June 30, 2004
60-40 NATION:
The GOP's blue-state convention slate (Terence Jeffrey, June 30, 2004, Townhall)
When you look at the slate of prime-time speakers the Republicans announced this week for their national convention in New York this August, it brings to mind Yogi Berra. It's deja vu all over again.For entirely different reasons, it resurrects images of 1992 and 1996.
It brings back 1992 because that's when then-Gov. Zell Miller of Georgia was the most conservative prime-time speaker at the Democratic convention. This year, Miller (now a senator but still a Democrat) will be the most conservative prime-time speaker at the Republican convention. [...]
The younger President Bush and Vice President Cheney will speak at this year's convention, of course, as will their wives. They can be counted on to give well-crafted and effective orations. But beyond them -- and the Democrat Miller -- all the speakers on the prime-time roster hail from more liberal precincts in the GOP.
They include: Education Secretary Rod Paige, Arizona Sen. John McCain, New York Gov. George Pataki, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
Republican governors in CA, MA, HI, NY, VT, etc. amply demonstrate that there are no blue states anymore. This is what happens when the nation undergoes a genuine political transformation. After 70 years of the FDR/New Deal/Great Society epoch the pendulum has swung back to the Right. Posted by Orrin Judd at June 30, 2004 8:48 AM
We've been over the polling, which makes little sense and is being spun within an inch of its life; we've been over the reports of a dissaffected Republican base; we've been over the economy, but here is a nice indication of where the Bush campaign thinks the battle will be fought. The battle is for the blue states.
Posted by: David Cohen at June 30, 2004 9:10 AMThe Republicans would be smart to have some conservative office-holders speak as well, like Lindsay Graham, Rick Perry, Tom McClintock, Rick Santorum, or even Mitt Romney. If the stars are going to be Rudy, Arnold, and Mr. TV John McCain, then the party is setting itself up for a reprise of 1992 in 2008.
Posted by: jim hamlen at June 30, 2004 10:15 AMMitt Romney would be good, particularly so he can offer his opinions on the Mass. legislature working their recent end-run for Kerry's benefit. Having said that, I like the idea of Zell Miller speaking, and would also like to see another Bush endorsee Ed Koch - not only would they provide the "big tent" image the Party has been trying to sell, but those two would also bring an "our Democrats are better than their Democrats" vibe to the proceeding. Certainly more Democrats will speak at the New York convention than Republicans will speak at the Dems' event.
Posted by: John Barrett Jr. at June 30, 2004 10:36 AMHola.
Posted by: Andrew Lace at November 5, 2004 4:31 AM