Luckily it was also Hillary Clinton’s night in the spotlight. The former First Lady and failed presidential candidate took the stage to call for change -- it was her sad duty to ask her supporters to change their minds, and support Obama in the fall. We’ll see if that happens or not.
Wednesday brought more non-change.
Joe Biden took the stage to accept the vice presidential nomination. He was elected to the Senate in 1972 (when he was only 29 -- he turned 30 before being sworn in) and has served there since. That means his Senate career is longer than any previous vice presidential nominee’s. Again, a change of sorts, but not exactly what Americans were looking for.
Then Elvis returned to the building.
Bill Clinton, the man who drew derisive laughter with his “Spinal Tap”-inspired walk into the 2000 convention, lit up the room once again with his classic brand of “it’s all about me.”
By the time Obama took the stage on Thursday, it was clear he didn’t stand for change at all. He explained that the Republican philosophy is that if you’re born into poverty you should “Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps, even if you don’t have boots.” It’s a line that could have been recycled from FDR in 1932 when, perhaps, it had relevance. Are bootless Americans really a problem in 2008?
Regarding the War in Iraq, Obama said “Senator McCain was turning his sights to Iraq just days after 9/11. I stood up and opposed this war, knowing that it would distract us from the real threats that we face. When John McCain said we could just muddle through in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources and more troops to finish the fight against the terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11, and made clear that we must take out Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants if we have them in our sights.”
That’s exactly the same message John Kerry ran on in 2004. Sadly, while a lot has changed in Iraq these last four years (think of the Surge, which Obama opposed and said wouldn’t work), the left’s position seems exactly the same.
Next week it’ll be the Republicans turn to celebrate and nominate. John McCain’s party is sure to inspire many to think, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” That’s the sad message coming out of Denver and Minneapolis, as the fall presidential race officially begins.