meirwen_1988 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
meirwen_1988) wrote2008-09-05 09:01 am
meirwen_1988) wrote2008-09-05 09:01 am
Entry tags:
Yay! No more conventions until 2012!!
Watching the GOP nominee's speech last night, the Duchezz said, "Oh dear. I'm afraid...I'm really afraid to say this in front of you...but...I think I'm going to have to pay attention for the next couple of months."
Now, the Duchezz will be the first to tell you she lives in her own special universe (the sky is green and the clouds are pink--really: just ask her). The newspaper is where you find the funnies, the hour news breaks on the radio are where you think about what you're going to do later in the day, and CNN and FoxNews are just words on the channel guide. So, I was stunned. And, really upset, because after (1) bullying her into becoming a registered voter 20 years ago, and (2) being frustrated by years of her willful ignorance, I found myself saying, "Well, he has always supported the war in Iraq and he's pro-life. Do you really need to know more?" Normally, I'd be more nuanced, but she's pretty adamant on those two issues (nicely balanced between foreign and domestic). She got this disappointed look. "No."
Then she explained. It seems that Obama's video (which The Duke and I basically guilted her into watching), "Pushed all the right buttons" for her, but she was put off by the man himself when he spoke. McCain's video "Really pushed all the wrong buttons" for her, but she felt a warm, positive reaction when she heard the man himself speak. So, no longer an easy choice for her, and her inclination is always to go for the person, not the canned information.
I looked at her, tears in my eyes, and said, "John McCain is an incredibly decent, incredibly good man. And I'm not going to vote for him. But I really wish I could." [GOP platform, GOP base. Just can't risk it.]
"Ah," said the Duchezz, probably confirming in her own mind that she didn't have to pay attention to the news since she ended up where I was [after I'd been paying careful attention for months, talking about the issues, with considerable years of paying attention to both parties], and all she'd had to do was watch two 5 minute videos and listen to about an hour's worth of speechifying.
For myself, there were moments of his speech that I loved. Subtle jabs at his own party and their opposition to him. Certain statements that sounded like the JM I love, not the candidate I've come to mistrust.
I want to go out for a drink with John McCain, talk about our country, ways to make it better. Cindy can come, too, I don't mind. Let's invite Fred Thompson, and Orrin Hatch, and Arlen Specter, too. Christie Whitman might have some good ideas. And let's invite Joe Biden, and Joe Lieberman, and some of the Gang of 14. And Teddy, if his health is up to it. Maybe a couple of Blue Dogs. Bill Richardson would probably have something to contribute. Yeah--the kid from Illinois can come, too. We'll drink beer, eat pizza and burgers; we'll speak passionately, and maybe even come up with some good ideas that good people can agree on. Maybe even get one of them as far as committee.
But then the committees will destroy it, the "pragmatists" will dismiss it, the lobbyists will fight it, and our plan will die a slow, horrible death.
But we'll all feel better for having had a chance to have intelligent conversation, with thoughtful people, over beer. We'll restore our faith that there are good people in government. We'll remind ourselves that patriotism isn't always the same as getting our own way. And we'll be able to get up in the morning a little stronger than the morning before.
So--want to go for a beer?
Now, the Duchezz will be the first to tell you she lives in her own special universe (the sky is green and the clouds are pink--really: just ask her). The newspaper is where you find the funnies, the hour news breaks on the radio are where you think about what you're going to do later in the day, and CNN and FoxNews are just words on the channel guide. So, I was stunned. And, really upset, because after (1) bullying her into becoming a registered voter 20 years ago, and (2) being frustrated by years of her willful ignorance, I found myself saying, "Well, he has always supported the war in Iraq and he's pro-life. Do you really need to know more?" Normally, I'd be more nuanced, but she's pretty adamant on those two issues (nicely balanced between foreign and domestic). She got this disappointed look. "No."
Then she explained. It seems that Obama's video (which The Duke and I basically guilted her into watching), "Pushed all the right buttons" for her, but she was put off by the man himself when he spoke. McCain's video "Really pushed all the wrong buttons" for her, but she felt a warm, positive reaction when she heard the man himself speak. So, no longer an easy choice for her, and her inclination is always to go for the person, not the canned information.
I looked at her, tears in my eyes, and said, "John McCain is an incredibly decent, incredibly good man. And I'm not going to vote for him. But I really wish I could." [GOP platform, GOP base. Just can't risk it.]
"Ah," said the Duchezz, probably confirming in her own mind that she didn't have to pay attention to the news since she ended up where I was [after I'd been paying careful attention for months, talking about the issues, with considerable years of paying attention to both parties], and all she'd had to do was watch two 5 minute videos and listen to about an hour's worth of speechifying.
For myself, there were moments of his speech that I loved. Subtle jabs at his own party and their opposition to him. Certain statements that sounded like the JM I love, not the candidate I've come to mistrust.
I want to go out for a drink with John McCain, talk about our country, ways to make it better. Cindy can come, too, I don't mind. Let's invite Fred Thompson, and Orrin Hatch, and Arlen Specter, too. Christie Whitman might have some good ideas. And let's invite Joe Biden, and Joe Lieberman, and some of the Gang of 14. And Teddy, if his health is up to it. Maybe a couple of Blue Dogs. Bill Richardson would probably have something to contribute. Yeah--the kid from Illinois can come, too. We'll drink beer, eat pizza and burgers; we'll speak passionately, and maybe even come up with some good ideas that good people can agree on. Maybe even get one of them as far as committee.
But then the committees will destroy it, the "pragmatists" will dismiss it, the lobbyists will fight it, and our plan will die a slow, horrible death.
But we'll all feel better for having had a chance to have intelligent conversation, with thoughtful people, over beer. We'll restore our faith that there are good people in government. We'll remind ourselves that patriotism isn't always the same as getting our own way. And we'll be able to get up in the morning a little stronger than the morning before.
So--want to go for a beer?