7:18 = Touchy feely but very nicely produced
7:20 = Former NFL player and now pastor Miles McPherson
Going to speak on character but also apply to character of the nation
Mayor Nagin, referring to anyone who didn’t evacuate in time said “You’re on your own”.
Goes into leaning on God for help (this is starting to look like the Democratic Convention except not near as many faith caucuses)
Nice prayer
7:25 = Ashley Gunn from Brandon, MS
One of the first times she’s ever spoken in public
Going to tell about her “story”
When she was 12, went on a missions trip to Africa; had her eyes open
Founded SAFE (students aiding indigent families)
Buys abandoned, dilapidated houses
Has students repair them
Make them then available at a substantially lower than market price
ALL WITHOUT THE AID OF GOVERNMENT SPENDING (very nice)
Transitions to Senator McCain’s passion in helping children (this theme will reappear as his adopted daughter will be highlighted tonight)
McCain to rebuild our country
7:30 = Guess what…country music
7:32 = Michelle Bachmann!!!!!!!!!!!!
One kick ass lady; don’t mess with her
Just saw her earlier with Laura Ingraham
Talking about “Minnesota Nice”
“I do admit we have a lot of liberals in Minnesota, but they’re happy liberals”.
Transition to service and opening up our arms, our hearts, and our wallets to help our fellowman
She and her husband personally have opened up her home to over twenty foster children
This is tonight’s theme so expect this rug to be beaten all night long
7:35 = Yep…just dropped the McCain adoption
“Service is All-American” regardless of whether you don the uniform or adopt a child or volunteer
Like being a community activist…right?
“Government fosters service best when government binds service the least”
7:37 = Talking about John McCain’s commitment to encouraging service
“Government is not the family”; “Government is not a philanthropic organization”; “Government is certainly not the church” (unless you’re a member of the Christian Coalition…)
7:39 = John McCain has lived a life of service
7:40 = Wes and his Daughter Nikki
Looks like his daughter was adopted
Giving thanks to Cindy McCain for her work in saving children like his adopted daughter
Finishing by reading a short story his daughter wrote about her experience
7:46 = Teddy Roosevelt Tribute Movie
Teddy taking on special interests and being the first public environmentalist
Time with the national park service
“Country before comfort and self”
Forgot to mention his belief in government regulating industry
7:48 = Singer/Songwriter Rachel Lampa
Wow…not a country singer for once
50 bucks that she’s lip-singing
7:59 = My apologies; just interviewed for PBS’s “NewsHour with Jim Lehr”
8:00 = Lisa Gram Keagan
State School Superintendent in Arizona
Advocate for school choice
How John McCain was there for her
Transition: John McCain is there for the people of the gulf coast who need our help
Taking him minutes from turning the convention from presidential politics to focus on the effects of Hurricane Gustav
8:05 = George H. W. Bush just showed up; delegates going wild; chanting “41, 41, 41”
8:07 = Way too overdramatic female firefighter talking about the bridge collapse in Minnesota
Has no striking persona and the audience has left her
Speaking softly and somberly
8:10 = Transitioning to Hurricane Gustav comparing the outpouring of concern from building when I-35 bridge collapsed to this
8:10 = Another Republicans of Old Movie Tribute: Abraham Lincoln
History of the Republican Party
Villanized by the Democrats…
“Take the Oath to receive power or abuse the oath through great power”
Lincoln had put country first before self and saved it giving the greatest sacrifice
8:14 = Tony Espinosa of La Raza
Yes…that’s right…La Raza
Hispanic, Catholic Democrat who is proud to call John McCain friend
Talking about service from his immigrant parents being involved in the war effort
McCain scratched La Raza’s back through comprehensive immigration reform; now it’s time for La Raza to scratch his back
McCain trying to keep that Hispanic voting block in supporting him
Godfather of John and Cindy’s son Jimmy
Why does a Hispanic Democrat support John McCain?
McCain’s faith as testified through his holding on to it when a POW
McCain’s hope as testified through him making others want to do more for service as his own actions give credit to; “it’s a way of life”
McCain believes in sanctity of family life
“Viva John McCain!!!!”
