Toyah

Sorry, no blow-by-blow account this time. I was watching with the future Mrs. A-Train and I was pretty sure she would think it strange if I were hunched over my keyboard the whole time. When I get a laptop…

I expected Bush to hammer on the “Kerry is a flip-flopper” theme. He did mention it several times, but not as much as I expected. Unfortunately, I think Kerry himself reinforced the flip-flopper reputation, though how much that will matter remains to be seen.

Early in the debate, for example, Kerry criticized Bush because WMD were crossing the border every day. But wait, I thought Iraq was the wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time because there weren’t any WMD? However, to be fair, I think Kerry didn’t mean to say “WMD.” I think he meant to refer to the terrorists and their weapons crossing the borders: having just discussed WMD in the last sentence or two, his tongue didn’t get the right word out.

More damning for Kerry, I think, was his response when Jim Lehrer asked him, “Are the troops dying for a mistake?” Kerry replied unequivocally, “No, they are not dying for a mistake.” How does he square that with his proclamation that Iraq was the wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time? Aren’t “wrong” and “mistake” generally considered synonymous?

On the other hand, Kerry did address his flip-flopper reputation head-on at least once, stating that he had only ever had one position on Iraq: that Saddam Hussein was a threat, and that there was a right way and a wrong way to deal with that threat, and Bush chose the wrong way.

As I expected, Kerry’s major anti-Bush theme was that the president has made too many mistakes and that he would do better. When he characterized the president’s plan in four words, I thought it was his strongest statement of the night: “More of the same.” In fact, that would have been a good campaign slogan I think, or a good way to try to portray the president, although I think it’s too late now for it to catch on. It’s a good criticism, however, especially as it is essentially correct: the president thinks the current plan is working and intends to follow through with it.

The future Mrs. A-Train, whose opinions on politics probably reflect more voters than mine do, inasmuch as she isn’t a political junkie, thought Kerry was serious and that his answers flowed more smoothly, but that Bush sounded and looked more honest and more real. She also thought he was on the defensive more than Kerry, but qualified that with the observation that it mostly has to be that way, when you’re the incumbent.

I don’t think either candidate did a great job. Kerry came across as serious and somewhat boring. Bush came across as more of a “real” person who is slightly clumsy in front of a camera. I give them both a B.

UPDATE: Another blogger notes that Kerry said he visited the KGB headquarters under Treblinka Square, not Lubyankaya Square (where it actually was). Treblinka was a Nazi extermination camp, apparently.

The professor won.

Mr. Professor clearly knows the issues and is more capable at relating his position on them, though that does not mean the professor is right on the issues.

When going into battle, I will consult the professor, but I will follow the cowboy.

I will leave in-depth commentary to my able colleague . . .

UPDATE: Powerline has a fairly thorough play-by-play and concludes that Kerry helped himself tonight. I agree.

NR's Kerry Spot also has a fair assessment of the debate. Again, Kerry performed better than Bush.

I should mention this quote from the WFB piece I link to below:

Well, John Kerry is a skillful debater. In his column, Richard Reeves writes, "Kerry was called the 'second-best' debater he handled by the distinguished and revered Yale debate coach, Rollin Osterweis. The best, said Osterweis, was William F. Buckley."

Well, Mr. Kerry should be satisfied to continue in his career as runner-up.

Have I mentioned that I like Bill Buckley?

If you haven't already found it, one of the best blogs I know is the Belmont Club. Their analysis of the war situation in Iraq is far better, in my opinion, than most of the mainstream media's. While noting the inevitable "fog of war", it attempts to objectively analyze the data and conclude from that a) where the insurgents are b) how wide-spread the insurgency is and c) what the U.S. military is or is not doing to counter it.

It's an excellent resource.

William F. Buckley Jr. on George W. Bush, John Kerry, and Debate on National Review Online

I like reading Mr. Buckley's stuff. But the most interesting part in his piece on the upcoming debate is by someone else:

The President has ultimately to rely on perspectives. David Ignatius of the Washington Post, explicitly influenced by the recent publication in France of a report by an anti-Bush jihad expert, wrote, “The Taliban regime in Afghanistan has been toppled; the fence-sitting, semi-Islamist regime in Saudi Arabia has taken sides more strongly with the West; Islamists in Sudan and Libya are in retreat; and the plight of the Palestinians has never been more dire. And Baghdad, the traditional seat of the Muslim caliphs, is under foreign occupation. . . . Perhaps it takes an outsider — a Frenchman, even — to help Americans see the war on terrorism in perspective. Saturated in terrorism alerts and images of violence from Iraq, Americans may miss the essential fact that the terrorists are losing.”

By the way, after A-Train's insightful commentary on the convention speeches, I look forward to his analysis of the debates.

For any homesick Hillsdale College alumni out there (are there any?), Here are some pictures taken around campus. Note the new look of the Delt Tau Delt house. Some of them are from the local cemetery, which I decided to wander around yesterday, with my camera. I assume "George and Abbie" are Hillsdale alumni, especially as Abbie was once college historian. George was apparently a Civil War veteran: wonder what the "WRC" was?

Let me know if you can't see the pictures.

