Republicans get their chance

Watching the Republicans in St. Paul--they really are tone deaf, McCain's friend Wes Gullett is standing up there with their adopted daughter 'Mickey' from Bangladesh, who was unexpectedly brought back for them by Cindy McCain.

The girl just stands there the entire speech, beaming, as he talks about how great Cindy is for bringing her the blessings of a life in the U.S., including her now being a 'naturalized U.S. citizen'.

She is literally a prop--isn't allowed to speak at all, just stands there while her father talks about her, and in a truly ludicrous moment, reads from an essay she wrote. Likewise, the McCain's daughter from Bangladesh, Bridget, sits next to Cindy smiling, holding her mom's hand.

It's somehow entirely fitting for the GOP; delegates applaud throughout.

Next, a firefighter from the area who was a hero during the bridge collapse last year--Jim Lehrer tells us afterwards--speaks about service to your community. It's a pretty good speech, the timing is a bit screwed up; she stands there for quite a while waiting for George H.W. and Barbara Bush to sit down; the crazy big screen behind all of the speakers shows flowing water as she speaks.

Wow, next, a non-white person! A Mexican-American. People in the crowd look restless; then he says Jesus Christ and the Virgin of the Guadalupe are at the center of our home.

Refers to McCain as a 'maverick' Senator, is the godfather of their son Jimmy. "You're probably asking, why does a Hispanic Democrat support John McCain"?

First, faith--no one can survive a prisoner of war camp without God's protection. Oh? I think some people from Auschwitz have a different perspective on this. He's not just a public servant when the lights are on and the cameras are running, it's a way of life. Vs. Barack Obama, and all the TV crews when he was working in community service in Chicago, I guess.

Quotes the Bible, then says McCain sees immigrants as also God's children. Wow, want an amazing thing! Talks about sanctity of human life from conception. Ends, Viva America! Crowd is forced to cheer.

Judy Woodruff interviews McCain's cellmate, says he had a great sense of humor even in jail, refused to come home early. He's 83; says McCain's got everything going for him, will be president--has the experience, no on-the-job training, decisive as proven during the Saddlebrook interview.

Wow, Lehrer points out the veteran has the Medal of Honor hanging around his neck, the highest military honor any American can get.

Now, Christine Todd Whitman is talking in advance of George W. Bush's 8-minute speech via satellite, says nothing really. She's okay, one of those politicians who seems more impressive on paper than in person/reality.

Michael Gerson, who's an ex-Bush speechwriter, is also on to pump up the president; he's the definition of a fop, his words are ridiculous and the way he comes across is comical.

They're now running some sort of video, it's telling the story of a soldier in Iraq, keeps referring to him and his 'teammates'. Okay.... Michael Mansoor, saved his fellow soldiers by throwing himself on a grenade. He's Lebanese American, wonder if that made it into the video. Won the medal of honor, the third to get it during 'the war on terror'.

Now Orson Swindle, who was Ross Perot's spokesperson, and also a POW. Hmm, now Mansoor's family is sitting next to Cindy McCain, wonder what happened to Bridget? They stand, get a looooong ovation from the crowd. Next, the five Medal of Honor recipients stand and are recognized. Then, other former POWs stand and are recognized. And then G.H.W. Bush is told to stand, and be recognized.

And, that's it. Swindle leaves, his entire job was to ask people in the audience to stand. Lehrer thinks we're taking a break, but then Laura Bush shows up, so he says first mistake I've made. She's in a red dress; will be introducing her husband--conveniently, 15 minutes before the networks go on the air.

Interesting, when was the last time a sitting president wasn't scheduled for prime time?! She calls Sarah Palin a "strong executive and proven reformer." Wow, next she highlights the non-white members of the Cabinet! Elaine Chao and Condoleeza Rice.

Laura says we haven't heard very many facts recently, so she's sharing a little straight talk. Goes on for a while, then says no one knows better what this job requires than the person who holds the job, and President Bush comes on.

He says his duties regarding Hurricane Gustav keeps him from attending, thanks everyone for their work. Shout out to his parents. Then, McCain is ready to lead this nation. It's funny, they're timing this so it ends right before the networks come on air, 4 minutes left.

Bush reads off McCain's story. Says if the Hanoi Hilton couldn't break McCain's resolve, you can be sure that the angry left never will. Adoptive parents, defender of human life.

Talks about McCain being there from the start on Iraq. We need a president who understands the lessons of 9/11, to protect America was must stay on the offense, and not wait to be hit again. McCain will have a strong leader at his side, Sarah Palin. And that's all on Sarah.

Says he's optimistic that at the end, Americans will look at the judgment, experience, and policies of the candidates, and will vote for McCain-Palin. Thanks Laura for being a fantastic first lady. And that's it--10:01 EST.

Seems like CBS and NBC are rerunning the speech in its entirety, looks like ABC will too. Interesting, so the first thing Americans now tuning in will see is Bush. Hmmm, something interesting--on CBS, there's no crowd noise early on, it's just the video apparently; so it's bizarre when he stops for 'applause', you just get silence.

Laura is speaking live on PBS, she's still not a great speaker. Wonder if Cindy is speaking at this shortened convention.

On NBC, Tom Brokaw says the whole convention's been improvisational, like how Bush's speech ended before prime time. That wasn't by happenstance, Tom.

