FIRST EVENING POST:  JULY 4,  2008

Posted at 8:04 p.m. ET

BAD MEMORIES

Senator Obama is getting grandiose again.  The flip-flopping of recent weeks hasn't reduced his appetite for the epic.  From the Los Angeles Times:

The Barack Obama campaign hopes to turn the last evening of the Democratic National Convention in Denver on Aug. 28 into a giant rally of voters in a football stadium.

The unusual move, confirmed by two sources, would be an echo of John F. Kennedy’s acceptance speech in 1960. Kennedy delivered his address before thousands of supporters at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Obama’s big moment also would fall on the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington.

Oh how tacky.

One of the problems with Obama is that he doesn't realize he's no longer seen as so special.  He'd be better off with a more modest arrangement.  The fact that his acceptance will fall on the anniversary of the King speech seems exploitive, not reverential, at least to me. 

In addition, huge outdoor rallies, with presumably delirious supporters, bring back some bad memories of rallies in other countries centered on one man.  I am certainly not making any comparison between Obama and history's bloody henchmen, but he should avoid things that smack of political empire, and oversized ego. 

In addition, the comparison with Kennedy is tiresome.  Obama is not Kennedy.  Kennedy had his good and bad points, and he never did achieve in life the stature he has in death.  But he has become an icon, a symbol of an era.  Again, Obama's attempts to echo the Kennedy acceptance is exploitive, not respectful.

An indoor speech to delegates, eloquent and substantive, is the way to go. 

At the same time, McCain's people should be concerned that, at the very least, the Obama campaign is thinking "big and exciting."  McCain should be working on his acceptance speech right now.  And he should practice, practice, and practice.  If we have another episode of him reading from a teleprompter, and never taking his eyes off it, he's gone.  The comparison with the young, dynamic Obama would be devastating.

July 4, 2008.       Permalink          

AFTERNOON POST:  JULY 4,  2008

Posted at 5:15 p.m. ET

OBAMA'S WOMAN PROBLEM

The news goes on, despite the holiday.  There are no new trackers, but a CNN survey has some disturbing results for Senator Obama.  It would appear that the wounds within the Democratic Party have not yet healed, despite the unity rally Obama held with Senator Clinton a week ago:

According to a new survey from CNN and the Opinion Research Corporation, the number of Clinton supporters who plan to defect to John McCain's camp is down from one month ago, but in what could be an ominous sign for Obama as he seeks to unify the party, a growing number of them say they may not vote at all.

In a CNN/ORC survey conducted in early June, entirely before the New York senator officially ended her White House bid, 22 percent of Clinton supporters said they would not vote at all if Obama was the party's nominee. Now close to a third say they will stay home. In all, only 54 percent of Clinton backers say they plan on voting for Obama.

In another sign the wounds of the heated primary race have yet to heal, more than 4 in 10 registered Democrats — 43 percent — still say they would prefer Clinton to be the party's presidential nominee. That number is significantly higher than it was in early June, when only 35 percent of Democrats said they preferred the New York senator to lead the party's presidential ticket Then, Obama won 59 percent of support from registered Democrats, now he garners 5 points less.

There is trouble in the ranks.  The key question:  Is this seasonal, or will it last?  Another key question:  Just who intends to stay home?

The survey is not broken down by ethnic group or region.  I want to know more.  Is this an angry backlash by Clinton supporters, particularly women?  I suspect part of it is.  Is there a racial component?  There must be something of one.  Is Obama's world-class flip-flopping having its effect?  I wouldn't be surprised. 

But we need a more detailed survey to give us some direction.  Still, with all his problems, Obama maintains a steady lead over McCain, and his standing in the electoral college is particularly alarming - to our side at least.

McCain must come alive, and do everything possible to keep this a close race through the conventions.  He can win if he can make it impossible for Obama to close the deal, as Clinton almost did.

July 4, 2008.      Permalink          

INDEPENDENCE DAY,  2008:

Posted at 7:58 a.m. ET

ON JULY 4TH

One of the pleasures of running a website is receiving information, comments, and articles from readers.  Reader Joseph J. Gallick sent us a story by Kevin Maurer of the AP that is perfect for Independence Day:

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) - When Capt. Ivan Castro joined the Army, he set goals: to jump out of planes, kick in doors and lead soldiers into combat. He achieved them all. Then the mortar round landed five feet away, blasting away his sight.

