Junto Boys

RNC AFTER TWO NIGHTS

A lot has been made in the media that the Republicans are trying to portray themselves as moderates with McCain, Giuliani and Arnold. I think what the media is missing is that many moderates support Bush despite the differences. And if the media wants to call these men moderates and not conservatives then they had better start asking themselves what Kerry and Edwards are. The "objective" media has refused to label Kerry and Edwards as liberals despite their voting records which indicate same. Now if McCain, Giuliani, and Arnold are moderates and Kerry and Edwards are moderates then the media should be very interested in why they oppose one another. If Bush is way off alone by himself on the Rightwing of American thought why is it that he garners the support of people that the media likens to his opponents? Something is amiss.

John McCain

The line that will be remembered was his jab at Michael Moore. I saw him trying to downplay it later that night on HARDBALL. The crowd was so reactive that he couldn't continue his speech. He kept begging them to settle, but between boos of Moore and chants of 4 MORE YEARS, McCain was helpless.

Otherwise McCain made a pretty safe speech that must have been a setup for the 2008 race. He showed strong conviction in the war on terror and support of Bush. It's nice to have him especially after he's spent most of the campaign reminding us that he's friends with Kerry. What's interesting is that he's more conservative than his moderate label. It's just that he's in opposition with the President often enough that the media has painted him as a centrist. One of his most articulate criticisms of Bush policy was the reckless expansion of Medicare.

I don't like Campaign Finance Reform, his opposition to tax cuts, or his courting of Democrats generally, but he's actually the war hero that Kerry longs to be and yet he's not the one always bringing it up. His speech did plenty of convince centrists that Bush needs 4 more years.


RUDY GIULIANI

A knockout. Giuliani is probably the most liberal of the mainstream Republicans and yet this speech was so red meat that you'd think that Barry Goldwater was back from the dead. Rudy's explanation of the methods of terrorism was the best description I have ever heard. He reminded the crowd that terrorists have been rewarded in the past for attacks. How else do you explain Arafat getting the Nobel Peace Prize? Rudy told America that Bush's tactic in beating terrorists may be controversial to some, but that it's paying dividends in ways that 1990s era policy didn't.

If he wants to run in 2008, he would be a tough opponent. He's pro-choice so he'd probably have to come out against partial birth abortion, if he hasn't already and promote civil unions over homosexual marriage. He might be a tough sell for consetrvatives, but I think he's still more palatable than McCain for many.

ARNOLD

It was nice to see him. He had a lot to say about being an immigrant American. From an historical point it was fun to hear how he wanted Nixon over Humphrey in 1968 and then by assumption Nixon over McGovern in 1972 which was the year his future wife's father was running on the McGovern ticket. Needless to say, there was a lot of hand-sitting by Maria during the speech. His memory of living close to Soviet occupied Austria was vivid as well. I hadn't realized he was so close to Communism.

He gave Bush a decent boost, but all in all it wasn't nearly as strong or moving as the speech from Giuliani.

BILL FRIST

All the talk of Bill Frist in 2008 took a big step backward with his speech tonight. He's probably a sincere and effective conservative in the Senate, but his speech lacked any passion or fire.

Lt. Gov. Michael Steele

I hadn't really heard of this guy, but he can speak and from a diversity angle he's got a future if he wants it. He wasn't given the same amount of time, but he's as significant as the Democrat, Obama.

WHERE IS GOV. BILL OWENS?

National Review has been touting the Colorado Governor as a possible President in 2008. His economic policy in Colorado was rated #1 in the country by the CATO institute and one of only two governors (with Jeb Bush in FLA) that was given an "A" rating by that organization. I don't know if Owens didn't show or if he's been relegated to one of those 5 minute speeches of no consequence that I either missed or might miss tomorrow.

PRIMARY

What a political day. I made it to the polls in the last hour of voting and opted for Mel Martinez over Bill McCollum and Mel won handily. McCollum was my congressmen when I moved to Orlando, but his Senate run in 2000 was full of the worst kind of pandering and he lost handily to Bill Nelson. Martinez was county chairman in Orange county before moving to HUD and he always seemed like an up front guy.