Read this very positive review of the Convention from a former republican. It will lift your heart.

[Hamlette]

The Republicans have nothing left to fling. Watch the news- there is no mention of them.

The first couple of days, they were making some media headway with their war room, and certain memes would trickle into the news cycle. Now, nothing but limp jokes about the Greek columns from the official McCain website and attempts to gain some attention by claiming McCain has made his VP decision. The PUMA movement has been defanged (if, indeed, they ever had any fangs to begin with), and have now completely devolved into farce, with commenters on PUMA sites claiming Hillary was speaking to them in code by wearing an orange pantsuit (apparently the “color” of the PUMA movement) and asserting that the raucous applause for Bill Clinton last night was… an attempt to silence him.

Meanwhile, the Democrats got to accomplish what they wanted to do- unify the party, perform a grand set-up for Obama tonight, build the stature of the party and highlight some new blood in the Democratic party, marry Bush to McCain and draw some real contrasts while reminding America how good things were under Clinton and Democratic rule, and lay some good wood on McCain while respecting his service. No one will be able to claim McCain’s service was dissed, but the Democrats did get some solid licks in.

snip

And the best thing is what is to come- the train wreck that will be the GOP convention, and that can not be understated. It is going to be a disaster. The Democratic convention was forward looking, positive, hopeful, and constructive. For all the talks of disunity, this party is unified and ready for battle. Contrast that with what we can expect to see next week.

First, we know for a fact that the GOP, unlike the Democrats, will not be able to control themselves. They will launch attack after attack at Obama, and try to destroy him. It will fail, and they will get savaged in the media, who were all present at the DNC. The best thing about the babble all through the Democratic convention is that they will feel duty bound to do the same during the RNC, and they will be shocked and taken aback by the viciousness of the GOP. Bank on it. Either the gild will come off the McCain maverick/respectful lily, or we will have to realize that McCain wants to be President but can not even control his own convention. I will take either narrative for 1000, Alex.

Second, the Republicans actually are not unified. Just yesterday their platform took a step toward the troglodyte right, as a call for a ban of ALL stem cell research, public and private, was placed in the platform. The base currently hates their candidate, and are trying to will themselves through this election with a greater hate for Obama. They have NOTHING positive to say about McCain; it is all anti-Obama all the time. Not only will this not play well with the middle of the electorate, but it also provides minute-by-minute opportunities for them to over-reach and go to far in the attacks.

snip

Finally, McCain is a horrible speaker. Just tragic. There may be camera angles that can hide the growth on his face (a result of his skin cancer), but there is no camera angle that I am aware of that covers up grating diction and shitty delivery.

http://www.balloon-juice.com/?p=11164

Read the whole thing. It is THE BEST. John Cole left the GOP, after voting for Bush in 2000 and 2004, over the child health care mess. Actually the GOP reaction to Terry Schiavo completely unhinged him. He was furious at his own party. He has an excellent blog. A must read. He doesn't post much, a few a day maybe, but they are insightful, pithy, and interesting. I go to this former republican when I want to feel great about my party.

[Maestro]

1. Very good

Ironically I think I will enjoy watching the "trainwreck" of the GOP convention more as it will provide needed comic relief.

[blondeatlast]

2. Having wireless problems and can't open the page, but he nailed what the public will see. The stem-

cell plank may be the death knell. the vast majority of Americans understand the issue and support it strongly.

This isn't going to be a party, it's going to be last rites.

GREAT article. k/r

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

7. Heard on NPR this a.m. that the platform does not align at all

with the presumptive nominee's positions. WTF ??

I think their convention will be a great comedy show to watch next week

[tblue37]

16. That makes sense. After all, McCain's own aides have said that McCain doesn't speak for the

McCain campaign, since he often goes off message.

[unblock]

9. the official platform will be widely ignored

mclame won't stick to it, so what's the point?

[Zenmaster]

3. NIce, but I disagree about the media

The media won't be shocked at the GOP attacks. In fact, what I kept hearing throughout the DNC convention, from the media was that the Democrats should have been going MORE negative and they they needed more "red meat" (I can't believe how many times that phrase was thrown out there).

I WISH they'd take a seriously introspective, and comparative, view of the two conventions and paint the GOP attacks as over the top, but sadly I very highly doubt it. They'll just accept the attacks and say that the Democrats should have attacked more.

[Hamlette]

11. I'm highly skeptical of his take on the media too.

I would love to be pleasantly surprised but I'm not holding my breath.

One thing about John is he has been brutal on the media of late. He thinks they are all a bunch of wankers out to protect the GOP from itself. So he was either "John +7" (his hint at the end of a post as to how drunk he is, John + 7 means he's had 7 drinks) or he is ever hopeful.

[indie_voter]

12. The media won't do anything but gush. n/t

[NatBurner]

4. ho-lee shit

about the orange pantsuit? read reply # 18:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=6775173#6775211

i was just bullshitting- i need to play the lotto ASAP!

those pumas are something else though. like, shithouse rat crazy

[goclark]

5. The Media thugs will still protect him

Just watch!

[Frances]

10. Agree

I thought that the media would treat Bush the way they treated Clinton. WRONG.

The MSM (except KO and Rachel)will do everything they can to prop up the Repubs and McCain

[bunkerbuster1]

6. Thanks much. Two observations:

1) Recent converts are the feistiest, huh?