"Once you're blind, you have to set new goals," Castro said.

He set them higher.

Not content with just staying in the Army, he is the only blind officer serving in the Special Forces - the small, elite units famed for dropping behind enemy lines on combat missions.

"I am going to push the limits," said the 40-year-old executive officer at the 7th Special Forces Group's headquarters company in Fort Bragg. "I don't want to go to Fort Bragg and show up and sit in an office. I want to work every day and have a mission."

And...

An 18-year Army veteran, Castro was a Ranger before completing Special Forces training, the grueling yearlong course many soldiers fail to finish. He joined the Special Forces as a weapons sergeant, earned an officer's commission and moved on to the 82nd - hoping to return one day to the Special Forces as a team leader.

Then life changed on a rooftop outside Youssifiyah, Iraq, in September 2006.

Castro had relieved other paratroopers atop a house after a night of fighting. He never heard the incoming mortar round. There was just a flash of light, then darkness.

Shrapnel tore through his body, breaking his arm and shoulder and shredding the left side of his face. Two other paratroopers died.

And...

Castro works out regularly at the gym and runs, his legs powerful and muscular. And though he has a prosthetic right eye and his arms are scarred by shrapnel, his outsized personality overshadows his war wounds: Nobody escapes his booming hellos, friendly banter and limitless drive.

He ran the Boston marathon this year with Adm. Eric T. Olson, commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command. Last year it was the Marine Corps Marathon. He wants to compete in the Ironman triathlon in Hawaii and graduate from the Army's officer advanced course, which teaches captains how to lead troops and plan operations.

Finally...

"I want to be treated the same way as other officers," Castro said. "I don't want them to take pity over me or give me something I've not earned."

I just had a thought:  Wouldn't it be great if one of our so-called "elite" colleges had Captain Castro as a commencement speaker, instead of one the usual self-inflated windbags?  It won't happen, but his speech would probably give graduating students more real education than they'd had the previous four years.

We should reflect on those who've made it possible for us to celebrate more than two and a quarter centuries of Independence days. 

July 4, 2008.      Permalink          

AMERICAN, AND PROUD OF IT

Where stand we on this July 4th?  Well, a healthy chunk of Americans stand with their country. Now this might unsettle the global-warming battalions or the multiculturalist brigades, but Americans love their country:

Americans are the most patriotic people on the planet, according to researchers at the University of Chicago's National Opinion Research Center who quantified and compared the national sense of pride in 34 countries.

The United States is at the head of the list, followed by Venezuela, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, Canada, Chile, New Zealand, the Philippines and Israel rounding out the top 10.

It was no random gauge of passing sentiment.

Respondents were asked to rate exactly how proud they were of their nation in 10 areas, including politics, history, diversity and culture. The U.S. was ranked highest overall, particularly in pride in democracy, economy, political influence, science and the military.

They must be fainting in Berkeley.  More:

Rasmussen Reports found that three-quarters of 1,000 likely voters polled on June 27 said they were proud of U.S. history. There is a partisan divide of note here, though. The survey found that among Republicans, 91 percent were proud of the past. The number was 64 percent among Democrats.

Those numbers would have been more equal before the McGovern wing started crowding out the traditional Democrats.

A USA Today/Gallup Poll released Thursday found that "voting in elections" garnered the most acclaim as a patriotic act, cited as either very or moderately patriotic by 95 percent of the respondents.

Serving in the military was in second place, cited by 87 percent. "Supporting U.S. policies around the world" was next (82 percent), followed by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance (77 percent), protesting policies we oppose (76 percent) and wearing a flag pin (59 percent).

"While Republicans are among the most likely of all groups to say serving in the military reveals a great deal about one's patriotism, more than half of both Democrats and independents agree," said Gallup analyst Lymari Morales.

Code Pink was apparently not asked to participate.

Those results aren't so bad.  Not bad at all.  Celebrate. 

July 4, 2008.      Permalink