickly. It was obvious he was rushing. That takes the emotion out of it, and is distracting. But having said that, in my opinion he appeared less pompous than he usually does. Less boorish and more driven.
Well, the political junkies are just wondering how many different things he stole from how many different speakers. "The best is yet to come," indeed.
Oddly enough, the delivery wasn't bad. He summoned a bit of passion into his speech. I'd say it was about as good as Edwards last night, but of course not even close to Clinton. If Kerry and Edwards spent time together practicing speeches, it gave Kerry what he needed.
That being said, he did go too fast. But he was passionate and my impression is that this is not normal for him.
But the content of his speech is the real problem.
I think a lot of his speech will come out as incomprehensible. For instance, what on earth does he mean by "let us never misuse ... the constitution of the US"? Only his fellow political junkies are going to get that one. I don't even get it, and I thought I was pretty well informed.
Here's another example. He said something about the nation divided into red states and blue states. I don't think non-obsessives even know what that means. We do here on FR, but that's because we're better read than the swing voters. It was a great line for us, and for those in the hall, but I don't think it would resonate with someone not obsessed with politics.
His speech seemed too disjointed and unfocused to get much positive attention. From my cynical point of view, which I suspect is similar to that of swing voters, I think he promised a lot he could not possibly deliver. In my view he simply did not have credibility.
Now, I know the conventions are places where you generally will do this, but George W Bush has a pretty good record of delivering - or at least trying in good faith to deliver - what he's promised. I have to give him a lot of points for focus and integrity.
I don't think this speech was enough to quell doubts about Kerry's leadership. It doesn't seem like he's done anything worthy of mention since Vietnam. If we stipulate that he was great in Vietnam, why is his life not full of additional achievements, perhaps more relevent to the Presidency?
I'm confident that President Bush is going to give a much better convention speech. I don't think Kerry's was good enough to provide an appreciable bounce.
We'll find out in a couple of days if I'm right.
D