Friday, August 29, 2008 | by nathan

“John McCain Doesn’t Get It”

Barack’s speech, like the rest of the convention, knocked it out of the park. As far as things he needed to do - I think he did it. He was specific with both policy prescriptions and how-tos. He managed to humanize himself and to attack John McCain without resorting to pettyness or identity politics. He addressed the controversial and scary issues of the day with grace and through finding common ground.

McCain certainly pulled an interesting - if not also a blatantly pandering - by choosing Sarah Palin, but now that things are off and rolling I’m going to just try to enjoy the fall and not get too mentally ill about the whole thing. The way to accomplish this, of course, is for no one to say the words "Flag Pin" to me.

Thursday, August 28, 2008 | by nathan

Clinton and Biden

Once again, the Democratic National Convention hit it out of the park. Bill Clinton, whose reputation with me has been tarnished in the past year - I know, right, what does it take with me? - delivered exactly the speech he needed to both to win over his and Hillary’s supporters and to redeem his legacy somewhat after his campaign gaffes in the spring. He messed up good while he was in the Oval Office, yes, but he really was a great president and the country was better off with him in power than the guy who came after him.

Beau Biden’s introduction of his father was deeply moving; when Obama’s term is up, I say we nominate this guy.

Then Joe BIden got up to speak, and despite a few small mistakes and one "Freudian Slip" that was absolute gold, he gave what has to be the best speech of the convention so far. It was heartfelt and passionate, and it hit just the right notes on foreign policy that it needed to. I think once people hear him talk about how to redeem America’s leadership in the world, it will, at the very least, be a choice that most will have to think long and hard about. I can’t wait to see what Obama and Biden will do once in office. Great things, I’m sure. Anyway, here are the speeches:

Also, if you’re at work or somewhere where you can’t be taking up valuable time listening to speeches, the MP3s of the big speeches of the Convention are available for free download at Audible.com. Just click right here. (Sign up required but worth it).

Wednesday, August 27, 2008 | by nathan

“No Way, No How, No McCain”

As if there was any doubt, let me reiterate: I didn’t vote for Hillary Clinton, but it made me a little sad not to, because I really think she’s brilliant and that she’d have made an excellent President. I just happened to think the moment, now, in 2008, called for the particular brand of leadership, thought, and inspiration that Barack Obama offers, and I stand by that choice.

I’ve never understood the intense hatred that’s been leveled at Hillary Clinton since the early 1990’s. On many more occasions than I can count or remember, I’ve listened to someone rant about her, and when I asked, "Why do you hate this woman so much?" I received a blank stare, the person unable to tell me why, exactly, Hillary Clinton filled him or her with such revulsion. A few of those people at least respect, if not support, Hillary now; at the very least I think it’s unwise to underestimate her.

The people for whom I have little respect are the PUMAs, and I think that Hillary’s speech at the Democratic National Convention last night helped to rebut most, if not all, of their gripes and to make Hillary’s support of Obama - pragmatic though it may be - very clear. As far as I’m concerned, she knocked it out of the park, and, like when she gave her famous concession speech in June, I was a little sad that this wasn’t her moment, that 2008 wasn’t her year, no matter how much better a candidate I think Obama is. Here’s the speech; well worth watching. And in case you’re wondering, yeah, it’s likely I’ll be doing this all week.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008 | by nathan

The Next First Lady

I hope you watched Michelle Obama’s speech last night; PBS’s coverage was particularly good; unlike CNN, they didn’t let their anchors blather on through every speech but let the speakers speak, and only cut to the anchors when nothing else was going on. Anyway, if you didn’t see it, Michelle pretty much hit it out of the park. I can understand disagreeing with the Democratic platform, but how anyone couldn’t at least admit that this is a pretty impressive woman is beyond me. There are 3 videos here, and it’ll take a little while to get through it all (and my apologies for all the annoying MSNBC cutaways), but it’s so worth watching:

Let’s hope the rest of the convention is this good.

Oh, and iTunes? Remember how in 2004 you offered all the speeches as free audiobook downloads? Yeah, I still have that whole convention on my iPod; let’s get on that for this year, hm?

Friday, August 22, 2008 | by nathan

I’ve Had This Exact Same Conversation Before

Thursday, July 24, 2008 | by nathan

“People of the World - Look At Berlin!”

Obama’s speech in front of a massive crowd in Berlin today. Listen; it’s amazing. I really want this man - imperfect though he is both as a man and a politician - to be my president.

Thursday, July 17, 2008 | by nathan

Putting Jack Chick To Shame

This is a sample page from the recently-released comic book by Oklahoma County Commissioner Brent Rinehart, produced for his re-election bid. Rinehart is some piece of work; this fall he’ll be tried on felony campaign fraud charges. You can read the entire comic book here (links to a .pdf) and some background over at NewsOK. (via dustbury). It’s one of the better mental illness pieces I’ve read in awhile; because, as you know, elections to county commission are actually, secretly, battles of Satan versus God.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008 | by nathan

Pander To Me!

Sunday, June 8, 2008 | by nathan

“a pain in the ass, sometimes ill-behaved, and a woman who changed history”

I didn’t vote for Hillary Clinton. Nothing against her, really; I honestly think she’d have been a brilliant president, certainly a better one than her husband was, and, interns and DOMA and welfare reform aside, I think he was a pretty damn good president. I didn’t vote for her because I think the 90’s were a kind of a political poisonous time in America; I think they led, in large part, to the morass we face today. I didn’t vote for her because as much as people like to poo-poo it, I think the kind of inspiration and alchemy that Barack Obama offers represent something tangible, important, and much-needed in America.

I will say that over the course of the last 6 months I’ve lost quite a bit of the respect I once had for Bill Clinton. I didn’t vote for Hillary, but this piece by Rebecca Traister for Salon almost makes me wish I had, if for nothing else than to piss off all the people I know who hate her for no good reason:

Clinton was such a hard-ass that she turned her butchest male critics into the hysterical harpies they accused her of being. What fun, during that final debate, to hear Obama grouse (justifiably) about the ludicrous questions he was facing, while next to him, the broad who had, in an earlier debate, been asked about the fact that nobody liked her cheerily removed the shiv from her thigh and used it as a toothpick. Sure, many people moved quickly from the thrill of having two historic candidates to the hair-pulling headache about how much damage their contest was doing to the party, but get over it! When was the last time we had so much fun in an election year?

Anyway, if you didn’t watch it, you can see Hillary’s wonderful concession speech below:

Anyway, on to November. And if you’re thinking of voting McCain, I just have to say, um, don’t.

Thursday, June 5, 2008 | by nathan

Fist Bump, Baby, Fist Bump!

I’ll be the first to admit this is a perfect example of the kind of ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS "political reporting" that makes this country’s media the laughingstock of the entire universe, but - BUT! - I was watching the Obama acceptance speech and when I saw the "fist bump" I thought it was the cutest "couple moment" between a candidate and his or her spouse that I’d ever seen. Way better than Al Gore grabbing Tipper and making out with her. I mean, really. Just adorable: