I didn’t see the convention speeches during prime time but have the early morning replay on in the background. Teddy Kennedy was clearly the star of the moment but an elegaic moment recalling Camelot, while it no doubt touched the heartstrings of many Democrats of an age where they can remember the Party’s glory days, really was a diversion from the main goal of the convention, which was to advance the candidacy of Obama. It was nice and nostalgic, but was mostly wasted time.That’s all right — I’m sure Republicans next week will wax nostalgic about the Gipper.
The Michelle speech was tactically not much. She said she loved America which is just a weak response to earlier criticism. It doesn’t really advance her husband’s candidacy. The stuff afterwards where she shoved the mike into her kids’ hands was contrived, but many saw it as adorable. It won’t help much withe the general public or White Democrats, and it certainly won’t impress the PUMAs. But where it resonated strongly was with the Black middle class. I was impressed by Juan Williams’ response on FOX. He was barely able to hold back tears and his voice was quivering. The picture of a normal courtship and marriage, and a successful black couple who are building a life together and who love their children — that was powerful stuff for him and for other upwardly-mobile Blacks who are trying to shed the disrespectable gangsta image of urban Blacks.
The first day of the convention wasn’t very much — mostly trying to patch holes in the boat — but there were no major goof-ups and the Obamas cemented their place as the new image of Black America. And that, as a famous criminal might say, “is a good thing!” I certainly don’t want the Obamas as America’s first family because as liberal Democrats a lot of what they think and say is repulsive to me, but I think it is good for the country that they are the standard-bearers for their Party.
