Tonight’s speeches
Speeches delivered Thursday to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn.
McCain: ‘Change is coming’
Excerpts from John McCain’s remarks tonight to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn.
Political Theater - Palin’s Red Meat Obama Roast
Filed under: BlackSpin , Elections , Barack Obama , John McCain , News
"Red Meat" is a term political insiders use to describe a speech intended primarily to fire up a party's already committed supporters. Republican Vice-Presidential nominee, Sarah Palin, served up the "red meat" bloody and in big slabs during her acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention . She started off straightforward enough:I accept the call to help our nominee for president to serve and defend America.
I accept the challenge of a tough fight in this election... against confident opponents ... at a crucial hour for our country.
And I accept the privilege of serving with a man who has come through much harder missions ... and met far graver challenges ... and knows how tough fights are won - the next president of the United States, John S. McCain.
But Sarah Palin soon slipped into partisan political theater with attacks on Barack Obama's integrity, record of achievement, readiness for the position of Commander-in-Chief using divisive zingers written by President Bush's former speechwriters .
Noticeably absent was any specific declaration of Palin's views on the environment, Palin's views on healthcare reform or Palin's views of how exactly we should define and measure victory in Iraq. Not a peep. Read the speech for yourself. You won't find a word about that.
This is a man who can give an entire speech about the wars America is fighting, and never use the word "victory" except when he's talking about his own campaign. But when the cloud of rhetoric has passed ... when the roar of the crowd fades away ... when the stadium lights go out, and those Styrofoam Greek columns are hauled back to some studio lot - what exactly is our opponent's plan? What does he actually seek to accomplish, after he's done turning back the waters and healing the planet?
[ ... ]
My fellow citizens, the American presidency is not supposed to be a journey of "personal discovery." This world of threats and dangers is not just a community, and it doesn't just need an organizer.
And it's funny. I always think of our founding fathers as "community organizers" in the purest, proudest sense of the words. If not for those men, organizing their community, the 13 not yet colonies could not have found their way to stand up and fight against British tyranny.
Republicans can't have it both ways. Either you value individual citizens getting involved in fixing problems and accelerating positive change or you don't. Sarah Palin's divisive speech is exactly why Cindy McCain's entreaty to "put on our American hats" on Monday night rang so hollow.
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Why Would Blacks Join The Republican Party?
Filed under: BlackSpin , Elections , News
ST. PAUL -- All throughout the week I have spoken with blacks of different walks of life attending the Republican National Convention, from small business entrepreneurs to law clerks. All of them gave different reasons for joining the Republican Party, but one thing was consistent: they felt that the GOP's plans and policies are the best way to ensure that they succeed in this society.While he was a student at Grambling State University, Republican National Committee member Shannon Reeves was told by one of his professors that his writings were quite conservative. It was this comment that sparked in his interest in the Republican Party.
Reeves, a former secretary of California's Republican Party, says he actually made the decision to join the GOP "because I felt that black people were being used by the Democrats." He also agreed with Republicans on issues such as the importance of "personal responsibility and economic self-sufficiency." Ironically, at the same time Reeves was committing himself to the Republican Party, he was still the president of his college's chapter of the NAACP; belonging to two groups that on the surface seem fundamentally at odds with each other.
"People get more conservative once they have something to conserve," says Reeves, explaining the evolution, adding that both blacks and Republicans are interested in holding on to what they've gained once they've reached their goal. He continues, "When you buy that first house or get that first major job and see all the payroll taxes coming out of your check, you find out just how conservative you really are."
Reeves believes that the task of black Republicans is to not allow the Democrats to cast a racist cloud over the Republican Party so that blacks are scared away. Instead, "It's up to black Republicans to take the initiative, to lead the conversation in the black community. That's how we can attract more blacks.
"I have to vote for basic policies that create a certain quality of life for my today and my children's future," says Reeves, who also believes that race should not be a barrier to fulfilling the American dream. That's why he thinks that other African Americans who want to achieve should give the GOP a second look as well.
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Daybook: Sept. 3
Today's Republican National Convention activities from the Associated Press.
Lieberman rips Obama at Convention
Sen. Joe Lieberman appeared at the Republican National Convention Tuesday night and made the case for John McCain for President.
Putting On Our American Hats - Gustav And The GOP
Filed under: BlackSpin , Elections , John McCain
The Republican National Convention kicked off with prominent party members wrapped in earnestness and widespread Gustav Gulf Coast weather worries. The ever charming First Lady Laura Bush kicked off the convention with an address to the delegates that focused more on service to those impacted by Gustav than on wrangling power. Mrs. Bush started off by emphasizing the theme for today - support for the people in the Gulf Coast hit by Hurricane Gustav. She introduced messages from governors of the states affected by the storm - Texas, Florida, Mississippi, and Alabama. Then Cindy McCain spoke standing next to Bush and echoed a similar message.
Listening to them I had to ask myself "why does it take a natural catastrophe for prominent Republicans to remind us to 'remember that we are all Americans' and that 'this is a time when we take off our Republican hats and put on our American hats'"?
I for one always walk around in my "American" hat, but NOT the one pictured above. ...
I guess that's why I don't have to actually experience poverty, inadequate education opportunities, lack of living wage job opportunities, lack of police protection or police brutality to be a strong advocate for those situations to be remedied.
Hopefully, the increased attention to social service agencies responding to Gustav's destruction will translate into increased funds and supplies that will make it directly to the people needing help the most.
We are ALL in this together. Please help a little, a lot if you can.
Here are some ways for you to get involved:
Red Cross
Cause Greater
Incite-National.org
Enterprise Corporation of the Delta Hope Community Credit Union
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New Meaning to Republican ‘Family Values’
Filed under: BlackSpin , Elections , News
Teen pregnancy is an epidemic in our society. A recent report shows that teen pregnancy rates have gone up from 21 births per 1,000 teenage girls in 2005 to 22 per 1,000 in 2006, the most recent year for which statistics are available. In recognition of the trend, celebrities such as the Jonas Brothers and Disney dynamo Selena Gomez have grabbed headlines by taking abstinence pledges. Helping teens resist the temptation of sex, which can result in unwanted pregnancies, is part of the agenda of the pro-life Republican party.
Yet, today we learn that GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's unwed 17-year-old daughter Bristol is five months pregnant.
According to the Associated Press, Palin and her husband Todd released this statement: "Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned. We're proud of Bristol 's decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents."
Of course, the Palins' predicament is a private family matter, but choosing Sarah Palin as John McCain's running mate begs this question: Is this the image that the so-called party of family values wants to put front and center?
For his part, Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama said emphatically, "I think people's families are off limits; and people's children are especially off limits." He said he was offended by the suggestion that his operatives spread the unfounded Internet rumors that Sarah Palin's infant son Trig, who has Down's Syndrome, is actually Bristol's.
Meanwhile, BV took the temperature of people attending the Republican National Convention in St. Paul today. Here is what Barbara Ciara, president of the National Association of Black Journalists , said about what Palin's selection says about GOP family values.
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McCain: I may postpone convention
Hurricane Gustav could put next week's Republican National Convention in jeopardy. See also: POW story
Republican National Convention schedule
The program for the Republican National Convention Monday through Thursday, according to the AP.