8:20 = Another Republican Tribute Video; George H. W. Bush and his service in his life
Mission where he was the only member to survive and had been rescued at sea
Connecticut Yankee moved to Texas to become an oil man.
I didn’t know H. W. was the first envoy to China
Bush putting country first; mentioning of clean air act and disabilities act
8:23 = Some guy from North Dakota who leant a helping hand when times got tough
Started “Farm Rescue” a non-profit that plants and harvests crops free of charge for farm families who have experienced a major injry, illness, or natural disaster
No bail out
All volunteer and no compensation
Nice for McCain in having someone attesting to service in helping the American Farmer as McCain has taken on the farming lobby and made some serious enemies (though he did get sucked in to the ethanol voodoo)
Captain Leslie Smith, US Army, Retired
Came to tell her story of service (didn’t see that coming)
Deployed to Bosnia in 2001
Health problems and persevered
8:34 = Story about Michael Montsori who received the Congressional Medal of Honor
Asthma and health stricken
Stayed focused and
Deployed to Ramadi
Saved a fallen comrade while dodging enemy fire
Mike and two other Seals were in the same position; a grenade was tossed into their area and Mike dove over it immediately
Country before self
Fourth Medal of Honor recipient in the War on Terror
Almost every Seal on the West Caost turned out for Mike’s funeral
Seals removed golden tridents from uniform and pressed them on their friend Michael’s coffin
8:45 = Laura Bush on Stage
Such a classy, well-respected lady
First female VP will be a Republican woman!!!!
History of women in the Republican Party is strong
Here to introduce George W. Bush
Talking up Bush
You know this is going to get replay on ads by the Dems
A little “Straight Talk” about John McCain
I don’t know if defending George Bush is the best strategy for the Republicans, but understandably, McCain can’t throw him under the bus
President Bush creating “No Child Left Behind”
President Bush appointed conservative justices
President Bush’s faith-based initiatives
This is one policy that isn’t going anywhere based on how
George Bush on giving more assistance for AIDs relief as the numbers have decreased now to 2 million
Just said that all that is really “change you can believe in”; don’t know if this is a good comparison
50,000,000 people living in freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq
President Bush has protected America
8:53 = George Bush Speaking from the White House
Quite amusing how many people are taking pictures of Bush on a TV screen
Bush talking about McCain’s time as a POW
McCain’s choice not to return home due to his injuries but stayed another five years
“His arms may have been broken, but not his honor”
SWEET QUOTE ON THE ANGRY LEFT NOT UNDERSTANDING
Guess we’re not going with a bipartisan message anymore
The Obama people will be all over this
McCain is a true pro-life advocate
McCain will make tax relief permanent
McCain will lift the ban on drilling for oil
McCain not afraid to tell you when he disagrees…Bush knows
I’m really surprised with Bush’s demeanor and posturing tonight
He’s speaking better than I’ve ever seen him
Guess he feels a little less pressure knowing he’ll be done with this job soon
McCain will stay on the offensive
Bush did just mention 9/11 but I don’t know
8:59 = Praise Sarah Palin
NOTE: There’s nothing here denoting that Bush is connected with McCain; if anything, it feels like Bush is not passing the baton but leaving the track; it’s time for McCain to lead the team.
Note that it was Laura Bush who defended George not any other Republican; a wife defending her husband’s record isn’t unusual
Bush notes McCain butting heads with him on many issues
9:00 = Story of an Optimistic America
George is on tonight
9:02 = Laura Bush back at podium
Talking up Cindy McCain now and her global service
“If Cindy can do all of this just in the last 8 months, imagine what he can do in the next four years in the White House”
The Bush Family won over the base again tonight
9:04 = Republican Tribute Video; Ronald Reagan
Subtle comparison between people calling Reagan a maverick to McCain
Replaced Carter’s indecision with conviction politics
John McCain…the Reagan foot soldier
Ronald Reagan put country first
9:09 = Fred Thompson at Podium
Governor Palin is a “breath of fresh air”
Flashing pics of young Sarah Palin on screen