One of the biggest reasons to hope for a Bush victory in November is the importance of moderate to conservative appointments to the Federal Judiciary. This from a Recent AP article:

In an AP-Ipsos poll taken last week, 56 percent of those surveyed said they wanted the president to nominate a Supreme Court justice with conservative political views if a vacancy occurs; 37 percent said they preferred a justice with liberal views.

As Poweline points out, these numbers make the issue of judicial appointments a wedge issue that Bush ought to exploit. The trouble is that it is not only numbers that make an issue, but aslo the intensity of the preference. Sadly, most folks aren't cognizant of the important role the federal judiciary has in forming and influencing national policy.

The most famous footnote in a Supreme Court decision is Footnote 4 from Justice Stone's opinion in United States v. Carolene Products, 304 U.S. 144 (1938). Stone wrote that when attacking the constitutionality of a statute, the ordinary burden of proof is against those attacking the statute, but in First Amendment cases, the burden of proof is to be reversed, and it becomes the obligation of the state to demonstrate that the regulation in question is constitutional notwithstanding the First Amendment.

The focus of Stone's concern was with the democratic political process and representation of minorities. Stone wrote: "It is unnecessary to consider now whether legislation which restricts those political processes which can ordinarily be expected to bring about repeal of undesirable legislation, is to be subjected to more exacting judicial scrutiny under the general prohibitions of the Fourteenth Amendment than are most other types of legislation." Stone further asked "whether similar considerations enter into the review of statutes directed at particular religious, [] or national, [] or racial minorities [and] whether prejudice against discrete and insular minorities may be a special condition, which tends seriously to curtail the operation of those political processes ordinarily to be relied upon to protect minorities, and which may call for a correspondingly more searching judicial inquiry." It has been Justice Stone's comment on "discreet and insular minorities" that lead to the civil rights era protective racial and ethnic group decisions and legislation, such as affirmative action.

My interest here is with Stone’s concern for "discreet" and "insular" minorities, as opposed to open and broadly-distributed minorities. It strikes me that, at least in our polity, the insular minorities have no problem achieving democratic representation. African Americans, for instance, frequently live in concentrated areas and accordingly are able to organize in defense of their interests and even elect national representation. The broadly-distributed minorities, however, have a lesser capability of actually realizing representation in government. Examples of such minorities could arguably include certain European Ethnic groups or those with certain diffuse political beliefs, such as Greens, socialists, gay activists, or libertarians.

Here, my friends, lies the point of my post: If libertarians--a potentially sizeable minority if totaled together--really would like representation, they should take a hint from the "discreet and insular" minorities and consolidate in a single location. This is, after all, one of the rationales for federalism; when migration is relatively easy, people with similar preferences for public goods and services will move to locales that represent their preferences, in essence voting with their feet. I suggest that libertarians all consider moving to one of the small North Eastern states such as Rhode Island or New Hampshire, or perhaps to Wyoming or Utah (though that would attract the attention of the FBI) and form a truly libertarian regime, complete with libertarian governor, U.S. representatives, and two Senators (two senators for a state the size of Rhode Island? What a steal!). Heck, I’d even consider moving there. Who’s first?

Apparently, George Bush actually volunteered to go to Vietnam, and was turned down, according to the colonel who swore him in (and apparently commanded him for a while). Knoxville UPN reported:

One of the criticisms leveled at the President is that he sought guard service to keep him from serving in Vietnam.

[Colonel Ed] Morrisey says, "not so."

"The Air Force, in their ultimate wisdom, assembled a group of 102's and took them to Southeast Asia. Bush volunteered to go. But he needed to have 500 [flight] hours, but he only had just over 300 hours so he wasn't eligible to go,” Morrisey recalls.

This was also reported in the Februrary 2004 Newsweek.

I think this whole Vietnam-fixation is hugely irrelevant [so why are you blogging about it? - Ed. Peer pressure, I guess!]. I think Kerry served honorably but not heroically (that is, no more heroically than most). I think Bush probably had some help getting into the Guard, but didn't shirk any duties. This story is interesting: if Bush wanted to go Vietnam, or at least was willing to, why join the Guard and not the Air Force? I don't think it matters anymore, however. He's had four years of Presidential experience, and that's all that matters now. Likewise for Kerry: he's had 20 years in the Senate, and that is much more relevant to the job he wants than his four months in Vietnam.

So Porter Goss was just confirmed today as the new director of the CIA.

According to the Voice of America,

The president on Tuesday called Mr. Goss "the right man" to lead the CIA as it undergoes reforms. Democrats, however, say the former Republican congressman from Florida is too partisan, citing negative comments he made in June about Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.

So making negative comments about Democrats disqualifies you from being director of the CIA, but making negative comments about Republicans qualifies you to be president?

As Jake would say, madness!

Awesome photos from an Iraq, taken by a Marine fighter pilot!

In the movie version of The Hunt for Red October, there’s a scene in which the Russian submarine is making its way through a dangerous labyrinth of underwater canyons at high speed. The course has been plotted exactly: so many seconds at a precise speed, turn left, then right, and so on. In the movie, the captain overrides the navigator and shoots the canyon at much greater speed, demonstrating how totally he understands his submarine and seamanship. I remember being fascinated as the cameras moved from inside the sub to outside the sub, showing how close the rocks were, yet inside the submarine, the crew had no idea how close they were.

