Live from RNC: How Can McCain Top Last Night?
After Sarah Palin brought down the house, he has his work cut out for him.
9/4, 2:05 pm PDT
On my way out the door to the Xcel Center. Here’s a few thoughts in general about the convention and tonight’s program.
The security at the site has been extraordinary but extremely well organized and run so that delegates have not had long waits to get in. It is very intimidating (as I’m sure it’s designed to be) but everyone is friendly enough. I even got a TSA fellow to smile and talk to me.
No complaints about the thousands of volunteers helping inside and outside the arena. Those inside are generally knowledgeable about where things are and those outside are friendly and helpful, directing thousands to the shuttle buses to take attendees back to their hotels.
Last night, it took about an hour to get to my hotel because the bus driver got lost. I’m afraid I almost moved her to tears when, after traveling in circles for about 45 minutes, I said in a loud voice that she should let us off at the next freeway exit and call us cabs. She was from Kentucky and the cop was from some small town in Minnesota and didn’t know the city either.
But these kinds of snafus have been kept to a minimum. Besides my previous rant complaining about how they are treating bloggers, I would say the organizers here have done a first-rate job.
Tonight’s program may cause a few TV viewers to pop some bennies in order to stay awake until John McCain comes on around 9:15 CT. After a dynamite lineup last night of Rudy, Mitt, and the Huckster, tonight’s snooze-a-thon will feature that dynamic orator Tim Pawlenty, governor of Minnesota and loser in the veepstakes; Senator Lindsey Graham, who may set a record for spouting the most “southernisms” in a nationally televised speech; and a good public servant but someone no one will confuse with being a brilliant speaker, Tom Ridge.
The reason those three gentlemen were on last night with Sarah Palin is pretty obvious. John McCain is no Cicero himself and any of his former opponents who spoke last night might cause McCain to suffer by comparison.
But it is not so much the way John McCain will deliver his speech — although that might be a problem — as it will be what he says. McCain’s style is to use these beautifully crafted, elegantly conceived, long drawn-out sentences that are perfectly logical but perfectly deadly when giving a speech before 20,000 partisans. Unless he alters his preferred method and shortens his prose, the crowd will be walking all over his applause lines. This will be bad TV and distract from the message.
But it is what he says that will engage the attention of the media and delegates. Here, I believe McCain has an excellent case for his kind of reform that he can lay before the nation and paint a stark contrast with Obama’s “change and reform” message.
McCain’s reform ideas are rooted in the old progressive, “good government” notions of the early part of the 20th century. No comparison of McCain and TR as human beings intended, but you could probably draw a straight line intellectually from Teddy Roosevelt to McCain. McCain wants a smaller government but a better government. Instead of busting trusts, McCain wants to bust lobbyists — a popular and consequential notion. Nor does he want to curtail lobbying itself, rather the influence that lobbyists have on campaigns.
Lobbying itself cannot be stopped. It is a First Amendment right to seek a “redress of grievances.” But it is the practice of earmarks and special plums snuck into legislation at the 11th hour so that lawmakers can curry favor with lobbyists and thus receive the bounty they bestow in cash for campaigns that makes the way it is currently practiced so pernicious.
Along with some other reforms like fixing the budget and streamlining government operations, McCain has a specific, attractive program to put before the American people tonight. In asking whether he is up to the challenge tonight, I have stopped trying to low-ball anything to do with John McCain.
Anyone who can survive five years of torture and confinement and come out sane has some very special qualities that place him above the ordinary.
9/04, 11:30 am PST
She walked out on the stage, a diminutive figure made smaller by the gigantic noise that rose from the floor of the convention. The sound washed over her, wrapping her in a protective cocoon of love and admiration, as if her supporters could deflect the political bric-a-bracs being hurled her way by the sheer volume of cacophony they could produce. Delegates were mad. Mad at the media, at the Democrats, at all the incendiary, baseless smears and outright falsehoods thrown at the vice presidential nominee over the last few days. They were letting her know the only way they knew how that it was alright now — she was home and among friends.
