Tonight's address to the GOP faithful demonstrates that McCain's faith in the ability of Mrs. Palin was not entirely misplaced. Taking a page right out of Dick Cheney's 2000 Veep playbook, Gov. Palin proceeded to skate directly into corner of the rink and engage her opponents. Yet, eerily, her speech also had an unsettling aura about it. Too much the taint of a GOP deja-vu.
If one reads a transcript of Cheney's speech at the 2000 GOP convention they will see many parallels with the Palin offering tonight.
On the 'community' front - Cheney too told us in 2000 he had "lived in a caring community, where parents were confident that their children's lives could be even better than their own."
As for love of country; Cheney too sought to stir the patriot pot and instill in his listeners that, somehow, Republicans were the only party fit to guarantee the great Republic's future and vouchsafe its 'restoration'.
On fidelity to America's military men and women; Cheney observed that "Rarely has so much been demanded of our armed forces, and so little given to them in return." Promising the "men and women in uniform will once again have a commander- in-chief they can respect.. one who understands their mission and restores their morale."
On the tax front, Cheney too promised to act so "that families can keep more of what they earn ...more dollars that they can spend on what they value, rather than on what the government thinks is important." The last clause indicting government certainly echoed in St. Paul tonight.
Cheney too, proclaimed to one he was proud to be "given an opportunity to serve beside a man who has the courage, and the vision, and the goodness, to be a great president..."
The one notable difference between Cheney's address and the one heard tonight was that his contained more policy specifics. Mediacre would be fixed, schools would be fixed and - how can anyone forget - this pledge: "George W. Bush and I, with the united Congress, will save Social Security."
But, perhaps the most striking parallel between Cheney's speech eight year's ago and Palin's tonight was the faux promise given that night that only his man would "show us that national leaders can be true to their word...and that they can get things done by reaching across the partisan aisle, and working with political opponents in good faith and common purpose." Just like McCain today, Bush was lauded as the only man, Republican man, who could "make a fresh start in Washington ... change the tone of our politics" because only Bush (and now McCain) didn't "accept old lines of argument and division."
It was said of Bush that night, as it was of McCain tonight, that "He brings people together...reaching across party lines to do the people's business. He leads by conviction, not calculation."
Palin's choice to echo Cheney in an effort to lure voters is important. It will be interesting to see if the same ploys offered in 2000 and channeled by Palin tonight will work again come November.
What is called for now is a collective reality check on the part of American voters. Recall the promises made at two most recent GOP conventions, look inside yourselves and ask - did they deliver? By the time the answer comes I trust one and all should be humming that old Who ditty: "Won't get fooled again!"
No comments:
Post a Comment