Thursday, August 28, 2008
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Upstaging the VEEP
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Posted by:
Michael Medved at
12:00 AM
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It looks like the Democrats made a serious mistake with Barack Obama's "surprise appearance" at the conclusion of Joe Biden's Wednesday night speech at the Denver Convention. Unlike the video hook-up that connected Obama with his own wife (and children) on Monday night, there was no interaction between the Presidential nominee and the speaker he had just upstaged.... just a hug before Senator Obama grabbed the microphone and took personal command of his own convention, greeting the delegates and explaining why they were moving the proceedings to a football stadium the next night.
This little tradition-breaking stunt looked both contrived and awkward. While Obama delivered his brief remarks, Biden (who had just concluded the most important speech of his life) stood to his side, grinning like an idiot, and applauding madly. The scene raised many questions.
Through what weird alchemy had Biden, a Senator for 36 years and technically old enough to be Obama's father, been reduced to the status of goofy, adoring sidekick?
Since the purpose of the evening was to introduce Biden and his family to the public at large, why would Obama suddenly and unexpectedly stride into his new partner's spotlight? (The VEEP candidate looked sincerely surprised).
It's possible that this represents a response to the polling that showed little or no "bump" for Obama from the convention so far. The surveys all show that the Democratic Party remains more popular than its standard bearer. By substantial margins, respondents say they prefer Dems to Republicans, but Obama and McCain remain deadlocked. By putting Obama in the convention hall following well-known Democrats (Bill Clinton, an uncharasterically impassioned John Kerry, Joe Biden) maybe his handlers hoped for a reverse coat-tails effect -- believing the Barack might become more popular by association with the party.
Obviously, separating the acceptance speech from the rest of the convention by placing at INVESCO field only serves to break that association. Obama may also be conscious of the ridicule surround his "Greek Temple" set design for tomorrow night -- I wouldn't be surprised if the Democrats drop it, and substitue a plain bank of American flags or something of that nature. In any event, the whole idea of his dramatic arrival amidst fireworks and confetti and screaming multitudes will only play into Republican jibes about his "celebrity" and "rock star" status. By contrast, this low-key, anti-climactic, scene-stealing appearance at the convention hall makes him look like a more regular politician and, maybe, a regular guy -- Joe Biden's pal from the parish hall, and a colleague of Bill and Hillary (he graciously praised them).
In other words, the appearance tonight defused the haloed, walk-on-water image of the larger-than-life Obamessiah, as the candidate patiently shook hands with the admiring Democrats who rushed up to greet him while the band played and delegates applauded.
But the applause and cheers for the nominee in no way equaled the hysteria that greeted Bill Clinton earlier in the evening, let alone the weepy ecstasy surrounding Hillary the night before. If Obama meant to make himself look more ordinary, smaller -- than he succeeded.
But in the process, he also made his running mate seem smaller and clumsily intruded on the biggest moment of Biden's life.
I've written before about Barack's apparent insecurity -- for all his celebrated cool. It's possible -- even likely -- that he simply became uncomfortable at the idea that for two nights in a row, at HIS convention, non-Obamas had become the center of attention: Hillary on Tuesday, the B & B (Bill and Biden) show on Wednesday.
Of course, true believers (like the besotted members of the commentariat) will see the unconventional convention epilogue as charming, touching, ingenious, humanizing, masterful, and so forth.
But I would imagine that most people watching at home got a real sense of the odd and uncomfortable aspects of the moment. As the confused monarch famously declares in The King and I: "Is a Puzzlement!"
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Or diminish himself?
Well tomorrow Illionois Obama can give his speech in front of the Temple of Doom, which is apparently the recreated Lincoln Memorial.
August 28 is the Aniversary of the "I had a dream speech." Now that is a momentus day and Dr. MLK Jr. was a great man. But is is presumptuous for Obama to make himself the fullfilment of Dr. King's dream? If anything Obama's nomination says more about America than it does about Barack. |
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" It's possible that this represents a response to the polling that showed little or no "bump" for Obama from the convention so far. "
I agree completely. They 'hinted' hours earlier he 'might' show up at the end, and he did. It was planned.
" Obama may also be conscious of the ridicule surround his "Greek Temple" set design for tomorrow night -- I wouldn't be surprised if the Democrats drop it, ... "
No can do. You have to remember Obama's chief strategist is David Axelrod, a guy who's strategy is to paint Obama as a rock star, all smoke and mirrors, and no content. They are trying to bluff their way through the entire process. For some stupid reason, Obama continues to stay with Axelrod, even though the rock star strategy is now backfiring. Obama has no choice but to come out tomorrow as an arrogant err cocky err god-like Messiah that is god's gift to America.
