Tues RNC: speech take-away lines

I've picked out what I believe are the key take-away lines of each prime time speech. The night opened with generous time given to acknowledgement of both U.S. Military personnel and then Pres. Ronald Reagan. Note the organized progression of the message from Pres. Bush to Sen. Thompson to Sen. Lieberman.

President Bush opened prime time. He built McCain's moral credibility, and hit the left over it's lack of credibility:

If the Hanoi Hilton did not take away his honor, you can be sure the angry left never will. When it looked like supporting the war would be politically dangerous, he said he would rather lose an election than lose a war.

Former Senator Fred Thompson next hit on (legitimate!) fear of the unknown Barack:

It's pretty clear there are two questions we will never have to ask ourselves [about McCain], "Who is this man?" and "Can we trust this man with the Presidency?"

Senator Joe Lieberman closed prime time by hitting on two key Barack weaknesses: lack of having the credibility of having accomplishment in his background, and lack of "change" credibility:

Senator Obama is a gifted and eloquent young man who can do great things for our country in the years ahead. But eloquence is no substitute for a record -- not in these tough times.

In the Senate he has not reached across party lines to get anything significant done, nor has he been willing to take on powerful interest groups in the Democratic Party.

Lieberman's hit echoed Pres. Clinton's hit that Barack cannot and will not keep his promises.

Most memorable line of the night, however, goes to Sen. Thompson:

And I can say without fear of contradiction that she is the only nominee in the history of either party who knows how to properly field dress a moose.

After, Newt Gingrich said Thompson's line just won Pennsylvania. I was reminded of this from Time Magazine:

her father's good friend Curt Menard happily showed me a picture of the governor as a high schooler in 1981, in a root cellar with family and friends, helping skin and cube and cure a whole moose.

Senator Thompson's line will be remembered long after this night is forgotten.


Governor Palin is writing her own speech for tomorrow. Of course I expect she will have a steady hand help her edit the speech. Still, it's unusual for a politician to write their own speech; it's more unusual for a newcomer to the national stage to write her own speech. The Anchoress said of the Palin family:

These people have guts to spare.

No kidding.

Wednesday night's TV ratings should be immense. Bristol Palin's fiancee, the estimable Norse God Levi:


has flown in from Alaska to join Bristol.

The only things riding on Wednesday's speech are elements which can decide both this and future Presidential Elections. Other than that, you know, no big wup. If Governor Palin has the talent I think she has - and if she has just a tiny bit of luck on her side - she will emerge as the biggest political celebrity since JFK; a political Elvis for Red State America.