2) I had no idea that Pajamas Media permitted such dirty-fucking-hippy-ness among its ranks. My presumption was that they were all right wing wankers. Learn something new every day.

Again, thanks. An uplifting piece, although I'm not quite as confident in his narrative. I'd sure like to see it play out as John writes, though.

[Hamlette]

13. I think that's why I'm drawn to recent converts

I read Andrew Sullivan and John Cole every day. (I find Ariana lacking in substance.)

They are fiesty!

My dad was a republican until Reagan, when he was in his late 50s. Dad was military connected (built the nuclear subs) and believed in a strong defense to deter war, not start it. Reagan started talking about limited nuclear war and my father lost it. He went into a depression that lasted a year or two. He'd been lied to and he'd falled for the GOP bullshit and he was PISSED.

He became a very radical lefty in his old age. And he was more than happy to tell you exactly why republicans were ass holes. Every last one of them.

Anyway, maybe that's why I have a soft spot in my heart for some recent converts.

Keep the link. He also had this quote today on the greek column snafu from The American Conservative if you can believe it. I loved it:

I’m not paying close enough attention to know if this whole Obamamessiah business is justified. For all I know, Obama might literally believe himself to be a Greek God; but even if he does, he would still be less arrogant than George Bush and most likely less dangerous than John McCain.
http://www.balloon-juice.com/?p=11161

[bunkerbuster1]

17. I'm never sure about Sullivan.

But I do check in with him from time to time.

Thanks for sharing about your dad. Sorry to say I've been losing mine to FoxNews. When I have time one day I might post about it.

[Hamlette]

18. the great thing about Sullivan

is he has a team of interns and he posts links to interesting stuff from the web I would not otherwise see. Like time lapse films of mold growing or formal portraits of dead people or the debate about Michael Phelps really close race and the evidence to support it.

But I agree. He's too conservative for me and too religious for me and sometimes I just have to skip over it. He pisses me off sometimes too but John hasn't. I usually turn to him when I think "all is lost" and he posts something like in my op.

We used to say we grew up in a divided home. My dad went out the back door to go to his military meetings and mom took us kids out the front to go to an anti war protest (or civil rights or whatever). "Don't forget your armbands" she'd say. We had assigned armbands like some families have napkin rings. My dad was never like the Fox/current crowd of GOP although he did support Goldwater. Then again, Goldwater looks like a commie compared to the current crop of republicans.

[City Lights]

8. LOL!

...but there is no camera angle that I am aware of that covers up grating diction and shitty delivery.

Tragic indeed. :rofl:

Recommended.

[Cha]

14. He's just reporting the facts and they are uplifting

but I don't think he's right about the "media" being disgusted the slime coming from the rnc..at least not john mccain's corporatemediaWhore base.

[tblue37]

15. He overstimates the willingness of the MSM to play fair and to

treat Republicans the way they treat Democrats. The fact is that as far as the media are concerned, IOKIYAR. I think this is simply unlikely:

It will fail, and they will get savaged in the media, who were all present at the DNC. The best thing about the babble all through the Democratic convention is that they will feel duty bound to do the same during the RNC, and they will be shocked and taken aback by the viciousness of the GOP.

[AwakeAtLast]

19. You sure he's not a DUer?

He sure sounds like one - he needs to come on over! :D

[Hamlette]

20. My all time favorite John Cole post

I had meant to re-register independent (or as it is known here in West Virginia, “No Party Affiliation”) for the past two weeks after I had finally had enough of the bullshit during the Graeme Frost escapade, but never got around to it (and it really was not that big of a deal, I had made the mental commitment, which is what matters). I had to pick up a registered letter for an unrelated issue, so I went to the Court House to the Voter Registration Office.

I had intended to register independent, but when I got there to do it, I had a moment of clarity- there seemed to be no point leaving the Republican party in protest and joining the unwashed masses. If I really was going to protest, it made no sense to not commit to the opposition party. Besides, as a Republican all these years, I never had any problem voting for libertarians, Democrats, etc., I don’t see why being a Democrat will change anything. And, the 2008 election really is the most important election of my lifetime- the basic foundation of our country has been under assault for a while, now, and I want to vote in the Democratic primary as a Democrat, not as someone with no party affiliation. I want to send a message, and as small as this gesture (which should appropriately be interpreted as a middle finger to the GOP and not as a sloppy wet kiss to Nancy Pelosi) is, I want it to mean as much as possible. There is now one less Republican in WV, and one more Democrat.

Long story short, I got up there to register as an independent, said “Fuck it,” and now I am a Democrat. I certainly don’t agree with all their positions, but they are not bat-shit crazy like the GOP. That has to count for something. Additionally, I no longer have to read posts by the 24% crowd calling me a “true conservative” with quotes o’sarcasm (you know who they are). Not any more, bitches. I repudiate you, your party, and whatever the fuck it is you are currently pretending is “conservatism.” It isn’t.

Now send me my check from Soros and the 40 virgins.

http://www.balloon-juice.com/index.php?s=fuck+it+register+soros

Graeme Frost is the 12 year old who testified in favor of expanding SCHIP. He'd been in an auto accident and his parents had coverage through the CHIP program. If you remember, the right wing went bat shit, accusing the dems of using the 12 year old for political purposes and saying his family wasn't really poor to the point of staking out his house to discover his family had granite counter tops which proves (agast) they are not poor!

[ThatsMyBarack]

21. We need a LOT more voters like this gentleman!

:patriot: