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Re: Monday, July 26, 2004
CNN?! You watched it on CNN? Aargh. Want to see things without commercial interruption, and with better audio? Try MSNBC. (NB: even on group feeds, their audio is always better. Can't figure out why.) Clinton was classic Clinton, only better. Unlike his old stump speeches and his State of The Union addresses (poor Bill, everone takes pot shots at him just because he wanted to deliver a full and totally encompassing report!), this time he was there to set the stage, define the terms and rhetoric of the campaign (I blog about this),and tick off the talking points, one by one. He did a masterful job. Love him or hate him, the man can orate. And he gets better with age. Those who watched the Democratic campaign and recall the annual Harkin Family Picnic (or is that a bar-b-que, I forget) will recognize much of his speech was in the early stages then. He's honed it, made it much better. He spoke about being a member of the economic group favored by the Republicans, how he benefitted from the tax cuts, and so forth. Tonight he gave the finished product, a polished version of that speech, melded with the rallying cries we will hear for the next 14 weeks. Hillary did a better job addressing the party than she often does when addressing the voters here in NY. And, please, point of fact: she is not a visiting senator. It disrespects her work ethic and accomplishments to bash her with a easy cheap shot. Frankly, Doc, this one is too cheap a shot for you to have taken. I suspect the water in either Portland, or on that plane, was spiked. Hillary represents the New Yorkers who voted for her, and who did so in big numbers. She's done an excellent job, she's stayed on point, and has come through for many of the smaller areas of the state that a good many of her predecessors would have ignored. Except, of course, for a little token patronage just before the election. That always served the recently remarried former Senator Al in good stead. And look at Al's legacy: his hand pucked Governor is the embodiment of bland ambition, a completely inept man. New York's press (be it blogs, the papers, Radio/TV, or whatever) is not known for as shrinking violet quality. Had Hillary gone off point, waivered, or broken campaign promises, the papers would be all over her. Even the NY Post has trouble attacking her, except to be nasty when it suggests that she seeks higher office and that this is all a prep session for her grander aspirations. Carter was Carter, and I hold him in similar high regard. He'd have to do a very bad job for me not to like what he says,and the way he says it. The highlight of the night was the restrained but eloquent Gore. The world might be a better place had that Katherine Harris woman not disenfranchised all those Florida voters and helped to tip the appointment (certainly not the election) to Shrubby. Gore had an earlier position, and was far frm being the star of the show. But this is the man who should have been, and in this corner, I feel bad that he did not seek a second shot at the great pretender. There are responses to this message:
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