No one knows what Sarah Palin was expecting when she walked out to greet the thousands of party faithful last night in St. Paul. Her face betrayed no special pleasure or emotion when she walked to the podium. Her demeanor businesslike, she faced the screaming, cheering, crowd with a pleasant smile — and for 4 minutes 20 seconds tried to begin her speech.
There were a lot of “jumpers” in that crowd — people so excited they would actually leave their feet and jump for joy as they cheered. When John F. Kennedy was running for president, speechwriter Theodore Sorenson and future aide Kenny O’Donnell played a game during motorcades involving who could count the most jumpers as the limo drove by. It would have been easy last night. People were jumping, bouncing on the balls of their feet, and waving placards and signs that said “Palin Power” and “Hockey Moms for Palin.” The very air was shaking until Palin finally got the multitude to quiet down long enough to tell them that yes, she accepted the nomination for vice president — the first woman, the first Alaskan, and the first ex-mayor of Wasilla to be so honored.
That started the ovation all over again and, this time, Palin allowed herself one of those 100,000 watt smiles that lit up the Xcel Center like a bank of floodlights at a movie premiere. When they quieted down again and Palin got into her speech, it became immediately apparent that this address was going to be something different. Whether it was because she was such a fresh, new face on the political scene or because of her unique background as a product of small town America, the “speech” — if you want to call it that — immediately morphed into something that politicians don’t do: an engaging and disarming conversation with the American people.
This was not political oratory in any sense of the word. It was two-way communication. Rather than elevate the soul, Palin’s words and delivery grabbed the heart and engaged the mind and wouldn’t let go. Rather than soar, her words hit home — sometimes forcefully, sometimes gently, but always understandable, approachable, and emotionally engaging.
Her style is as unusual as I’ve seen in all my years of covering politics. Her reference to Harry Truman may be a clue. Plain Sarah and Plain Speaking Harry Truman have the same rhythms in the voices, similar cadences in the way they speak. These linguistic idiosyncrasies were not developed on the streets of a big city or the sprawl of the suburbs. They are the natural by-products of small town life — little artifice and less art. When she got ready to zing Obama or the Democrats, she’d get a special lilt in her voice — like a gossip ready to dish dirt at an informal coffee klatch. Her nose would scrunch up, her eyes would alight with a mischievous glint, and with a half snarl, she’d drop a bomb on enemy headquarters.
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Rick Moran is PJM Chicago editor; his own blog is Right Wing Nut House.
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34 Comments
1. Palin a news Powerhouse | The Anchoress:[...] Media has some good features up, including Rick Moran giving it to you from the convention floor. 2:30 [...]
Sep 4, 2008 - 11:30 am 2. JimB:If only McCain could be half as good in this situation. I’ll bet she is a dad gum pit bull wearing lipstick!
Sep 4, 2008 - 11:40 am 3. Macgawd:To be honest, I never was a fan of McCain–I always thought he was too wishy-washy, too indecisive to make a good President. I was never happy about the choices of candidates the GOP rolled out this time around, and was even less thrilled when McCain edged out all the rest. Then came Saddleback. I was really impressed with McCain’s performance over that of the indecisive Obama, and for the first time, was beginning to get excited about his candidacy.
Some time before, I had heard Newt Gingrich float Sarah Palin’s name as a longshot possibility for VP, and when I looked her up, I was really excited. Not only is she one pit bull that I wouldn’t mind being mauled by, but she’s got the credentials where it counts, and most importantly, hadn’t been tainted by Washington politics. I prayed that McCain would pick her, but didn’t really think he would. Much to the surprise of nearly everyone, McCain did pick Palin, and I got very excited about this race. But could she deliver?
Last night proved it for me. I saw a woman who is not only fearless, but seems to feed off of every challenge that is thrown at her, and while I’m sure that the Liberal MSM will do their damnedest to continue to dig up obscure dirt on her, she will continue to absorb every attack, and redirect the energy back to her attackers.
