RNC open thread

Posted By Blake Hounshell Tuesday, September 2, 2008 - 9:47 PM Share

U.S. President George W. Bush is due up any minute, with Fred Thompson and Joseph Lieberman to follow. What does everyone think so far?

UPDATE: Read some of the speeches here.

EXPLORE:OPEN THREAD

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SAM

9:05 PM ET

September 2, 2008

Question

Given Pr. Bush's speech, Can somebody explain to me what does this sentence mean: "...He said he would rather loose an election than a war!"
Does it mean He is more patriotic that the average Americans?
Does it mean He believes Americans don't know what's good for them?
Does it mean He believes people are so timid that they will rather loose a war?
Does it mean He believes America is full of non-Americans with voting right that will vote for the loss of America?
...?

JGARZIK

1:29 AM ET

September 3, 2008

Article after article

Article after article indicates that Bush views himself as a "war president." As such, Bush feels that winning the war is more important than day-to-day poll numbers that are mentioned on an almost-daily basis by the US press.

Morale during war is a touchy subject. As president, you need to encouarge and reassure the nation, while (a) not giving away secrets yet (b) keeping the public informed of what is going on.

A wise president must take the peoples' interests into account, yet not govern solely based on press reports of his popularity (or lack thereof).

KIDZIB

7:11 AM ET

September 3, 2008

Hmmmm

If you'd be so kind, could you please fill me in on what "winning the war" would entail?

DRAKE

7:20 AM ET

September 3, 2008

POW

Can someone please explain to me how the fact tha McCain has been a POW give him insight on foreign relation?

VJVALK

9:53 AM ET

September 3, 2008

Time in politics doesn't sell

I agree with you as well, but "he has 25 years in politics" does not sell. If anything, many voters will view that as a negative, whereas the POW thing is a much more compelling story.

KIDZIB

10:05 AM ET

September 3, 2008

And it shouldn't sell!

All those years of experience certainly didn't help Dick Cheney make the right decisions! Experience means nothing unless it helps you develop good judgement - and I'm inclined to believe that judgement isn't really something you can train on the job. The fact that McCain was a POW means nothing. What matters is the fact that as a POW he refused release until the men who arrived before him were released first. That is the only part of his resume that distinguishes him; if he lacked it, he would be a complete joke of a presidential candidate. I mean, the man openly admits that he doesn't even know how to use the internet! Dear Lord...

GABE

10:21 AM ET

September 3, 2008

Not saying that what he did

Not saying that what he did wasn't very heroic. It was very heroic. But how does that one gesture qualify him when otherwise he is "a complete joke of a of a presidential candidate"?

I mean, refusing to be released shows strength of character and respect for fellow soldiers in a tough situation. How does it uniquely qualify him to be President? To negotiate with foreign leaders? To lead the country into war? I'm not saying this sarcastically, I'd like to hear the argument.

Maybe there's something I hadn't considered.

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