Up, Up, and Away

It's not only TIME that's showing Bush with a substantial bounce from his convention speech and the SwiftVets. Newsweek's poll gives the President an 11-point lead over John Kerry. This poll was of registered voters. Erick Erickson points out that Bush has polled better with likely voters so the President may be even stronger than these numbers indicate. A number that jump out at me is that 65% think Bush has the "stronger leadership qualities" while 47% think that of Kerry. Another interesting number is terrorism and homeland security are the number one issue (28%) while the economy is second (21%). As we near Election Day, voters are becoming more serious about national security. The atrocities in Russia will only harden voters' resolve that Islamist terrorism is the Free World's #1 security issue. This only helps those who can appear to be strong on defense. Unfortunately for Kerry Edwards a political career of opposing many vital defense systems leaves them very vulnerable. They'll have to hope for some awful event to happen that can be blamed on Bush or follow Susan Estrich's advice and find (or make up) a host of skeletons in the closets of Bush and Cheney.

This is more evidence that I'm not much of a political prognosticator.

"I Question the Timing of This Poll!"

UPDATE: Cam Edwards thinks this poll may be hype because they oversampled Republicans. From my quick calculations, 37% of registered voters asked were Republicans. That does seem a bit much, but I haven't found any survey breaking down the percentage of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents.

Bush Stands His Ground

President Bush gave 1/2 a good speech. The first part was his call for more government programs and making his tax cuts permanent. There was stuff on rural health care, K-12 education, Pell grants, health savings accounts, and personal savings accounts under Social Security. Once again Bush took a page from Bill Clinton. Just like in 1996, the incumbent President patched together a lot of little items to make his domestic policy quilt. We conservative Bush backers realize again that "compassionate conservatism" isn't small government conservatism, and it won't come cheap.

But we live in dangerous times. 09.11.01 brought the Islamist War home to the United States. President Bush addressed this in the second half of his speech, and this is where he shined. He restated his claim that given what we knew about Saddam's past and the evil intentions of al Qaeda deterence and crumbling sanctions were no way to deal with Iraq. He also restated his Wilsonian/Neo-conservative claim that a free Middle East was the best path to a lasting peace. The President never said the Iraq War and post-war would be easy. He called ordering the invasion a most difficult decision, but one he stands behind.

The U.S. is safer without Saddam thumbing his nose at the world, sponsoring terrorism, and waiting out sanctions so he could regain dominance in the region. The U.S. is safer now that al Qaeda is on the run and taking on allied troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. That's what the President argued tonight. Love him or hate him, you know where he stands, and you know he's willing to fight to keep the U.S. free.

Bush effectively used John Kerry's own words against him--Kerry Edwards calls this a "personal attack." He brought up the "I voted for it before I voted against it" line when talking about adequately funding our troops at war. He also hammered Kerry for claiming he was the one promoting conservative values. Bush ruthlessly employed Kerry's claim that Hollywood was the heart and soul of America. He also used Kerry's harsh words of Reagan against him.

Near the end of his speech, the President let America see some of the burden that's been place on him. (He chose to accept this when he took the oath of office so don't feel sorry for him.) Tears welled up in his eyes when he talked about meeting with Sep. 11 victims' families, soldiers' families, and injured soldiers. You saw some of the great weight that falls upon all men who send others into battle. Even in our Age of Oprah the display felt sincere and moving.

Soon after the RNC ended, Kerry Edwards started their late-night pep rally in Ohio. John Edwards decried the "personal attacks" on Kerry a million times. From listening to Edwards you'd think the GOP accused Kerry of committing war crimes in Vietnam. Then Kerry went after Dick Cheney for asking for and receiving deferments from the Vietnam War. Such language is quite the departure from what he said about Bill Clinton's problems with the draft.

Now, for some other reaction:

• Kevin reports (Yes, a weblogger reported something! It's not all hot babe pics) that Peter Jennings and George Stephanopoulos loved the end of the speech.
  

• Dale Franks posted on it live feeling uneasy with the free-spending domestic agenda.
  

• Crush Kerry has a lengthy recap. They actually think all that spending is a "bold conservative agenda."
  

• Hindrocket thought the speech was "excellent."
  