Dan Bartlett on CBS says this is an emotional time for Bush, a lot of support here, trying to transfer that to McCain. CBS then runs the first photos that have been released of Palin in the last couple of days, a staged photo with Cindy McCain. They then do a story on the vetting.

NBC goes to Chuck Todd while Senator Fred Thompson talks; ABC and CBS are running talking heads over the speech as well, ABC now cuts into it on tape, the part where he talks about Palin being a breath of fresh air, how the media is unfairly going after her. Odd to hear a Senator like him tout the outside-the-Beltway selection, says the other side and their friends in the media are in a state of panic. She knows how to field-dress a moose--with the possible exception of Teddy Roosevelt.

Hmm, McCain's top operative Steve Schmidt's on CBS; they're bringing out the big guns. He says he's been asked outrageous questions by the national media. Smear, after smear, after smear. Katie's the perfect person for this, they can't accuse her of being sexist; asks about her raising the sales tax, and earmarks.

He just says when she was mayor she fought for her city, now she'll join McCain. Hmm, Katie at the end is just palling around, maybe she wasn't the perfect person for this.

NBC is running Thompson live, RNC is running a slideshow of McCain photos behind him. NBC cuts out of it, as Thompson talks about Iraq. Hmm, Senator Olympia Snowe on the floor with NBC. Haven't heard her speak about Palin before, she says it's a historic choice. Says she trusts McCain's judgement, in terms of what he's decided is important for his ticket.

Jeff Greenfield on CBS says Palin has the potential to appeal to the broad middle of the country, that doesn't care about her resume. Bob Schieffer says but she's so anti-choice she won't get Clinton votes.

I guess Sen. Joe Lieberman's speech is the only one tonight they'll carry in full. NBC back to Thompson, he keeps clearing his throat, it's odd. Totally disjointed speech, just spewing out lines here and there, no internal logic at all. Keeps repeating 'our country', while the cameras keep panning an all-white audience.

Visuals aren't great on his speech, audience seems half there. Says earlier--now watching ABC's tape--we need a president who sees no need to apologize for America. Sure, cause we never do anything wrong....

Wow, what a screw-up by ABC--Lieberman is speaking, and they're still showing Thompson on tape. Joe's a bad speaker, seems ill-at-ease. We're all Americans, references Gustav. Talks about how senseless partisanship is. Hmm, this all feeds into Obama's message, especially post-Palin nobody thinks of McCain as non-partisan.

Delegates aren't attentive, applause is tepid. What's a Democrat like me doing at a Republican convention like this? Well, given that he won his last race as an Indepedant.... Hadassah's up next to Cindy, looks very uncomfortable.

Says McCain's the best choice; only McCain has actually broken through partisan politics. Says John doesn't think we need a natural disaster to take off our partisan hats... well, it seems like for McCain's campaign, it did.

Man, Lieberman really must have exacted a guarantee from John that he'll invade Iran if he wins. Says they've worked together to make every American safer since 9/11. Don't be fooled by the political statements and advertisements, God made only one John McCain, and he is his own man.

That's odd--Obama thinks that too, the problem is the man is erratic, angry, and not fit to lead....

Recites a list of things that make McCain stand apart from another partisan Republican. I think if Lieberman were a better speaker, and if he said something like hey, I don't agree with you on abortion, but this election is about bigger issues, than this would be an effective speech; as it is, it isn't.

Obama is a gifted and eloquent young man, he says--but eloquence is no substitute for a record, not in these tough times for America. Hmmm, and how did these tough times come to be?!

Says Obama hasn't reached across party lines, or done anything within the Democratic party. Whereas Bill Clinton actually did do some of those things, like welfare reform, free trade agreements and a balanced budget. He seems a bit like Dana Carvey, actually.

Mentions Palin, calls her a great lady. She's a reformer. The real ticket for change is McCain-Palin. An oddly energy-less hall. DC won't be able to build a pen that will hold in these two mavericks. Ok.... America needs more national unity, not party unity. Especially because we're a nation at war--need someone to fight, not just when it's easy but hard.

Says McCain sounded the alarm about the mistakes we were making in Iraq. Others wanted to retreate from the field of battle, when colleagues like Obama were voting to cut off funding for our troops on the battlefield, McCain stood against the tide of public opinion, supported the surge--and that's why today thousands of troops are coming home, with honor.

My friends, he says wrapping up, McCain is respected and liked by our allies around the world, he'll be feared by our enemies--and that's what we need. Yeah, he'll convert everyone from friends to enemies, too.

Wants to speak directly to his fellow Democrats and independents. This is no ordinary election, this is no ordinary times; McCain is no ordinary candidate. Hmm, that's persuasive!

You may not agree with McCain on everything, but he'll be straight with you on where he stands, and he'll stand regardless of politics. He'll be what he is naturally--a restless reformer, he'll clean up Washington. When you vote for president, vote for the person you think is best for president, not the party you happen to belong to.

Wow, how's that for polishing the Republican brand! Vote for the leader who's always put America first. Let's come together in November to make a great American patriot our next great president.

Williams claims Lieberman was elected a Democrat--actually, he wasn't, ran and won as an independent. It's been 40 years since a sitting president didn't appear before his own party's convention.

Mark Shields over on PBS says he's never seen a convention like this, where they're running against their own party, making it all about McCain's biography.