I’ve watched many of his speeches. They are generally very serious, and the content quietly powerful. But this one was different…

I have never seen a speech where a candidate criticizes his own party ! And, I haven’t seen a candidate stress the idea of one America, one that transcends party, race, gender, or ethnicity, since Ronald Reagan! McCain is onto some pretty powerful, old school, patriotic nationalism here. Let’s see how the ideals of American exceptionalism compete with the ideology of a declining and Evil America crowd…

While McCain managed to hit on this old school America theme, incidentally-one that the founders of our nation would have felt at ease with, he also was able to present it in a way that underscored him as the…MAVERICK!. This dovetails nicely with the rugged individualism empodied by his running mate Gov. Palin.

And, perhaps most shocking is the size of the viewing audience; greater than Obama’s Denver address!!

The Money part of the speech is the last minute or so. Although not known for soaring rhetoric, that part of the speech was better, and more meaningful, than any rhetorical flourish that Obama has spoken during his entire campaign!

I’m going to fight for my cause every day as your president. I’m going to fight to make sure every American has every reason to thank God, as I thank him, that I’m an American, a proud citizen of the greatest country on Earth. And with hard work — with hard work, strong faith, and a little courage, great things are always within our reach.

Fight with me. Fight with me.

Fight for what’s right for our country. Fight for the ideals and character of a free people.

Fight for our children’s future. Fight for justice and opportunity for all.

Stand up to defend our country from its enemies. Stand up for each other, for beautiful, blessed, bountiful America.

Stand up, stand up, stand up, and fight.

Nothing is inevitable here. We’re Americans, and we never give up.

We never quit.

We never hide from history. We make history.

Thank you, and God bless you, and God bless America

Money, absolute Money, baby…

In this country, we believe everyone has something to contribute and deserves the opportunity to reach their God-given potential, from the boy whose descendents arrived on the Mayflower to the Latina daughter of migrant workers. We’re all God’s children, and we’re all Americans.

I just pray he does not ruin the career of Palin. I cannot sip a glass of the finest tea with a floating turd (though I thought about it).

On one hand,(the left one) we have a candidate whose background has more mysteries than credentials, an angry wife who just recently found her pride in her country, a list of relationships that stretch between a hateful, American hating preacher to a evil American hating terrorist bomber, with a Muslim criminal in between. And, a party that saw fit to choose this candidate.

On the other hand, we have a true American hero, whose background and contributions over a lifetime are beyond question, a man who has achieved more in his sleep than Obama has in his career, a man whose foresight and perseverance saved America from a devastating and dangerous defeat in Iraq.

What am I missing?

One thing that did jump out that still worries me was the following:

In this country, we believe everyone has something to contribute and deserves the opportunity to reach their God-given potential, from the boy whose descendents arrived on the Mayflower to the Latina daughter of migrant workers. We’re all God’s children, and we’re all Americans.

Whoever wins the presidency, if we get amnesty shoved down our throats we’re done as a nation.

They’re always full of distortions and larded up with crap designed to appeal to niche constituencies I don’t care about. I could watch them as pure performance, I guess, but that would be even more cynical. Better to just skip them.

Allahpundit on September 4, 2008 at 11:49 PM

So quote a speech that doesn’t fall into that description for reference. Jeez, Allah.

Cardiganfox 12:09am

I only wish the speech had been shortened for punch and focus, otherwise LOTS of good moments.

None taken. Luckily, there’s an easy way to solve your problem.

Allahpundit on September 4, 2008 at 11:52 PM

Skip your threads and just read Captain Ed’s?

Is that what you meant?

I’m still pissed. I just got laid off from my job and he didn’t tell me how he was going to get me a new one.

Cracker.

rockmom on September 5, 2008 at 12:30 AM

Join the club.
I’m still looking after being downsized in March. Nobody wants a guy that has been in the IT and engineering world for 30 years. I had an interview yesterday and it was the same old same old. You are impressive, maybe too impressive for our needs. All I keep wanting to ask is why the heck did you call me in then? I think lots and lots of people lie on their resume and they filter out how much they know at the interviews. In my case I don’t lie and when I get to the interview they are surprised that I am a lot more than what I claim rather than less.

I thought HE was the first black Bill Clinton?

Lol. I thought Bill Clinton was suppose to be the first black..well..Bill Clinton :|

I disagree Allah. It is always illuminating to see what lies a man tells himself about what he believes. I don’t see a lot of lies out of McCain and frankly I say that as an oftentime opponent as much as a partisan for him right now.

I see Barry lying to himself a lot about his level of control on a turbulent world.

Anyway YMMV,
sven

That’s a very good answer, and correct to boot. However, McCain’s been around a long time, so it is possible to have deduced this about him prior to tonight, and therefore chosen to skip the speech. That was how I saw it (or didn’t, actually.)

But I did make it a point to watch Palin’s speech, carefully. It was only the second time I’d seen her speak more than a sentence or two. I am trying to find out what lies, if any, she tells herself. It surprised me when AP said he didn’t watch her speech.

I stopped looking at Drudge a long time ago. It is completely ridiculous for him to complain about what a horror McCain/Feingold was when he is obviously willing to suck up to a lefty like Obama. The United States Constitution survived McCain/Feingold just fine. McCain did not exactly slow down the hundreds of millions of dollars flowing into politics.

So for people like Drudge who think money and freedom of speech are one and the same they will be happy to know that both are alive and well in the USA.

The speech was sometimes inspiring, sometimes irritating but all-in-all still much better than the jibber-jabber that came out of Obama’s mouth as he delivered his ampitheater speech to the washed Greek masses.
Jockolantern on September 5, 2008 at 6:57 AM

My feelings exactly.

I think that he and Palin really do want to try and shake things up. How much changing they will be able to accomplish with Dem majority is questionable.

So, I don’t think he stole Obama’s message, it was McCain’s message all along.

McCain is not Laurence Olivier, he is not an actor or an orator. But his speech was honest and straightforward and no one can doubt that he is a patriot. That is worth more than all the faux presidential seals and Greek columns of Obama’s campaign.

As for your pessimistic prediction, Allah: Considering the way the polls are swinging these days, I tend to agree with Rush. If Obama isn’t up by at least 10 points come election time… he’s toast. If McCain continues to play his cards right, this election is his to lose. Palin only helps his cause in that respect. She’s managed to fire up the mainstream conservative base about this campaign far more than I could have had anticipated.

I will guarantee you this, Allah. The Obama campaign is panicking right now. They know that this election is no longer theirs for the taking and they’ve got a lot of ground to cover in the next 60 days to try and get Obama in the White House.

TexasJew on September 5, 2008 at 1:25 AM

I was behind a car with a Texas Longhorns license plate holder yesterday. But for a moment I read it as “Texas Jews”. Thanks to you :)

Because they’re an insult to people’s intelligence almost by definition. They’re always full of distortions and larded up with crap designed to appeal to niche constituencies I don’t care about. I could watch them as pure performance, I guess, but that would be even more cynical. Better to just skip them.

Allahpundit on September 4, 2008 at 11:49 PM

Then how can you possibly hold them accountable to what they have promised?

My hat is off to Senator McCain, the next President of the United States. :) :) :)

From one biracial guy to another, Obama dude…you are not the one.

I thought HE was the first black Bill Clinton?

Since I would rather have my eyes plucked out of their sockets with a rusty, metal spork than see him President, I’m happily voting McCain.

From one biracial guy to another, Obama dude…you are not the one.

I agree. Actually, I am much more optimistic than my previous post reads, as I re-read it.