For most of the last eight years, whenever I saw Bill Clinton I thought "Come Back Shane! Come Back!" All I could think of was the ending to the movie Shane when the little boy calls to the hero gunfighter, begging him to come back and live with his family after saving the day. But the hero rides off into the sunset. Tonight, Shane came back! And he came back to save the day one more time.
Bill's speech went a LONG LONG way to repair any remaining rifts in the party that might have been left after Hillary's speech. And I LOVED how Bill Clinton said, "People said I was too young and too inexperienced to be Commander in Chief...And it will not work in 2008 because Barack Obama is on the right side of history!" He went further than Hillary. He repeatedly said that Obama was ready and capable of being President and he forcefully said that Obama would stand up to those enemies he could not convert into partners. Great speech!
And Bill got what he wanted, a several minute long standing ovation to stroke his ego.
To be honest I think the biggest problem for Obama now will be to give a better speech than Bill did. And the smirk on Bill's face as he walked off stage reminded me of the scene in "Great Balls of Fire" when Jerry Lee Lewis brings down the house (and sets his piano on fire) then strides off stage and tells Chuck Berry, "Follow that, Killer!"
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Bill Clinton gave an excellent speech. And two hours earlier, Hillary Clinton did exactly what I had asked for back in July: she released her delegates and called for nomination of Obama by acclamation--which they did, then danced in the aisles. Obama's nomination is a historic moment for the Democratic Party, and for the nation. May 1/20/2009 be even more historic!
Consider this. Today, a woman who nearly was the nominee herself offered the name of a black man for nomination as the candidate of a major party. As historic as the identity of the nominee is, the name of the nominator is just as historic.
I have no doubts that the Republican party is a long way from being capable of doing that.
What's more, let's put this in perspective. Other democracies have had women in high office. But I can't think of any other democracy (outside of a couple in South America) where a member of a long persecuted minority has risen to this level of leadership. As far as I know there has never been a Roma Chancellor of Germany or an Irish Prime Minister in the UK or Aboriginal Prime Minister in Australia or a Sami Prime Minister in Norway, Sweden or even Finland.
This is a great moment. But as Bill Clinton said, before we can really enjoy it, "We gotta get 'im elected first!"
Consider this. Today, a woman who nearly was the nominee herself offered the name of a black man for nomination as the candidate of a major party.
And with a female speaker of the house leading the proceedings, no less.
As for Shane, did he survive his wound at the end? Some people think he died on his horse riding off (toward the cemetery).
Bill was incredible! God he loves the attention! It was such a warm shower to hear him again. It brought back to me how good it felt to vote for him in 1992- my first election! And what change to hear a literate president talk again! Remember when we had a literate president? Now matter what you say about Bubba, he has an infectious charm.
And Joe Biden did a great job. He was forceful and plain spoken! Now there's a guy with family values. He goes home to Delware every night because he wife refuses to move to DC. And when he claims she's the most gorgeous thing on the planet, you know he means it.
The surprise Obama appearance at the end was a nice touch. I wish Michelle had come down to the stage to join them. The Democrats have really shown that they are fired up and ready. I really hope the Republicans are looking on and feeling ashamed of themselves for what they have done. I somehow doubt they are capable of such regret.
It feels good. Now, let's keep that good feeling as we ride all the way to the White House.
Projections have hurricane Gustav hitting somewhere near New Orleans right in the middle of the Republican convention. It is projected to be a category 3 storm. How's that for symmetry.
As for the Shane's fate at the end of the movie, I prefer to think he was so tough that he survived. ;-)
"Now matter what you say about Bubba, he has an infectious charm."
Our current President also has infectious charm, but it's less of a metaphor with him :-)
I missed the speech, as I was in the air at the time. So that makes me like the vast majority of the voters. What I get to hear is the buzz about what Clinton said. So far, it's terrific. Everywhere I hear that Bill Clinton done good by Obama. That's the message that needed to come out.
Dr. S, funny you make that comment. We were just talking about this the other evening. I pointed out that it is lucky for us that Bill used his powers for good. Other past leaders with similar "charms" and powers of persuasion were . . . um . . . let's see, Castro, Hitler, the list goes on.
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