I predict Obama's presentation will be an excellent speech that makes dems cheer, scream and faint. However, it will have no substance. People will hear him, and still be hungry. He just doesn't get it.
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Am imagining Obama has watched tv and other media outlets focus more on Clintons, and the Barakapolis than on him or your wife. couple that with no bumb in the polls by day 3 of convention....and the successful effort to discuss the Barakapolis more than Barak Team McCain thanks Obama's PR people.......he must have either expected a showdown on the floor (CA was not asked to state their delegates and instead they passed - unity indeed!) or he must have realized he has to try again to bring back hope because his choice of VP and europe trip and attack ads. on Cindy being born rich....are shifting polls towards McCain. |
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Moments later, Robert Duvall and James Caan walk slowly past the front desk, their younger wives following two paces behind. The two Hollywood veterans--who starred together in The Godfather--are laughing heartily as they passed. I interrupt them to ask what they thought about McCain. Caan is surprised that McCain was so funny, Duvall is not.
Duvall, who just finished doing the voiceovers for the McCain videos that will be show next week at the Republican National Convention, points to McCain's national security experience. "He's an American hero. He's got character. He's been around." Duvall pauses. "The other guy? I just don't know."...
Duvall then picks up our conversation from where we left it before the interruption. He is incensed by comments Gore Vidal made about McCain back in June. Vidal had questioned McCain's heroism. "Who started this rumor that he was a war hero? Where does that come from, aside from himself? About his suffering in the prison war camp?"
Duvall doesn't think much of Vidal, whom he called "an American icon-slash-dilettante." It's not only John McCain who could kick Vidal's a$$.
"His 96 year-old mother could beat the crap out of Gore Vidal with her shoe," Duvall says. "And you can quote me on that."
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/0 00/015/473ldzno.asp?pg=2
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something only Obama can accomplish. I am beginning to think some Clinton supporters are volunteering on his staff and are tanking his ship. How many bad decisions can a guy make in 4 days? Let's review........
1. Complain about USA infrastructure and applaud China's while building a Barakapolis. Even he has to figure out this is political suicide.....
2. Attack Cindy for being born rich and ask people to forget he was born muslim.
3. Make his wife the career woman gestapo who won women votes by being independent and sometimes putting down her husband, the WIFE AND MOTHER WHO DEPENDS ON HER HUBBY - this was really really stupid, even for dimocrats!
4. Make family the central theme of his convention instead of telling americans why he would make a great president (actually there might not be any material on this topic so perhaps sticking with 'we are family' will do).
5. Introduce VP Biden as next president then take away his thunder on his big night by appearing on stage unannounced........
6. Give a Kennedy Tribute on the night the presumptive First lady is going to make her acceptance speech?????? Ted stole the night and dwarfed Michelle, Clinton dwarfed Biden, Hillary reminded the voters Barack was a mistake and oh my goodness the surprise appearance made Biden look like a 'whitey' token sent to fight for the black kid whose affirmative action party offered him the position his father dreamed about (no pun intended). |
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Mr. Medved, so true.
How could one with any sense of style so truncate the pulse surging in another’s beat. Sen. Obama did more than walk over Sen. Biden's lines and moment, he did it badly.
His first ad-lib to the convention, using the rhetorical, 'what do you think of the convention so far', was so revealing of the insecurity you mentioned.
Then, to flub, tangle his words, trying to improvise some extemporaneous speech again demonstrates his weak speaking ability absent the teleprompter.
In Romeo and Juliet, Tybalt, rebuked by his uncle for raging against Romeo's appearance at a Capulet party sulks and declares, ...
"Patience perforce with willful choler meeting
Makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting.
I will withdraw: but this intrusion shall
Now seeming sweet convert to bitter gall."
Sen. Obama is like the boy Tybalt. Angry that his convention has received with open arms those he cannot feel comfortable with or be equal to.
So he acts out. But unlike fiery Tybalt, he does not withdraw. Rather, resenting the sweetness of the Biden moment, Sen. Obama shows his own “bitter gall.”
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SO "HOLLYWOOD" all fake and fantasy
pretend
being someone you are not
no reality
"JUICED" on Me, Myself, and I
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SO like Dictator Obama: like Michelle said
HE WILL NOT LET YOU___________________!
live your life
have your freedoms
decide for yourself
The DICTATOR will be "watching" "watching" "watching" "watching" |
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As to tonight’s last minute appearance of the ONE, you laid it out so well, I can only comment that I agree with your assessment. I hope the "Greek" columns are still present tomorrow; it will underscore Obama’s attention excess disorder.