I think politics is like a submarine: a submarine of state, not a ship of state. In a submarine, the captain can’t use his eyes or other senses to navigate, attack, defend, or do any of the other functions of a ship. He must rely on instruments, and interpret what the instruments say correctly. The captain also has to rely on the crew to interpret and report their instruments correctly.

Just like a submarine, it’s hard to know what’s happening to the ship of state. Are we turning left, are we turning right? Should we rise or should we dive? Are there rocks ahead? Where are the enemy ships? How many are there? Where are the friendly ships? Which are friendly and which are enemy? We have instruments, but some of them are not very precise, and sometimes they give conflicting information. Sometimes the crew doesn’t interpret them correctly, and besides, the captain and the executive officer constantly disagree about what the instruments say.

Captain Bush says our submarine was torpedoed, and sunk the enemy submarine Afghanistan in retaliation. He says the sonar shows that there are other submarines which are flooding the torpedo tubes and getting ready to attack us too. He torpedoed the Iraq before it fired.

Executive Officer Kerry agrees that we were torpedoed, and says that if he had been captain, he’d have attacked the Iraq too, but not in the same way. He says he’d do everything that the captain has done, but differently. He’d definitely spend more time talking to all the other submarines. And on everything else, Kerry says we’re diving when Bush says we’re rising, that we’re going left when Bush says we’re going right, and that the gas tank is half-empty when Bush said it’s half-full.

The rest of us crew members are watching the captain and the XO argue, and we are looking at the gauges ourselves. Some we can understand, but most we can’t, or we just don’t have time to check them all out ourselves. We have to depend on other crewmembers to tell us, because we’re just the cook. Are we going up, or down? But some of those crewmembers are convinced that the captain is a raving lunatic, and they’ll tell us the gauges point down when they actually point up, just so we’ll agree to arrest the captain. And other crewmembers think the XO can’t find an X on a map if it had an arrow pointing to it, and that it doesn’t matter if we’re going up or down, at least the captain can navigate.

And the cooks, they’re just confused.

Rather: 'We has been misled'
In a separate statement, CBS Informative Shiznit anchor Dan Rather, who wuz da principal reporter on da story, be like, "Now, after extensive mo' interviews, I no longer has da confidence in these documents that would allow us continue vouching fo' 'em journalistically." I find we has been misled on da key question of how izzle source fo' da documents came into possession of these papers, know what I'm sayin'?

"That, combined wit some of da questions that has been raised in public 'n in da press, leads me a point where -- if I knew then what I know now -- I would not has gone ahead wit da story as that shiznit wuz aired, 'n I certainly would not has used da documents in question, know what I'm sayin'?

"But we did use da documents, know what I'm sayin'? We made a mistake in judgment, 'n fo' that I am sorry." It wuz an error that wuz made, however, in gravy faith 'n in da spirit of trying carry on a CBS Informative Shiznit tradition of investigative reporting without fear or favoritism, know what I'm sayin'?

"Please know that nothing is mo' important us than muthas's trust in izzle ability 'n izzle commitment report fairly 'n truthfully, know what I'm sayin'? "

Just sounds more believable this way.

Thanks to CNN and the Shizzolater

Saturday was Hillsdale College's Homecoming, so I was working all day, in a manner of speaking. We had to be in by 7am, but we were all done with everything that had to be done by 9:00. After that, we were just hanging around in case something happened and we were needed, which didn't happen until about 7pm, when the college-sponsored activities ended. (Hillsdale won the football game in overtime, by the way)

Anyway, I brought a book in to read. I was sitting in my chair, reading away, when one of my co-workers saw me and asked if I was studying. I said, "Not hardly," and showed him the book, which happened to be Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. He looked at it, and then said that reading a book was something he just couldn't get into. He said he could sit down and read a hunting article, sometimes, but couldn't sit down and just read through a book.

I've had more than a few people tell me that, or say that they can't remember the last book they read, or the last time they even tried to read a book. I always struggle to comprehend that: the idea of not reading is competely foreign to me. Obviously not everyone is going to read two or three books at a time, the way I do, but to not read at all? Or only read as little as possible? How depriving to the mind! I seriously think I'd go into depression if I was completely deprived of reading materials. It is nearly as necessary to me as food and water. So it really is a foreign concept to me, when people tell me they don't read.

What is it Laura Bush says? "Ready to Read, Ready to Learn?" True words...

Keith Brumley, whom some Toyah readers know, now has his own blog:.

Visit and encourage his contributions to the hive-mind of the blogosphere! :)

P.S. Phil, I don't think I can add links to the side-bar, or if I can, I don't know how...

One of the most frustrating things for me is the lack of good solid reporting from Iraq. I don't mean liberal or conservative, just good information on what is happening where, and informed analysis. It doesn't seem to be happening much, except when I come across letters from soliders on the ground. They mostly seem to be positive, unlike most of the press. Anyway, here's a letter home from a Marine major in Baghdad.

in the fine tradition of the highlands (the house on manning, not the scottish landscape) i will be playing in an all-day softball tournament tomorrow. i get off work at 5:30 this afternoon...then i drive to northwest ohio where i will throw, catch, hit, and run till i am sore...glorious. it is hard to think of a more rewarding weekend after nine days of working with morons and their money.

