Where's the rage, people? I have spent the last three nights listening to the best and the brightest Democrats in the land making speech after speech about how they support Barak Obama. This being the Democratic National Convention, one would expect that the speakers would support the candidate. After all, these conventions are scripted right down to the time allotted for applause. However, none of the featured presenters have ripped into George W. Bush and his heir apparent, John McCain. I haven't heard Abu Graib discussed once. Katrina, celebrating it's third anniversary this week, got a single mention. Karl Rove, once. Guantanamo, nada. The disgrace that is the Justice Dept., forget it!
What are the Democrats waiting for? They have been handed the greatest gift any political party has ever received. Eight years of the worst leadership since Caligula (and without the nifty sex). The Bush administration has provided Obama with villains who are not only purely evil; they even look purely evil. Why is no one roasting this administration from the dais? Why is no one setting Katie Curic's microphone on fire with condemnations of Donald Rumsfeld and David Addington? Even if it didn't help Barak Obama get elected (and it couldn't hurt) this is the Democrat's big opportunity to remind America what an abject failure George and the Republicans have been. The catharsis alone would be worth it.
Nobody is talking about anything. Has anyone heard the word immigration? I think not. The 12 million people in America illegally were the hottest topic in America just one year ago. Now it's on the third rail of the Democratic agenda along with Social Security.
How about global warming and the environment? Hands? Anyone? These topics are getting no traction because the Democratic poll takers have determined that either the solutions are too painful or the topic will put the public to sleep. The result is speech after speech about better education for American youth, tax aid for the middle class (whoever they are), reducing our dependence on foreign oil (no one says how), a stronger military (which no one wants to pay for) and a laundry list of high-minded emptiness that will be forgotten before the cheering subsides.
The Democrats have been told that, after the rack and ruin of the last eight years, this is their election to lose. The result is a "let's be careful not to offend anyone" rhetoric that basically says, vote for us because we're not George W. Bush. Democrats need to start offending some people. Everyone dances around John McCain's captivity as though he took on the entire North Vietnamese army by himself. Wouldn't want to offend those Vietnam Vets (like they're on the fence about Obama anyway). No one talks about race because we are all hoping that, enchanted by his speechifying, America may not notice that our candidate is a gentleman of color.
Sports analogies are trait but, in football, the fastest way to lose a game is to stop trying to win it and sit on a lead. If the Democrats and Barak Obama don't start talking about real issues, messy and complicated though they are, the people of Kansas and Colorado and Florida will go to the polls on Nov 4th with only one clear image in their heads...old, familiar white guy...young, untested black guy. If that happens, get use to hearing "Hillary in 2012".
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