"Angry Leftists"

Hmmm.....the speakers at the Republican National Convention (RNC) seem to like an enemy. "Angry Leftists" and "the media" seem like favorite targets. Sly digs at "change we can believe in" and "hope" pepper talks, even from those who appear mild like Laura Bush. I don't recall this in the Democratic National Convention (DNC), though I grant that some biases might be coloring my view. :) Fred Thompson went much further accusing the democratic nominee as incompetent, inexperienced and liberal (what a bad word that is at the RNC) who will take the country back ten years etc. etc. The worst I can remember from the DNC is people saying McCain was more of the same from the last eight years. Well, I suppose McCain's heroic personal story makes it harder to attack him with vengeance, but still .....

And oh, women seem to be rather prominent at this convention, from speeches by woman leaders like the captain of fire-fighters in the Minneapolis to Laura Bush highlighting all the women in her husband's administration. Very subtle digs.

It is very entertaining to see the differences between the two conventions. Starting with the attire of Laura Bush and Cindy McCain I was struck by the relatively dressy skirts they both wore (not to mention the pearls around Cindy McCain's neck) compared with the relatively professional suits and pant suits of the women who spoke at the DNC. Michelle Obama wore dresses, but somehow they felt more bold than dressy. Then there is the heavy emphasis on the Christian religion, one could be forgiven for thinking the US is a Christian country and not a secular country. It was an unexpected realization that so many Americans seem to want a "Christian" America. And of course the interspersing of military pictures and scenes throughout the events. I wonder whether the RNC always has that or it is more now because McCain. Perhaps both, and the need to be seen as being right about the Iraq war makes highlighting military action necessary. Country music appears to be predominant and you may laugh when I say I quite like that. :)

Fred Thompson has been the most polarizing speaker far, aiming strongly worded verbal slaps at the democratic party. Am I glad he is not the nominee! I wonder that he was not picked as the vice-presidential nominee. Would have satisfied the evangelical base as much as the current nominee I think!