There's too many interesting things to mention this morning, so I'm just going to link to things I find, well, interesting, with a minimum of commentary.

CBS Forgery updates:

Yesterday CBS released a short statement (five hours later than announced) defending the Bush Guard documents, without addressing most of the forgery problems.

Through all of the frenzied debate of the past week, the basic content of the 60 MINUTES Wednesday report - that President Bush received preferential treatment to gain entrance to the Texas Air National Guard and that he may not have fulfilled all of the requirements -- has not been substantially challenged.

Sorry Dan, that's a straw man. More through criticism here.

The Washington Post also says today that at least one of the documents was faxed from the Abilene, TX Kinko's.

There is only one Kinko's in Abilene, and it is 21 miles from the Baird, Tex., home of retired Texas National Guard officer Bill Burkett, who has been named by several news outlets as a possible source for the documents.

Correlation does not equal causation, or something like that. Intriguing, though. This will make a great story when all the facts are known, although it'd probably have to go in the science fiction section instead of the historical fiction area.

2004 Election

Teresa Heinz Kerry said yesterday that water and electricity was more important than clothing, and people should just go naked for awhile.

"Clothing is wonderful, but let them go naked for a while, at least the kids," said Heinz Kerry, the wife of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. "Water is necessary, and then generators, and then food, and then clothes."

Whaaaaaat? Actually, she's probably right, but still. Right or wrong, it reminds me of Marie Antoinette's, "Let them eat cake" remark, when told the peasants had no bread.

In (not really) related news, the National Review links to polls showing Bush leading among likely voters in New Jersey and closing from 13 points behind to only 4, in Illinois.

It's certainly been an exciting week for news!

Last summer I lost a wallet of CD's. Tonight I replaced one of those CD's, Yes: Fragile, buying it at Meijer for about fifteen bucks. At first I was annoyed that I eventually had to pay full price to get it back, but as I sit here listening to "South Side of the Sky" I am reminded that you can't put a price on good music. The best music is the kind that reminds me of good times. This album reminds me of high school marching band (we played "Roundabout" one year) and discussing music with Sam Nicholson on the fourth floor of the hallowed Galloway Hall. Music that triggers fond memories is worth more than anything else I could have purchased for a mere fifteen dollars.

If you're interested in the CBS forgery story, the Washington Post has detailed coverage, including the latest responses from CBS.

Bottom line: there are a lot of questions from a lot of people about a lot of problems in the National Guard memo that CBS released. Even CBS's own expert, Martel Matley, said Matley told the Post (after spending five to eight hours examing the memos): "I knew I could not prove them authentic just from my expertise," he said. "I can't say either way from my expertise, the narrow, narrow little field of my expertise."

All I can imagine now is that CBS is looking for ways to get out of this mess with as little damage as possible, and trying to minimize fallout until they decide what to do. Either that or they don't care if the memo was a forgery and just don't care if their reputation suffers.

This is just really cool, and furthermore, it's something about World War II that I didn't know and had never heard of!

PLUTO stood for PipeLine Under The Ocean (duh!), and was a secret, well, pipeline, laid across the English Channel after D-Day to supply gasoline to the invasion. It was operational by August 1944 (only three months after the landing on June 6, in case you're fuzzy on your dates), and was the main fuel supply for Allied troops thereafter, until the close of the war in 1945.

Us historian types like to focus on the "glamorous" part of war: the teeth. But the soliders wouldn't go anywhere, eat anything, or have anything to fight with without the "tail": the logistics, which just gets to be a bigger and harder problem as war-fighting becomes more and more modern.

Read more about PLUTO here (plus maps and photographs!)

I competed in my first decathalon this past weekend, but it's not the decathalon that you would see in the Olympics. Click here to read up and for the results.

I took my qualifying exam on Saturday and I don't think that I passed it. I feel like I did pretty well considering how I thought I was going to do, and I feel quite confident that I will be able to pass it the next time that it is offered (January). I am disappointed but encouraged. I now feel that it's not an if but a when. I guess that's something positive to take away from the experience. Oh yeah, I guess that I learned a lot as well.

Whenever you read a good book, it's like the author is right there, in the room talking to you, which is why I don't like to read good books.
--Jack Handy

Carrie's blog is available here: Bensley's Nomad.

.: Snoop Dogg - Tha Shizzolator :.

This is 'da shiz, know what I'm sayin'?

A good way to threaten somebody is to light a stick of dynamite. Then you call the guy and hold the burning fuse up to the phone. "Hear that?" you say: "That's dynamite, baby."

--Jack Handy

Angela Kuhlman has a new blog, Halosquest, now accessible from the "Links" section.