I couldn’t be more excited about a McCain/Palin presidency!
Sep 4, 2008 - 11:55 am 4. Self-hating boomer:Of course, it will help McCain. Not only for the obvious reason, but also because it shows him a confident, secure leader to surround himself with other strong personalities. Obama would have found a VP candidate that strong to be threatening. That’s exactly why he didn’t even consider Hilary.
Sep 4, 2008 - 12:04 pm 5. Anthony (Los Angeles):Boomer:
Excellent observation.
Sep 4, 2008 - 12:41 pm 6. BobNC:Will it help McCain? Let’s see what the RNC fundraising does this week. People who weren’t fond enough of John to write a check now see a real change to beat Hussein.
Sep 4, 2008 - 1:04 pm 7. Sissy Willis:“Rather than soar, her words hit home — sometimes forcefully, sometimes gently, but always understandable, approachable, and emotionally engaging.” Perfect! I myself have never been able to abide soaring rhetoric of the sort that appear to thrill Obama fans. It’s so YESTERDAY.
Note to ed:Bric-a-bracs? Try brickbats.
Sep 4, 2008 - 1:23 pm 8. Tom:Women – forget the hormones for a second and use your brains, please. If you love Hillary your only real option is to vote for mcCain/Palin. Why? 1. If O/B is elected and they crap out, he will be a 1 term pres, the American people will not be fooled again and you will be looking at 8 years of Republican Presidents. 2. If the O is a great President, you will be looking at 2016 at the earliest for Hil to run, at that point I think most people will be ‘over’ her by then. 3. If McCain wins and the team is pitiful, Hil will be a shoe in for 2012. If McCain wins and they are a great team, at least in 2012 we will have 2 women slugging it out for Pres, with 2 clearly opposing worldviews to choose from. So it looks like McCain/Palin being the only chance that you can get Hil into the W.H.
Sep 4, 2008 - 1:27 pm 9. Red Blooded American:Dems will basically ignore Palin. Her choice helps McCain with his base, who were voting for him anyway. His base is already pretty motivated against Obama, and I would expect a big turn-out from them on election day regardless of who were the VP pick. The big questions are, does Obama attract enough new voters to overcome the reaction against him on the right, and whose message appeals more to the relatively small but very important numbers of undecided voters who vote reliably? Palin may attract some of them. She may also alienate some of them. I would still expect this election to be very close, given the polarizing factors in play which tend to motivate both sides. Let’s at least hope for a clear and clean victory for whichever side prevails. My personal belief is that this is the most important result in any election.
Sep 4, 2008 - 1:35 pm 10. Michael B.:Good post, Rick. I noticed the same thing about the foreign policy segment, and I am surprised that you are the first one to point out that it really didn’t fit.
But you are wrong about one thing… she didn’t pump 50,000 volts into the Republican party. It was about 37 million volts.
I can’t stop myself… I’ve gotta say it… I told you so.
Sep 4, 2008 - 1:37 pm 11. Concerned Citizen:Of course the fairy dust will rub off on McCain. My left leaning friends asked what I thought about the selection….BRILLIANT, I told them. That was before yesterday and Gov. Palin’s speech. The only thing they could say was “she wasn’t vetted”… and when exactly was Obama vetted, asked for DNA tests, criticized for his beliefs, asked probing questions about his past relationships with felons, etc? and “Alaska is such a small state”…and exactly how big is Deleware??
It was electrifying!! McCain has the self confidence to hire someone who will be better than he is. Obama gets someone who won’t threaten his ego.
And Newt’s comment to the MSNBC reporter about his question about her “thin resume” needs to be seen to be appreciated:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjGhy8LVwAo&feature=related
Watch it all.
Sep 4, 2008 - 2:17 pm 12. Roy M:Help MacCain? To win, you mean?
