It all comes down to this, the nomination.
It helps that I've got a bit of a preview of tonight's speech, meaning I can pay more attention to some of the gems that might otherwise be missed.
Like the Democratic Convention before them, the Republicans played a video showing John McCain's life, including his time in the service before and after being a POW in Hanoi, and his time in the House and Senate.
And then he took the stage.
There were no Greek columns like something out of an ancient temple. No fireworks. No crowd of 84,000 faithful filling a stadium. No chants of "McCain! McCain! McCain" Instead he was greeted with calls of "USA! USA! USA!"
It was just him on the stage at a podium.
He paid tribute to his supporters and adversaries. He also thanked President Bush for his service, particularly after September 11th, the worst attack on American soil since December 7th, 1941. He also told the delegates his wife Cindy was a great inspiration to him, saying "I know she'll make a great First Lady."
He also sent Senator Obama and his supporters a message:
On running mate Alaska Governor Sarah Palin:
He also brought up "personal responsibility" for our actions, "the rule of law, and judges who dispense justice impartially and don't legislate from the bench."
He then went on the attack against Obama, hitting every point about the differences between himself and Obama on taxes, jobs, trade, energy costs, education, and the cost of living.
He brought up encouraging competition in education, to make the educational system better, to give parents choice in what school their kids will attend, and to do away with the educational bureaucracy, to make them answer to students and parents and not to unions and special interests.
Doing away with the $700 billion a year we send to countries that are not our friends is also high on his list, doing that by building nuclear power plants, clean coal, wind, solar, using a wide range of energy technologies to meet America's energy needs.
On solving problems in Washington:
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John McCain has a tough act to follow, that 'act' being Governor Sarah Palin's speech last night. But that might not be a bad thing as she has certainly become a breath of fresh air into the presidential campaign. McCain has been able to bring about change in this campaign, and his speech tonight will hammer home the point "that the times, they are a changin'".It helps that I've got a bit of a preview of tonight's speech, meaning I can pay more attention to some of the gems that might otherwise be missed.
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Cindy McCain spoke earlier in the evening about Sarah Palin, and it was no surprise it was well received.Like the Democratic Convention before them, the Republicans played a video showing John McCain's life, including his time in the service before and after being a POW in Hanoi, and his time in the House and Senate.
And then he took the stage.
There were no Greek columns like something out of an ancient temple. No fireworks. No crowd of 84,000 faithful filling a stadium. No chants of "McCain! McCain! McCain" Instead he was greeted with calls of "USA! USA! USA!"
It was just him on the stage at a podium.
He paid tribute to his supporters and adversaries. He also thanked President Bush for his service, particularly after September 11th, the worst attack on American soil since December 7th, 1941. He also told the delegates his wife Cindy was a great inspiration to him, saying "I know she'll make a great First Lady."
He also sent Senator Obama and his supporters a message:
"We'll go at it over the next two months. You know that's the nature of this business. And there are big differences between us. But you have my respect and my admiration. Despite our differences, much more unites us than divides us. We are fellow Americans, and that's an association that means more to me than any other."After what looked like a Code Pink protester tried to crash the party during his speech, McCain quipped, "My friends, please don't be diverted by the ground noise and static," which earned him more cheers.
On running mate Alaska Governor Sarah Palin:
"I'm very proud to have introduced our next Vice President to the country. But I can't wait until I introduce her to Washington. And let me offer an advance warning to the old, big spending, do nothing, me first, country second crowd: change is coming."He talked about his support of the surge even when it wasn't popular, paying tribute to General David Patraeus and the troops under his command, who turned defeat into victory in Iraq. He also promised to work to keep America safe from its enemies.
He also brought up "personal responsibility" for our actions, "the rule of law, and judges who dispense justice impartially and don't legislate from the bench."
He then went on the attack against Obama, hitting every point about the differences between himself and Obama on taxes, jobs, trade, energy costs, education, and the cost of living.
He brought up encouraging competition in education, to make the educational system better, to give parents choice in what school their kids will attend, and to do away with the educational bureaucracy, to make them answer to students and parents and not to unions and special interests.
Doing away with the $700 billion a year we send to countries that are not our friends is also high on his list, doing that by building nuclear power plants, clean coal, wind, solar, using a wide range of energy technologies to meet America's energy needs.
On solving problems in Washington:
"The constant partisan rancor that stops us from solving these problems isn't a cause, it's a symptom. It's what happens when people go to Washington to work for themselves and not you.On love of country:
Again and again, I've worked with members of both parties to fix problems that need to be fixed. That's how I will govern as President. I will reach out my hand to anyone to help me get this country moving again. I have that record and the scars to prove it. Senator Obama does not."
"I fell in love with my country when I was a prisoner in someone else's. I loved it not just for the many comforts of life here. I loved it for its decency; for its faith in the wisdom, justice and goodness of its people. I loved it because it was not just a place, but an idea, a cause worth fighting for. I was never the same again. I wasn't my own man anymore. I was my country's."And he promised ot fight for our country, to never give up as long as he could draw a breath.
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