9 p.m. to 10 p.m.
* Video: "Senator John McCain"
* Speaker: Presidential Nominee John McCain
- Cindy McCain does the introduction of John McCain escorted by their 7 children. This is looking like a birthday party you have for your grandpa.
- There are three teleprompter. One directly in front, one to the right, and one to the left.
- There still is a lot of pumping up of Palin as Cindy McCain says Palin's a hockey mom and and "pistol-packing" mom. After a week, the Republicans are still trying to sell the unknown Palin. Let's see how much McCain sells Palin.
- Cindy McCain, to me, just gives me the vibe of someone who is filthy rich. She goes to a children's home and just rescues children to bring home. I don't fault her on that...but how real is that?
- I also think the using of Bridget McCain in this campaign might be sort of embarrassing to her. I believe I've heard of Cindy's rescue twice in the last hour.
- Now Cindy's speech is becoming to be a tour of Cindy's philanthropic life. But finally she ends.
- Also Cindy does her part to mention prayer for the gulf coast.
- "Johnny B. Goode" plays. This convention is definitely not a sell out as I can see empty seats.
- The video plays of McCain's life. It talks about his military service, his father's and grandfather's military service, his POW story, his Congress story, and another mention of Cindy's work of rescuing a baby. Ends with his courage of living as a POW.
- 10:13 John steps out on the stage for his big show. Big American flag waving on the video screen in the background that has been waving all convention.
- 10:16 He ends his thank yous to the crowd and accepts the party's nomination. Now a green screen in the background!!!
- He brings up that he is thankful for the President's leadership. Mentions the "attack" also in his thank you to Bush.
- The green screen is just a picture of some lawn (White House lawn?), but at this camera angle it just shows a green background..sort of like that other speech.
- 10:21 He does that smirk again like he does after making a joke.
- The background keeps changing. It is a big television screen.
- He quotes the Declaration of Independence. Now it is a blue screen in the background.
- Gives his respects to Obama, but says he's going to win it.
- Some fight in the audience. Some lady is being disruptive doing something. Some protester got in and then some guy pulled her sign down. The crowd chants U-S-A. She escorts herself of. "Please don't be diverted by the ground noise and the static." followed by a hehe. And I think he is now improv some jokes.
- Now sells Palin on the same stuff we have heard from Republicans. This is the big thing at the convention...selling Palin.
- Now throws the "change" slogan from Obama in about change coming to Washington.
- It's a the sky with a flag on a pole waving on the video screen in the background.
- Still three teleprompters, but McCain is favoring the forward teleprompter and glancing left and right.
- General Petraeus gets the honor of McCain in his talks about him standing up for Iraq.
- Whenever he mentions a state, that state's delegates get some cheers out in the crowd and camera time.
- He thinks of somebody every day. Wears his bracelet. Who was this from New Hampshire?
- Now he gives some rally cries for reforming the party. "We believe.."
- "A culture of life." Is that about abortion as the camera shows the pro-life faithful Palin?
- Now he gets boos for Obama as he says Obama will do everything opposite as he will do. These are the classic lies about Obama's plans we've heard over and over from taxes to health care.
- 10:42 McCain begins stumbling on some words as he reads them.
- "Education is the civil rights issue of this century." Speaks some about education. He wants the federal government to run public schools?!?
- Energy. "Build more nuclear power plants." Another funny line, "Americans know better than that."
- Now he talks about Georgia. Of how Georgia was invaded by the bad Russia. This is dangerous ground for McCain to threaten Russia.
- Still a blue screen in the background.
- A story about being 5 years old...the bombing of Pearl Harbor. And now says how much he hates war (so much that he wants it). And gives some take on how....
- Now says something..something..I'm lost.
- "My friends.." He said it.
- Now he says he wants Democrats to work with him as in the cabinet position...I know he means Lieberman when he says that.
- Now goes into his P.O.W story. Very touching. This is why he doesn't know how many houses he has? Very touching story...maybe they should make this into the Sunday night movie.
- Now he mentions God. And gets a big reaction.
- More of "my friends.."
- Lot's of fluff. Now he gets the crowd saying to stand up and fight. And ends his speech.
- Now the wife joins in with some...some...country music playing with "McCain" in the lyrics. Now the vice selection comes in.
- Around 11:05, confetti and balloons falls! Fireworks on the big video screen behind them. That works out nice.
- First thoughts. Nothing about the environment. Not much on about foreign policy besides Russia. Sounded like the same old lies that we've been hearing about Obama but not really attacked much. I think it was very middle grounded. He was reaching for indies so he hashed some of the hope and patriotic rhetoric. Not as exciting as others I've seen. It was very biographical. It used the POW story more than anything accomplished in the Senate by McCain. This speech and the speeches/videos in the convention were all about McCain being a POW and a war hero. And that is about all the Republicans can run on given that there is no plan.
It may have convinced a fool...but not me.