She’s the only candidate who knows how to properly “field dress a moose” – besides Teddy
“When McCain and Palin get to DC, they’re not going to care how much the alligators get irritated, they’re going to drain that swamp”
9:14 = Going to spend time talking about McCain’s story
John’s 96-year-old mother Roberta is here
McCain earned 333 demerits at the Naval Academy (like his father)
“John was the leader of the troublemakers” during his early years
Thompson is being real open about McCain’s young years tying his rebellious nature and stalwartness to why he survived the next chapter of his life
“When he was tortured and asked to give the name of his other officers, McCain gave the name of the offensive line of the Green Bay Packers”
“Now being a POW doesn’t qualify anyone to be president, but it does shed light on one’s character”
McCain challenging Reagan on deployment to Lebanon…”that is character you can believe in”
“His success is not weighed…”
Bashing the Democratic congress…just think what a Democratic president + Democratic Congress would accomplish
“A president that needs no reason to apologize for the US”
Don’t like this
Thompson taking on Obama tax plan
They say they’re not going to tax your family but the businesses instead
Thankfully since you don’t rely on businesses to supply our basic needs
“They’re not going to take water out of your side of the bucket…just the other side”
Nice pump speech by Thompson
NOTE: THIS ELECTION HAS BECOME A CASE OF PERSONALITIES AND RECORDS BETWEEN MCCAIN AND OBAMA, SO IT’S NOT UNEXPECTED THAT MCCAIN’S SERVICE WOULD BE HIGHLIGHTED; THAT SAID, THE MANNER IN WHICH THOMPSON AND OTHER REPUBLICANS ARE DOING THIS IS EFFECTIVE AS THEY APPLY MCCAIN’S SERVICE TO A UNIVERSAL MESSAGE OF SERVICE; WHEN THE ATTENTION IS ON MCCAIN HIMSELF – AS DURING THIS SPEECH – THOMPSON IS BEING VERY CANDID ABOUT MCCAIN’S SHORTCOMINGS AND IMPERFECTIONS AND HOW THEY RELATE TO MCCAIN’S EXPERIENCES
Made a sentimental case why Obama is more of the same…
This crowd is energized now
People chanting back and forth
People dancing all around
9:38 = Joe Lieberman at the Podium
Talking about Hurricane Gustav and its effects
“The last thing we think about is who is a Democrat or a Republican; we are all American” when effected by such disaster
Lieberman = the token bipartisan speaker
Talking about Washington’s warning in his farewell address
Forgot to mention divisions between Hamilton and Jefferson on cabinet
“What after all is a Democrat like me doing at a Republican convention like this?”
“Country matters more than party”
Nice, cute rhetoric but attests to the hypocrisy these conventions breed
Just as I noted before the lack of consistency at the DNC Convention with speakers trashing Bush and the Democrats while calling for the country to not be polarized and to come together regardless of party
Right after Thompson trashes the Democrats and Obama as a liberal, Lieberman comes to the podium and calls for bipartisanship
Mentioning of McCain trying to bring people together in the legislating arena
Forgot about McCain’s leadership in making a compromise for others to agree on
John McCain is not something else (aka “4 more years), he is “all man?”
“…then I’m Michael Moore’s favorite Democrat”. (10 minutes in)
Let’s contrast Barack Obama’s record to Bill Clinton’s
Free-trade, welfare reform, and a balanced budget
9:51 = On Sarah Palin
McCain-Palin ticket is the real ticket for change
There won’t be “a pin that will hold in these two mavericks”
Tough times in the world and dangerous enemies
As much as this has been mentioned from time to time, the rhetoric has been scaled down a whole lot compared to the last convention
Looks like kindergarten now compared to
McCain’s surge, etc worked and troops are now coming home by the thousands
Good to mention this for, in all honesty, if McCain’s surge worked, then it provides greater fodder for Obama’s policy to pull the troops out
“Our allies will trust and our enemies will fear”
I thought John won’t apologize to anyone…
9:56 = Speaking directly to fellow Democrats and Independents
“Not an ordinary election because these are not ordinary times; and trust me, John McCain is not an ordinary candidate”
Lieberman is being sincere though and speaking straight to the camera
Has a little nicer tone in urging Democrats to vote Republican than Zel Miller (hehe)
GOOD NIGHT! PROBABLY LOAD THIS TOMORROW AS THERE’S NO INTERNET HERE

