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"WOW" the Republican Party sure is white!
The "wow" factor at the Republican National Convention manifested itself in two ways this week. The "wow" of energetic and spirited vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin is blindingly obvious.
But the "wow" of presidential nominee John McCain exuded itself through the substance of his words, delivered in his acceptance speech Thursday night with passion and eloquence.
The word "change" has been tossed around by both Republican and Democratic camps this election season like a basketball in a circle drill. In Barack Obama's acceptance speech last week, he dropped the word 16 times.
McCain used it 10 times Thursday -- perhaps no time better than in this magnificent quote: "And let me offer an advance warning to the old, big-spending, do-nothing, me-first, country-second Washington crowd: Change is coming!"
Here's another very important word that Obama used only twice in his speech of almost 4,800 words -- but McCain used some form of the word 25 times:
Fight.
Don't misinterpret that as a display of raw pugnacity. McCain's repeated employment of the word executes an excellent contrast between the two candidates.
In Obama we see a man placed by his followers on a pedestal, where they expect him to rain down some sort of political pixie dust to magically transform this country.
But in McCain, voters see a determined, intelligent, no-nonsense candidate who has fought physically and politically, and has the scars to prove it -- and now he is willing to stand up yet again to fight for you.
And what will he be fighting? The worst Congress in history; a Republican Party that lost its way and quit in the middle of the Republican Revolution in the 1990s, and is now the biggest-spending party in history; and a culture in which we're all, every one of us, stealing from our children and grandchildren because we're unwilling to sacrifice to balance the budget.
There are so many other things to fight for at this stage of American history. A world safe from radical terrorism, a lower tax rate, better health care, a commonsense energy policy, a healthier economy, a solution to the immigration problem, an end to special interests -- the complete list exceeds the confines of this page.
Accomplishing all that and more requires a leader full of fight. McCain made a compelling case for that Thursday.
"I don't mind a good fight. For reasons known only to God, I've had quite a few tough ones in my life," McCain said. "But I learned an important lesson along the way. In the end, it matters less that you can fight. What you fight for is the real test."
Too many politicians have gone to Washington, D.C., charged by their constituents to work for the people, but instead end up working more for themselves. McCain is fully aware that the federal government has lost the trust of an overwhelming percentage of Americans.
That's why he's out to cut government spending. He wants to cut taxes to grow small businesses and create jobs. he wants to put our country in the energy business like never before, through more and immediate oil drilling, more nuclear plants and developing clean coal technology.
And McCain could not have been more on point when he talked about his education platform:
"Education is the civil rights issue of this century," he said. Exactly. Look no further than the protests by blacks in Chicago earlier this school year against their public schools, morphing into another form of "separate butequal."
"Equal access to public education has been gained. But what is the value of access to a failing school? We need to shake up failed school bureaucracies with competition, empower parents with choice, remove barriers to qualified instructors, attract and reward good teachers and help bad teachers find another line of work."
What perhaps was most heartening about McCain's excellent speech Thursday was how he conveyed his genuine understanding of "service above self," to borrow the longtime Rotary Club motto.
McCain knows the big picture, and it isn't about him. It's about this country. From that realization springs his much-bandied "maverick" label. On the last night of the Republican convention, he humbled himself before an audience of millions to let them know he is rooted firmly in the concept of servant leadership.
"We're going to finally start getting things done for the people who are counting on us, and I won't care who gets the credit," McCain said. "I've been an imperfect servant of my country for many years. But I have been her servant first, last and always. And I've never lived a day, in good times or bad, that I didn't thank God for the privilege."
He can't do it all alone, of course. Americans must help, too.
Obama keeps telling us what he'll do for us. John McCain is likely to push us to do more for our country, and our progeny. And that's as it should be.
Comments
"WOW" the Republican Party sure is white!
"And let me offer an advance warning to the old, big-spending, do-nothing, me-first, country-second Washington crowd: Change is coming!" Excuse me, but isn't McCain defining his tenure? And who has been in the White House for the past eight years? Not a democrat. But the last democrat left with a balanced budget....
And the last tax increase was thanks to his daddy, and the only ones who benefited by the latest tax breaks were the rich...and who is going to pay for the "stimulus package.....WE are.....borrow money from China to buy Chinese goods, and then pay it back.....BRILLIANT! Not!
Oh, and I wonder how much the McCain family is worth compared to the Obama family? No he doesn't own 7 houses, he only owns 3...his wife owns the other 4.......I wish I could buy 1........
Looks like the "race card" leads again. Could it be that that's the only card some people have in their hand?
a little wealth envy there copperhead???
And just what is wrong with owning property??
http://gatton.uky.edu/gradstudents/Lopes/Pork%20Barrel%20Spending.pdf Look at this study....you'll find that the Repubs have the lead in pork...And by the way, Palin was FOR the bridge to nowhere in her campaign, but flip-flopped. Karma, no, not really, but I see this as evidence that McCain is NOT in touch with the MAJORITY of Americans. I just know that since the Republicans came into the Presidency, America and AMERICANS are doing much worse. 6.1% unemployment, attributed mainly to jobs overseas and the housing market, well, it speaks for itself. The Republicans had claimed that more people owned homes than ever before, but now more Americans are in foreclosure than ever before....the Bush administration closed it's eyes to experts saying the mortgage industry was messing up, because it would have made them look bad. Well, they look WORSE now. I have always voted Republican until the last election, when I saw how poorly Bush managed this country. McCain isn't change...he voted with the President 90% of the time, and that ISN'T change.
