I watched the Republican Convention last night, channel surfing to ABC, NBC, CBS, and PBS, with the sound off. Gives a quiet, clear perspective on what a speaker thinks about what he/she says.
More downfield.
I read that mental patients who are inpatients in hospitals or other facilities take great pleasure in watching political speeches with the sound off, reading facial expressions and gestures, and usually laughing at the "obviously" lying SOBs. So iI tried it; I am not a mental patient but have been considered "eccentric" enough to make the experiment.
First, Condaleeza Rice did seem to believe what she was saying, but she also did not appear to be reaching her audience. The woman who followed her (who I could not identify) however looked like she was scolding the convention.
Finally, Paul Ryan looked and acted like a pyramid scheme speaker who did not believe anything he said but was trying to reek of sincerity. I would not buy a used car from that man.
PS Clay Aiken's drinking game, taking a drink every time he saw a person of color, would have left him cold sober. This is not a racist statement, just an accurate one. I looked at the sea of pink faces from the front rows and up to the highest tiers of seats, and shook my head. The GOP is now the DWP (Dumb White Party) and I, fitting only one of those adjectives, am not a member thereof.