Convention Time

[LDAHL]

I see the Democrats will be conducting a sort of giant Zoom call tonight on the subject of unity. CNN shows Biden leading Trump by 50% to 46% nationally, although I couldn’t tell if it was conducted prior to the Harris announcement or not. I’ve read that Bernie has been working to tamp down an insurrection on the left.

[Yppej]

I will not be watching although I have in the past. I saw 13 candidates this past year and only 2 of them were boring - Biden and Klobuchar. I did not hear Harris as she dropped out too soon but her debate performances did not impress me. Sanders was a good speaker but I have no desire to hear him try to pump up a candidate less impressive than himself.

[Teacher Terry]

Biden’s performance is up and down. He did a great job when I saw him in Reno.

[Alan]

I wasn't impressed by the day 1 festivities I saw, except for the fairly somber In Memorium segment featuring John Prine's last song I Remember Everything before succumbing to Covid-19. It made me sad.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=L21Tc_DtL6M&feature=emb_lo go

[Tradd]

Biden’s performance is up and down.

Talk about understatement!

[Yppej]

Biden's performance varies depending on whether he is reading off a teleprompter some words written by a speechwriter (or someone more eloquent than him whose words he is plagiarizing) vs speaking off the cuff, taking questions live at a town hall, which is where I saw him.

[frugal-one]

Both trump and Biden are too old. The only thing is.. Biden is at least a decent person and will not try to harm the country.

[KayLR]

Biden's performance varies depending on whether he is reading off a teleprompter some words written by a speechwriter (or someone more eloquent than him whose words he is plagiarizing) vs speaking off the cuff, taking questions live at a town hall, which is where I saw him.

I just read or heard recently that he has overcome a childhood speech disability, stuttering I believe. That's rough. It probably does still affect his delivery.

[Tammy]

I like this format for conventions. Feels more like an open democracy to me, with people talking to us all as the focus. As opposed to the dark smoke-filled rooms were only special people to go ...

[dmc]

I didn’t watch much of it, but seems more like a pledge drive to me.

[Tammy]

Yes it has that quality also ha

[Yppej]

I just read or heard recently that he has overcome a childhood speech disability, stuttering I believe. That's rough. It probably does still affect his delivery.

I did not notice a speech impediment. I noticed longwindedness, references to the good old days in Delaware that I suspect were not good for people of color, vague answers, cliched responses, and the repetition over and over of phrases like "for real" and "no joke" from a man known for a lack of veracity, as if his saying something is so would make it so. At least he didn't hit on any preteen girls at the event I attended, which he has done elsewhere.

[LDAHL]

I remember his “No Malarkey” slogan in Iowa.

[jp1]

It looks like Michelle Obama succeeded at getting under trump’s skin. (Admittedly easy to do given how thin it is.). Apparently he’s upset that because she recorded it a couple of weeks ago she didn’t give him full credit for his covid death toll.

[happystuff]

It looks like Michelle Obama succeeded at getting under trump’s skin. (Admittedly easy to do given how thin it is.). Apparently he’s upset that because she recorded it a couple of weeks ago she didn’t give him full credit for his covid death toll.

I'm sure people can go back and add in the additional deaths so he can get the credit he deserves.

[catherine]

One thing that's just a little annoying about Biden's campaign is his stupid alliterative tongue twister that sounds like he's trying to b-b-b-beat out Melania Trump. "Build Back Better?" I never liked "Be Best" but at least it was shorter. What does "build back better" even mean?

Did they do any market research on that unintelligible slogan?

[LDAHL]

Now that it’s over, I was struck by how different the convention was from the primaries. Gone was the wokespeak and exuberant promising in favor of a sentimental approach worthy of an old time phone company commercial. Joe even did a nice little ripoff of Reagan’s “possibility” speech.

[JaneV2.0]

I like this format for conventions. Feels more like an open democracy to me, with people talking to us all as the focus. As opposed to the dark smoke-filled rooms were only special people to go ...

I like it too. Biden was far from my first choice, but he's a decent guy and I believe he'll surround himself with bright, competent people whose goal isn't to line their own pockets, country be damned.

[jp1]

I'm seriously looking forward to the republican convention. From what I've read the content is still very much in the development stage. It's going to be pure comedy gold.

[JaneV2.0]

I'm seriously looking forward to the republican convention. From what I've read the content is still very much in the development stage. It's going to be pure comedy gold.

Speculation is that featured guests will include the My Pillow guy and Dr. Demon Seed. Plus lots of apocalyptic storm trooper video. Can't wait.

[catherine]

I'm seriously looking forward to the republican convention. From what I've read the content is still very much in the development stage. It's going to be pure comedy gold.

Well, I had to put up with a lot of teeth-gnashing and grunts and growls from DH during the Democratic convention, so now it will be his turn.

[Teacher Terry]

I think it will be funnier than SNL.

[ApatheticNoMore]

And yet despite however funny it is Trump might still win reelection (there is no bright side to that except that the rest of the world will stop taking the U.S. seriously even more so which might be good for the world - as the U.S. is not up to dealing with modern problems - but uh it's not likely to be too good for the U.S. in any way shape or form) Are Dems serious about winning? I honestly don't know.

[pinkytoe]

so now it will be his turn
DH is slowly turning that-a-way - too much time on the internet listening to the "basement boys" as I call them. Get ready for lots of "radical left" and "socialist" drivel at the Repug convention.

[JaneV2.0]

DH is slowly turning that-a-way - too much time on the internet listening to the "basement boys" as I call them. Get ready for lots of "radical left" and "socialist" drivel at the Repug convention.

Even avowed lefties in this country are basically moderates. IMO, this country has tilted radical right to the point of frank fascism. So far, Trump isn't poisoning his opponents like Putin is, but I suspect he's thinking about it.

