THE TYGRRRR EXPRESS

Michelle Malkin has a website called “Hot Air.”

Disc Jockeys fear “Dead Air.”

Yet pollution control alert could not prepare America for the egos of Bill Clinton and Joe Biden speaking on the same night.

The night of the living gasbags formed the third night of the demagoguic party convention.

Before getting to the main action, I have to confess that something completely got by me, that wiser minds must have noticed. Congressman Robert Wexler came out and gave a ringing defense of Barack Obama regarding Israel. While he was put on when people were not watching, the speech itself is not what caught my attention. I did not realize until Congressman Wexler spoke that it was the first time in the entire convention Israel was even mentioned. Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and Joe Biden said not one word about it.  I hope  Jewish people notice this.

As for the headliner, I am surprised to say this, but “poor Joe Biden.” Imagine being selected as a candidate for Vice President and finding out that you are the warm up act, regardless of when you come on stage.

Tonight was all about Bill Clinton, because like every other day of his life, he would not have it any other way.

Before getting to Bubba, one amusing moment occurred on convention floor. After Hillary announced Barack Obama as the nominee, the song “Love Train” by the O’Jays blared loudly. FIrst of all, I like the song, although I prefer the remake by Hall and Oates from the movie “Earth Girls Are Easy.” I was amused because the democrats truly think that if the people of the world join hands and start a love train, everything will be fine. Between that and Kumbaya, we will truly be one world. The democrats cannot even unite this country because they despise republicans. Also, make no mistake about it. The minute the convention is over, the Clintons will be back to sabotage. The love train will crash far off of the tracks.

As for Bill Clinton, whether one likes him or not, the man piques curiosity, because nobody knows what he will do next.

In 1988 he gave a dreadful convention speech for Michael Dukakis. In 2004 he gave a very good convention speech for John Kerry. He is the only double term leader the demagoguic party has had since FDR, who many democrats still think is running.

Despite protests over being forced to give a speech about foreign policy rather than the economy, Bill Clinton was back with his righteous indignation, waving his finger as only he can.

He entered to the song that was played at his 1992 inauguration, Fleetwood Mac’s “Don’t stop thinking about tomorrow.” It reminded me that the 1960s hippies truly had taken over. Perhaps realizing how undignified this looked to the non-pot smoking people that eschewed the counterculture, he chose dignified classical music at his 1996 inauguration. This time, Hippy Bubba was back.

The man has never had an unexpressed thought. After a rousing ovation, he stated, “I love this.” Yes, Bill. We know.

The key question would be if Bill could do what Hillary failed to do the previous night. Hillary told everybody to vote for Barack Obama, but she never stated why he was qualified to be President. Bill Clinton previously refused to say that Obama was qualified, meandering that “nobody is ever really qualified.” Tonight Bill had to put that aside and explain exactly why Obama was qualified.

Regarding Bill Clinton’s wanting Obama to lose, Dr. Marc Lamont Hill, a professor of Urban Education at Temple, said, “He throws rocks (at Obama) and then hides his hands.”

Bill Clinton then came out and began his romanticism of the 1990s, when some actually did find him relevant.

He began by praising Obama, he said, “I love Joe Biden, and America will too.” Dear lord.

“The campaign generated so much heat it increased global warming.” Finally, he admits the democrats were responsible.

Jokes aside, the man is funny. His “aw, shucks” demeanor still works on occasion.
“America’s leadership in the world has been weakened.”

No, it hasn’t.

He stated that we had engaged in “too much unilateralism and too little cooperation.” This is as opposed to Bill Clinton’s 8 years of inaction and paralysis.

He also bemoaned a “failure to use diplomacy in Africa.” It was Bill Clinton that let 800,000 people in Rwanda die.

He stated that Obama will “rebuild a badly strained military.” Actually, it was Clinton himself that gutted that very military.

“Biden has experience. Obama has instincts and insight.”

Insight into what? At least this was a new platitude.

Bubba kept stating that Obama was “ready” to be President, but did not offer specifics.

He brought up his own work on AIDS and malaria.

He waved his finger when he said that with regards to adversaries, “He will stand up to them.”

Based on the experience of what happens when the finger wags, this means that Obama will be terrible on this issue.

“People all over the world have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power.”

That is the demagoguic party in a nutshell, the celebration of weakness.

Clinton kept discussing domestic policies, refusing to stay on script regarding to his sticking to foreign policy. While it does make sense to have Bill Clinton talk about foreign policy, those were his marching orders, and he refused to fall in line.

He again mentioned how Barack Obama would do better than republicans, but would not say how or why.

One of the fascinating things about Bill Clinton is that while he attacks republicans, he does not mention President George W. Bush by name. Perhaps there is the unspoken agreement about not criticizing a member of a rare club, that being living Presidents. Rather than tie John McCain to President Bush, he tied McCain to the past 25 years of republicans. Apparently winning the Cold War and freeing Iraq and Afghanistan are considered failures by those who prefer America losing to republicans winning. Yes, this anti-party hates republicans more than it loves doing what is right.

In talking about his election in 1992, Bill Clinton said, “We were on the right side of history. Barack Obama is on the right side of history.”

Even by Clinton standards, this was hubris to the millionth power.

