2000-08-03
Republican National Convention worries, posted at 02:42:46
Epiphany in Baltimore has moved to epiphanyinbaltimore.blogspot.com Okay, so I've spent the last two nights watching the Republican National Convention. Know thine enemy, you know. I am beginning to be totally consumed by this election.Anyhow, I'm really worried. The Republicans have crafted this convention so well that if I were an independent, then I would almost be convinced. Yesterday, we saw such future stars as Condoleeza Rice (African-American, woman, dynamic, conservative... has that combination ever occurred before?), who will probably be a major political player in the next decade or so. We saw John McCain give a very good speech proclaiming his love for Bush. We saw Elizabeth Dole and her charm. We saw gay Congressman Jim Kolby talk about international relations.
It's almost scary how good these people are making the Republican Party look. First of all, these people do not represent the norms of the Republican party at all. All the charismatic speakers and multicultural representation is a facade on the fact that the Republican Party's platform is still wholly nonrepresentative of normal people's viewpoints: still they are anti-abortion, anti gay-union, anti-affirmative action. 700 people have contributed 95% of the money to George W. Bush's campaign. This is still a rich folk's party.
I'm currently watching Dick Cheney for the first time. I've only read about him, read about his poor voting record (he voted against Nelson Mandela being freed, against safety locks on guns, etc), read about his gay daughter, and read about his crazy, ultra-conservative wife. But now I'm watching him, and he has a very good way of speaking up there. His rhetoric is all the same, but his tough grandfather facade is definitely working for me. He looks like a guy I could trust.
Don't worry. I'd rather eat glass than cast my vote George W. Bush and Dick Cheney for President and Vice President. But I'm worried that the momentum the Republicans will get from this very well-managed and well-choreographed National Convention will be too great for Al Gore to overcome.
Okay, now Cheney is talking about how Clinton has depleted our armed forces. Now I'm beginning to dislike him. Isn't he something of a war monger?
I think Clinton and Gore have run a very good administration for the last 8 years. Our economy is booming. I don't get why anyone would want to risk that by voting for Republican leadership again. Besides the obvious - antiquated views on social issues, in particular - doesn't American want prosperity? Well, we're as prosperous as we have been since the twenties. If Gore were to lose, it would be the first time an incumpent President or VP has ever lost in a time of economic prosperity.
Here's hoping the Democratic National Convention, coming up in a week and a half, helps get Al Gore back on track. I'm really worried that he's falling too far behind. I've never been so excited about a presidential candidate.