Republican Joe Scarborough Admits Charlotte Beat Tampa

From “Conventional Warfare:  Why Democrats Won,” Joe Scarborough, Politico:

Which is why Republicans should be particularly glum this weekend. The further Democrats progressed into their convention this week in Charlotte, N.C., the more glaring the shortcomings of last week’s GOP convention became. By the time the last of the confetti fell on the Democratic convention floor, it became frustratingly clear that the most compelling speaker in Tampa, Fla., had been Clint Eastwood’s chair.Michelle Obama connected her family to the American Dream in a way neither campaign has managed all year. San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro offered a joyous takedown of Mitt Romney while wearing a smile as wide as the West Texas sky. And Bill Clinton. Oh my. Convention speeches rarely reach that level. If there was any letdown this week it was that Barack Obama’s speech sounded recycled at times and resembled a State of the Union address more than a soaring acceptance speech for president. But while Obama said nothing new, he said it much better than when Gov. Romney said nothing in Tampa. And you could tell by the boisterous reaction of Democratic delegates who left the arena Thursday night looking fired up and ready to go. Maybe there seemed to be such a disparity between the two conventions because the Republican Party has never been the least bit excited about its nominee. Or maybe it’s because Democrats were simply blessed with a deeper bench of political athletes in 2012. But whatever the reason, Republicans were lapped by their rivals and may ultimately pay in November for botching Mitt Romney’s debut. Emphasis added.

Erick Erickson Shames CNN

On Tuesday night, conservative Erick Erickson, a paid CNN contributor, tweeted: “First night of the Vagina Monologues in Charlotte going as expected.

Lily Ledbetter spoke that night.

Michelle Obama spoke that night.

Tammy Duckworth, who lost both legs and part of her right arm piloting a helicopter struck by a grenade in Iraq, spoke that night.  She is running for Congress in Illinois against Joe “You lie” Walsh.

CNN needs to fire this dick.

 

The Clinton Convention

I think the most significant speech of the convention was far and away Bill Clinton’s.

He said things that neither Biden nor Obama could say without sounding as if they were whining or making excuses.

He said things that wouldn’t have had the same impact if they’d come from a senator or a governor.

Clinton stood there with the aura and authority of a former president, someone whom everyone knew had serious clashes with Obama during the ’08 campaign that left deep wounds and resentments.  It really meant something to have him come out and make the anti-Mitt, pro-Obama case in such blunt and aggressive and stark terms.

Biden’s speech was more impressive and powerful than I expected.  He gave the speech that only he could give as the Veep working closely with Obama, just as Clinton did from a different perspective.

I thought Obama’s speech was fine, although not his finest hour.  I think they chose to be subdued rather than grandiose given the state of the economy.  The speech got better as it went along and built to a strong finish.  He certainly made a convincing case that even if you’re not thrilled with him, you sure as hell don’t want to vote for the other guy.

Overall, about as good as the Dems could have done or hoped for this week.

GOP — “Job Creators” for Prostitutes

From “Strip clubs, prostitutes don’t expect much of a business boom from Democratic convention,” Callie Moran, Capitol Hill Blue:

While the sex and pornography business thrived in Tampa during last week’s Republican convention, strip clubs and escort services in Charlotte don’t expect much of an increase during the Democratic confab in their city.

“Democrats aren’t so upright about sex so they don’t have to sneak around and pay for it,” Connie Allerton, a sexual therapist, tells Capitol Hill Blue.  ”If a Democratic delegate wants sex, he or she will just  seek it with another delegate.”

A telephone survey of escort services in the Charlotte area finds no plans to bring in “extra talent” to serve the Democrats when they come to town this week.

“Honey, it’s business as usual,” says Danielle, who answered the phone at Uptown Cabaret in Charlotte.

In Tampa, escort services brought in “talent” from Miami and New Orleans to handle increased business and some services told Capitol Hill Blue they were booked solid during the convention.

But a spokesman for Charlotte VIP Escorts said they had “plenty of openings” for the week.

“Looks like a normal week,” said a woman who answered the phone but refused to give her name.

So much for the GOP “family values” hypocrites when the media aren’t watching.

