* Democrats and even many in the media are still scratching their heads wondering how Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa could possibly have thought that 2/3 of the convention delegates said “Aye!” to the motion to put “God” back into the Democrat Party’s platform when clearly the room was about evenly divided. But I think I understand how it happened.
From what I read, Villaraigosa got kicked out of Catholic school and ended up with a public high school education. So it probably didn’t matter whether he knew the difference between 1/2 and 2/3 as long as he felt good about himself.
* I know it’s been said by many before, but it bears repeating: Obama’s campaign theme is “Forward” – but moving forward ain’t such a good idea if you’re standing on the edge of a cliff.
* Barack Obama is the embodiment of the reverse-phrase “Over-promise/Under-deliver.”
* The president says he just needs more time to fix the nation’s economic problems. Problem is, if we keep doing for the next four years what we’ve been doing for the last four years, we’re just going to keep getting what we already got.
* A Tale of Two Conventions. The Democrats moved “forward” by trotting out retreads like Jimmy Carter, John Kerry and Bill Clinton. Republicans on the other hand highlighted the likes of Paul Ryan, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Condi Rice, Chris Christie, Scott Walker, Susana Martinez, Mia Love, Ted Cruz, et. al.
Advantage: GOP
* Liked this observation by Rush Limbaugh this morning: Barack Obama’s first term turned out to be the second term Jimmy Carter never had.
* I was a guest on KNPR’s State of Nevada program this morning and one caller asked why, if Obama has been so bad (and he has been), Mitt Romney isn’t creaming him in the polls. I wish I had thought about this at the time and said it on the air, but I’ll note it now:
Romney is the challenger vs. an incumbent president who, unlike the incumbent president, had to fight his way to the nomination in a very, very, very tough primary and has been outspent by the incumbent president thus far by some $100 million.
So I guess the real question should be: How in Hades is Romney in a virtual tie with Obama at this point in the campaign?
* Did you see how Bill Clinton made sure that his face eclipsed Barack Obama’s face from the TV cameras when they hugged after Clinton’s never-ending speech Wednesday night?
Me, neither…because I didn’t waste my time watching it with a far more important football game on. But my friend Rich Galen noticed it and assures readers of his blog, Mullings.com, that it was no accident. Clinton never misses an opportunity to steal the spotlight and keep it on himself. He’s the master.
* Some are criticizing Romney for not mentioning the word “veterans” in his acceptance speech, but that’s silly. Does anyone really think Romney is anti-military? The real criticism should be leveled at Obama for not mentioning the word “unemployment” in his own acceptance speech, because there is strong evidence that he is seriously anti-jobs.
* For those of you Nevadans – and voters in other swing states – who are contemplating a vote for the Libertarian Party’s presidential candidate, Gary Johnson, let me just say this: In the Republican Primary, Mitt Romney wasn’t my first choice. Or even my second choice. But in this upcoming general election, he’s the only choice.
A vote for Gary Johnson in Nevada is a vote for Obama. Some of you can live with that; I can’t.
* Remember, we’re not just electing a president; we’re electing a cabinet and the right to appoint federal judges – including, potentially, 2 or 3 Supreme Court justices. Who will be better making those appointments…Barack Obama or Mitt Romney.
For those of you who say Gary Johnson would make better appointments than Mitt Romney…fine. Point taken and I don’t disagree. But Gary Johnson isn’t going to win. That’s just the reality. So like it or not, the choice, especially in swing states like Nevada, is between Obama and Romney. Period.
* By the way, Wayne Allyn Root – the Libertarian Party’s vice presidential nominee in 2008 – announced yesterday that he was leaving the LP and re-joining the GOP…and is supporting Romney in the general election.
* About those unemployment numbers released today, I heard some commentator note that private sector jobs were added while public sector jobs were cut (good!). And that caused me to wonder:
How many former government workers have been unable to find jobs in the private sector because they have no skills that are of any value in the private sector or lack the kind of customer-service work ethic required when customers actually pay you voluntarily for a service rather than under penalty of law?
I’d love to see somebody do a study on THAT.
