Now that the last streamers and balloons have fallen from the Xcel Center--and I think I'm still trying to get the confetti out of my hair--I want to reflect a little bit on what I experienced.
This was my first convention, so I really can't compare it to other conventions, but my bottom-line reaction to the convention is that it was a lot of fun. It was similar to attending the Super Bowl three days in a row, but it is even better than that because your favorite team wins every night and everybody else is cheering for the same team.
Most of my California friends support Obama, so it is also encouraging to be around with so many McCain supporters. I also met several other McCain supporters living in the Bay Area. Yes, there are Republicans in the California Bay Area. The convention has really infused me with even more excitement for a McCain adminstration, and I'm looking forward to getting back to California and working hard over the next 60 days to get him and Sarah Palin elected.
McCain's speech was in a word, presidential. He did not give a rah-rah speech like Palin did the previous night, but he looked to inspire Americans and quietly but forcefully explain why he should be president and what he will do when elected.
Before the speech, many television pundits said that McCain needed to talk about his domestic policy. On Thursday night, McCain did just that. He will cut wasteful spending, keep taxes low, work on retraining people to take advantage of opportunities in this new economy, give people a choice in education, make it easier for Americans to find good health care health care insurance, and achieve energy independence.
It was very exciting at the end of the speech when McCain was saying he would fight for us and encouraging us to stand up and get involved. The crowd was going absolutely wild. We were cheering and clapping so loudly that I really could not hear a word of what he was saying at the end. How cool is that!
During McCain's speech, a question kept running through my mind. Why have I supported McCain as president since the primaries? The basic reason, which was reinforced by seeing McCain give his speech, is that I trust McCain to do what is best for America. I believe that trust is justified by McCain's long public career. I may not agree with McCain on every single issue, but I trust McCain's judgement. I just cannot say the same thing about Obama.
When the speech ended, the balloons and confetti started falling, the music started playing (check out the "Raising McCain" song by John Rich), and people started dancing. The McCain and Palin families came out on stage, and the Xcel center seemed to get even louder. Palin and McCain both walked out to the crowd and shook hands. About 10 high school students made their way to the center of the hall right in front of the podium and held up a couple of big signs saying "Students For McCain." Balloons started popping making the convention sound like a big popcorn machine.
Eventually, we began to exit the Xcel Center energized to stand up, fight, and win the election for John McCain.
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4 comments:
Cameron,
It was a great end of convention. I can assure you that I was touched when I heard from here that "Fight with me!"; I can only imagine what it must have been to listen it from the man himself.
Simply an amazing speech for an amazing convention. Plus, McCain beat Obama in the TV ratings game!!!!.
And of course, I liked the use of Rudy's Take us out at the end of the party! It was a perfect match to what it had been said and the road ahead.
McCain has certainly energized the base, but this is only one of two things that a successful candidate must do. The other is win the mushy middle. That is the task of the next two months and it will not be easy since much of what influences such voters is beyond the candidate's control, e.g., the real economy. Unfortunately, however, politicians in democracies (ours included and Republicans included) make greater claims of control than are warrented. When things go right, parties in power are rewarded with victories; but if things go wrong (6.1% unemployment, for example), they usually lose. So that right now is the challenge! I hope that McCain and the Republicans are up to it!
Cameron,
Well, I couldn't agree with you more about the energy at the Xcel center! Fantastic and accurate description!
And, sorry, "anonymous" ... it's not just the "base" that's energized. Don't forget, McCain basically told the "base" to shove it when he was most vulnerable during this election.
You could hardly call me one of the "base" ... Yes, I'm a lifelong Republican who loves my country, but I'm also an organic-eating, pro-choice, anti-nuclear environmentalist ... oh, I also don't cling to guns or religion, although I have a deep respect for law-abiding gun owners and people of faith ... all faiths, including Christianity.
I met many many people at the RNC convention ... most of them are way more like me than your perception of the base. Nice try, though, anonymous.
When the Republican party asked me for money this year, I told them to shove it too ... lol, ok, actually what I really said was "do a better job" and sent my reply back in an envelope without money in it. I did, however, donate my maximum to John McCain for President.
We should reward candidates like McCain and Palin by voting them into office. Neither has taken the easy road of political expediency by appealing only to partisans.
I do agree with you that independent voters will decide this election ... just like they always do. I still believe that sincerity and achievement trumps pretty speeches and frightening crowds every time. Just my opinion, FWIW.
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