“He’s not a traditional politician,” said First Lady Melania Trump in her capstone address during the second night of the Republican National Convention.
We will count the ways that he is not, but first let’s admire our First Lady, with her regal bearing, light accent, and nervousness as she began to speak at a lecturn set up in the Rose Garden.
She opened the door to the subject of “racial unrest” by recalling a visit to Ghana, where she was “horrified” when she learned about the gateway to slavery.
She acknowledged America’s troubled racial past, she understood the unrest, she urged people not to turn to violence, then added that Americans should look at things “from all perspectives,” which sounded to me like a nod to Black Lives Matter.
Stop the presses! She said she was voting for Donald J. Trump, but declined to attack the Democrats. Her address was entirely positive, focusing on family and children and she became the first speaker to extend sympathies to the 170,00-plus Americans who have fallen to coronavirus.
I guess I have to note that she gave a political speech from the White House, which is not traditional and the inside-the-Beltway crowd is having conniptions over, but no one else gives a crap.
She was preceded by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, speaking from the roof of the King David Hotel in “beautiful Jerusalem,” who introduced himself as “Mike Pompeo.” Some of the talking heads wet themselves about a sitting Secretary getting involved in politics, but no one but Wolf Blitzer and other dedicated Democrats care.
In another nontraditional move, Trump used the White House to stage a naturalization ceremony for five candidates for citizenship. They took the oath, then were praised by the president for going through the legal process. This was intended to show that Trump isn’t really xenophobic.
The new Americans came here from Bolivia, Lebanon, India, Sudan, and Ghana, and must have been thinking, “What a country!”
And to them I say, “Welcome to the family.”
In my book, there was no single highlight, but several (may I say it?) points of light.
But first — thanks CNN for providing full coverage, but no thanks for cutting some speakers so your panel can yap and you can run commercials. You want to do something, do it right.
That’s the advice I’d give Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi for a vicious attack on Biden’s son, Hunter, but even worse was her accusation that some “close family members” were involved in corruption. If you accuse them, name them.
One important bloc, to me, was Nicholas Sandman, the Kentucky high school student who got raped by most of the media. “While the media portrayed me as an aggressor with a relentless smirk on my face, in reality the video shows I was standing with my hands behind my back and an awkward smile on my face,” he said, as he was approached by a Native American “elder,” who banged a drum and chanted in the teenager’s face.
Let CNN’s Don Lemon explain why: “The MAGA hat carries a certain kind of connotation that provokes a conditioned reaction.” You know what, Don? You are supposed to support free speech — and wearing that hat is political expression — rather than condone it.
Sandmann then talked about the cancel culture and an irresponsible media.
Another break with tradition was Trump issuing a pardon to Jon Ponder, a reformed criminal (thanks to God’s intervention in sentencing, he said), who was a bank robber, has become fast friends with the FBI agent who arrested him. Ponder has since opened a nonprofit to help “returning citizens” with reentry.
That checked the box for judicial reform.
Checking the “cops are human” box was New Mexico police officer Ryan Holets. He was responding to a call and found a heroin addict who was pregnant andwho understood she would not be a fit mother.
Holets adopted her baby. Whoa.
The Trump offspring last night were Eric, who was the Rottweiler, and Tiffany, who summarized the Trump philosophy: equality of opportunity, free thought and expression, freedom of religion, ideas not identity, and seek out the truth.
Ooops, from birtherism to covid-19 being a hoax, Daddy does not seek out the truth.
Sorry to end on a low note, but there’s always tomorrow.
Happy Wednesday to you, sir. FYI re: interrupt, C-Span offers similar coverage. The extra treat is afterwards. They post a few 800 call-in numbers, democrat, republican, independent, etc., from all over the US. They’ve had more than a few claiming to be lifelong democrat who’ll be voting Trump in November due to the riots/terrorists and the lying mainstream media. Refreshing to hear that there are many people out there hip to the propaganda on the tube and in print (The Philadelphia Inquirer, to be specific, is nothing but a propaganda rag).
C SPAN. Great idea, thanks.
c-span’s ( what exactly does “c” stand for ? ) best was when the life long democrat called in and told them that he flipped to the RED !
CBS becomes See B.S. C Span becomes See Spam.
C stands for Cable. I watched tonight. In the post show, every Democrat said there were voting for Trump. 🙂
Viewed from the distance of Canada, the DNC and RNC events seem to emanate from different planets, rather than the same nation. But I’m sorry to say we’re getting used to this level of cognitive dissonance. While I remain neutral on November’s outcome, I think I reflect the hopes of many Canucks that we’d really like our neighbour back – the one we’ve lived aside for the last 150-plus years. The one where the vast majority of its citizens shared a common pride in their nation, and common purpose in its future. The current toxic tribal divisions are very disconcerting to say the least. There is a wider and troubled world out there; one in which America played as stabilizing and constructive role for the last 75 years. One where being allies meant something significant, and there was a ‘steady hand’ in Washington.
