September 5, 2008
But Will Everybody Watch it Twice?
Last night, I was very disappointed with Senator McCain's speech. I thought that it was too long and the delivery deficit between he and Senator Obama frightens me. The spotlight entrance seemed like Saturday Night Live. The speech started and ended strong but it was a little flat in the middle, was it not?
I watched again this morning and must admit I liked it better. My original opinions hold, but not to the extremes I imagined when I clicked it off last night (I trust all of America TiVoed it and watched it again this morning -- I'm not unusual or anything, just a regular guy).
Maybe the moderates will enjoy the chewy-Kumbaya center. I did not expect a red meat speech and admit that the salute to Obama and his supporters was classy and well done. His harsh medicine for Republicans "We went to change Washington and it changed us" supports his maverick image, though I fear an out of context attack ad. All fair enough.
But I agree with the WSJ Ed Page (can I have a mirabile dictu?) that he should run Truman-style against the 110th Congress. The 111th will be more lopsided Democratic, and I don't want to hear how he is going to meet them halfway and not worry about who gets credit -- that's a nice homage to Reagan, but the President didn't use it buck up Speaker Jim Wright.
The fact is, the 111th Congress will be staffed by collectivists, funded by and pushing a radical Union agenda, back-to-the-caves environmentalism, and a huge expansion of government scope and regulation. Perhaps "Gridlock and Lipstick!" is only a winning message around ThreeSources, but he could have positioned himself as someone who would oppose the excesses. I'm the guy who agrees with him on immigration and even I winced when he celebrated the "American-ness" of the child born to migrant workers. Sure enough, the applause seemed a little thin.
I am glad to see the other reviews are better than mine. I hope to be wrong -- even this morning's view cheered me up. Maybe I should watch it again. Third time a charm?