http://texdozier.com/?p=52

All times are central.

6:28 – Just sat down. Tonight we get to hear from Michelle Obama who I expect to tell the “American Dream” story of her husband and how he shares our values.

6:42 – The NYTs Christopher Buckley had a mock schedule for the DNC convention – title for Michelle’s speech: “If My Husband Was a Muslim, Wouldn’t I Know?”.

6:47 – The energy is truly tangible on that floor; nice music too.

6:48 – Speaking of music, look to see John Rich perform this song at the RNC convention: Raisin’ McCain . And no, I don’t think this is referring to his age.

6:49 – Bill Bennett: “he’s not dancing with anyone in the New York studio”. Yeah, he’s not gambling with anyone also.

6:55 – Please welcome people you’ve never heard of.

6:58 – How how how Dr. Laura?

6:59 – How do we invest Dr. Laura?

6:59 – Green collar…haha!

6:59 – Senator McCain (as much as I’ve disagreed with his fiscal policies) does not say the economy is doing okay; he’s actually been using the bad state of the economy as a reason to vote for him instead of the “higher taxes” aka “I-Will-Destroy America” Obama.

7:01 – Third term for Bush; they’re going to be pushing this one. Quite smart since you can always show stock footage of McCain and Bush getting cozy and McCain ensuring O’Reilly of his Republic credentials by “voting and campaigning for George Bush twice”. Oh how that primary pandering can bite you in the ass.

7:02 – Any mentioning of Obama’s political marriage with the Illinois teachers union?

7:04 – How about a politician for once actually saying no to the corporate and governmental manipulation of the healthcare market which jacks up the prices?

7:08 – Wow, that “Townhall America” session was enlightening. Everything sounded so scripted as expected. I’m sure we’ll see the same in St. Paul though.

7:09 – Maybe Pelosi will get a couple hundred more book sales out of this video clip…?

7:14 – First reference of God thus breaking Boston’s 2004 record. I love how the Dems are now trying to win the religious vote as Obama has made his own religious views key componenents of his speeches. For the first time, the DNC Convention will be opened and closed with prayer; for the first time, “faith caucuses” will occur.

7:17 – Where’s Code Pink when you need ‘em to shoot the Democrats in the foot?

7:18 – McCain didn’t vote for the Bush tax cuts, for the record. If McCain is wrong, then Biden is beyond wrong.

7:19 – On Iraq…”Barack Obama is right…” and John McCain and Joe Biden were wrong (along with Obama from 2003-2005 and at certain times in 2007 and 2008.

7:23 – We know one thing. Nancy Pelosi reads off a teleprompter almost as well as McCain.

7:26 – Nice, little video with the senior delegate.

7:28 – “George Bush flew over the devastated New Orleans.” And John Edwards got a shovel.

7:29 – Seeing this video reminds me of the utter failures made by government (local, state, and federal) when the disaster occurred. Bureaucracy at its best. And what did Mayor Ray Nagin concern himself with…taking guns from law-abiding citizens.

7:37 – Maya Soetoro-Ng; and so “Barack: The American Dream” begins.

7:39 – Delegates are already crying.

7:42 – Jesse Jackson Junior: how I won’t mention how I took up reform and challenged the Chicago Daley-Stroger political machine while Obama remained quiet.

7:45 – Jesse Jackson Jr. is a dynamic speaker. I actually like his rhetorical style more than Obama’s.

7:46 – More mentioning of “American” and “Midwest” values.

7:47 – Hollywood Delegate Susan Sarandon just showed up; the convention can truly begin.

7:49 – Damn. Jackson has such great delivery. Even less substinence than Obama though.

