The Opinion Blog

Get ready for a 'most exciting and energetic' GOP convention

From the morning e-mail ... Note the optimistic tone of this message from the Committee on Arrangements for the 2008 Republican National Convention. In touting the September event as GOP's "most exciting and energetic convention in party history," is the GOP riding for a fall or setting the stage for a stunning victory? And who says Republicans don't do YouTube?:

Dear Friend of the Convention,

Hello again from headquarters, where we are 47 days from gaveling to order the 2008 Republican National Convention!

The convention is nearing full-staffing as we prepare to welcome 45,000 guests who will join together at the Xcel Energy Center for the most exciting and energetic convention in Party history and nominate Sen. John McCain as our party's candidate for President of the United States.

Obama should submit to a little mockery

Ripped from the wires ... Maureen Dowd argues that Barack Obama needs to lighten up:

By MAUREEN DOWD

When I interviewed Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert for Rolling Stone a couple years ago, I wondered what Barack Obama would mean for them.

"It seems like a President Obama would be harder to make fun of than these guys,'' I said.

"Are you kidding me?'' Stewart scoffed.

Then he and Colbert both said at the same time: "His dad was a goat-herder!''

'Don't hope for a better life; vote for one'

From the morning e-mail ... The McCain campaign weighs in with a TV ad, called "Love," stressing the presumptive GOP nominee's record of national service; this ad makes for an interesting contrast to the Obama "The Country I Love" ad noted in a June 19 Opinion Blog post:

We released a new television ad this week highlighting John McCain's years of service to our country and his commitment to bringing real change as president. Please take a moment to watch this ad and pass it along to any friends and family who may be interested in watching.

As President of the United States, John McCain will always put his country first. He has done this his entire life. He has an enormous sense of responsibility and duty.

No habla ingles? No problemo, says Obama

Ripped from the wires ... Kathleen Parker notes the contrasts in the ways that John McCain and Barack Obama pander -- er,appeal -- to Hispanic voters:

By KATHLEEN PARKER

La cucaracha, la cucaracha, ya no puede caminar. La cucaracha, la cuca ...

Oh, perdon. I was just tuning up for an interview with Baracko Obama and Juan McCain.

Juan y Baracko have been busy lately wooing los que hablan espanol. That is, people who speak Spanish. With an estimated 9.2 million Hispanic votes in play this November, the stakes are high. And the pandering is in high gear.

'Kill me with a nuke, not a rusty knife'

Ripped from the wires ... Jules Witcover notes Gen. Wesley Clark is only the latest military retiree to show a lack of aptitude for presidential politics:

By Jules Witcover

In a presidential race in which John McCain seems to be holding the weakest cards -- his age, limited campaign money, the albatross of an unpopular president around his neck -- he has gotten a favorable shuffling of the deck from a Barack Obama surrogate.

The blunder of retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark in questioning McCain's military service as a recommendation for the presidency has spotlighted the Arizona senator's one ace -- the patriotism card -- at a time his campaign could stand a boost.

We need nation-building here at home

Ripped from the wires ... Tom Friedman says there is only one in the presidential campaign: the decline of America:

By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN

Just a few months ago, the consensus view was that Barack Obama would need to choose a hard-core national-security type as his vice presidential running mate to compensate for his lack of foreign policy experience and that John McCain would need a running mate who was young and sprightly to compensate for his age.

Come August, though, I predict both men will be looking for a financial wizard as their running mates to help them steer America out of what could become a serious economic tailspin.

I do not believe nation-building in Iraq is going to be the issue come November -- whether things get better there or worse. If they get better, we'll ignore Iraq more; if they get worse, the next president will be under pressure to get out quicker. I think nation-building in America is going to be the issue.

Republicans should worry about themselves, not Obama

Ripped from the wires ... Maureen Down argues that Rovian tactics won't sink Barack Obama -- but might sink the GOP:

By MAUREEN DOWD

Karl Rove was impressed with Barack Obama when he first met him. But now he sees him as a "coolly arrogant'' elitist. This was Rove's take on Obama to Republicans at the Capitol Hill Club Monday, according to Christianne Klein of ABC News:

"Even if you never met him, you know this guy. He's the guy at the country club with the beautiful date, holding a martini and a cigarette that stands against the wall and makes snide comments about everyone who passes by.''

Actually, that sounds more like W.

McCain should court moderates, not evangelicals

Ripped from the wires ... Froma Harrop explains why John McCain should give up his lengthy -- and unsuccessful -- courtship of the religious right:

By FROMA HARROP

"Dear Greg, I've been dating a guy since I was 23. I'm 28 now. We started talking about marriage two years ago, and he said he wasn't 'ready.' So we moved in together to help him get 'ready.' ... Does he need more time, or is he just not that into marrying me?''

The above comes from the self-help book (now a movie) "He's Just Not That Into You.'' Co-author Greg Behrendt replies:

"Dear Waiting at the Altar, He's right. Why rush? It's only been five years. He's going to know you so much better after 10. ... Yep, my lovely, I know it's hard to hear, but better to hear it now than 10 years from now.'' In sum, he's just not that into you.

Would someone please send this book to John McCain?

Realism or fantasy? Obama can win S.C.

From the morning's e-mail ... Phil Noble, a Charleston businessman and member of Barack Obama's S.C. steering committee, predicts that the Democratic nominee will wrest South Carolina from John McCain on Nov. 4:

A few days ago, Obama clinched the Democratic nomination. Even before this historic achievement, most pundits and even some Democrats in our state, including some very senior party officials, have said that Barack Obama doesn't have a prayer of carrying South Carolina in the fall elections. He will.

This traditional political thinking is like shortsighted generals -- they continually refight the last war instead of preparing for the current war that is ahead of them.

Iraq successes bode ill for Obama, well for McCain

Ripped from the wires ... The ineffable Bill O'Reilly warns that the positive turn of the tide in Iraq could undermine Barack Obama's presidential bid:

BY BILL O'REILLY

Cutting through all the fog, there are two primary reasons behind Barack Obama's stunning victory over the Clinton machine: authenticity and the war in Iraq.

As amply demonstrated, there is simply no comparison between Obama and Hillary Clinton as far as public speaking is concerned. He is eloquent and natural, talking directly to the folks. She is more stilted and rehearsed, talking at) the listener. Sen. Clinton comes across as the typical politician, while Sen. Obama seems like a genuine human being.