• Amy Ridenour's weblog may have been the first one quoted in a Presidential nominee's acceptance speech. Congrats.
  

• John Cole really didn't like all the spending proposals.
  

• Erick calls it "tactically brilliant."
  

• We have to wait on Ann Althouse's reaction since she was at a dinner party and cognac got in the way of weblogging.
  

Lots of Red Meat

Sen. Zell Miller riled up the crowd with his condemnation of Sen. Kerry's voting record. His best line was

I could go on and on and on: against the Patriot Missile that shot down Saddam Hussein's scud missiles over Israel; against the Aegis air-defense cruiser; against the Strategic Defense Initiative; against the Trident missile; against, against, against.

This is the man who wants to be the Commander in Chief of our U.S. Armed Forces? U.S. forces armed with what? Spitballs?

After that he didn't let himself get bullied by Chris "Keeping it Clean" Matthews.

Then Vice President Dick Cheney continued to harp on the Senate record of the Vietnam vet.

It's really late but here are some reactions from the RNC webloggers:

• Matt loved--I mean LOVED--Zell Miller.
  

• Deacon at Power Line thinks it would be "more effective to find a happy medium between Miller's fire and brimstone attack and Cheney's monotonous speech."

• David Adesnik thought Cheney's performance was "Presidential" even if he doesn't particularly like the guy/
  
  

Protesters Attack GOP Youth

Bush bashers snuck into Madison Square Garden and disrupted a Republican youth rally. Ten chanted "Bush kills!" and "Bush lies!" A Milwaukee delegate was punched by one of the protesters.

"AIDS Activists Disrupt Convention Event"

"Protesters Disrupt Youth Convention"

Snoozer of a Night

Some, but not much valuable television time went to the convention tonight. I flipped on Sen. Frist, then flipped to The World Series of Poker.

Then I stumbled upon Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Breast cancer research is important, but backing Bush because he's for such research pales to the importance of winning the Islamist War. That got tiring so it was off to catch some Brewers baseball.

Then it was back to catch some of Ahhnold! (I think you're required to say his name in a unique way. Just like whenever you mention the death metal band Slayer, you must say "SLAAAYER!") His "then you are a Republican" passage was great and inclusive. All his movie quotes were hokey, but people eat that stuff up. Then it was back to the Brewers game (they finally won!).

Then back to the RNC to catch the Bush twins. They were hot, but told lame jokes with bad timing, and voices perfect for print. Did the organizers actually let the ladies write their own jokes? Or the minor league speech writing team was at work. I'll give them some credit. The hamster quip was ok.

Then it was back to more poker and baseball. I did without Laura Bush tonight. Like a Vice President, the First Lady, no matter how nice and sweet she appears, doesn't matter in my political calculus. They never win an election, but can hurt it--just ask Teresa Heinz Kerry. In the post-game coverage, Chris "Keeping it clean" Matthews once again had nothing bad to say about the Republicans. The GOP is doing their job.

Like last night, here's some blogospheric views:

• Wisconsin weblogger Ann Althouse wondered about the plain, wooden podium being used. I wonder how the thing moves up and down. Who is controlling it, man or machine?
  

• Live from NYC, Captain Ed sees the unpolished speaking of the twins as demonstrating the Bushes' "genuine nature."
  

• Kevin found some beautiful people at the convention. From watching Monday night and snippets of last night, I'm not seeing as many beautiful people in the GOP audience. Ever since I embraced by political junkiness and really started watching conventions (1996 being the first) I've noticed that the GOP usually had the better-looking babes on the floor. From my view through C-SPAN's eyes I've seen mostly people that could pass for my parents.

• Kevin and the RNC webloggers also got a scoop on Gen. Franks' endorsement of President Bush. SCORE! Did the DNC webloggers get anything like this?
  

• Mike Rappaport offers the comparison many in the media and the blogosphere will make.
  

• Hindrocket wants to fire the twins' speech writers--assuming there were any.
  

P.S. So what if the twins' public speaking didn't impress me. I'd go out with either of them.