He concluded by doing what he always does…praising somebody else by alluding to and comparing them to himself.

“If, like me, you believe America must always be a place called hope, then join Chelsea, and Hillary, and me, in making Barack Obama the next President.”

The only question afterwards would be if he would try to interrupt Joe Biden’s speech to add things about himself that he forgot to say in his own speech.

This speech was not as good as his 2004 speech, but not nearly as bad as his 1988 speech. It was not a bad speech, nor was it a great one.

What it was, was off topic.

He barely touched foreign policy. This is because his skills in the area are paper thin. He did not explain why Obama should be President. There was no meat on the bones. It was typical Clinton, feel good and shallow. It was typical democrat, except for the optimism part.

Most importantly, it reminded people what they liked and disliked about Bill Clinton.

He is a likable guy at times. He is an optimist, and optimism is important. The downside is that he is insincere, and is like a relative that keeps coming to your home to raid the fridge long after you have gone to bed. You want to like him, but will never love him as much as he loves himself.

Obama might be disappointed by Bill’s refusal to go hard after McCain. Again, he managed to criticize his predecessor without sounding hostile, something his wife never mastered.

I would say that he then walked off into the adoring sunset, but this man is like Bill Murray in the movie “What about Bob.” He is never gone. He is most likely already on the telephone soliciting money for Hillary’s 2012 campaign.

One positive of Bill Clinton’s speech was that it was relatively short. He actually did not drone on forever. That was Joe Biden’s job. Would he live up to his gasbag reputation?

Before getting into his remarks, below is a link to many reasons why Biden is not somebody that people should be too comfortable with.

http://www.rjchq.org/news.asp?FormMode=Detail&id=1336

The applause for Biden was significantly less than for Joe Biden than for Bill Clinton.

His opening was very poignant and very sincere. He spoke in moving terms about how much he loved his son (who introduced him followed by a warm hug and kiss), and his remaining family. He mentioned that his wife was “the only person to leave him breathless and speechless at the same time.” It was a good line poking fun at his own loquaciousness and occasional pomposity.

He admitted to “never being a man of few words.”

He tied to tell an anti-Cheney joke that fell flat, before mentioning Scranton, Pennsylvania.

He lamented that his father was not alive to see this, and his sincere “I love ya” to his mother in the crowd showed a side of him that was worth seeing.

“Failure is inevitable, but giving up is unforgivable.”

His tribute to his mother was very enjoyable. He referred to “the accident,” a reference to the car crash that took away his wife and young child, in a dignified and non-pandering way.

As awful as the entire class warfare message that defines the democratic party happens to be, Joe Biden delivered the message in a compelling way. He was powerful, but not angry or bitter.

The one mistake Biden made was again mentioning how spectacular Obama is for skipping Wall Street for the South Side of Chicago.

He quickly recovered by talking about how work was “dignity, and respect, and looking your children in the eye and telling them it would be alright.”

He did fib by talking about Barack Obama helping to pass welfare reform (as a State Senator) and ethics reform. He did neither.

Biden was passionate. Even in attacking John McCain, he kept it to policy. It was class warfare rhetoric, but he managed to convey forcefulness without rage. This is one reason perhaps that he is on the ticket, and not Hillary Clinton.

“These times need more than a good soldier. They need a wise leader.”

He then went into a litany of reasons to support Barack Obama. Unlike Bill and Hillary Clinton, Biden remembered who was at the top of the ticket.

He then blamed President Bush for Russian’s actions in Georgia. He promised to end Russia’s aggression “and help the people of Georgia rebuild.” This is nation building, and liberals only love intervention when there is no upside for America. How will this all be accomplished? Does anybody think that “aggressive diplomacy” will affect Vladimir Putin?

When speaking about Afghanistan and Pakistan, agree or disagree, he sounds like an adult. He is wrong, but at least has experience.

I have often said that Joe Biden was one of the only adults in the demagoguic party. This was a solid speech.

Most importantly for Biden, the one person who had to be comfortable with the speech was his potential future boss. Barack Obama was very pleased, and when Obama came out, the hug seemed very genuine. The chemistry seemed real, unlike the forced camaraderie of John Kerry and John Edwards.

What surprised me was that Obama then spoke. This is usually not how it’s done.
He stated that people now saw why he chose Biden. This could have been seena s a slap at the Clintons, but then he thanked them both. He stumbled by mixing up change from the top up and bottom up. It was a brief slip.

It just seemed odd, but his remarks were brief enough to not trample on Biden’s words. Nevertheless, the media might be talking more about the “surprise Obama visit,” than the very good speech by Biden.

Then again, who knows if Bill Clinton will overshadow them both.

I remain of the opinion that the first 3 nights of conventions are irrelevant. It is all about the final night. Al Gore had a dreadful first 3 nights, and John Kerry’s first 3 nights gave him no bounce.

Joe Biden did his job. He is formidable.

Republicans can take solace in knowing that he was chosen because the top of the ticket has gaping weaknesses.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/08/has_he_lost_his_mind.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

http://michellemalkin.com/2008/08/28/covering-barackopolis/

eric

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 28th, 2008 at 12:00 pm and is filed under POLITICS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.