Friday, September 7, 2012

"I'M THE PRESIDENT"


The Democratic convention wrapped up last night with a series of rousing speeches targeting Rethug opponent and humanoid replica Willard "Mendacious Mitt" Romney and laying out the case for returning President Obama to office.

Speakers ranging from fiery former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm to a refreshingly relaxed and witty Sen. John Kerry delivered the set ups for passionate speeches by Vice President Joe Biden and finally the President. Granholm punched the air as she described the auto industry jobs saved by the President in Michigan, Ohio and other states. Kerry mocked Mendacious Mitt's lack of foreign policy experience -- comparing him to "Winky" Palin -- and his conveniently shifting positions.

The Vice President gave a heartfelt case for supporting the vision offered by the President to rebuild the middle class, while blasting the Rethugs for betting against the middle class. The theme of having work left to do was underscored by Biden:
"Yes, the work of recovery is not yet complete, but we are on our way. The journey of hope is not yet finished, but we are on our way. The cause of change is not fully accomplished, but we are on our way. So I say to you tonight, with absolute confidence, America's best days are ahead, and, yes, we are on our way."
By the time the President spoke, the crowd was near an emotional high. President Obama delivered an impassioned appeal to stay with his vision of an America that works for the middle class, and for those that work hard and play by the rules. He effectively contrasted his vision with that of Mendacious Mitt's as one of "we have each others' backs" to "you're on your own."
"[W]e also believe in something called citizenship -– a word at the very heart of our founding, at the very essence of our democracy; the idea that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another, and to future generations."
The President also highlighted his weighty responsibilities, with a nod to President Lincoln:
"I know what it means to send young Americans into battle, for I have held in my arms the mothers and fathers of those who didn’t return. I’ve shared the pain of families who’ve lost their homes, and the frustration of workers who’ve lost their jobs. If the critics are right that I’ve made all my decisions based on polls, then I must not be very good at reading them. And while I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together, I’m far more mindful of my own failings, knowing exactly what Lincoln meant when he said, 'I have been driven to my knees many times by the overwhelming conviction that I had no place else to go.'"
His speech hit all the right notes, from paying tribute to our armed forces and veterans (something overlooked by the Rethugs) to promising to defend womens' health choices and
a path to citizenship for immigrant children.

No one -- except perhaps the most delusional Rethug -- is saying that the Rethug convention was more successful than the Democratic convention. By almost all accounts, the Dems succeeded far beyond expectations, with speaker after speaker hitting the right tone and topics forcefully and convincingly. Not a bad week at all for the Dems.

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