[bae]

I'm seriously looking forward to the republican convention. From what I've read the content is still very much in the development stage. It's going to be pure comedy gold.

I have stocked up on popcorn!

[iris lilies]

I won’t watch either one of them because they bore me.

[jp1]

I won’t watch either one of them because they bore me.

Oh come on. He’s got over 70 people lined up to speak. The groveling alone will be worth it since undoubtedly each speaker will feel the need to outdo the previous speakers with their groveling. And since it’s all going to be live at least one is going to get the giggles.

[Rogar]

I get agitated watching Donald for very long. I'll have to read about it or watch snippets and extensive fact checks, although I suspect much of it is predictable.

[whisperingpines]

Thanks Frugal-one for the laugh..... made my day.

[frugal-one]

Thanks Frugal-one for the laugh..... made my day.

You and Alan will get along well.

[jp1]

And yet another norm, and law, has been broken by the republicans. But I’m sure republican fanboys across the country will try to somehow justify the completely unacceptable fact that a sitting Secretary of State not only addressed the RNC but did so using Jerusalem as a backdrop while in the Middle East on official business. It’s been obvious for some time that republicans don’t think the hatch act applies to them but, wow.

After trump is gone it will be amusing in a bad car wreck kind of way to watch the republicans pretend to try and regain their long lost morals and ethics.

[iris lilies]

And yet another norm, and law, has been broken by the republicans. But I’m sure republican fanboys across the country will try to somehow justify the completely unacceptable fact that a sitting Secretary of State not only addressed the RNC but did so using Jerusalem as a backdrop while in the Middle East on official business. It’s been obvious for some time that republicans don’t think the hatch act applies to them but, wow.

After trump is gone it will be amusing in a bad car wreck kind of way to watch the republicans pretend to try and regain their long lost morals and ethics.
Yes, there will be some of that, but the norms broken by Trump may remain with us. Not a good thing.

[jp1]

Well, at least Mark Meadows is honest in recognizing that the republican "rule of law" party is in fact not interested in following the Hatch Act. As with so many in this administration they've made it clear that they believe the law is only for other people.

"Nobody outside of the Beltway really cares. They expect that Donald Trump is going to promote Republican values and they would expect that Barack Obama, when he was in office, that he would do the same for Democrats,"


https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/26/mark-meadows-hatch-act-rnc-402194

[frugal-one]

And yet another norm, and law, has been broken by the republicans. But I’m sure republican fanboys across the country will try to somehow justify the completely unacceptable fact that a sitting Secretary of State not only addressed the RNC but did so using Jerusalem as a backdrop while in the Middle East on official business. It’s been obvious for some time that republicans don’t think the hatch act applies to them but, wow.

After trump is gone it will be amusing in a bad car wreck kind of way to watch the republicans pretend to try and regain their long lost morals and ethics.

What about Melania using the White House gardens as a backdrop for her speech for the "convention"?

[iris lilies]

What about Melania using the White House gardens as a backdrop for her speech for the "convention"?
If you expect the average American to care about that, you are barking up the wrong tree. I know from NPR nattering yesterday that we are supposed to have some shock and out rage in our souls by that action, but I just do not see it.

This kind of post just throws votes toward towards Trump. Keep it up!

[jp1]

What about Melania using the White House gardens as a backdrop for her speech for the "convention"?

Or trump using an immigration ceremony at the White House as part of the convention. I suppose 4 years from now the republicans will be cool with it if the DNC is held at the White House.

[frugal-one]

If you expect the average American to care about that, you are barking up the wrong tree. I know from NPR nattering yesterday that we are supposed to have some shock and out rage in our souls by that action, but I just do not see it.

This kind of post just throws votes toward towards Trump. Keep it up!

Ethics....

[Teacher Terry]

Everyone I know is disgusted by the lack of ethics.

[JaneV2.0]

I watched a little the first night, a little more the second. I gave up last night.

It reminded me of Miss Aryan America combined with a festival of lies, amid a bevy of clueless prop people. Did the Navajo elder not notice that his people are dying in inordinate numbers due to Trump's inaction on COVID? Oh yeah--and Joe Biden is a bomb-throwing commie; right.

[LDAHL]

I thought the DNC was hilarious. I thought the RNC was just sad.

[frugal-one]

Then I guess I choose hilarious over sad.

I watched the RNC for a while the first night and was so turned off that I did not tune in again. Hard to understand how anyone can believe that stuff.

[jp1]

Then I guess I choose hilarious over sad.

I watched the RNC for a while the first night and was so turned off that I did not tune in again. Hard to understand how anyone can believe that stuff.

Unfortunately a sizable chunk of the population do. Almost any comments thread on a fox ‘news’ article has lots of people who think everything is great and so is trump.

[jp1]

Well, thankfully, that shitshow is over. I realize that lie, cheat and steal has been totally trump’s style his whole life but, geez, the quantity of obvious lies during his speech was remarkable. Not particularly surprising, but still sadly remarkable nonetheless. I guess that’s what his uninformed supporters euphemistically call ‘telling it like it is’.

[pinkytoe]

I watched a bit of RNC several nights mostly out of curiosity. I thought it very strange that the audience last night were seated next to each other and almost entirely without masks. Such mixed messages out there for we, the little people.

[JaneV2.0]

I watched a bit of RNC several nights mostly out of curiosity. I thought it very strange that the audience last night were seated next to each other and almost entirely without masks. Such mixed messages out there for we, the little people.

Trump's messages re the pandemic don't seem mixed to me: they say "Move along--nothing to see here."

[Tammy]

One speaker spoke of the pandemic in past tense, as if its over.