McCain has picked a VP candidate because he thinks they would be a good candidate. And she is doing OK, appealing to the base, making sure the red-meat conservatives don’t forget to vote. But that isn’t how you win elections.
You win by spreading your appeal outwards not downwards. That is McCains job. That is way he was selected to be candidate all those years ago. He has to do it and Palin isn’t going to help in that job.
She was picked to be a good candidate VP for the base and that is what she is and I am sure that she will to a good job at it. But actually VP? Would Palin be sent to Georgia to do Dick ‘Dick’ Cheney’s job? No. It’s not credible.
Sep 4, 2008 - 2:25 pm 13. Bullfrog:Good speech, and delivered with an earthy honesty that you seldom see in politics. I agree with the “pace” comment, but I learned today that the person running the TelePrompTer was not giving Sarah adequate pause at times when the crowd was cheering, so it felt a little rushed at times. I also agree that the foreign policy byte seemed a little forced, but I don’t think her supporters are nearly as concerned about Mrs. Palin’s experience in this area as the Left would like them to be.
My concern about Palin’s effect is that it may be too big a shadow for McCain to come out from under. She has stolen the hearts of the base and forced the MSM to pay attention to the McCain campaign (for better or worse) but McCain has to be absolutely dazzling tonight to be remembered. After all, he is the man running for President against Barack Obama, not Palin; right now it’s a little hard to tell.
Sep 4, 2008 - 2:25 pm 14. kelley:So many of the blogs are saying that McCain’s selection of Palin will sink his chances at the White House. Absolutely not. He might not win, but it won’t be because of Sarahcuda.
Republicans really needed a young, fresh face. My gratitude goes to John McCain for bringing Sarah Palin to the national stage.
Sep 4, 2008 - 2:26 pm 15. Joseph Somsel:This is an interesting question:
“Would Palin be sent to Georgia to do Dick ‘Dick’ Cheney’s job? No. It’s not credible.”
Let’s grant that Cheney is exceptionally well qualified as VP. Still, I can see it in a couple of years. Sending Biden would be like sending Pelosi only it would take longer while he ran his mouth.
Sep 4, 2008 - 2:34 pm 16. The Wizard:Hey Joseph…..would you want Obama sent to Georgia to do Dick Cheney’s job, which is actually his job???? The answer is NO! This woman has more creditials, experience and credibility than Joe Biden and Obama combined. She will make an excellent VP and I think Hillary will have to postpone her plans as the first woman President….Sarah Palin beats her to a pulp!
Sep 4, 2008 - 2:46 pm 17. jdwill:Thank You, Slimey Newz Dudz!
Way to pump the ratings. Ya think it might have led to these poll numbers?
Sep 4, 2008 - 3:22 pm 18. Ditto:Excellent post and Boomer, I agree with Anthony that yours is a fantastic observation. Kudos!
The insertion of a passage on foreign policy dangers in Russia and Iran didn’t fit the mood or the tenor of the speech. It was a useless exercise in trying to establish at least some foreign policy cred for Palin. It didn’t convince anyone and only served to draw attention to the deficit.
I think maybe you’re looking at this segment differently than I am. I don’t believe for a second she was after foreign policy cred. I think she was pointing out the fact that Sen. Obama didn’t seem to understand Russia’s place in the U.N. and had to go ’round three times to get a decent statement out that made sense in context.
To me, it fit very well as yet another example of how Sen. McCain understands the world political while Sen. Obama could do with just picking up the phone and calling Sen. McCain for advice. I thought it was actually brilliant.
But you’re right, all this is nit-picky. Your post is excellent. Thanks for the great recap!
Sep 4, 2008 - 5:11 pm 19. Marina:How can one really know for sure how many people have watched Obama’s speech (= “Triumph of the will II”, thanks guys!) or Sarah’s speech? Sarah is now and will be in these 2 months more popular than Obama, but the polls will always show Obama first. And in November they’ll shout “stolen election” again. Are they really planning something like this? I’m sure Palin – Biden debate will attrackt more viewers than Obama – McCain one, but “POLLSTERS” will lie to us again.