I think people are missing several key points about Obama’s moving his speech to INVESCO Field. It’s costing Obama’s campaign donors, the DNC and Denver millions of dollars in staging, construction, personnel, increased security, etc. In addition, I-25, a major commuter highway, is being closed down for five hours plus. Obama’s addiction to feeding his self adoration trumps fiscal responsibility, ease of security containment and measures, while inconveniencing millions of Colorado commuters.
Obama deserves the McCain response ads that will most likely be launched soon after this messianic production. |
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of his character not the color of his skin. His campaign slogan of "change" means just that. Obama has changed position on everything he originally stood for. So his character is questionable. |
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SUPER STAR: Dictator of the World, thinks he is bigger than JFK and Ronald Reagan:
LIKE HILLARY SAID:::
THE SKY will open, trumpets will play, etc.
He believes that being POTUS::: is being on a HOLLYWOOD stage: All Fake and Fantasy
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DICTATOR: Must control every word, every thought, every idea, every speech, everything about everything:
EVERY SINGLE DETAIL OF YOUR DAILY LIFE:
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Michelle said::: Obama will change all traditions:
POTUS will be exactly like HOLLYWOOD
NO MORE FLAGS
NO MORE SALUTE THE FLAG < THE MILITARY
MO MORE America the Beautiful
Hard Porn Rap Music will replace our national Anthem: He will keep "HAIL TO THE CHIEF"
Obama's name on the Presidential seal
NO flag on Air FORCE ONE
NO bias in favor of the USA |
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or is it a copy of the White House like the fake presidential seal? |
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Tomorrow Barack Obama attempts to channel Dr. Martin Luther King on the aniversary of Dr. King's I Had A Dream Speech.
I am not making light of Dr. King. His speech was an important and great one. But is it presumptious for Barack to pretend to be the fulfillment of Dr. King's dream? Or rather, doesn't America deserve credit for making the possiblity of a half Kenyan half Kansas kid getting a chance to be President of the United States? |
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and so soon after posting! Including an apt quote from ROMEO AND JULIET.....though maybe CORIOLANUS (no pun intended) would be an even more appropriate reference....overweening pride, brings low the mighty (though Coriolanus boasted a heroic battlefield record-- even more than THE ONE).
My fondest hope for tomorrow -- and, yes, for ILLINOIS OBAMA AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM --- is that it will resemble the Stonehenge scene in THIS IS SPINAL TAP, complete with the dry-ice, smoke and strobe lights.... |
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on a website along with the so-called Greek columns...I think it's a model of the White House...could it be? |
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Did anyone watch CNBC's coverage? Maddow, Olberman, and Mathews. I know we expect a certain level of bias but atleast toss us a moderate. And then they actually spent time going over the speech and explaining were biden missed his opportunities to deliver the brilliant lines. Was this a critique by journalists or his campaign team going over the positives? The bias has gotten out of hand.
By the way anyone else notice the polsters were no where to be seen? usually they love to inundate us with polls upon polls but atleast on the online coverage I didn't see a single poll or reference to a poll. There isn't one moderate or republican response to the speech on MSNBC right now. its crazy.
SOrry to rant. |
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It WAS "a night of amazing offensive attacks" on McCain.
Quite offensive indeed.
And while it wasn't the most high-profile, the most offensive one came from Harry "dull as dirt" Reid, who stood at the podium and with absolutely no shame told an outright lie: John McCain's energy plan consists of one thing - increase offshore drilling.
John McCain, whose actual plan involves developing every viable form of energy that it is possible to utilize. And the Senate Majority Leader stands in front of his party and the nation and, purely for the sake of scoring political points AND scaring the uninformed, LIES!
Not a good thing for an LDS member to do.
God will get him for that. |
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Obama calculated that Bill and Hill would be isolated in the audience, not down on stage where the spotlight was. This is because Bill meant to 'dis' Obama by not attending his speech Thursday night.
Bill and Hill, not being on stage, looked like they were in retirement. |
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Not the Veep. Kermit the Frog could upstage the Veep.
Obama's ego couldn't let Bill shine. |
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Ceasar Obama and People's Tribute Joe Biden bring you Good News! All Plebs shall recieve 1000 gold pieces from the National Treasury! Furthermore, 5 Million Deserving Solid Citizens will recieve Government Green collar jobs, courtsey of Ceasar Obama! Citizens are invited to join Ceasar Obama and People's Tribute Biden at the Barrakopolis for hours of Games, Songs, and Life Lessons! Food will be provided! Slaves and Freedmen are not welcome! |
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That "Joe" posting at Thursday, August, 28, 2008 9:32 AM is not me, but if Joe want to call him Ceasar Barack that is fine. I hear that Barack is actually trying to channel Dr. MLK Jr. with a back drop of the Lincoln Memorial (say what party did Lincoln belong to?). |
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Anyone have any idea as to what exactly Medved was smoking last night?
