Eye of the Storm
A closer look at the GOP's akilter convention debut.
PHOTOS
A Quiet Start
The launch of the GOP convention was muted by concern for those in the path of Hurricane Gustav
The Democrats couldn't have had a much more exuberant week last week: historic barriers broken, historic torches passed, historic numbers of Kleenex used for historic happy tears. Though it won't be easy for the Republicans to match that kind of epochal spectacle at their convention this week, they still have a shot at groundbreaking drama, thanks largely to the vice presidential nomination of Sarah Palin, the rootin'est, tootin'est, unvetted'est first-term governor in these United States. But not on Monday. With Hurricane Gustav roaring ashore along the Gulf Coast, the Republicans pieced together a shortened opening program. And with all notions of Change and of Reform left on hold until Tuesday, the Republicans looked and sounded, for one more afternoon, like the party we've long come to know.
The short program at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul had the charm (or, depending on your view, the stagnation) of old certainties. Even as convention chair Mike Duncan explained how to use cell-phone technology to make a donation to victims of the hurricane, the afternoon offered lots of God (in his soft drawl, Duncan offered his hope that the delegates would be generous "with both your prayers and your pocketbooks"), lots of the flag (splayed across the enormous screen that dominates the stage and on many a lapel) and lots of white people. (At 93 percent, the delegate pool isn't quite Vermont white, but must be at least as white as the crowds that queue up to see Pat Boone, longtime bearer of the party standard.)
Even on a day spent largely on procedural matters, there was still anthropology to be had. Congressman Kevin McCarthy—handsome and amiable, Romney without the gel—introduced the party's platform as "one grounded in enduring Republican principles." As he expounded on those principles, he used a vocabulary that made very clear that we're not in Denver anymore: "a firm belief that the American way of life is worth defending," "a dedication to the rule of law that protects and preserves liberty," "a belief in a positive optimistic patriotism driven by an uncompromising passion for freedom and justice." It's worth noting that the only Democrat who seemed especially comfortable using this rhetoric last week was that America-hating me-firster, Barack Obama.
McCarthy also pointed out that Republicans don't think that Washington has all the answers, unlike "some people"—a phrase that in the original draft must have read "Barack Obama and Joe Biden." For in addition to not being a festive day—there was no music in the program—it was also not a partisan day. The only slip came during a testimonial video from the governors of Gulf Coast states about their hurricane preparations. Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who was filmed (as he put it) "standing outside of a beautiful C-130 aircraft," explained that "you're seeing Republican governors in Republican states doing a fabulous job of taking care of the citizens. That's what we do." Back luck, Oklahomans: The remnants of Gustav are headed your way, with only Democrat Brad Henry to protect you.
The video was introduced by Laura Bush, who got the longest, loudest ovation of the afternoon. (Small anthropological aside: references to Sarah Palin tended to get longer, louder applause from the delegates than references to John McCain.) Behind the podium, she seems to embody the small-town virtues that conservatism declares itself intent on preserving—calmness, kindness, decency—no matter what dirty things Curtis Sittenfeld imagines about her in her new novel. In fact, if you listen closely, you'll hear that even after seven-plus years as First Lady, she still sometimes lets out a nervous little laugh after an applause line. She seems so effortless a vessel of what Obama in his first book calls "needlepoint virtues" that she only needed a pillbox hat to make this seem like archival footage of the 1972 convention, or the 1956 one.
A brief closing appearance by Cindy McCain pointed the way toward the rest of the convention and beyond. Having navigated a difficult day with ease, the convention gets down to its real business tomorrow: returning the fire that Obama sent in his speech last week, reveling in the energy that Palin has brought to the proceedings, basking in McCain doing what few do better than he does—using the traditional language of patriotism and the example of his own service to motivate the party. As the delegates filed out, C-Span—blessings upon you once again, most faithful of all television channels—offered a fleeting montage of the party he'll inherit and begin to lead. All in all, they're a more tidily dressed crowd than the Democrats. Men in business attire, women in pearls. The Texas delegation in matching blue shirts and Stetsons. An Abe Lincoln look-alike. A man in an Uncle Sam hat sporting a Goldwater button. A lady in a straw hat with an ENGLISH IS AMERICA'S LANGUAGE pin. Miss Texas herself, swathed in patriotic bunting. And there, in the red sportcoat, could it be? It could: Pat Boone himself.