Dems Let Me Down

When I found out the Super Zeroes were running around NYC, I hoped the Democrats were finally learning to inject a little levity into the tense, political environment. After seeing some pictures of Miss Leadership, Enron Ed, Hal E. Burton, and Lt. Bush I realized they just look like dorks. Compare them to Communists for Kerry and figure out witch side has a better, more intelligent sense of humor.

Lilek's on McCain

McCain – eh. Didn’t listen. He reminds me of Don Rickles’ brother. The smart one who went to college and never made as much money as his famous sibling, and it rankled. Oh how it rankled.

Bravo, Rich

Rich Galen's a class act:

The best part of my day, however, was at the ice cream store across the street from my hotel where I had stopped in to buy a root beer float with chocolate ice cream. Just as I was finishing my order a fireman walked in and stood behind me.

"And whatever he's having," I said. "Put them both together." He was getting a cup of ice cream for himself and one for a buddy.

"You can't buy my mine," he said. "It would be inappropriate."

"Why? Would it mean you'd be more likely to run into a burning building owned by a Republican and less likely if it were owned by a Democrat?"

"Nah," he said. "We run into all of 'em." And thanked me for the ice cream.

Think Pink

When the "Blond Babes for Bush" aren't reveling in Sean Hannity's shadow or doing an excellent job of self-promotion (they did get a mention on TAM) they sell Mary Kay products. By 2008 they'll all be driving to the convention in their pink Cadillacs.

"Hidden Angle"

Bravo John and Rudy

Night 1 featured GOP moderates Sen. John McCain and Rudy Guiliani. Both delivered scathing attacks on Bush's opponents. McCain defended the Islamist War in general and the Iraq War in particular. While plodding through his civil remarks and fighting with the audience over applause lines, he got all the delegates in a froth when he said these words:

Our choice wasn't between a benign status quo and the bloodshed of war. It was between war and a graver threat. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Certainly not a disingenuous film maker who would have us believe, my friends, who would have us believe that Saddam's Iraq was an oasis of peace, when in fact -- when in fact it was a place of indescribable cruelty, torture chambers, mass graves and prisons that destroyed the lives of the small children inside their walls.

Rudy was really good in the way he made it clear how Sen. Kerry waffles and flip-flops on issues. It was red meat to the delegates but it was full of substance that should be emmulated by champions of the President across the country. The attacks on Kerry made up for the occasional rambling.

Note in both speeches no mention of the questions behind Kerry's war service or his anti-war activism.

Here's some reaction I found in the blogosphere:

• Jay Reding calls Rudy Guiliani "one of the best politicians in this country, and a great orator to boot."

• John Hillen notes an interesting comparison Rudy made in his speech.

• David Adesnik doesn't think much of John McCain as a speaker.

• Roger Simon:
  

  John Kerry should take speech-making lessons from John McCain. And if McCain is busy, he should try Giuliani.

  
  OUCH!

• Josh Chafetz thinks "the Kelis song 'Milkshake' would make an excellent campaign anthem." "Damn right, it's better than yours."

• Oliver Willis is sore that the GOP had a good night.
  

In the Hot Seat

Ari Fleischer's book is titled Taking Heat. Today, he took the heat in Bloggers Corner at the RNC.

"Ari Fleischer with the Bloggers"

Protesting the Protesters

Kfir Alfia and his Protest Warriors have his the Big Apple and the big time with an interview in Newsweek. Way before Alfia hit the big time he was a caller on Rush Limbaugh and the subject of this TAM interview.

"Interview with Protest Warrior"

"Partisan Protesters" [via Instapundit]

For Some, Times Stands Still

100,000+ people came out of their homes, RVs, tents, and enironmentally-friendly caves to decry President Bush. Roger Simon is there and thought he was back in 1968. An NYC cop also thought the protesters had some temporal problems. "It's like fuggin' 9/11 never happened."

"Hey, Hey, LBJ..."

UPDATE: Slant Point has an interesting factoid:

But I want everyone to think about one thing. I don't have press credentials yet. I pick them up today at 4:30. And I still managed to get to the front row along side the march. This is not because of any great journalistic saavy, but because no one was there watching. There are more people watching the Halloween and Thanksgiving Day parades. In fact, I had a harder time seeing the Mermaid Parade in Coney Island than this.