John McCain managed to walk a bit of his talk tonight about being a maverick and trying to reach for the middle. I found it interesting that when he got the nomination months ago he said he hoped the election campaign would be more like a "conversation among friends". Well, I don't think his party is going to allow that and it's questionable whether he can actually control his party and achieve these original goals. Wouldn't it be nice if someone actually could. Seems the party is controlling him these days especially with this ultra conservative pick of a VP.
As far as substance as to the issues, he pretty much trotted out the same old Republican ideas that I seem to have been hearing for centuries. And most of his comparison of his policies and Obama's were outright lies. But, what the hey...this is a Republican Convention after all.
And of course the never failing reference to his war history. This time it went down a little bit better because it was a somewhat compelling point that he changed from being a self-centred individual to wanting to serve his country because of his experiences. Let's hope we don't need wars to shape up the youth in the US.
It seems to me that the concept of heroes in war is necessary to make sense out of the senseless. Let's remember the Vietnam War was particularly unjust and many atrocities were perpetrated on the innocent and helpless. Are those people who particiapted in this war heroes or just poor smucks? Perhaps the real heroes are the ones who opposed, protested, and refused to fight.
Let's hope we never have to be subjected to another 20 minutes of Cindy McCain's self serving platitudes...god, she was appalling. The idea of her swanning around the Whitehouse is enough to make your stomach turn.
