Aug 26 2008
Hillary’s Tired Liberalism Failed Tonight
OK, I hate conventions. Â You get hour after hour of kindergarten level logic and sound bites parading as magical solutions to problems that are mostly self inflicted because people didn’t realize they need to work and prepare for life so they can have a good career and make and save money to live on.
Both parties do it, but the theme is old, tired and spent. Hillary tried to take on Bush and McCain, but somehow blaming Bush because a mother’s hours are being cut back is just so B-Movie it insults the intelligence instead of inspires. Â The idea government run health care can be universal, high quality and affordable to all is a fantasy world view. The highest quality services will always go to insanely wealthy -like the Clintons, Obamas, Bidens and Kennendys.
The Liberals of the Democrat Party cannot hide their disconnect with every day Americans. Â And as the liberals continuously dumb down their sound bites in an pathetic effort to convince an intelligent, smart an self confident country with victimhood examples of how life is hard (duh, we all know that) I find their efforts to package their failed and naive policies in ever more simpleton sound bites just not working.
Hillary tried to salvage a failed political movement. Â But she cannot do it, the same way should could not out beat Obama. Â The man who championed change had her beat because he was, at one point, connecting with soaring visions and possibilities. Â He was tapping into the ‘can do’ nature of Americans to say ‘we can do better’. But the victimhood spiel plays against optimism.Â
In music there is harmony and dissonance. After 2 weeks of rooting for America individuals to dig it out past all obstacles, barriers and unfair events, it is really hard to transition in one weekend to the doom and gloom and finger pointing of the liberal themes.  Bush is not evil, and our energy problems are more the fault of a do-nothing democrat Congress which won’t open access to our own national energy resources than anything Bush ever did.
Technically the democrats are not doing anything wrong. But that is like someone technical banging out notes on a piano in the proper order. It is not the same thing as soaring and inspiring music. The Democrats are failing because they are a failed and tired view of America.Â
And I think the fact a woman senator from a major US State (NY) with 18 million votes garnered in the primary was passed up for VP by an old white guy Senator from a small, electorally irrelevant state who garnered a few tens of thousands of votes exemplifies why the Democrat Party is a dead and broken party.
When Hillary was passed up for VP to play it safe and fix holes in Obama’s resume it was clear the glass ceiling is firmly in place. A guy, once again, was too scared to risk his own ass to stand by a woman. Â And THAT is the glass ceiling folks – male insecurity.
One thing the Democrats don’t get is that those 80% wrong track numbers include THEM! Bush has only 65% rejection in the favorability polls, it is the Democrat Congress that mirrors those wrong track numbers. And there is a connection to the fact the longer the Dems did nothing in Congress, and the closer the empty suited Obama got to the nomination, the worse those numbers got. That is not a coincidence.
Hillary’s speech did nothing. It was partisan clap trap surrounded by non sequitur examples of victimhood. It will not resonate with Americans who want serious changes. Â They want mature adults who can act professionally and tone down the partisan sniping.
I may be totally wrong on this, but I expect more poll erosion to come. The Liberals are totally out of sync with America and are more like finger nails on a chalk board than the sound of sweet music and optimism.
You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din. I don’t know how you can sit through that nonsense, I sure can’t.
I’m not so sure that there will be much poll erosion, simply because everyone has such a vested interest in making sure that this race appears to be too close to call. McCain’s VP pick is going to be crucial, though.
I don’t expect Obama to get a bounce from this. Hillary’s speech is for her and only her. She acted enthused but it was for herself. She’s prepping for 2012.
I got tired of her speech half way through. Same ole, same ole.
Why is it that people running for President are thinking that they can help every individual they meet on the stump? Why aren’t the governors of the states responsible for economic situation in the states? Why don’t the governors look after those who can’t afford medical insurance. Why don’t the governors look after the poor. Governors can attract business to their states, they can reduce the tax burden, they can help those in need. How can a President fix the failed policies of the states?
I’m sick of government trying to solve everyones problems, and I’m sick of paying for it. Socialized medicine would be the end of this countries leadership in the world. And it would be the end of leading the world in good medicine. If Teddy Kennedy thinks that socialized medicine would give everyone the chance to have the care that he had, he hasn’t been looking around the world. There will always be those who choose not to be educated and will be poor. How can the government change that?
I love rich people. I love fine art, I can’t produce it but I’m glad it exists, because I can enjoy it. I love big oil, it gets me where I need to go. I love pharmaceuticals, they help my jumping legs. I love self expression, it makes my world interesting. Let’s talk about what we can do!
“I may be totally wrong on this, but I expect more poll erosion to come.”
Ummm… “may be”?
Honestly, AJ – are you saying that you think the Democrats will come out of the convention with a *downturn* in the polls? Really?
