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