© 2008
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Member Comments
Posted By: Ranger-Suasponte @ 09/05/2008 10:23:25 PM
Comment: ABOUT SARAH PALIN:
http://webpages.charter.net/suasponte/
If you really want to know Sarah Palin's history (in detail) this is a "must read". It was written by Anne Kilkenny, a resident of Wasilla, Alaska.
Posted By: HarleyisHere @ 09/04/2008 9:50:28 PM
Comment: I just watched the repig party invoke the image of 9/11 yet AGAIN in an election cycle. Showing images of the towers, the flames, the flowers people left on the ground, the fire fighters and police (who were killed because of Giuliani's fatal mistakes). They speak of the heroes and of the TERROR and FEAR we should NEVER FORGET, even though they forgot only months after it happened when they left Afghanistan and Bin Laden, and went to Iraq...McCain being one of the first to call for it, what judgment.
There were 2740 Americans killed on Sept 11th 2001, it was a day I will never forget, none of us will. My heart was broken in a deeper way than I have ever known and for the first time since I lost my parents, I was glad they were not here to see this, or what has happened to this country since. My father was a WWII vet, 2 Purple Hearts, 2 Bronze Stars, and 1 Silver Star, not to mention a wealth of other medals, he was TRULY an American hero. He did not seek office, he did not ask for adoration, he came home (after being shot by a sniper just six months before the end of the war) and raised his children as did many other Americans who fought in that war. I am glad that he is not here to see what has become of our country, the country he took a bullet for, his friends died for, in a war NOT fought for OIL, but for the lives of millions of others...and oh yeah he won his war.
My question is if you are going to speak of heroes and who have died for their country, why the BAN from the White House on showing the coffins of fallen American children who have given their lives for the OIL and EGO(s) of Bush and McCain? They have both tried to use this war to further themselves, just a second ago Senator Lindsay Gramm declared "VICTORY" in Iraq,...great so all of our kids should be home in no more than a few months, right?
Why use the image of 9/11, an image they repigs forgot only weeks after it happened (unless there was an election), and use it any time they feel they NEED it to invoke fear, heart ache, or remind us of TERROR, as if we had forgotten, why use that image and BAN the other image, the image of 5180 Americans who have died following the orders of BUSH and the dreams of MCCAIN, for OIL and EGO. Why not show the flags draped over the boxes their shipped in, show the funerals and the flags being handed to the heart broken families, families who ask "why?" and have NEVER gotten a straight answer.
Don't get me wrong, I don't want to see the bodies either, but don't politicize one (9/11) and try to hide the other (5180 of our sons and daughters coming home in flag draped boxes).
If you care: http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/
Posted By: mccainsupporter @ 09/04/2008 8:57:46 AM
Comment: Democratic leadership under Barack Obama wanted to cut and run in Iraq now today and just before our successful surge, just as Democratic leadership wanted to cut and run in Vietnam before our 1200 POWs came home in 1973. John McCain realizes he would not be here today if the Democratic leadership had their way back in 1972. Because he spent early years in Indonesia, Barack Obama may not be the Democratic Presidential candidate today but for our efforts in Vietnam in 1972. Richard Nixon a former Navy officer who served before John McCain years in the Navy understood that North Vietnam never returned any of the captured French POWs after their defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. Only the week long bombings of Hanoi including Christmas day in 1972 with our B52 bombers finally convinced North Vietnam that we wanted our 1200 POWs back now. The bombings also convinced the South Vietnamese that we would support them in the future under the Paris Peace Talks agreement. Although the United States lost in Vietnam are efforts there gave other countries time to develop their fragile democracies. Indonesia today is a democratic country today that is friendly to the United States and has a population of nearly two hundred million people, the fourth largest in the world. Barack Obama spent his early childhood in Indonesia attending school with his mother and step-father during the time of the Vietnam War. It has been reported that the former President of Indonesia stated that our efforts in Vietnam although we lost allowed Indonesia to fight off communism and develop as a democratic country. Our efforts in Vietnam bought Indonesia time. Barack Obama could have been caught up in a communist insurrection in Indonesia during his early childhood if the United States had cut and run and had not tried to slow or stop a rapid North Vietnam takeover of South Vietnam. All of Southeast Asia including Indonesia could have rapidly gone Communist if the United States did not at least make a stand to resist the rapid expansion of communism and stand by our ally South Vietnam. Ironicallly both John McCain and Barack Obama would not be the men they are today and John McCain would not be here if we had followed Democratic leadership to cut and run in Vietnam before our POWs were returned.