Two Political Conventions, Two Completely Different Themes

I know most of America did not watch the Presidential conventions, regardless of party affiliation, age, gender, or whatever. As unlikely as it is many Americans watched one convention it is even less likely they watched or paid much attention to both. That having been said, I did record both events each evening and the following day pushed through the commentary on fast forward to see and hear the key note speakers at both conventions. Well, that is history and this week officially marks the start of the “Sprint to the finish”. In less than 60 days America will elect a new President.

From my observations in watching both conventions, glaring differences came through as if the volume was turned to high and the resolution to extreme. One convention seemed focused on its party’s platform, ideology, its goals and mission as well as its chosen leaders and how they planned to make improvements going forward following their “taking charge” of the county in January, 2009.

The other convention seemed completely focused on one party leader and that person’s selection as running mate. There was little specific focus on what is really wrong in America today and how this party’s chosen nominees are going to lead the American people forward after “taking charge” of the country in January, 2009.

After stripping away all the rhetoric, tuning out all the pageantry, music, streamers, confetti and balloons, there seemed to be two America’s being represented at these very different conventions. One was a high energy convention with what I interpreted was a genuine hope for something different in the next four years from the past eight. The other convention reminded me of something I have heard for the past eight years and every year this party has been in office or wanted to get there. Same message, different people saying the same thing as in the past despite their break from the current administration in office.

Both the Democrats and Republicans had energetic speakers to fire up their base and both took some shots at their opponents. But the similarities between the two ended there.

I took the time to see and hear the leaders of both parties speak and present their party’s and their own personal views about how they saw the past, the present and the future. One party seemed to “get it”, the other seemed too focused on trying to be so different from being main stream they neglected to address any specific agenda items they had in mind for our future except to criticize the other party’s perspective. One tone seemed positive, one totally obscured and vague.

It is no wonder most Americans have come to hate politics so much. Even a political junkie like me can become cynical about the process we still follow to select our national leaders. Worse, some still don’t seem to “get it” when it comes to communicating with us on a level we can and want to understand. But, if they did they would not be politicians would they.

I am hoping the three debates will be watched by a great majority of Americans. And I hope during those debates we get some real understanding of the differences between the candidates running for President and Vice President. I will be watching and hoping some serious issues get addressed in a serious way by everyone involved. Late breaking news has it that finally, sometime this week, we will see an interview by one of the major network anchors, Charles Gibson of ABC, with the only candidate that thus far has eluded a one-on-one interview with anyone. Sarah Palin has been completely sheltered from interviews to this point. I can only hope there were no pre-conditions such as having questions submitted in advance for ABC to garner this first exclusive interview.

One might say Palin will have to learn on the job in the event of a catastrophic event but learn how to interview with the national media before elected? That’s scary…how much time did she need to learn how to read a globe, the names of the countries where the bad guys live and learn party lines about how to make the other guy the focus of any hard questions she could not answer? Come-on now…

In November, after the debates are over and the ads have come off the air, we (the great majority of registered voters) will either vote, or not. If the majority of registered voters do go to the polls, I believe the majority already know for whom they will vote. It is said some are “undecided”. I challenge that notion. I have a theory the term “undecided” was concocted by pollsters who could not get straight answers from folks they polled, people who did not want to go on the record and tell the truth as to how they really felt when asked.

Churchill said once, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”. I disagree. I fear the fact we, as a nation, are made up of some of the least informed people in any country in the world when one of the most important national elections in history is on the line. I fear for the future of our country as we have no idea what will be going on in the minds of those who actually do show up to vote this November. We will know the results afterward, but, we may never find out the “why”.