7:54 – Of course Biden is a happy man! How many times has he ran for president…4? VP’s better than nothing I guess.

8:01 – “A funky, good time…?” Just goes to show that the Democrats are on the fringe with social values. Hehe.

8:03 – Democrats reassuring America that they support the troops.

8:06 – I hate to be mean to this nice man, but of course life’s tough for an Amtrak worker. That’s what you get when you work for a government-subsidized, corporate monopoly that’s labor costs alone exceed all passenger-related revenue and on-board food and beverage costs as they are twice as great as revenues. For every $1 Amtrak received in revenue, it spends over $1.61. Amtrak’s debt now stands at over $4 billion. And its notoriously poor on-time performance and maintenance backlog continue to be major problems. But guess what…more subsidies each year. Sorry for the rambling but just another failed government program Obama supports.

8:07 – “The American Dream was prospering in Chicago during the 50s, 60s, and 70s”? Tell that to all the residential displacement that occurred by entities like my university to poor, minority neighborhoods. Guess this union worker was living the high life on the North Side.

8:14 – More rhythm and dancing lacking from the delegates. Can’t wait to see what that department will be like in Minnesota.

8:15 – Caroline Kennedy coming on stage to pay tribute to her father, uncle, and Barack.

8:17 – JFK/Obama comparison; didn’t see that coming…

8:18 – Ted Kennedy tribute begins.

8:21 – Kennedy video begins: Ken Burns produced this by the way; healthcare is a right not a privilege (a finite asset with infinite demand…anyone?)

8:25 – “National service must be a responsibility of every citizen.” Biden agrees as well.

8:26 – Kennedy (aka the Democrats) support the troops. So true though about the poor equipment our troops were using. Troops had been simply putting metal slabs on their hummers. Video is really effective with deceased soldier’s father choking up about his loss and Kennedy’s lost of Joseph.

8:28 – Clip of Kennedy family endorsing Obama. My that was a backstab to the Clintons.

8:28 – “We’ll break the gridlock” referring to a Democratic controlled executive and legislative branches. Checks and balances should always be recognized as a good thing regardless of which party is in power. Gridlock usually means that unnecessary intrusions by government into our lives is not happening.

8:30 – Ted Kennedy looking in good form and health at the podium.

8:32 – Kennedy just said that he will be back on the senate floor under the leadership of a President Obama. More talk about breaking the gridlock and healthcare not a privilege but a right (again…finite resource to infinite demand).

8:33 – Crowd chanting “Teddy, Teddy, Teddy!”.

8:36 – Ted comparing JFK’s ambitious optimism in going to the moon to Obama’s same optimism in changing America.

8:38 – Nice fluffy ending: “the dream lives on…”

8:41 – Kennedy speech summed up: “I’m passing the Kennedy torch to Obama”.

8:46 – Chicago City Clerk Miguel del Valle: recounting time with Barack in Chicago. Discussing Project Vote and Obama’s efforts. He should add how Obama registered all those voters in his own future district where he would run for state senate.

8:50 – del Valle has lost the audience; you can audibly hear everyone chatting over his speech.

8:51 – del Valle speech summed up: “Barack helped out Latinos; Latinos should help Barack”.

8:52 – Iowa Delegate Candi Schmieder: more Barack being in touch “with people like us” and our values; nice, cute time filler.

8:55 – Chicago Organizer and former Obama boss Jerry Kellman: more “Barack: The American Story”; Barack salary only $10,000.

8:56 – Mentioning of mills being shut down. 5 bucks John Edwards is about to show up.

8:58 – “Barack’s mother took him and tried to feed him to fill him up but it didn’t work.” Did he really just say that? I hope not.

8:59 – Barack’s message for change back in his young days.

9:00 – “This is America. This is the place where dreams come true”. And we continue the theme…(very awkward ending by Kellman).

9:01 – Feels like the audience just died. Hopefully Senator Tom Harkin from Iowa will get the crowd going.

9:01 – Omg! He’s mute. I feel terrible. I thought he wasn’t.

9:01 – Wait, he was saying hello to all the disabled watchers. Political pandering false alarm.

