September 7, 2008 - 7:28 AM
The Republican party has been in control of the Presidency, the legislature and most of the state governorships for almost all of the past … read more eight years, yet somehow they claim they have no responsibility for anything from the deficit to the unemployment rates. It's alway someone else's fault. Well as much as they deny it there are a lot of us out here who know why our jobs are gone, at least six percent of the voting population, not counting our families and friends.
The Republicans are meeting down the hill from my house, helicopters are pounding the air, and there are more suits on the streets and big black SUVs and a brownish cloud venting from the hockey arena where the convention is assembled. A large moment for little old St. Paul, which is more accustomed to visitations by conventions of morticians and foundation garment salesmen and the Sons of the Desert, and so we are thrilled. It makes no difference that the city is Democratic. What matters is that, for a few days, TV will show a few pictures of the big bend in the Mississippi, the limestone bluffs, the Capitol and cathedral, and a tree-shaded avenue or two, and some of the world will know that we exist.
Too bad that the Current Occupant and Mr. Cheney canceled their St. Paul appearances so they could focus on hurricane-threatened New Orleans and lend their expertise to rescue operations. As it turned out, they weren’t needed, which has been generally true for a long time. Their reporting for duty now only served to remind everyone of what happened three years ago. And Mr. McCain, as of this writing, seemed torn between coming to St. Paul to address the convention and comforting hurricane victims in Mississippi, if any could be found.
Meanwhile, he posed a stark question for voters to ponder: How much would you like to see Sarah Palin of Wasilla, Alaska, as the next president of the United States? And what does the question say about Mr. McCain’s love of the country that she might suddenly need to lead? No need to discuss these things at length, really. The gentleman played his card, a two of hearts. Make of it what you will.
The challenge for Republicans is how to change the subject from the dismal story of Republican triumph the past eight years and get voters to focus on, say, the old man’s war record or Mrs. Palin’s perkiness or the oddity of the skinny guy’s last name. If they can succeed there, they can win this thing.
The Senate race in Minnesota (Norm Coleman vs. Al Franken) is a good example . . .
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http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentary/27910179.html?elr=KArksc8P%20%3Cimg%20src=
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