By: Mary Mostert, Analyst, Original Sources (www.originalsources.com)
August 2, 2000
"PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 1 - Greetings from Philadelphia," Tom Brokaw, NBC's anchorman begins today in his Convention Journal, "day two of the Republican National Convention where everyone is following the script exactly as written. Tonight the man who gave Governor Bush such a scare in the early primaries, Arizona Senator John McCain, will speak to the delegates and the nation on his favorite topic: the desperate need to reform the way campaigns are financed - or the American voter will be driven even farther from the process."
Only, that's not at all what John McCain talked about in his speech. In fact, McCain didn't even MENTION campaign finance reform in his speech. He talked heroes. He talked about ordinary Americans who
"went into battle armed against despair with the common conviction that the country that had sent them there was worth their sacrifice. Their families, their schools, their faith, their history, their heroes taught them that the freedom with which they were blessed deserved patriots to defend it.Many would never come home, but those who did returned with an even deeper civic love. They believed that if America were worth dying for, then surely she was worth living for. They were, as Tocqueville said of Americans, "haunted by visions of what will be."
Brokaw, who is accustomed to being able to analyze news before it occurs, often has a problem with the fact that today the public can see a news story unfold live before their eyes and generally have an opinion about it before he has a chance to write about it. The Brokaw analysis seems almost invariably based on his view of "news" as consisting only of conflict and confrontation and deception.
Far from the public being driven "even farther from the process," phone calls to C-Span, which so far has broadcast 100% of the Convention live, indicates that the public, even the Democrats, are being brought into the political process by the GOP's interactive and fast-moving production.
Brokaw cynically observed, about Colin Powell's comments about affirmative action, "But does anyone here really believe that Governor George Bush and his running mate Dick Cheney will leave Philadelphia determined to embrace affirmative action and reform campaign finances? In fact, the General and the Senator served their purpose here by raising the issues. It was the convention planers' way of saying to the country, 'See, we ARE inclusive.'"
Actually, what Colin Powell said about affirmative action and what he said later about being willing to serve either George W. Bush or Al Gore, depending on which one of them wins, did not exactly set well with some Bush supporters. The doors of opportunity are open already. What is really needed is not more whining about those at the bottom, but more curiosity about minorities who have reached the top. How did they do it? Was it government group action or their personal, private resolve and hard work that got them out of poverty?
What is actually happening before everyone's eyes in Philadelphia is the answer to that question. Colin Powell and other black speakers are not being introduced as black or African-Americans. Powell was introduced as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who did a great job in Desert storm.
On Monday, young people who, we could see, were black or Hispanic, told us about their great teachers in the KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) schools, who just so happened to be white.
Tuesday's program was designed to honor the military and three past presidents - Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and George Bush. In the process we learned quite a bit about George Bush's ideas of military readiness and international affairs. Callers, Republicans, Democrats and Independents, who saw the program were almost overwhelmingly positive in their comments to C-Span and several words popped up in the comments of MOST of the callers.
A woman who identified herself as a Harlem street preacher, talked about the "purpose and inspiration" of the speakers and announced she was going to vote Republican in November so she could vote for George W. Bush. The words "dignity" and "integrity" popped up often, echoing the promise by George W. Bush and other speakers to "restore" those qualities to the White House.
One caller spoke of "dignity, honesty, integrity, strength and unity" he felt from the talks. Independents called in to announce they planned to vote for George W. Bush. Several called to say they thought the best speaker of the evening was a person they'd never heard of before - Condoleezza Rice, Stanford University Provost and Bush's African-American International Affairs advisor. Dr. Rice didn't talk about affirmative action. She talked about national security, leadership and freedom:
"Tonight, we gather to reflect on America's unique opportunity to lead the forward march of freedom and to fortify the peace. We offer special thanks to all those Private Ryans who served over the decades, so that tyranny would not stand.We remember those great Republican presidents who sustained American leadership through the decades, ended the Cold War and lifted our nuclear nightmare.
Thank you, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and George Herbert Walker Bush.
And we acknowledge together this remarkable truth: the future belongs to liberty -- fueled by markets and trade, protected by the rule of law and propelled by the fundamental rights of the individual.
Information and knowledge can no longer be bottled up by the state. Prosperity flows to those who can tap the genius of their people.
We have a presidential nominee who knows what America must do to fulfill the promise of this new century. We have a nominee who knows the power of truth and honor. We have a nominee who will be the next great president of the United States, Texas Gov. George W. Bush.
It is fitting that I stand before you to talk about Governor Bush's commitment to America's principled leadership in the world, because that is the legacy and tradition of our party, because our party's principles made me a Republican.
The first Republican I knew was my father, and he is still the Republican I most admire. He joined our party because the Democrats in Jim Crow Alabama of 1952 would not register him to vote. The Republicans did. My father has never forgotten that day, and neither have I.
I joined for different reasons. I found a party that sees me as an individual, not as part of a group.
I found a party that puts family first. I found a party that has love of liberty at its core. And I found a party that believes that peace begins with strength.
George W. Bush and Dick Cheney live and breathe these Republican principles. They understand what is required for our time, and what is timeless.
It all begins with integrity in the Oval Office.
George W. Bush is a man of his word. Friend and foe will know that he tells the truth.
She was followed by Elizabeth Dole who talked about "Our Mission ... to defend frontiers of the heart, armed with faith and steeled by conviction:"
"Let us be clear: the success of freedom can never be measured in material terms alone. For one day, each of us will be held to account not for the money we made, but for the difference we made. Not for the worldly status we may have enjoyed, but for the stewardship we provided."...The next president of the United States must defend both America's interests and America's ideals. No one, no one understands this better than Gov. George W. Bush.
"In an era of rampant cynicism and indifference toward government, he is determined to bring civility to the public square and restore our pride in our leaders. Throughout his career, he has appealed to the best in people, bridging our differences rather than exploiting them.
"As president, he will put an end to the smash-mouth politics of recent years and to the name-calling that tarnishes our trust and alienates so many real people whose real problems can never be solved in a focus group or soothed by a spin-doctor.
"George W. Bush will be a different kind of leader!
"He will use words to inspire, not inflame."
He will move beyond the stale labels and sterile confrontations that all too often divide the American family.
And, make no mistake, there are divisions in liberty's home. "
Folks, the November election, as I have said before, is going to be about trust. Who is it the American people believe they can trust - Al Gore or George W. Bush? Who has a positive vision for the future? Who will restore integrity and honor to the Oval Office? It appears at this point that a growing number of Americans are beginning to think the answer is George W. Bush
To comment: mmostert@waveshift.com
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