Ruminations, Haunts, and Errors

I haven’t been following the RNC as closely as I did the Democratic one. To be honest simple partisanship has something to do with it. It also helped that I was on the west coast at OSCON during the DNC so the meaty speeches happened between 6-8pm local time. Yet, mostly I find myself disinterested because there’s not much new going on: the themes and strategy of the Bush re-election campaign have been pretty clear for the past several months (hell, ever since that "Mission Accomplished", Dubya-flying-the-plane farce in May 2003). However, there have been a few items to note…

• This week there’s been a definite attempt to soften the Republican image by putting forward more even-keeled, socially moderate personas in prime time like John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Never mind that they stuck some staunchly conservative-right planks in the platform (e.g. anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage). No surprise, I suppose, as the Democrats tried hard (and mostly succeeded) at keeping their radical left wing out of the limelight. On the other hand…this lack of forthrightness regarding the views of major players—on the part of both parties—is probably a major contributor to the public’s general disdain for politicians.
• Reviewing some of the comments made by McCain, Rudy, and Ahnold, it’s really a shame that their wing of the Republican party isn’t in ascendance. Certainly, I disagree with a number of their views on policy, but I never get the sense that those three are out to agressively push their agendas, and they have always struck me as the types who are willing (and, in McCain’s case, actually eager) to find some middle ground to accomplish something that take’s multiple views into account. We need more like that in both parties.
• Wow, the Alan Keyes situation would be hysterically funny if it wasn’t so sad and so real. He barely bothers to meet with the Illinois delgation but makes the rounds of the radio shows…and makes himself sound like a loony. I mean, c’mon, this guy accused the Tribune’s John Kass of being a Democrat and made Walter Jacobsen look good. He called Mary Chaney a sinning, selfish hedonist…and then the very next day accused the media of distorting his statements. McCain flat-out admitted the Republicans will lose the Illinois Senate seat, while neither Judy Barr Topinka nor any significant state GOPers who claim they will actively support their party’s nominee (through gritted teeth and forced smiles) sound at all convincing. Barack Obama might not even need to run any more ads, Keyes is doing a fine job of torpedoing his own campaign every time he opens his mouth!