As important as I feel this election to be, I would like to re-focus everyone on some very important matters.
the election isn't until NOVEMBER
baseball playoffs are in OCTOBER
football starts THIS WEEK
Now that everyone sees what the current concerns are...die ravens, rams, patriots (not washington and co., but brady and co.) go niners, browns, colts and bengals. also die giants, yankees, braves (and since the reds and indians are out) go dodgers, and a's (i guess)

in other news...michigan loses to unranked notre dame, unranked indiana upsets oregon, and th complete the package there was earthquake near here that measured 3+ on the richter scale...crazy.

back to your election posts, fellas

Short of something really amazing being revealed, I am confident that the memo that CBS produced yesterday regarding Bush's National Guard service is a forgery.

Here's a good summary of the forgery-proof. And here are the two documents that Tech Central referenced: the possible forgery with a modern copy out of MS Word, with the Word-created edition superimposed. They match exactly. I don't see any way that this is not a forgery, and a poor forgery at that.

In the midst of the flap about special treatment and all, here are the facts about Bush's actual ANG service from Byron York at The Hill.

Knowing more about the full extent of Bush's service puts the complaints about his Alabama activities into context. Looks to me like Bush gave more time to the Service than was required, which was more than Kerry did. Also, while in Alabama, Bush was admirably aiding the democratic process by working on a campaign. Following Kerry's shortened service, he worked his darndest to oppose the war (certainly a valid activity) while, more despicably, undercutting the noble service of the many soldiers fighting the war by accusing them of numerous war crimes. Whether one agreed with the Vietnam War or not, the character of the soldiers themselves, all of whom are just doing what they are told, should have been off limits. Treasonous? No. Detestable? Yes.

Very interesting.

The Boston Globe has a story today resurrecting the old Bush National Guard AWOL story. The story is based on a 1973 memo by Lt. Col. Jerry Killian, in which he complained the commanding officer wanted him to "sugar-coat" Bush's record.

What's interesting is that there's a lot of commentary on the Powerline blog to the effect that the memo is a forgery, based on dissimilarities between 70's era typewriters and the typesetting of the actual memo.

Read through it and see what you think, if you're interested.

If you're interested, the U.S. Army is deploying a major change in uniforms next year. The basic idea is that it be comfortable (not made for the parade-ground), and that the type of camouflage is made for soldiers on the move: sort of intended to make the eye slide past the soldier, not be invisible to the eye. Very interesting, how they came up with this uniform.

Terrorists have struck again, this time at the Australian embassy in Indonesia (surprise surprise). Add this to the latest activity in Iraq and the hostage situation in Russia, there has been some serious terrorism lately.

Do these attacks work in favor of or against the Bush campaign? Kerry would like to use this to say "Bush has made the world a less safe place," but I'm sure that Bush would just spin it his way that this is why national security is such an important issue (where people generally favor Bush). Also, these bombings in Indonesia come eerily close to the elections in Indonesia and Australia.

What are the effects of these attacks on the current campaign? What is the likelihood of a terrorist attack on U.S. soil before our general election? If we are attacked, do you think that will rally people around Bush or cause a Spain-esque switch over to Kerry? Let's just pray to God that nothing of the sorts happens.

Oh yeah, Bush is going to be in Muskegon on Monday and my dad has tickets to the event. Man am I jealous!

If you, like me, are tired of all the extra-superlative superlatives being generated by the 2004 election, you'll enjoy reading this little story from the New York Times (via Ann Althouse).

Of all that list, I think the only one that really qualifies as an important election, in hindsight, was the 1864 election. Pundits are fond of saying things to the effect that America has never been more divided than it is now, to which I can only raise my eyebrows and wonder, does nobody know history anymore?

Susan Estrich, who was Michael Dukakis' campaign manager, is threatening to fight fire with fire. She says the Kerry campaign has been trying to take the high road and not get into mud-slinging (see if you agree), but that the Republicans are going to force them.

So, she says maybe they'll resurrect the National Guard charges or the drunk-driving charges. Huh? Misconduct 30 years ago---even if true---is only damaging if the candidate wants people to vote for him based on that conduct. Bush wants people to vote for him because of what he's doing now, not what he did back then. Kerry wants people to vote for him based on what he did 30 years ago, not what he's done recently.

Governor Granholm of Michigan said the Kerry campaign has been responding to the Republican tuba with a piccolo. Estrich's threats sound like more piccolo playing.

Wow.

Here's a report from ITAR-TASS about the Russian kids at the school that were taken hostage. 646 people were hospitalized.

"The majority of patients have bullet wounds in the back," the sources said.

Sounds like the kids broke out of the school and tried to escape, and were shot while running. Then the commandos opened fire and/or stormed the building, trying to protect the kids who were escaping. If the terrorists have already started killiing kids, then there's no point in waiting any longer.

You can't reason with people who shoot kids in the back. You can only kill them.

My thoughts and prayers are with the Russian parents and people today.

See here for more information.

Good news from the war on terror front in Afghanistan: Roze Khan, the Taliban "Billy the Kid" has been killed by U.S. Special Ops forces. He was the top Taliban commander in southern Afghanistan.

For a CBS story, it's written in a very balanced and non-critical way. I get the impression that Lara Logan actually likes U.S. soldiers!

