Okay, so we did watch this. In fact I sat through a whole lot of boring nonsense because I believe in the adage: Know thy enemy. And as usual, things are always late, so of course I had to listen to Rubio and then Clint.
Clint was the great mystery guest meant to wow the audience and get everyone all geeked up for the main event.
There was speculation about who it would be. Some even thought Sistah Sarah might be it, (which was not even conceivable in my book), but actually everyone knew it would be Clint at least a day ago, so the “surprise” was non-existent.
Now you may wonder why Clint. And frankly, so did I. After all, just a few months ago, he was heralded as the traitorous turn coat who did that Super Bowl commercial that seemed to be supportive of an economic comeback under the leadership of the President. Family values guy? Hardly. He’s had something like seven kids by five different women, only two of which he was married to. Tea Bagger favorite? Nope, he is for marriage equality and choice. And of course he gains no points by being a Hollywood type–they are usually all vilified by the rightie tighties.
So your guess is as good as mine.
Anyway, Clint was awful. He had an empty chair which he talked to rather rambling-like. There was supposed to be an invisible Barack Obama there in the chair. A Obama who said rude and off-color things, which the President doesn’t. Worse Eastwood remarked that he didn’t think much of lawyers who became presidents, (Romney has a law degree from Harvard), and apparently suggested that we should leave Afghanistan immediately, which is also not the Romney platform.
He seemed mostly confused and in the midst of a senior moment.
It was not pretty.
∞
If I get my headliners right, Chris Christie was supposed to wow everyone. He barely mentioned Romney, instead spent all his time reminding people that he would be waiting in the wings in 2012, after all this mess was done with. Last night, Rubio was supposed to introduce Romney. He too barely mentioned the nominee. He spent all his time talking about America and how he and people like HIM were living the American dream. On Romney, he said he was a great husband, father, grandfather and friend, something he then immediately acknowledged that Obama was too.
When Romney arrived on stage, the applause was hardly deafening or long.
What gives?
I think it simply illustrates once again that the Party rank and file, don’t expect this ticket to win, and they are setting themselves up for 2012 in one fashion or another.
How did you see it?
∞
I guess my biggest beef with Willard’s big speech was when he suggested that the biggest moment in my Obama “life” was the day I voted for him. Since he didn’t quite obviously, I’m not sure he has any real point to make here. But I would agree that casting a vote for the first African-American to be president of the United States of America, a country with such a checkered and let’s face it, ugly history when it comes to race relations, was surely high on my list of life moments.
But frankly, I can honestly say that this president has done a lot of things that have thrilled me to the bone. First he finally, after decades of trying, managed to fulfill one of Ted Kennedy’s goals–the start of health care for everyone as a HUMAN right.
Secondly he ended DADT, and told his Justice Department that they need not continue to defend the indefensible–DOMA.
He came out in favor of marriage equality.
He ended a war like he promised.
He signed the Lily Ledbetter fair pay act.
He comported himself across the globe with dignity and was welcomed across the world with respect.
Me, the person least likely to exude any form of patriotism, learned that there is something worth cheering about in this country of mine, something fine and noble. He taught me to look deeply and see that there is something so magnificent in our diversity. He taught me how to be gracious in the face of contempt. He showed calm, firm resolve. And I surely didn’t agree with everything he did, and I still don’t. But you know what? I at least know that he has thought deeply, critically, and long before he makes any decision.
And that’s why I intend to encourage everyone to vote for him again.
Related articles
- Clint Eastwood Goes Way Off-Script (huffingtonpost.com)
- Clint Eastwood chair speech provides baffling highlight at Romney coronation (guardian.co.uk)
- Clint Eastwood’s speech didn’t make Mitt Romney’s day (metronews.ca)
- Mitt Romney: Upstaged by an empty chair (salon.com)