Official Republican National Convention 2012 Discussion Thread

[Warren 4 Secretary of Everything]

Good last two speeches, but this night didn't help Romney at all. Out of all the speeches tonight, Mitt's name was barely mentioned. Isn't this convention supposed to be about Romney?

The speech, according to Rachel Maddow, was 2600 words. Mitt Romney was not mentioned at all until 1800 words into the speech.

I will admit that Christie delivered a better speech than I imagined it would be.

I don't know what MSNBC was talking about. It was a good speech, not great but good. Still nowhere near as great as Obama's 2004 "Red States and Blue States" DNC Keynote. This night didn't help Romney much at all.

[Likely Voter]

From what people has been saying and based on Anne's speech, I get the sense that Mitt is not going for the humanizing approach. I think Mitt is going to own his persona. He's a successful biz guy. His message will be, it's a complex world and things are tough, but dont worry I've got this.

[Frozen Sky Ever Why]

Had to check in to say Christie=total disgrace. He's obviously going for a repeat of Obama's propulsion to superstardom through a convention speech. He didn't say a damn thing about Romney personally, it was all about introducing himself and his story officially on a national level. On and on and on about his record in NJ, didn't someone know this disgrace was coming? Since Romney is looking like a lost cause, I can't wait for Hillary to destroy this waste of space next time around.

[California8429]

Anyone with Christie-Ryan photoshopped together waving to a crowd wins a cookie.

[tmthforu94]

Question:

It's been a long time since I've watched Barack Obama's keynote speech, but how often was Kerry mentioned in that speech?

[Bandit3 the Worker]

So far, this has been the worst convention I've ever seen.

[Comrade Funk]

If anything, it was more like Cuomo's '84 keynote (though Cuomo's is one of the greatest speeches of all time, this is not). He barely mentioned the actual candidate, but instead threw in some red meat for the base to eat up. Chrisite did quite well. He's certainly on the path for 2016.

[5280]

Found this somewhere

[Frozen Sky Ever Why]

If anything, it was more like Cuomo's '84 keynote (though Cuomo's is one of the greatest speeches of all time, this is not). He barely mentioned the actual candidate, but instead threw in some red meat for the base to eat up. Chrisite did quite well. He's certainly on the path for 2016.

It was nothing but more vague rhetoric, where were the specific attacks? Where was the substance? Where were the issues? We got some references to debt, and a bunch of self promotion about teachers.

[ilikeverin]

Question:

It's been a long time since I've watched Barack Obama's keynote speech, but how often was Kerry mentioned in that speech?

13 times.  Compared to 8 for Romney in Christie's speech.  Note this is raw counts - might not be exactly equivalent.

[tmthforu94]

Question:

It's been a long time since I've watched Barack Obama's keynote speech, but how often was Kerry mentioned in that speech?

13 times.  Compared to 8 for Romney in Christie's speech.  Note this is raw counts - might not be exactly equivalent.

So both had minimal mentions...Thanks

So far, this has been the worst convention I've ever seen.

Then we must be doing something right!

[Likely Voter]

and in other news....

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[J. J.]

I just watched the Romney and Christie speeches.  Ann was good, but Christie did something great, he was forward looking.  If Mittens can articulate a forward looking vision, he succeeds.  

[CultureKing]

Ann did a great job, a perfect balance of personal and political. I think she went a long ways in portraying Romney as more of a 'regular' American rather than a soulless, corporate robot.

Christie however came across as self-serving. Also I am not sure if his repeated attacks against teachers was so wise (there are much easier and lucrative targets for Republicans). Plus nothing he said was particularly memorable.

Ann: A-
Christie: C+

[5280]

and in other news....

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I'm glad they took the woman out for throwing stuff at the camerawoman.  Bigotry isn't tolerated, regardless of the party.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Ann did a great job, a perfect balance of personal and political. I think she went a long ways in portraying Romney as more of a 'regular' American rather than a soulless, corporate robot.

Christie however came across as self-serving. Also I am not sure if his repeated attacks against teachers was so wise (there are much easier and lucrative targets for Republicans). Plus nothing he said was particularly memorable.

Ann: A-
Christie: C+

I think Christie was more about branding the GOP as a party of tough-talking fixers who will say when things will bad and try to lead the country to solutions and better days, not run and hide from the problem. In that, I think it served its purpose. Today was dominated by Governors and small business people and the clear goal was to simultaneously criticize Obama (bleed in from Monday's cancelled stuff) and also showcase real people to do it. The Governors, Kasich, Walker, McDonnell, and Christie were meant to showcase how Republican leadership is different. 

As for Ann, I agree completely. And you have to keep in mind she was delving into their private lives in such fashion as they haven't done before on such a large stage. It is safe to say this a couple that prefers to remain private about their family, religion and such forth and thus this speech had a degree of added difficulty in that sense. I thought she did well.

[California8429]

While everyone is mad over the speech and thinks Christie is cynical. Ask yourselves...where were the Christie signs? Don't most keynoters have their names in banners, signs, plastic things full of air. Obama, Kennedy, (Bush didn't really speak like planned). I'm not sure about Miller, or Ford though.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

While everyone is mad over the speech and thinks Christie is cynical. Ask yourselves...where were the Christie signs? Don't most keynoters have their names in banners, signs, plastic things full of air. Obama, Kennedy, (Bush didn't really speak like planned). I'm not sure about Miller, or Ford though.

There were a lot of signs.

[後援会]

Out of the 7 conventions I've seen, this was so far the best, although the keynote was probably 3/7 for me (though it was very good). Anyways, they hammered the small business (build that) angle relentlessly and pretty well. It's a far better executed message than say...2008, which definitely fell on deaf ears.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

The entire small business angle is what completely fell flat. That plus Bob McDonnell's lies about Republican states having lower unemployment.

[後援会]

To be quite fair, it's very unlikely you were the target audience of the convention. Or really most political rhetoric.

[Mr. Morden]

So, I WAS streaming Ann's speech on 3G from my campsite. Until a bear came and literally knocked the tree down right in front of me.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/05/palin-backers-mock-romney_n_196884.html

[Mr. Morden]

Btw, I didn't watch the speech, but is Christie trying to do Obama's "terrorist fist bump" here?  

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

I saw something in the news about delegates shouting down the speaker from Puerto Rico with chants of "USA!" and "Go home!"

Please, for the sake of everyone's sanity, let that be just a rumor.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vr5kMguEqi8

Just a small section of fascists, I think. Still disgusting though.

Doesn't sound small to me (though it was a mix of "USA" and "Seat Them Now", so a mix of racists and Paulites protesting).

Since it was a Puerto Rico thing, I thought they were saying "Statehood Now."  But, yeah, it was Paulites saying "Seat Them Now,"  and the anti-Paulites started shouting "USA!USA!" because that's what jingos reflexively shout to drown out their opponents.

You guys are off on this one...she wasn't talking to you...this was all aout moms....it was perfect.

Privileged moms, no doubt.

or anyone who has a sentimental pulse.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

So, I WAS streaming Ann's speech on 3G from my campsite. Until a bear came and literally knocked the tree down right in front of me. So I missed the end. What I saw of it, though, was absolutely fantastic.

Was the bear easy to see?