Sep 4, 2008 - 5:31 pm 20. Dave ll:Those who think McCain picking Palin only helps him with his base are…well…offbase!
There are MILLIONS of Reagan Democrats, independents, and yes, even Hillary voters (you do know her strength was in small-town working class people, right?) who will now be SERIOUSLY considering about voting McCain/Palin, if not already firmly made up their mind after last night.
This VAST center is where elections are on or lost, and the game is PERMANENTLY changed for 2008.
Really…who even remembers what Obama said in his “styrofoam Greek temple” speech. It’s been forgotten!
We are ALL talking about Palin’s speech…even repeating points and jokes and stories about it on blogs and with friends and neighbors. This is a phenomena that truly RARELY happens in politics…and Obama might have had it at one point, but the needle Palin used to pop it last night was political accupunture.
Deadly accurate and HIGHLY effective.
Sep 4, 2008 - 5:59 pm 21. bobby b:Hmmmm, let’s see . . .
The facilities set up for bloggers sucked . . .
The food served in the Xcel Center sucked . . .
Governor Pawlenty, as a public speaker, sucks . . .
The abilities of the Kentucky woman driving your shuttle bus sucked . . .
- – -
Hurry back, please, Mr. Moran!
Sep 4, 2008 - 6:11 pm 22. ic:Roy M, Absolutely agree, the CommunityOrganizer-In-Chief is credible as Commander-In-Chief. Afterall, he has been C-In-Chief for three years in a place where violence and death toll rival that of Iraq, a country at war.
Sep 4, 2008 - 6:14 pm 23. k. pablo:Answer: can’t. Didn’t.
Sep 4, 2008 - 8:08 pm 24. Marina:Has McCain just said he’ll cut the financial support to the Palestinians? Wow. This guy is great. And when he said about his failure in V-nam, that was the greatest moment of the speech. GBA!
Sep 4, 2008 - 8:18 pm 25. DougS:I agree with Dave II that Palin helps McCain reconstruct the Republican Big Tent, and that selecting her for the ticket was a good move in that sense. The Repubs haven’t been able to keep those tent poles steady since Reagan’s day. If she can peel off some disaffected Hillary supporters in just a few key battleground states, it will swing the election to McCain.
One thing that I haven’t heard discussed much: I think McCain selected Palin in part because he’s smart enough to sense that energy policy will be a winning issue for the Repubs this fall, and she can address that issue forcefully and authoritatively… being, y’know, from Alaska, and all. She will give him cover while he flips on ANWR, and she will carry a strong message in favor of increased domestic energy production to the electorate. McCain has a winning hand here. Both his base and the swing voters are in favor of drill, drill, drill. It’s just a matter of letting everyone know that you embrace it. Obama can’t embrace drill, drill, drill, without turning against his base.
Sep 4, 2008 - 8:32 pm 26. Whitehall:McCain’s speech tonight was a major let-down. Sure, there were good parts like on taxes, but he promised stuff he doesn’t have a clue how to deliver on and has no credible plan. Isn’t education a local responsiblity? Why would the president intrude?
His ripping the Republican party was fair game and promising to veto pork was good. He is clear and away the man to lead us on foreign affairs, that much is clear.
But going on about his military service as so big a deal, so central, was off-putting. Sure, he was a hero but for once I agree with Jimmy Carter. And he’s running for President as a gift for his fellow citizens – give me a break!
“Me! Me! Me!” jeez. The man has never drawn a non-government paycheck in his life.
“Fight, fight, fight!” But for what? Amnesity, lost of freedom of speech, compromise judges, etc? Thanks for reminding me why I had other, better Republicans to vote for during the primaries. How about fighting the dumb-bunny Democrats!
Plus, I kept drifting away mentally.