I'm busy paying bills and otherwise catching up on mundane stuff while watching, so if I miss something, that's why. Good thing the President is speaking tonight: I'll be in Cleveland tomorrow night and Saturday for a wedding (not mine). It'll be a Toyah meeting in fact, minus J-Rock, who already has a date with a hurricane, er, Florida. So wish all us Toyahites a safe trip!

Warning: very long post to follow. Phil posted right before me: if you get bored with mine, be sure to scroll down to see his remarks: they're excellent, as always.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tommy Franks

Heh, I thought he was going to say "I felt like saying, 'I'm Tommy Franks, and I'm running for President.'"

Very deliberate speaking style. "I choose to fight them, over there." Good line.

You know, if Bush really did equal Hitler, and Ashcroft really was trying to take away our constitutional freedoms, etc., wouldn't it be wise for those who oppose Bush to be trying to get the military on their side? But there seem to be a lot more soliders backing Bush than Kerry, and backing Republicans rather than Democrats.

He made a point of thanking our coalition partners. Wow, good for him.

Hmm..."The WMD that we all expected that [Saddam] owned." Wonder if the "all" is supposed to include Democrats?

Good, solid, yeoman speech. Nothing all that important or new: reviewed lots of Republican talking points.

Barbara Bush

Aww, her favorite speakers so far were her granddaughters.

Video of the Bush girls

Wow, Barbara is, um, hot! Jenna has a nice smile too. Her sister kind of overshadows her in the looks department. Hey, it's not like I have a lot of other things to judge them on!

It doesn't need to be said that George Bush, and the Bush family, connects far better with America than the Kerrys. But, I think that's the point of this stuff: we're supposed to remember they're just so gosh-darn American!

Hey, a "live from the floor" (uh, duh!) interview with the Michigan delegation! Heh, "What happens at the Convention, stays at the Convention."

I would like to note that I am not a fan of whatever kind of gospel music this is supposed to be...

Mel Martinez

The Repubicans are definitely playing up (or playing to?) the immigrant vote. Every night so far as included or featured immigrants. Tuesday: Ahnold. Wednesday: some immigrant business people. Thursday: Mel Martinez. Gotta admire the guy, I certainly haven't overcome that much adversity.

George Pataki

Wow, really? A thousand Oregonians came, just so the desk clerks could keep their jobs? Huh, cool if true. Lots of other really cool stories about Americans, and New Yorkers. He's proud of New York State, as he should be. Hmm, he says this election is the most important of our lifetime, that unlike all the other elections where that's said, this one really is. Eh, I'll wait to the end of my life to say which one was the most important.

Lol, he says Kerry has to Google his own name to find out what he stands for. The Republicans have gotten off a lot of good lines this convention.

Good cheerleading speech, nothing all that special about it though.

George Bush

Bush rose to the ocassion, became a man that surprised many of us. Perhaps Kerry can too. But it's hard to imagine him going to the effort to comfort people, to jog with an injured soldier like Bush did. Wow, it's amazing how a chant of "USA, USA!" can bring tears to your eyes. Mine, anyway.

You know, I don't recall this much enthusiasm when John Kerry walked out to accept the nomination.

Whoa, BIG surprise! He just accepted the nomination! Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!

(camera pans to very pretty delegate. Cameramen tend to do that)

Tribute to Cheney. Tribute to Laura. Tribute to the twins. Tribute to his siblings. Wonder if Barney the dog will get a mention? Tribute to his parents. I always liked 41's grin. Tribute to Reagan.

List of things that won't hold us back: prescription drugs (hmmm), tax relief (yay!), economy growing (yay).

"Clear and positive" plan to build a safer world and a more hopeful America (ok). Doesn't want gov't to run people's lives (yay! hmmm). Offers steady, responsible leadership (yay).

His hand gestures work much better than Kerry's. He doesn't overuse them, and they match what he is saying.

(camera shifs to another cute female delegate)

Government must take your side (hmmm). Transform government systems of yesterday so citizens are equipped to make own choices (yay!). To create jobs, America must be the best place in the world to do business (yay!!). He will restrain spending, reduce regulation, make tax cuts permanent (hmmm, would be more convincing if he'd, like, reduced spending in the first four years).

Less dependence on foreign energy (yay, but, err, how?). Protection from frivilous lawsuits (ok). Complicated tax code---will he propose a flat tax??!!

(cute female delegate)

Reform and simplify the tax code (well, ok, maybe). Increase funding for community colleges (cool, but I thought he said he'd restrain spending?).

(Not-cute male delegate, followed by older female delegate. Equal opportunity, I guess)

Health care--small business should be able to co-opt together and buy insurance at discounts that big companies get (hmmm). Health savings account (hmmm). Every poor county should have a health center (eh? Shouldn't that be a local gov't thing?). Medical liability reform (yay). Decisions should be made by doctors, not bureaucrats (yay).

Labor laws. Comp time and stuff (hmm, ok). Ownership society? Ah, home ownership. 7 million more homes in the next 10 years (hmm, ok, but why is a Republican federal government getting involved with this?).

Social Security isn't going away (too bad, but expected). Personal accounts for younger workers that gov't can't take (yay!!).

