Hi there - I'm htat33, mostly a lurker, occasional commentor and very occasional diarist. I wanted to quickly chat about the extreme contrasts I noted between this year's Democratic Convention and the Republican Convention of 2004. In 2004 we Dems nominated a decorated Vietnam Vet, John Kerry - a man deocrated not just for valor but also for injuries sustained in the War. And of course in 2008 the Republicans are on the verge of nominating their own Vietnam War hero - John McCain.
We all remember the Swiftboating of Kerry in '04. The Rove attack machine, backed by some slime 527 groups, was able to turn Kerry's service into some sort of weakness. His valor was turned into treachery, his wounds were mocked as scratches.
As the NYPD was cracking skulls in the streets of Broadway, the RNC delegates, in all of their puffy, monochrome skinned glory, chose to express their support of the Rovian/527 attacks by wearing purple bandaids - a reference to Kerry's Purple Hearts being awarded for mere scratches. And we all know what happened next - as cops were herding grandmothers and college students into arrest pens for expressing their Constitutional Right to assemble and protest, the RNC began a program of one hate and invective speech after another - all character assasination and smears, not a shred of policy. Zell Miller, Guiliani, Cheney, even the "moderate" Schwartzeneger simply snarled and attacked while the bouffanted purple bandaid wearers squealed their piggish delight.
Fast forward to the DNC 2008. The media wonders where the red meat is. Why aren't Dems attacking? Is it because of the PUMAs? Whatever. We got our red meat last night and the red meat was honorable yet stern. And I was proud to be a Democrat and a New Yorker last night, watching Sen. Clinton call for nomination by acclimation and watching great speeches by the former President and by Senator Kerry. And I was proud by how our "attack dog" - Joe Biden - laid out the case for Obama and against McCain.
As Biden called McCain "sincerely his friend" did our delegates boo and hiss? No, they did not. As Biden asked for a moment to honor McCain's service and sacrifice, did our delegates boo and hiss? Did our delegates wear devices or symbols mocking McCain's sacrifice? No, they did not. Instead, they cheered. Not an ovation, not a crescendo. But they cheered. And they cheered as Biden laid the case for Obama and against McCain. Point by point, policy by policy. Red meat indeed.
We have yet to see if the RNC of 2008 will devolve into the hatefest of 2004. It may be more restrained but I think you might see a few forays into character assasination. You might see a few porcine delegate faces oink with approval over bombast and the politics of fear, or swat their meaty hooves together over innuendo and implication. But I won't forget those purple bandaids - I refuse to forget those symbols of party before country, the need to "win" versus the need to compete honorably.
But you got zero of that invective from our convention and for that I am proud. I think the contrast bears mentioning and I look forward to hearing any of your stories about this year's convention or the RNC of 2004.