The Old Man and the VP

I have put it off as long as I could, actually doing some work, then lunch, and finally some more work and now I am just going to have to suck it up and watch McCain's little tirade from last night.

Let's discuss.

First, did they really put a green screen behind him again? Stephen Colbert is going to be ALL over this one, "my friends." Nope, it is just the lawn of some big ass house? What is that place?

And there was a protester saying McCain voted against vets. AWESOME! All the USA chanting is making me feel like I am at some sort of youth rally for the army. Dude has seven kids, put that with Palin's and they have a softball team!

I do have to give his mom props—she is a SPRY 96. Course, he has to mention her age to make himself appear less decrepit. 

Wow, he actually said something nice about Obama, a backhanded, I'm-more-patriotic-then-you way. And on cue, the screen changes to a giant, billowing American flag behind him, in case you missed the point.

Oh goodie, looks like a Code Pink-er got in and tried to disrupt things. When did John McCain lose the ability to smile with sincerity? He said how all Americans want is for our government to stand by our side and not in our way. Well, no that isn't exactly true. Sometimes I think that government has to do more than just stand idly by. Sometimes they need to step in to fix things, or regulate matters. 

When Mac talks about "change coming" I would love to know how he thinks he is different from Bush's last eight years. Great you are going to keep your word, but that still doesn't tell me what you will DO. I just saw some dude with a sign that said reform. Wtf? How does the GOP think they can cozy up to Dubya and yet say they want reform? Am I the only one that sees this as as giant disconnect?

He talks about how the surge in Iraq helped the troops not be demoralized. Really? You think that those people who have been over there four or five times, and their families who are left behind, aren't demoralized?

Next we get the litany of "real" people stories, who McCain fights for. Now what he is going to do to make their lives better, I am not clear on. Wait, he is going to make sure we remain safe from our enemies. Golly, I feel safer already. He wants to restore the pride and principles of his party. Good luck with that. "We lost the trust of the American people." So Johnny are you saying you fucked up but please give you another four years, because this time you swear you will get it right? I feel like I am listening to a junkie promising that this time he REALLY will stay away from the smack.

Now he tells me we are all God's children. And the Republicans believe in spending discipline. Gotta say that the last eight years don't do that much to back that claim up.

Truly, WTF? Government that doesn't make choices for us, but works to make sure we have more choices to make for ourselves??? I can't believe a bolt from the sky didn't strike him then and there. The GOP doesn't want us to have choices. They want us to all be cookie cutter evangelicals who only eat white bread and have missionary position sex with a person of the opposite, but only if we are married to them and only to breed. Dear barbara.

Now he is getting to a bit of substance, but nothing indepth, just platitudes followed by boos with every mention of what Obama will supposedly do. Talking about healthcare, honey, a bureaucrat already stands between me and getting healthcare, who are you kidding? 

Interesting that McCain is going into detail about schools. He does seem to be the first speaker I have heard all week that actually brought up anything policy related. When he talks about sending $700 billion to countries that don't like us, is he aware that he is referring to Iraq and therefore vis-a-vis the surge. Oops! Apparently that comment was directed to the countries we buy oil from. Time for the drilling chant again and the whole nuke/clean coal nonsense.

Time to show the world again how Americans lead? Something tells me that if McCain is elected, the "world" isn't going to give a flying flip for the US, much less be interested in seeing us lead.

OH  GOODIE! Now we get to the part where he tries to scare people with all the boogeymen out there who are coming to get us. Good thing Russia invaded Georgia because he even gets to through in the threat of another Cold War and the possibility of Soviet world dominance. 

He wants to change the way the government does almost everything. Now that is a tall order mister. Set a new standard for transparency, well that shouldn't be too hard considering currently our government is shrouded in pea soup fog.

And yes, one last I-was-a-POW and that makes me special shout out. This hand is played maverick. Time to get a new trick. You know, my father served almost two tours in Vietnam. He was a helicopter mechanic, so I don't think he saw much "action" but I honestly don't know, because he doesn't talk about it. How many Vietnam vets do you know that run off at the mouth about the experience?

You know, I just realized, that while several of the Democratic speeches brought a tear to my eye, there wasn't anything in any of the GOP speeches that made me emotional in that way. They all seemed too snarky or angry or contrived. Maybe I am just more cynical about the Republicans.

I am glad that McCain feels that America saved him, but I think he summed up the crux of the problem with him when he said this: "And I will fight for her for as long as I draw breath, so help me God." I am not sure that America needs to be fought for in the way he seems to be implying. Especially if you go back to his earlier argument that our legislators need to be less partisan, shouldn't we stop fighting and learn to get along and work together? Shouldn't we start being offensive, about things like the environment and energy, rather than continue to be defensive and just react when we are pushed into a corner. Then again, Bush and his buddies thought they were being offensive in regards to Iraq, so maybe the GOP doesn't do offense so well.

Well that is 49 minutes of my life I will never get back. I must really be devoted to you people to have watched all the GOP speeches I watched this week. I think I have taken about 10 years off of my life and raised my blood pressure 20 points.