Path to greater oppurtunity, etc. Youngest Americans. Schools will be path of promise (hmm, ok. Where's he going with this?) Results, accountability. Local people in charge of schools (yay). Testing, identifying those who need help, record level of funding to give help (hmmmm).

(ordinary-looking people)

Challenging soft bigotry of low expectations (yay). Leave no child behind (hmmm).

High school early-intervention programs (hmmm). Focus on math and science (yay, I think). College diploma? I think he meant degree. Or maybe he meant high school diploma.

Initative to sign millions of poor children up for government health care (hmmm). More details online.

(pretty female delegate)

Things that Kerry is against. Things he's for. Blahblahblah. Kerry wants to increase taxes, expanding gov't, not oppurtunity (eh, true, but not all that much different from Bush).

"Four more years" chant. Wheee.

Some things don't change. Character, values, family commitment. Welfare reform that strenthens family and requires work (yay). Must make a place for the unborn child (yay!). Religious charities must not be discriminated against (yay). Man and woman---marriage must be protected against activist judges (yay, I think)

(old gray guy)

Support judges who adhere to strict interpretation of the law (yay). Heh, conservative values not found in Hollywood: Kerry not the candidate of conservative values. Other examples.

(cute female delegate)

Terrorism---you know where I stand (yay!!!!).

(young white guy)

Ground Zero. I will never relent in defending America. Whatever it takes (yay!!!!!!)

(middle-aged guy)

(Condoleeza Rice)

We fought terrorists not for pride, not for power, but because lives of our citizens were at stake. We are staying on the offensive, abroad, not at home.

(middle-aged woman)

We will bring peace to the Middle East, and we will prevail (yay!)

Our strategy is suceeding. Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia (!), Libya, Iraq, Al-Queda (convention is going nuts)

(protestor)

More than 3/4ths of Al-Queda's senior associates have been detained or killed (yay!!)

We have led, many have joined, America and world are safer (yay!)

Iraq toughest decision. Long history of WMD. 9/11 requires thinking differently. Must confront threats before it is too late. Hussein a threat, recognized by both parties, including Kerry and Edwards. UN demanded Hussein disarm or face serious consequences. Decade of diplomacy, final chance. Decision that comes only to the Oval Office. Take the word of a madman or defend the country? (yay)

(older lady)

50 million people liberated. Democracy coming to Middle East (are you listening, Saudi Arabia?). 10 million people have registered to vote in Iraq (or was that Afghanistan?), resounding vote for democracy (yay).

(pretty female delegate)

Vital, historic cause. Free societies in Middle East will be hopeful societies, fight terrorists instead of harboring them. U.S. troops will then return home with honor they've earned (yay!)

(older lady)

Test of will for country. Evil terrorists. Soliders are doing a superb job (yay!)

(older lady)

Address to troops: struggle of historic proportion. Defeating terrorists where they live and plan. World is more just, and will be more peaceful. Will give all support, tools, needed for victory.

Kerry was for before he was against $87 billion (heh, still gets laughs)

(cute female delegate: I thought it'd been a while)

Tribute to allied leaders (yay!)

(cute female delegate)

Kerry describes allies as coalition of coerced and bribed. List of allies, who deserve respect, not scorn.

(female delegate)

America will not forget soldiers (yay!) People we have freed won't forget either. White house visit with Iraqi men with X's branded on forehead and right hands cut off. One wrote out prayer for God to bless America, in Arabic, with new prosthetic hand.

Proud of America

(cute female delegate)

Terrorists are fighting freeedom: their greatest fear. Freedom is on the march (yay!) I believe in the transformational power of liberty. America power to advance freedom. Message of hope to vital region. Mentions Palestine (!), peace with our good friend Israel (yay).

(male delegate)

(cute female delegate)

Advance of freedom will make America more secure, world more peaceful. America has done this work before, always been doubters. Quotes NYT from 1946, referring to failed occupational policy (ha! Take that, NYT!). Truman persevered, led to better, safer world today.

(THREE cute female delegates)

Power of liberty to transform lives and nations. America called to lead cause of freedom in new century. Freedom not America's gift to world: Almighty's gift to everyone.

(strange-looking female delegate)

Freedom of many, and future security of America, depend on us.

(cute female delegate)

Even if you don't agree with me, you know where I stand. I have flaws...Arnold had to correct my English (ha!). Swagger...it's called, walking, in Texas (haha!). Too blunt: thank my mom. Shortcomings get noticed when you're President. Whatever strengths you have, you'll need them.

Ordering soldiers into battle, toughest decision, even when it's right. Awed that relatives of dead soldiers have met with me, offered to pray for me.

(male delegate)

Libery precious.

(teary-eyed female delegate)

As long as country stands, people will look to resurrection of NYC. Here, buildings fell. Here, a nation rose (yay!!)

(Guilani, Pataki)

Character in military, veterans, young people, workers, entreprenuers with effort and optimism. Having come this far, tested and confident nation can achieve anything.

