I agree fully. I suppose I should have expected the RNC to be all about ignoring policies and attacking Obama, but for some reason its still disappointing. I can only hope that the GOP will have such an immense, resounding defeat in this election that they have to re-examine their strategy.
The good news is that, contrary to what the media horse-race narrative portrays, Obama already has 260 electoral votes essentially sewn up. He can win by taking any of the large swing states (VA, FL, OH, NC) or with a combination of a few of the small swing states (NV, NM, CO, NH). He already has a lead between 1 and 2 points in all the above states.
The GOP's strategy will almost certainly to have Palin in the spotlight and McCain in the shadows as much as possible but, the fact is, McCain is still going to have to go face to face with Obama in three debates and that Palin will have to debate Biden.
In my opinion Palin gave Biden permission to take the gloves off with her last night. Obama will (and should) stay above the petty smear campaign that we witnessed last night. McCain will get a post-RNC bounce but I sincerely doubt it will be sustainable.
As nasty as Palin was, it was Guiliani who was the most offensive speaker last night. I can't believe he had the sheer douche-ness to stand in front of a giant video screen with closeup videos of people jumping out of the world trade center and attack the Democrats.
I agree that Palin has blown the door open for Biden to ream her during the debates, and for the campaign to attack her from here on out. And if they try and use the sexism card just because Obama/Biden is making points as critical as hers were? Bullshit.
Had not heard about the Giuliani use of video... ugh.
The polls have been fantastic this week... let's hope that next week's don't change too much.
Summing things up nicely: http://www.thenation.com/doc/200...0080922/
editors
Forget Guiliani....to be expected...what the hell was that Romney speech?!
It actually frightened me. I love how David Brooks last night called him "insane."
On her speech, unfortunately (here it comes, with apologies beforehand), the Super Lefty reaction to her since last Friday completely set up last night. I doubt it would have been the same speech without it.
I say again, the GOP WANTS a cultural war over this woman, and the respective players did their bit beautifully.
And I absolutely agree Biden can just go there during the debate. She's called for the fight. When you ask for it, it's a whole 'nother ballgame.
Put it this way. I've never known any effective person at the top of any chain who didn't have a little bully in them. Especially Governor's. it comes with the gig.
If Biden pushes her 'bully button' in the right way, she'll self immolate right in front of everyone, so over keyed she'll be for a fight.
The only medium where this kind of campaigning is going to be tolerated is Fox News. Everyone else with a brain and a pulse will see right through this garbage.
I don't know if Huckabee is that much in touch with Americans. He sure does seem to know a lot about desks, though.
""Republican political consultant Mike Murphy finds himself lonely among his fellow GOPers since he doesn't think Gov. Sarah Palin was a good choice as Sen. John McCain's running mate.
"I think she'll ultimately be a polarizer. After last night's smash, Republicans are in deep love. Nothing thrills 'em like a good 'us vs. them' speech. But I'd guess that most Democrats had the opposite reaction. In a year where the Democrat generic numbers are 10+ points better than the Republican, I don't like the math of a strategy that just polarized the election along party base lines. Among the vital sliver of voters in the middle, I think Palin's rock solid social conservatism will be a turn off. And while voters may value vision over experience, Palin's inexperience is a weakness, denying McCain an argument that has been helping him against Obama."
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