We miss that America.
As I watched on cspan I took some notes of the little things that caught my eye, knowing you would get the big ones…thank you.
With all of the racist talk why isn’t Margaret Sanger talked about more? And Abby Johnson, former employee of Planned Parenthood asking us…”did you know their is a smell?”
Video…World War II Vet reading Trump’s accomplishments, and saying it would take an hour and a 1/2 to read them all.
Jeanette Nunez, Lt Gov of Fl
“Normalization of Socialism”
Eric Trump on dad’s campaign “they ignored us, laughed at us, fought us, then we won”
I liked what black AG Daniel Cameron from Kentucky said “politics of identity, cancel and color”
Also mentioned was The First Step Act and Right to Try,
Freeing up water for lobster fisherman and helping the dairy industry. The housing and auto boom pre-covid coming back despite.
All the women White House staffers.
One other thing from Monday was someone saying about America…’An Idea, now a home.’
I think it was Franklin who spoke of how fragile Democracy is and will it last over time.
where is my reply that I posted at 1:15 ? it was there around 8 am
I saw it, guess you got canceled Tony.
I have been on facebook quite a bit, concerning politics, both nationally and out here in Chester County. 74th district, vote republican. drain the swamp !
I’m waiting/expecting to get locked up, punished/cancelled for my stance on social issues, etc
Mr. Clark, Sr. I may or may not be responsible for the disappearance of your initial reply. I sure hope I’m not. My response at the top was initially meant as a reply to your post, to you. If you were to read it, it’d make sense to you. I typed my message and clicked “post comment” and seemingly at that instant your post disappeared and mine appeared. I think that, anyway. It was all instantaneous. If it was something I did, it was accidental, absent malice. I enjoy your posts. Personally, I think/hope it was a computer glitch. Sorry for the inconvenience either way. Thanks, and keep the faith. Stude.
Melania was fantastic! My favorite for the first two days. I really dug her military fatigue outfit with the cool brass-buttoned pockets and the epaulets. (Where were the battle ribbons?) Along with her Eastern European accent and dropping all those articles, it was like she was Minister of Information for the MLF, the Melania Liberation Front. FREE MELANIA!
That’s funny. Are you the John Grant I used to have long email debates with, back when W was the embodiment of all evil?
Tony
I hope not, my abortion position has been well stated, also.
On a lighter note, got through to Dom, for side topic: favorite or famous saying on anything. I said Billy Crystal’s SNL imitation of Fernando someone? “It is better to look good than to feel good.”
Sorry to get off issue, Stu. Making up for many times, you could say, for not commenting at all, if that counts.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/15b-contract-in-iraq-for-bidens-little-brother-exposes-obama-ahead-of-debate
Some in the Hillary campaign were pushing Birtherism in 2016. It didn’t stop you from voting for her.
At a campaign rally in South Carolina on Feb 28 Trump told the crowd that the press blaming him for covid was a hoax. He didn’t say Covid was a hoax.
I have been following you for years. I think you are a very good journalist.But this article really is inaccurate. But then again even Ted Williams struck out on occasion. But he came back with HRs. I am expecting a much better column tommorrow. A column up to your standards.
HAPPY WEDNESDAY !!!
well pallie,
I gave you a chance to restore my reply, and you blew it ! I’ma gonna get all my Italian friends here on this blog and come picket you. Name the bar and the time – and bring money. Lots of money.
The jist of what was on my feeble mind, is already appearing up above. You did us right – for the most part. I know that you know that our President loves to put on a show. Well, boys and girls and pallie, P.T.Barnum could learn from the master ! Everybody talking is taking the high road, with one exception. Former Florida State Attorney General Pam Bondi did her job. As the top cop in Fla, she threw the book at the low lifes that deserved the penalty. Ms Bondi was kind enough to remind the public, just how deep and dirty the swamp actually is all day, everyday. I would not be too surprised that names of the greased start slipping/leaking . BTW. vicious attack ? The Biden family, is in the spotlight. They earned the lime light !
Tony
P.S. try not to lose this reply
The truth is, I hit a wrong key, disappeared you, and could not bring it back.
Maybe you will like the one I just posted.
of course, I believe you, pallie. Then again, I believe my wife, when she tells me that she has a headache !
I enjoy all of yor posts, Stu. We don’t always agree with me. Come to think of it. A lot of people don’t always agree with me. When are all of you gonna learn ?
Tony