Everything has a season. Now is the time for hope. This will be liberty century. Promoting liberty abroad will build a safer world, more hopeful America. Calling from beyond the stars (where exactly is that?) to stand for freedom. Now we go forward, confident in the greatest nation on earth.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

End of the speech. Phew, that's a lot of typing. Good speech, I thought. Not a barn-burner like Miller, not so grave as Cheney, not so funny as Schwartznegger. But a good speech in the George W. Bush style. There is a lot of enthusiasm at the convention, to be expected of course, but he's very popular with these people!

Ok, I'm done for tonight. I've been sitting at the computer way too long. Going for pre-bedtime walk, then to bed. Leaving for Cleveland about 4:00 tomorrow, I hope, and spending the weekend with lots of good friends.

Bush's speech tonight has been nothing but positive. Not once has he mentioned his opponent. This is exactly the type of headline the Campaign would love for tomorrow: "Bush sets positive agenda for the next four years."

CNN is reporting, however, that John Kerry is planning a midnight rally where he will co-opt tomorrow's headlines with accusations against, of all people, Dick Cheney and his service record. This maneuver is dirty politics at its lowest. It will be an unprecedented move following an opponent's convention speech and shows exactly why John Kerry is definitely not fit to be President.

Some say it doesn't matter who wins; the Rs and Ds are all the same. I have always been convinced this is not true, and I hope the Republican convention, and Kerry's desperation moves, reveal the true nature of the race between these two men.

I am optimistic. Americans have a real choice in this election, and one is clearly the right one.

Ok. He just mentioned Kerry, as he ought, but he only mentioned his record on domestic issues and votes related to the war on terror.

------------

Bush's speech was a good one. It included a detailed, positive, and conservative domestic agenda, encouraging remarks about America's war on terror, and respectful contrasts with Kerry. All that, aided by a very impresive stage (did you see the big columns with "United States of America" engraved on the top? very cool), served to present President Bush as a more fully developed and presidential-looking candidate than Swift-Boat-Swamped Kerry.

All in all, the Republicans have put on a very impressive convention. Provided there are no major goofs in the next two-months--a possibility given the eratic nature of this campaign--Bush will win.

Dick Cheney. Odd introduction music.

Lots of annoying "Four more years" chants. Cheney agrees with me (whoo!) that Zell Miller is a bad enemy.

Cheney's family story: they lived in a railroad car. Can it be true that so many American politicans had such humble beginnings?

Cheny has a good, authoritative speaking voice, and lots of gravitas. Still wondering about how good of a successor-in-chief he is.

More annoying "Four more years" Ok, yes, we get it. That's the point of the convention.

Stuff about how we need to defend America, how Kerry will ask permission from the UN and Bush won't. Good stuff, but nothing new.

On Kerry's flip-flops: haha...Kerry sees "two Americas." America sees "two Kerrys."

Good speech: level, pretty quiet. Interesting contrast to the pent-up anger in Zell Miller. I'm sure that wasn't accidental.

Good lord, Zell Miller is laying it on! The RNC is loving it! He does not like John Kerry. At all. Not even a little bit. "Wrong, weak, wobbly. Against, against, against."

I don't ever want Zell Miller mad at me.

Now Dick Cheney is up. I expect him to impersonate an attack dog. Should be fun to watch.

This piece in the American Enterprise Online by a friend of mine explains why a traditionally Democrat constituency ought to seriously consider voting for Bush in 2004.

Other general impressions from watching the convention:

Elizabeth Dole: must not have been very interesting because I was surfing the Net and pretty well tuned her out.

George P. Bush: Meh. I'm sure he'll get better with practice. The guy who introduced him---a Hispanic politician or something---tried to make a joke about how similar they were, concluding with how his initial is Q and George's is P. The joke did not work.

Bill Frist: I kind of liked his speech. Heavy on medical stuff, seniors, etc. But he's a pretty good speaker, uses his hands well, good voice inflection. Doesn't sound like a Senator, in other words.

Elizabeth Hasselbeck. Something to do with a style TV show. No idea who she is, and I don't remember what she talked about, although it was milidly interesting. I thought she was pretty, though.

Arnold Schwartzenegger: Didn't say anything very original, but (as I've already said), man, is he fun to listen to! Correction: the stuff about growing up under the Soviet boot---when he was a little boy, not yet an action hero---was powerful. "Don't be economic girlie-men!" Gotta love his way with a phrase. I expect to see Democrats complaining today. They'd handle it better just to laugh, but politiicans don't often have a sense of humor.

The Bush twins: Obviously not much public speaking experience. Then again, I've done a lot, and never addressed anything like the RNC. I doubt I'd give the performance of my life, either. They love their family, they're not coy. Also, they're cute, especially Barbara. With them, Laura, and George's video introduction of Laura, the whole family was there, and they made a good impression as a family.

Laura Bush: pretty good speech. Revealed some things about her husband---walking the lawn while deciding what to do. The weight of the world, etc. What struck me, listening to her, is how proud she must be of her husband. She remembers him when he was a hard drinker and partier, through all the ups and downs of his life, and she's watched him go through one of the toughest acts in the world---a U.S. presidential race---followed by 9/11. He's come a long way since that backyard barbecue. If my wife is that proud of me after 20-some years, I'll be doing very well.

I fell asleep after Laura, so that's all I have to say.