9:02 – Speech was more riveting when he acted mute.

9:03 – Republicans can support Obama; pivot with Former Congressman Jim Leach (Republican) coming to stage to support Obama.

9:04 – Jim Leach sounds somewhat like Kermit the Frog.

9:05 – Leach: history lesson on 4 important debates: Jefferson on rights of man, Lincoln on defining which men have rights, FDR’s new deal and Ronald Reagan’s individualism on rights of opportunity, and the debate over nuclear consequences and our environment(???).

9:07 – Leach: Republicans have taken progressive (aka statist) actions as well.

9:08 – “Country comes before party…in perilous moments”. This is a reversal of convention speeches. The Republicans pushed this point in 2004.

9:09 – Leach: bashing big government Republicanism. Can’t say I disagree with him.

9:13 – Claire McCaskill’s Son Austin Esposito: text “change” to 62262 to get up to date Obama propoganda; and now…the McCaskill American story…the theme continued.

9:14 – Grandma used to say on Halloween “Trick or treat and vote for JFK”.

9:15 – Seems like Claire McCaskill has a job in the Obama White House if he wins; Senator McCaskill comes to the podium.

9:17 – “Good, hardworking, God-loving, and family-centered people” who will back Obama; more Obama embodying the American Dream and American values.

9:18 – Michelle Obama’s American Story

9:19 – Barack Obama’s American Story

9:20 – Four more years for rich; Bush tax cuts and corporate welfare for big oil (again, McCain voted against Bush tax cuts twice).

9:21 – Remember, McCain tried to get that ethics reform through prior to the 2006 election but Obama rejected his offer as the Democrats could not claim the victory being not in charge of congress at the time.

9:23 – More “American Dream” and more “God”.

9:23 – “South Side Girl” video on the Michelle Obama story.

9:25 – Barack “didn’t see a ring” on the hand of Michelle aka his boss at the law firm.

9:26 – Barack won her over by offering to buy her ice cream.

9:28 – Shout out to the community service center at the University of Chicago! Much love to UCSC!

9:30 – Michelle Obama’s brother Craig Robinson at the podium to introduce Michelle.

9:31 – “In this country of all countries, those things were possible”; more of “the Dream”.

9:32 – “Mother she has become and the values she’s instilled in her daughters.”

9:34 – Obama playing basketball: “Barack’s confident but not cocky. He’ll take the shot when he’s open. He’s a team player; and he won’t back down from any challenge.”

9:35 – “Home filled with love and founded in faith”.

9:36 – Enter Michelle Obama.

9:37 – “When my husband and I went to our first madrassa together”…just kidding.

9:38 – “Our improbable journey”; coming as a “sister” and a “loving wife”.

9:40 – “Our dad was our rock…our champion…our hero”

9:40 – “I know firsthand…that the American dream endures”.

9:41 – Connection between Michelle’s parents and Barack’s aka working class Americans who held common values of integrity, honesty, respect, and hard work.

9:44 – “Isn’t that the American Dream…determined to mold our future into the shape of our ideals”

9:45 – 88th anniversary of women’s right to vote and 45th anniversary of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream Speech”; knew they were going to use these; you’ll hear references repeatedly during the convention.

9:48 – “Give back to my country which has given so much”.

9:50 – “Achieve goals by [Barack] bringing us together”; “our commitment to our children’s future”; “our belief in the American promise”

9:51 – “Hope” montage

9:52 – Everyone’s choking up as Michelle tells about Obama and her becoming parents and thinking how her kids will one day tell their kids what we did this election.

9:54 – Short and sweet speech; nice fluff

9:55 – “Isn’t She Lovely Lovely” playing as Michelle exits; kids come on stage.

9:56 – BARACK OBAMA VIA VIDEO from Kansas City;

9:57 – Barack just forgot he’s in Kansas City (said Saint Louis); his daughter caught the mistake and covered for him; very nice.

9:58 – Barack Obama…”the family man”

9:59 – Closing Prayer (yes, this is the DNC Convention)

Goodnight y’all; sweet dreams!