"And let me offer an advance warning to the old, big-spending, do-nothing, me-first, country-second Washington crowd: Change is coming!"..This explains why Saxby Chambliss & his Lobbyist son are working for OBAMA. I am for McCain myself too bad our RINO Senator is not.
We always call out people who 'talk the talk' but do not 'walk the walk.' IMO it is one thing to try to build oneself up over a couple of years in an attempt to win a political goal, but entirely different to have lived one's life devoted to doing the right thing. I was very impressed when I saw what John and Cindy McCain have done over the last 30 or so years, in both their private and public lives.
GACopperhead..I am a retired school teacher and currently own four houses. The home I live in is paid for and so are 2 of my 3 rental homes. You don't have to be rich to own a home. You just need to save your money and make wise investments.
What's the matter Copperhead? Got some class envy going on there?
Apparently some of you didn't listen to McCain's speech when he talked about both parties and greedy politicians of both parties. What he is ADMITTING is that both Democrats and Good Ole Boy Republicans are EQUALLY responsible for the sorry state of affairs of this country. He, unlike Obama has told exactly what he wants to change and is surrounding himself with new blood that feel the same way. Palin is proof of that. Obama has Biden, one of those good ole Washington boys.
Looks like the "race card" leads again. Could it be that that's the only card some people have in their hand?
"My friends, my friends, my friends..." In case you haven't noticed, WE are the country. "fight" for lower taxes? Code- Keep taxes low for millionaires and trust fund babies, nothing for the average American."Fight" for better health care? The Reps keep saying we have the best health care system in the world. Code- fight against affordable health care for all Americans. "Fight" for better education? Code-Give taxpayer money to religious and private schools, including all the segregation academies that miraculously were needed when schools were integrated. Actually the word "fight" should more likely be taken literally. He was all for attacking a country that did not attack us, nor was any threat to us. One of his main foreign policy advisors was a paid lobbyist for Georgia so McCain starts speaking tough against Russia. He's been known as hothead for years, and his diplomatic skills are sorely lacking. If being a "maverick" means you change most of the positions you held in 2000, I guess he fits the bill,although if others change a position he calls it a flip-flop. He makes snide nasty comments then gives his insincere grin. Just because you call yourself humble doesn't make it so
Jsterett, are you a stutterer or live in a valley? I think we read that post before.
They finally used the " WOW" word. The Walk On Water party.
Obscure empty promises of chang & hope, constantly changing what he has said, saying one thing to your face and another when he thinks noone hears, no experience, Marxist leanings, socialist plans, admitted desire to redistribute wealth, stated plan to steal the profits of private enterprise and increased taxes by Obama versus John McCain. Seems like an easy choice to me.
Keep posting you just might convince yourself.
You talk about McCain changing his position that he had in 2000. That is 8 years. I am sure TL that you have never changed your mind about anything ever, Democrats rarely do unless it is so they can get elected. The willingness to hear new or better ideas and embrace those ideas is a good thing. On the other hand, Obama changing his mind 4 times in as many weeks is flip-floping. And I am refering to Obama's statements on dealing with the Georgia/Russia incident.
Ever thought that when events changes, your opinions might too?
Hippo, I can smell the fear again, you show it so well. YOU JUST DOWN RIGHT STINK.
Appears, the leftist liberals on this blog are suffering severly from race, class and wealth envy. I do believe they see the writing on the wall. Their messiah is not coming with manna from heaven!
4 times as many? Strange, I keep getting asked to prove my stats. Pull this number out of your hat?. The point is that everyone with any sense changes their positions if more information changes the situation. (other than GWB, but then I said anyone with any sense). McCain's hypocrisy is that he changed his mostly for political expediency ( ie. evangelicals= agents of intolerance) and calls any change of position by Obama a flip-flip. Also I don't think any of Obama's advisors have been on Georgia's payroll.
Tech lover, little early for the kool aide is it not. Try coffee, it might clear your head?
Listen - Obama going from one end of the spectrum to another in a sigle crisis is not good leadership. It is irresponsible indecision and that is what gets more people killed than anything else in those type situations. OK you military people, regardless of your party affiliation, what would you do with a leader on the battlefield that changed his orders constantly when the situation was the same or was undecided in battle? In Vietnam a leader like that would have been fragged so that he couldn't run his men into a deathtrap. In this case Obama needs to be fragged at the polls.
sorry sigle = single
I envy no one. I believe the wealthy should have to pay thier fair share. I think privitization is a code for not having decent paying government jobs with benefits and allowing a few people to make a killing off of our taxes while cheating their workers out of a fair wage and benefits ( also with all variables included, the work probably costs more). I would like to see affordable healthcare for all Americans. This, however, will be fought tooth and nail by the insurance lobby. McCain's comment about a bureaucrat between you and your doctor was pure bull. We've got this now. I've been fighting my insurance co to pay for a CT scan my doctor ordered. They just want premiums, they don't actually want to pay for services. Also, after all the Palin hoopla, I find it a bit disingenuous of the Reps to be talking about a messiah.
Along with being a great convention that highlighted the real differences between Democrats and Republicans, it was the most watched Convention in history!
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