It had to be something wicked good (as you kids like to say) for him to read so much into an impromptu appearance like that. No harm, no foul. It was all good.
Anyhoo, I'm back to watching NASCAR for the time being... |
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He upstaged Slick Willy and Obiden on their night. Just to remind his fans that he has top billing in the show. What an arrogant dork. Please B. Hussien Obama keep it up,and we'll keep pointing it out!!!! |
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Glad someone else caught The One's flub. When he wings it, he's all too human. |
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I've written in spaces like this for months that the Democrats could do better than nominate Osama Obama or Hillary. He obviously is so insecure as a person that he felt he had to appear at the convention last night lest he feel upstaged. As for Mr. & Mrs. Clinton- especially the Mrs.- she apparently is so insecure that she had to turn her convention role into an ego trip the likes of which I've not seen in my 51 years of life. Even then- Obama and his ilk butt-kissed the Clintons to do what they did when he should have said "I won- you lost. This is my convention and I'll bring on my own people."
how pathetic Obama is and how disgustingly arrogant the Clintons still are. AND- how foolish anyone is who can't see through the circus in Denver and will cast a Democrat vote in November. |
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"the one we have been waiting for" accessorize his toga with a laurel wreath and fiddle tonight?
Yep, Biden the boob, is the token whitey. In that, the psuedo Wright is really proud of his protege. The chickeeeeennnnnnnsssssssss came home to rooooooossssssst last night with the
white Biden dancing around, grinning and smilin'
because "the one we've been waiting for" deigned
to appear before the Eloi's. |
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I hate that when that happens,
Make that: pseudo preacher Wright. |
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Please give us a candidate who will uphold the laws and defend the borders. |
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Good writing, Michael.
It is all token driven. Poor Joe, he even seems like it is sinking in now. He may not be in congress anymore, but simply Barack's "boy".
I really DO feel that the American public is stupid enough and gullible enough to put this African in the "white" house. They are simply following along while listening to the piper. Reminds me of the "heaven's gate" cult, or Jim Jones years ago. Sad to watch.
Barack will actually make Jimmy Carter seem like a Rhodes scholar,...or at least a high school graduate.
I am as much of a racist as Michelle Obama. Just ask her.
Somehow I think God will protect the United States and allow McCain to win in November. He is the lesser of the two evils.
HUMANS... any other species would have been put to sleep by now.
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I'm w/ you, crowhaul. (Except for the Nascar thing...) Much ado about nothin. |
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"I am as much of a racist as Michelle Obama. Just ask her."
-- Michelle Obama-ma-ma-belle™ is NOT a racist! Do you hear me? NOT!!!
She hates people equally.
"Somehow I think God will protect the United States and allow McCain to win in November. He is the lesser of the two evils."
-- 1) McCain WILL WIN. 2) He is NOT evil at all.
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Great observations from Medved. By announcing his vp tomorrow, McCain steals what Obama stole from Biden -- the limelight. Clearly McCain is at the top of the food chain.
Obama got ignored and got off the script. He's starting to lose it. |
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B.O.'s a petty little man. He'll show Joe Biden, during his big moment, who's boss. The fraidy cat gave up his entire convention to 'Hillary 2012' and Bill. Dare not walk in on their time.
Michelle's kidding nobody, she's just plain bitter, but soon she'll be able to wipe off that painfully fake smile.
Celebman B.O. gets to prance around on his Britney built set spewing forth his meaningless words CHANGE, HOPE, etc.
Meanwhile his campaign censors had a failed day of unsuccessfully trying to pull the Ayers ad, http://www.americanissuesproject.org/
silencing a Chicago talkradio station that expressed opposing views to his.
B.O.'s A CENSOR. SAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH!
VOTE NOBAMA! McCAIN '08!
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How scary is that eveyone going to his temple to worship the the ONE the anti christ...
Hey I found a site http://www.shoottheliberals.com they have a new game call Freezer Burn where you use specially designed chemically enhanced projectiles which will change mental imbalance in Liberals which prevents them from understanding logic... now that what I'm talking about |
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Why should ANYONE need to be "Praying For A Miracle In Minneapolis" when, a) the convention is in St. Paul; and, b) EVERYONE already knew that the pick was going to be made today -- 3 days before the start of the convention? |
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