Thompsons Speech At the RNC Convention

[erpowers]

As many of you who have posted on this website for years know, I am very pro military and very pro military veteran. However, I think parts of Ted Thompson's speech last night were ridiculous. I will acknowledge that I did not watch the speech last night, but did see clips this morning. The first thing that got me was some of the things he said about John McCain. At one point Thompson said John McCain could not reach his arms above his shoulders. Thompson also said McCain could not salute the flag, supposedly because of his injuries. (I myself tried to salute without lifting my arms above my shoulders and was able to do so. Maybe I did it wrong) This was, I believe, the first time I had the so what thought about John McCain. I value that he went to Vietnam and fought bravely, but why does the fact that he cannot lift his arms above his shoulder make John McCain a good candidate for President. Why should I vote for him for that reason. In addition, it seems that an issue like that should disqualify him from being President. I imagine that if a Democrat had those same injuries and lack of ability to lift his/her arms above his/her shoulders the Republicans would claim that person should not and could not be president. Finally, if McCain's injuries make him a better candidate for president then there are thousands if not millions of Americans who are qualified to run or should be running for president. Once again I am a very big supporter of the military and veterans. What I have wrote is in no way intended to insult Johm McCain's military record or the military record of any active duty military personnel or military veteran. The point is the ask why John McCain's injuries would make him a better president or why they have anything to do with this presidential campaign. I would like to see more about policy and less about injuries.

The second thing I would like to discuss is one of Thompson's remarks regarding Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin. It seems that Thompson, at one point, was trying to say that the media is making such a big deal about Mrs. Palin because they are scared of her. I guess it could have been that Thompson was just trying to rally the Republican crowd, but I have a few questions regarding that comment. What were the Republicans expecting the media to do about a Vice Presidential candidate? Where they expecting the media to just ignore the Vice Presidential candidate? As far as I know it is the media's job to talk about and vet political candidates. It seems like it is the media's job to investigate whether or not a candidate actually did what he/she said he/she did. Finally, it is a political campaign, the media is supposed to make a big deal about things. The people who win this election will be running this country for at least the next four years.

[C_U_L8R]

1. Fred lied..

[No Elephants]

8. Anyone surprised that Fred lied? He is, after all, a Republican.

[liberal N proud]

2. One of his comments about Palin was something about a moose

He said something about she was the only Presidential or Vice Presidential candidate that knew how to field dress a moose. WOW, sure makes me want to vote for her and gramps

[City of Mills]

4. That was at the peak of the convention

Thompson said she was the only one of the four candidates(?) who could field dress a Moose - the crowd went wild for a bit.

[Iris]

5. did he really say "Balls as big as baseballs"?

[C_U_L8R]

7. He might want to see a doctor about that.

Forget about unfit to lead.. that's unfit to pee !!!!

[liberal N proud]

9. OUCH

[City of Mills]

3. Regarding Palin, they're trying to frame the media response

Noboby knew much about Palin, the media swirl wasn't fear-induced, and they know it and we all know it. The media swarmed because NO ONE had a clue who the hell Sarah Palin was or what she stood for, and everyone tripped overt themselves to be the first to uncover things about her both good and bad. It's been almost a week now, and we still have almost no examples of her leadership or experience, and this is a huge concern.

[mwb970]

6. Why is McCain considered a "hero" in the first place?

A hero chooses to sacrifice himself and his safety for others. Did McCain choose to fail his bombing mission, get shot down, and be taken prisoner? And exactly who was helped by this "heroic" failure?

The whole thing makes no sense to me. Even saying someone is "brave" and "courageous" for enduring a situation he has no control over seems wrong to me. How can you be heroic, brave, and courageous when you have no choice? Is it because he didn't break down blubbering? That would have brought worse punishment.

McCain was taken prisoner. He had no options. There was no room for heroism. Or have I got it wrong? I've never been in combat (even at 35,000 feet) so maybe there's an angle here I don't understand.