July 30, 2004
DNC Convention: Day by Day
Now that the DNC love-fest has ended, here is a recap:
Ten Things You Won't Hear at the Cosmetic Convention
1. That The Unemployment Rate Today (5.5%) Is Lower Than It Was In 1996 (6.2%).
2. That The Inflation Rate Today (1.9%) Is Lower Than It Was In 1996 (2.6%).
3. That Mortgage Rates Today (5.86%) Are Lower Than They Were In 1996 (7.81%).
4. Jimmy Carter Bring Up Kerry's "Middle Class Misery Index."
5. Bill Clinton's Making Regime Change In Iraq The Official US Policy.
6. Criticism Of The Clinton Health Care Plan, Which Kerry Said Was A Major Cause Of The 1994 Democrat Losses At The Polls.
7. Al Gore Again Compare The Republicans To "Digital Brown Shirts."
8. Clinton Praise The Defense Of Marriage Act, Which Kerry Called "Gay Bashing," And Voted Against Before Clinton Signed.
9. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino Call Kerry's Campaign "Small Minded," And "Incompetent," Again.
10. Hillary Clinton Speak For More Than Five Minutes.
Things we did hear!
The Thin Man
by Fred Barnes
One of Edwards's favorite gimmicks is to insist discussions of "race, equality, and civil rights" should be included in speeches "everywhere," not just to targeted audiences. Then he quickly changes the subject without any serious discussion of the subject at all. The whole thing turns out to be a rhetorical device, nothing more. It's reminiscent of [Gary] Hart.
"I don’t really need Michael Moore to tell me about September 11th."
-- Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani
Kerry's answer is clear: "Any attack will be met with a swift and certain response." The Kerry Doctrine: Once we get clobbered, I'll try and figure out how to strike back.
If these lines --the most important of the speech by far-- get huge applause, America will know it's choice is clear: Wait to get slammed again, perhaps with tens of thousands dead this time, or continue to take the war to the terrorists.
Update:
