I just watched Hillary’s big speech at the DNC convention.
Yawn.
The best part of it was the anecdote about Harriet Tubman and the “Keep Going” phrase. Otherwise, it was straight Democrat talking points. The speech was interesting, however, but not for what Hill said – but for what she didn’t say. Hillary didn’t say “Obama will make a great president.” She didn’t give her endorsement of his ethics, his personality, or his perceived ability to get the job done. Essentially, she said what she had to say, in order to look gracious. She said everything she had to, in order to have plausible deniablity to those who would insist that she is scuttling Obama’s candidacy. In short, she went just far enough to “do the right thing,” but not one step farther. Not that I blame her. Her appearance was as much like a triumphant general returning home after a long campaign, as it was like a second-place finisher taking her consolation lap. Now it’s up to Joe Biden. If he doesn’t kill as a speaker, people are going to be wondering, “why wasn’t Hillary chosen as Veep.” Now of course, we know why – she’s got more baggage than a debutante on a sea cruise, and that’s not even counting the built-in scandal machine that is her husband, the former Bubba-in-Chief. [Read more…] about Reading between the lines.
Tomorrow is the first day of school for thousands of kids across Amarillo, my daughter included. While the exact day children go back to school may vary from district to district, there is one undeniable fact – the school year is longer than it was when I was a kid.
So after all the hype, all the speculation, and all the waiting, Biden’s the guy. Most of the pundits are asking the question “What does Biden bring to the ticket.” While that’s a question that certainly bears asking, I’d much rather go the other way, and ask “what does Biden take away from the Dem’s chances in November?” Fortunately, Biden is a known quantity – after all he was a candidate for President twice on his own – most recently this year.
I was all set to write about all the exciting things going on in the world of politics today. And then…suddenly…nothing happened. (But it happened suddenly!) It must be difficult to be the news editor at one of th 24-hour news networks on a day like today. Most days in fact, I suspect the news biz is a lot like what they say (“they” being the Van Patten family) about pilots – long stretches of boredom, punctuated by a few moments of sheer exhileration and terror. Trouble is, the newsies still have time to fill – and fill it they do, mostly with low-cal filler, tripe, trumped up stories, and navel gazing. Even my personal fave, FoxNews, does far too many breathless stories on the fate of ___________ (insert the latest tragic dissapearance, murder, or sensational trial). Currently, it’s the missing toddler, Caylee Anthony. Like most of the rest of the country, I suspect she’s no longer alive, and that her mom had something (if not everything) to do with it. Still, we live in a country where you’re presumed innocent, so we must let the justice system take it’s own course. Not the news media, of course. They’ve got time to fill, and just because they have no real news upon which to report, they’ll just find a way to stretch what they’ve got to fill the time available. 
As a part of my agency, we own a teleprompter. Teleprompters are marvelous devices – even someone who can’t memorize their own name can look into the camera lens and read a script. It’s a great invention, but what it can do is to make someone who can act – but can’t think on their feet – seem as though they are something they are not. That’s why debates and interviews can be so revealing. And so it was at the Saddleback Church event. We’ve already learned that Senator Obama can give a great speech. We knew that at the last DNC convention, where he first emerged on the national stage. But giving speeches might help get you elected, but they won’t do much for you when you are being judged on your ability to make decisions that can affect the future of the world. 
Like many Americans, I went through school trying to pay as little attention to geography as possible. It was, frankly, my least favorite subject. I found it dry and boring. Unlike many Americans, however, in my years since high school, I had the opportunity to travel abroad. It almost instantly gave me an appreciation for a knowledge of geography, as well as a perspective on America and Americans you simply can’t get by staying here. I quickly acquired an appreciation for just how amazing The USA is, and gained a newfound respect for our Constitution, capitalism, and our way of life.
I’m a conservative. So’s Sen. Ted Stevens (R, Alaska). I believe in drilling for oil in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge. So does Ted. I believe that conservatives principles should guide our government. Ted agrees. So why do I want to see Ted Stevens resign from office?