I’ll just hold my nose and vote for Palin and hope McCain doesn’t do too much MORE damage. My energies and contributions will be directed to California politics this year.
Sep 4, 2008 - 9:16 pm 27. Rotwang:I never thought Republicans could be uglier than they were in 2004, or 2000. Hell, I never thought real people could be uglier than Ralph Steadman’s illustrations of conservative numbniks in “Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas.”
But 40 years Thompson’s book, the GOP is still the party of plastic robots worshiping an audioanimatronic candidate who thinks it’s 1840.
John McCain didn’t “top” Sarah Palin tonight. He buried her…and his party.
Sep 4, 2008 - 9:29 pm 28. kbdabear:SARAH-N-DIPITY!!!
“I fear that we have just awakened a sleeping giant” – Admiral Yamimoto, December 7, 1941
“Oh, SHIT!!! ” – Mainstream Media, September 4, 2008
Sep 5, 2008 - 12:28 am 29. kbdabear:“Rotwang:
I never thought Republicans could be uglier than they were in 2004, or 2000. Hell, I never thought real people could be uglier than Ralph Steadman’s illustrations of conservative numbniks in “Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas.”
Stop using 40 year old stereotypes from an outdated book, and maybe you your wang wouldn’t rot from underuse..
Sep 5, 2008 - 12:31 am 30. kbdabear:Rotwang:
I never thought Republicans could be uglier than they were in 2004, or 2000. Hell, I never thought real people could be uglier than Ralph Steadman’s illustrations of conservative numbniks in Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas.
Maybe if you didn’t go around using stereotypes from a 40 year old novel by a druggie, your wang wouldn’t rot from underuse.
Sep 5, 2008 - 12:34 am 31. Marina:to WHITEHALL:
“Sure, he was a hero but for once I agree with Jimmy Carter.”
JIMMY CARTER? Wasn’t it the guy attacked by a swimming killer rabit? Compared to this his UFO-statements sound sane. Is he already out of the mental hospital? Haven’t heard about him since his SiFi-memoirs “ISRAEL: HOLOCAUST, NOT SELF-DEFENCE”. You agree with him? Good for you…
Sep 5, 2008 - 1:32 am 32. BC:It seems the the right still only wants to talk about Palin — not much coverage of McCain’s little speech, and what there was of it has been somewhat unenthusiastic, to say the least.
What, just because he basically said that Bush was a lousy President and that he can do better, even though he voted along with Bush’s position 95% of the time? Is there suppose to be something wrong with this?
Sep 5, 2008 - 5:05 am 33. Charlie:His speech did not do anything for. Glad I awitched parties when the primaries started. My family, and I cant take more of the same!
He needs to re read the books on promoting change! He has some of the basics for bringing folks together for a common cause promoting whats right vs who’s right concepts. These change elements are not promoted and executed by a strategy of FIGHT, Fight Fight, Fight. His mental ability can’t get him out of confrontational thinking. War, War, War, War, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb! He cant get out of his war school training. When he gets pissed off when he is losing his cause, he slams the door on everything.
He is beyond that of changing his ways!
Finally, how can a man who is a millionare a 100 times over, and a wife wearing $300,000 outfit tell me that they understand our suffering.
If he gets elected, the only thing he will be focusing on is national security and those problems. People will always focus on what they know, because what they dont know is to tough to deal with.
Sep 5, 2008 - 7:39 am 34. DeeBee:Rick, thanks for that. I’m a blue dog Dem from NYC by way of small-town Nebraska. I am head-over-heels in love with this gal. (See, I haven’t used the word “gal” in 20 years.) I am pro-choice, too (with limits)…
But I don’t want to turn the USA into Denmark, ok? And I can’t afford to keep getting murdered on taxes.
But what I so love about Palin is her unabashed love for her family, country, state….she stayed there and made it better.
We’d be borrowing her for a while. And lucky to get her.
Win or lose, Palin turned history. Fantastic.
Sep 6, 2008 - 12:01 am