Obama and the Big Dog (Not Bo)

From “The Comeback Vegan,” Maureen Dowd, NYT:

“The two tall, left-handed, silver-tongued baby boomers both grew up not knowing their fathers. But while the disciplined Barry became self-reliant, with little patience for neediness or insincerity, the undisciplined Bill became self-indulgent, a maw of need and maestro of faux sincerity.

“Obama doesn’t like to share the stage with other politicians or even campaign for House Democrats. He thinks of himself as a singular force, a unique brand, and his narrative has always begun and ended with him. He thinks he did build it himself. But now — because of his own naivete, insularity and arrogance — he needs Clinton to rev up the disillusioned faithful and donors and lure independents and white working-class men.

“Bill, hailed by some as the first black president, must expand Barry’s narrative to reach back and link Obama’s roiling tenure of wars, debt and partisan-fencing to Clinton’s restful stretch of prosperity. You know you’re in trouble when you’re seen as less capable of taming the House Republicans than an ex-president who was impeached by the House Republicans.

“And what does the Big Dog get? Resurrection, redemption, relevance, a reflected patina of Obama integrity and fidelity; the chance to outshine the upstart who outmaneuvered his wife and, by extension, him in 2008. And a possible ticket back to the Oval, this time as the first First Man, a vegan gnawing on Michelle’s vegetable garden.

“It’s not a bromance, like Romney and Paul Ryan. It’s a transaction. Obama needs his Democratic predecessor to reassure jittery voters that the future can look like the past, with a lower deficit, plenty of jobs and the two parties actually talking. In return, Bill will have the capital to try to ensure that the past can look like the future, with Hillary as Obama’s successor.

“What a wild twist. Instead of ushering in the post-Clinton era, as intended, Obama has ushered in the pre-Clinton era.”  Emphasis added.

Wednesday at the Convention

In the 10-11 EDT hour, Elizabeth Warren and Bill Clinton will speak.

Near the end of the 8-9 hour, Sister Simone Campbell from the “Nuns on the Bus” social justice movement will speak.

Near the end of the 9-10 hour, three former employees from companies controlled by Bain will speak.  One of them is named Randy Johnson, but I don’t think it’s that Randy Johnson.

 

Off to a Great Start

The Dems had a great first night.  It was nice to see delegates who actually look like this country instead of all the pasty faces at the GOP.  The music was a whole lot better, and the crowd was enthusiastic and moved.

It was a night of excellent speeches.  Michelle Obama was just wonderful — very powerful, very personal.  She wore a glamorous dress, as opposed to Ann Romney’s June Cleaver 50’s shirtwaist.

Fired-up Deval Patrick, over-the-top Ted Strickland, earnest Julian Castro — all very effective in building the anti-Mitt, pro-Obama case.

Comparing Tampa and Charlotte, it’s clear who “The Other” is in this election, and it’s not the guy in the Oval Office.

It was a pleasure to hear some truth after all the lies of last week.  It was a pleasure to be addressed as a middle class person with genuine concern rather than condescension.  It wasn’t Bill Clinton’s night yet, but there was a lot of “We feel your pain,” as opposed to the “We’re pretending real hard to feel your pain, but it’s tough when you’ve been rich your whole life” we got in Tampa.

 

 

Tonight’s Dem Highlights

The big speeches start at 10 EDT.

The keynote address is tonight, given by Julian Castro, mayor of San Antonio, who is considered a rising star, as President Obama was when he gave the keynote in Boston in 2004.

Michelle Obama will speak after Castro.

I’m sure the Dinosaur Riders will make a big deal that the Kenyan Muslim Communist chose a guy named Castro to deliver the keynote.

On Eve of Convention, Clinton-Obama ’08 Primary Wounds Reopened

As Bill Clinton prepares to make a major speech on President Obama’s behalf at the Democratic Convention in Charlotte this week, Ryan Lizza* offers this gem from the 2008 campaign:

“Tim Russert told me that, according to his sources, Bill Clinton, in an effort to secure an endorsement for Hillary from Ted Kennedy, said to Kennedy, ‘A few years ago, this guy would have been carrying our bags.'”

* “Let’s Be Friends,” The New Yorker

UPDATE — This sounded vaguely familiar, and I went back and found that in Game Change, this incident was reported as Clinton telling Teddy, “A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee.”