If you thought that a Hurricane would change the Republicans' mood at the 2008 RNC in the Twin Cities this week, think again. Everything has remained the same and the things that wanted accomplished are right out of the old Rovian playbook. Supposedly this was going to be a somber event where Republicans would just raise money for victims of Gustav and nothing more. Obviously this didn't turn out to be the case, the attendees were only reminded to look sad and mute their festivities, not to stop them entirely. The real motivation for the somber plan was to make the party look like it cared, but in the end it was nothing more than a lesson in self-congratulation.
From The NY Observer:
ST. PAUL—The latest word is that Hurricane Gustav has been downgraded to a Category 1 storm and that water levels in New Orleans are receding – strong and encouraging signs that the Crescent City and the rest of the Gulf Coast will be spared tragedy and destruction on the scale of Hurricane Katrina.
And now, at the Republican National Convention, the effort is underway to portray this good news as a triumph of Republican leadership.
Just before 5:00 p.m. (E.S.T.), with the scoreboards in the Xcel Energy Center prominently displaying the words “Country First,” First Lady Laura Bush was called to the stage, where she spoke of the human toll that the storm threatened to exact and the need for support from all Americans for any recovery effort.
She noted that all of the governors of the affected states are Republicans, prompting loud applause from the delegates.
Excuse me while I gag on that while choking on what followed. There wasn't as much that went on as originally planned, but to the GOP, Gustav wasn't about the people affected by the Hurricane, it was only a political opportunity to repair damage done to their brand when they purposefully ignored those who were slammed by Katrina three years before.
With that, the opening day of the G.O.P. convention came to an end. On Fox News, anchor Brit Hume quickly segued to a piece about the various ways in which delegates have put politics aside these past two days to focus their thoughts and efforts on helping the people of the Gulf Coast. On television, one woman noted that her delegation had turned its morning meeting into a prayer session.
But if last night is any indication, not every Republican has gotten the memo.
Damn Sammy, you are truly pathetic...and you fit right in up there in St. Paul.
|