For a while, I thought your claims of being an “independent conservative” were actually true. But you’re as big a GOP shill as anyone else on the net.
Breschau,
All your faux bravado aside, you know damn well what I meant and that I have been on target in my predictions.
You are young and have a lot to learn. My grandfather was a Dem Congressman and we have politics in the family blood.
Don’t waste your time spinning on me. You have been consistently naive and wrong on your comments. This battle was over weeks ago – it is just taking the Obamabots that long to grasp the reality.
Forget your fantasies – reality is very harsh and unforgiving. McCain is now poised to be the next POTUS, and so far I have seen little the dems can do about it.
AJ:
Puh-leaze.
First off: “faux bravado”? Huh?
Secondly:
So if the polls next week, during the Republican Convention, show a bump for Obama (since you and I both know how long it takes for something to actually show up in the polls), will you then pronounce that as the final death of the GOP?
We only have one VP announcement, we have had barely half of a convention, and there has not been a single debate. To declare a definitive winner at this point in time is simple projection of your own biases.
Don’t believe me? Look around.
AJ,
You need to stop evaluating these Democratic convention speeches based solely on whether you agree politically with the content. We already know that answer for every single speech you will hear – you will disagree with almost everything. Can we move beyond that?
What is more interesting is what effect it will have on the 2008 election. Clinton’s speech was a key moment for Obama. You’ve talked about the fact that Obama has to get the vote of the vast majority of Clinton’s supportes to win. It could have gone either way. If the crowd cheered to much or too little, she delivered a luke warm endorsement or focused too much on herself, the contraversy of the on-going “divide” in the DNC would play endlessly in the media cycle and really hurt Obama. If she gave a ringing endorsement and a strong case for Obama, it would give Obama a huge opportunity to seal the deal with her supporters in his speech.
She hit an absolute home run. It was a strong endorsement of Obama and a compelling case why you should vote for him if you agree with Clinton’s policy positions and the importance of this election. She started right off the bat with “the time is now to unite” and even went so far as asking her supporters – “Were you in this campaign just for me?” or were you in it for the issues I was fighting for and tied it to Obama’s same policy positions. She slammed McCain hard and came up with some great lines for future campaign use, including how appropriate it was that Bush and McCain will be meeting in the “Twin Cities” given how hard it is to tell them apart. That’s perfect – tying McCain to Bush’s 30% approval rating is key to Obama and the convention’s success. It also signals that Bill Clinton will follow a similar tone tomorrow.
Seriously, Obama couldn’t have asked for more. Obama still needs to seal the deal in his speech by recognizing the importance of Clinton and her supporters and playing off her theme that he supports all the same values and issues she was fighting for. If he can’t figure that out and do it after it was served up as well as Clinton did tonight, then I guess Obama doesn’t really deserve to win.
For purposes of evaluating the 2008 election, it doesn’t matter what this speech meant to a GOP/Bush loyalist like yourself. What matters is what it meant to those age 40-54 white women who supported Clinton and have been uncommitted or leaning toward McCain. Trust me – this will speak to Clinton’s supporters and go a long way toward healing the rift. This provides a great opportunity for the Democrats to leave the convention united and feeling positive about there prospects. Still two more days to go. My guess is they will really go after McCain tomorrow as well.
You don’t get the fact that this is Obama’s election to lose. The trends have been leaning Democratic all year and continue even as Obama himself has slipped. EVERYONE is predicting that the Democrats will increase their margins in both House and Senate. The GOP brand is tarnished and the party is in in-fighting and in disarray (as evidence by blogs like this). Bush has high negatives and 70% of Americans think we are on the wrong track. McCain still has to pick his VP (and piss some GOP people off no matter who he picks) and weather his own divide at the RNC convention. If Obama comes out of the convention with a united party and he really focuses on defining and hammering McCain he will regain the momentum. And then there are the debates – I can’t wait for the debates..
Yes and just think that to get to this point of this lukewarm elect Obama so he can pass my programs thing that between she and he they have burned through about a half BILLION is donor dollars.
Now what is wrong with that picture?
I did not listen to Hillary. Same old crap Democrats have been saying since FDR was president.
They do not have any new ideas. They do not have any solutions. They blame Bush for oil because he is from Texas. That is the extent of their economic illiteracy. Well that kind of finger pointing and empty promise is fun for the faithful during a campaign, but governing is something different altogether. Then you are expected to keep all those empty promises.
BTW, I read that no one is watching. Maybe last night was better rated, but overall the conventions seem to be attracting fewer viewers every year.
