McCain's Speech: Worst Acceptance Speech in Almost 30 Years?

[marmar]

from AlterNet's PEEK:



McCain's Speech: Worst Acceptance Speech in Almost 30 Years?

Posted by Melissa McEwan, Shakesville at 9:22 AM on September 5, 2008.

It was the same damn speech I've heard at every GOP convention for my entire life injected with a shot of POW.




So, I pretty much hated John McCain's speech.

It was boring as all fuck, not just because McCain is a miserable orator who never manages to hit any kind of compelling rhythm, but because it was the same damn speech I've heard at every GOP convention for my entire life injected with a shot of POW, the potency of which had been thoroughly undermined by every other convention speaker having taken possession of McCain's history during their speeches. Even the video package introducing McCain talked about his being a POW. There's a not-particularly-fine line between marketing relevant and evocative personal experience and Tragedy Branding. This convention sailed over that line into farce.

It gives me no joy to say that. And it doesn't change one iota the fact that McCain's service was intrinsically brave and honorable. I'm just really mystified by the decision to use something as intimate and distressing as the details of imprisonment and torture as the primary selling point of a candidate. Which is not to suggest McCain shouldn't have talked about it himself—but doling it out to everyone else to discuss onstage on his behalf had the twofold effect of diluting its effectiveness and disconnecting McCain from his own highly personal experience.

It certainly wasn't a good design for people tuned in to lots of the convention, at minimum. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/97743/mccain%27s_speech%3A_worst_acceptance_speech_in_almost_30_years/

[LonelyLRLiberal]

1. Professor Jeffrey Toobin said the same thing on (I think) MSNBC last night.

Other than Democratic spokespeople, he was about the only commentator who was that harsh. People have very low expectations for a McCain speech, anyway; he's a horrible speaker.

[texasleo]

2. yup, and 39 million Americans saw it.

:evilgrin:

[sakabatou]

3. And then, afterwards...

39 million people were either having ear bleeds or throwing up.

[AlinPA]

4. Was 'murican Tee Vee calling it the greatest ever? I'm sure Fox "News" was

trumpeting it.

[radfringe]

5. screenshot from MSNBC political video page

[JerseygirlCT]

6. That's what I thought, too.

And they use the POW stuff because it's all they have.