Disgusting

Maggie says:
Palin's speech last night was, in a word, disgusting. It was completely patronizing, out of touch, mocking, and downright mean. And that's fine if they've decided to go that route, because when it comes down to it I think that Americans are too smart, and too weary, for their tactics to work. For a convention trying to connect with American voters, isn't it amusing that only Mike Huckabee seems to grasp that Americans are actually hurting right now?

The lowpoint of Palin's speech - and something I know struck a chord with so many of you - was her mocking put-downs of community organizing. In an effort to sound like an executive, Palin and by extension this campaign highlighted their own disinterest in and disrespect of citizen engagement, of so-called "real people" engaging in their communities and beyond, and of one person's belief that they can make a difference. For someone supposedly full of small town pride and shaking up the establishment, Palin demonstrated that her core is much more like the ruling party than her carefully crafted image would have us believe. Her disregard of Americans who - supposedly just like she did in Alaska - might want to knock those in power down a notch or ten and elect someone who stands up for them is all that we need to see here.

This convention is the biggest identity crisis I've ever witnessed. Running in 2008, trying to pretend it's 2004, using talking points from 1992? Bring on McCain.

"We are a better country than this." - Obama, 8-28-08