BernieHund: The Political Watchdog

It is best to review the past two weeks, I suppose.  As everyone knows the Democratic Convention was held in Denver and all went well.  While the smoke was still rising from the hoopla of the Dems’ celebration, John McCain dashed the fire by selecting Sarah Palin as his Vice-Presidential running mate.  By Friday afternoon, the McCain campaign had dumped more water on the Obama/Biden ticket than Hurricane Gustav dumped on Louisiana and Alabama.

While a million plus residents of southern Louisiana headed north, evacuating their homes in fear of Hurricane Gustav, the Republicans took advantage of a serious situation to buy a little political capital.  No one is going to suggest that Gustav became McCain’s greatest ally, but the watered down hurricane gave the Repubs an opportunity to show a kindness and compassion towards the potential victims of the storm.  The Republican response was well scripted.  In fact, I didn’t even hear any of the ultra right wing evangelicals blame the storm blowing over New Orleans on gays and lesbians.  That was a first.  Most of the Christian right likes to blame natural tragedy on some so-called sinful behavior of the areas inhabitants… remember the fires in Florida a few years back because Disney World had opened its doors to gays for a week?  (just to mention one accusation).

Instead, the Republicans took advantage of the potential storm to do two things.  First, they showed compassion and interest in the welfare of those evacutating by packing foodstuffs and water to send, and canceling the first day of the convention.  That gave them a second advantage.  The McCain convention successfully dumped George Bush (43) and Dick Cheney without having to explain more than saying time constraints while Bush headed to Texas to be on standby in case Gustav blew a tumbleweed across the Crawford ranch.  Additionally, while attention was diverted to our fellow citizens, Dick Cheney disappeared from radar until he turned up in oil rich countries formerly under Soviet Union domination. 

McCain and the Republicans fared particularly well for the first few days.  McCain was given the opportunity to extend his hand to those in need.  He didn’t have to watch George Bush (43) mumble his way through a speech to nowhere on the stage of the Republican National Convention.  And, Dick Cheney went unnoticed until he showed up on foreign soil, certainly trying to set up deals for his private future.

Of course, the introduction of Sarah Palin brought about the biggest news of the week.  She gave a rousing speech at the convention that probably solidified the far right of the Republican Party.  I can’t believe that any of the Hillary Clinton voters will jump on her bandwagon based on Palin’s position on the issues.  Perhaps, most dismaying to this old woman were those who started screaming sexism from day one.  To that end I will say that if she can’t stand the heat in the kitchen, she needs to rehire the cook.  I think she can take the heat, personally.  But, it was the constant whining from some of the women, Carly Fiorina in particular, that made me want to gag.  As mentioned in an earlier post, becoming VP is not an affirmative action position.

And, yes, I believe there is a double standard for women.  When Britney Spears was being taken to the hospital, suffering what has been described as a “breakdown”, there was no respect for her privacy.  When her little sister got knocked up, she was called every derogatory name in the book and her mother was attacked for being a “bad mother.”  With both parties claiming that family is off-limits, I find it a bit “elitist” on both sides.  I’m not saying that I think it is right to attack anyone’s family.  I’m saying that if you step into the spotlight these days, you can expect to be examined from your family tree all the way through your offspring.  Whining isn’t the way to win. 

The other fact that came out this week, over and over again, is that John McCain was a prisoner-of-war.  America is proud of our heroes and yes, John McCain is one.  But, let’s face a little reality here.  John McCain voted against the the G.I. Bill.  John McCain voted against the amti-torture legislation.  So, while we all cheered for McCain’s heroism, most failed to take notice that John McCain has voted against legislation designed to help those who are serving today.  McCain’s speech and those that preceded his indicated that he was pro-help for those serving in the Armed Forces today, but his actions has shown us a different story.

As the cameras panned the convention hall, I could only think of “No Country for Old Men.”  I’m biased, I know.  But, I have never seen so many old white men stuffed into uniforms from days long since passed in my lifetime.  It was interesting to see the television camera seek out the few, very few, black faces that barely dotted the convention floor.  For all the talk about diversity that came from the stage, it appeared to be talk and that was all.  The GOP is still a party of old white people with money for the most part with the occasional younger white person who hopes to inherit some of the old money.

During the convention in St. Paul, it seems that safety was found only within the confines of the convention hall.  There were demonstrators outside, and even those among the press were arrested for trying to cover the events outside the hall.  Amy Goodman of Democracy Now was arrested for attempting to check on two of her producers who had gone into the streets to see what the outside commotion was all about.  All three ended up in jail.  Perhaps, this is just a little hint of what we can expect if the McCain/Palin ticket wins in November… established liberal media becoming prisoners, their credentials being ripped from their necks by the Secret Service.  If anyone believes those arrested, even in the pre-emptive arrests, aren’t now on a “watchlist” I have a bridge to nowhere you might be interested in. 

By the way, has anyone discovered what Governor Palin did with the money Alaska received to build that bridge?

With the convention over some time Thursday night, all the candidates hit the trail.  I watched a few clips of McCain/Palin at a few stops.  Thank goodness someone wrote them a few good lines for the convention, because they have repeated them… word for word… at every stop since.  I just want to hear them say something that isn’t scripted.  And, when in the world is Sarah Palin going to speak for herself?  She has great delivery as exemplified by her convention speech.  But, I’m beginning to wonder if the McCain campaign trusts her to answer a question.  To date, she has been shielded from the press.  Eventually, she is going to have to face the questions… isn’t she?  Please tell me they brought her onto the ticket to be more than a pretty face and to recite the words of a speech writer.

So, while the McCain campaign was talking about the senator’s years as a POW, ad nauseam, Barack Obama and Joe Biden were quietly talking to smaller gaterings of middle class citizens about the economy, health care, and the energy crisis.  Now that I think about it, I didn’t hear anyone at the McCain convention mention the middle class.  Perhaps, they not only dumped “W” and Cheney, but they dumped most Americans as well.

While all eyes were turned towards St. Paul or Louisiana, back in Washington Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac rolled over, and all but played dead before Paulson and Bernanke decided to take them over.  Yes, middle class American tax-payers, we have just been put under the additional burden of keeping two more money pits afloat.  Again, the sneak in occurred late on Friday and the work is being done over the weekend while most of us cheer for our favorite college football teams or watch the finals of the U.S. Open.

And, in closing I have to add that during the month of August, 64,000 more Americans had their time freed up to watch the conventions, having lost their jobs during the past month.  Unemployment hit 6.1%.  That 6.1% of unemployed American citizens used to be in the middle class… the same middle class that was not mentioned at the Republican Convention.  And, in all probability those same 64,000 newly unemployed will soon find themselves without health care that wasn’t mentioned at the Republican Convention either.  But, for the GOP, it was a week to remember.  If only they would remember the rest of us!