I wonder why.
conman:
You can rattle of all the freaking numbers you want, but the Democrat controlled Congress has the lowest approval ratings in polling history. And if they continue to blame Bush for everything from bad weather to increased demand for energy to the high cost of health care, those numbers will not improve. Sooner or later they are going to have to do something other than blame Bush, flap their gums and point their fingers. They are not helpless, Democrats control Congress, they actually control some state house and legislatures as well. They are just as responsible for those wrong direction numbers as any Republican is. They are just too damn partisan to see it.
Conman,
Don’t tell me what I have to do. I have a very good political ear (was raised a democrat and had a Dem US Congressman as a grandfather).
Stop acting as if the world revolves around your world views. Trust me, the vast majority of us don’t agree with you on most things. Welcome to life.
[…] want to add to my piece about how Hillary fell flat last night with her speech. Generally speaking there is no harmony in […]
There is no way Hillary’s speech could possibly have been a home run, because her speech was composed of words, and her actions since losing the nomination put the lie to all those words.
First, she only “suspended” her campaign, then she attempted to have the Michigan and Florida votes re-instated, then her camp’s belligerent negotiations for podium time at the convention and the attempt to control the roll call vote. With all these actions she had to option to “get on board” the Obama train, and chose to be selfish.
How could anyone believe that Hillary is out for anyone but Hillary?
I think she was called out on strikes.
“Trust me, the vast majority of us don’t agree with you on most things.”
Define “us”.
This web site? Sure – you’re all partisan hacks. Surprise, surprise.
The country? Yeah – the numbers don’t really line up there.
breschie’s drunk the koolaid, breschie’s drunk the koolaid. Hope it wasn’t spiked.
“This web site? Sure – you’re all partisan hacks. Surprise, surprise.”
Oh no – we dared to question the messiah! Blasphemy! Blasphemy!!!
and then there’s conman, who apparently is blissfully unaware of what “projection” is:
“You need to stop evaluating these Democratic convention speeches based solely on whether you agree politically with the content.”
And follows that with a paeon of love for every speaker that has dragged her heels across that convention platform. Yup, that’s objectivity alright.
Bresch, I’m sorry, but you must be so far to the left that you think this site is full of partisan hacks. Trust me, it’s not.
You are being conned by o and his backers. You know it and I know it. Come into the Light. You will like it here. As AJ said, the lies were exposed and he left. Those lies are making you sick (as in boundary violations galore).
WWS,
Clinton is the only convention speech I’ve commented on period. So if you are suggesting that my assessment that her speech was exactly what the Obama campaign could have hoped for is the equivalent of saying I love every speech at the convention, then I think you are the one that lacks objectivity.
I really don’t understand why it is so hard for some of you to seperate your personal beliefs from an objective assessment of the election. I’m an Obama supporter, but I don’t deny reality just because I want him to win. That is why I don’t deny that McCain has run an effective campaign the last month and one-half and that Obama has some work to do to shore up his support. I can still support his candidacy and at least attempt to talk objectively about the strategy of the campaigns.
Again, it doesn’t matter that you people didn’t like the content of her speech. She wasn’t speaking to you because you will NEVER vote Democratic. But most of you are part of the 30% of Americans who think Bush has been a great president, so you can’t win this election for McCain. As AJ says, it is the moderate/independents that will decide this election. That is who Clinton was speaking to last night and I think she made huge strides in bridging the gap between her supporters and Obama. Why you can’t objectively assess whether or not she did that and instead simply go into your typicial rants about stupid, evil liberals is beyond me.
Terrye,
It doesn’t matter if it is fair or not to blame Bush for the current problems in our country. Americans have always historically and continue today to unfairly blame presidents for too many of the problems when things are bad and unfairly credit them for too many of the success when things are good. They will do it this election just like they have done in every other election. I’ll even agree that the Democrats have not performed well (although a hell of a lot better than the GOP bozos that were thrown out in 2006) and deservedly have low approval ratings. Fair or not, that will not be nearly as big of a drag on the 2008 elections as Bush’s poor ratings. Just look at the polls – Democrats are still perceived more positively than Republicans. It is a fact of life – get over it.
The Democrats will lose because they have a dissonant theme. They say things are getting worse. All of us have parents telling us how much better we have it than when they were our age. Who ya gonna listen to?
The pre 1968 Democrats had a message of hope and progress. Since then they have come to rescue us. No thank you.
As far as who this convention is speaking to – I added up the numbers from the 3 networks and the cable news channels, and the prime time dem convention seems to be averaging about 21 million viewers. Since we can probably expect about 100 million to 110 million votes this election, that means that only 20% of the voters are paying attention to any of the speeches. This is pretty close to the number of people who identify themselves as “progressive”, so the dems are simply preaching to the choir. Now the same thing will happen at the Rep convention, but to think anyone will change their vote because of speeches made at this dog and pony shows is a fantasy.
The independants aren’t watching.