Idle Convention Musing

As if there's no one else doing this, but...

At the moment, all I can think is that I really wish I'd caught Obama's speech last week - but, as a Canadian, I'm naturally inclined that way.

It's a bit more fun watching PBS, since they show the protesters a little more - the guy with the "McCain votes against vets" sign, a bit of someone yelling something at McCain - but it's been a long time since I watched any of this political stuff. Probably 1992, in all honesty.

Leaving aside the cringe-worthy hagiography of the lead-in video for McCain, the most fun and the most terror has been found in the knee-jerk chants of "USA! USA!" when McCain tried to talk about the economic troubles of the moment. I realize that this is theatre, but give the actor a chance to work the lines and the message. Shouting down the ideas you dislike... well, it seems goofy when they're said by your candidate.

The cliches have been fast and furious, raining down like cats and dogs, too. It hurts to hear, and it hurts to make the obvious ironic quip, too.

Still, the best has been the blue screen that McCain's in front of for his speech. I realize that the imagery from the audience is very Reaganesque, what with the morning sky and the stalwart flag, but you'd think they may have learned something from Colbert's green screen challenges this year.

Okay, now that we're into the shout-outs to people, real people (whose states inevitably cheer when they realize that these examples are one of their own), I just can't keep up. I need to prep, and need some distance from all of this - especially if my 10s vote for the novels I think they will (To Kill A Mockingbird and Fahrenheit 451) and I need to consider just how much politics I should let into play in an English class.