Morning Jolt - Overheard in Tampa . . .

NRO Newsletters . . .

Morning Jolt

. . . with Jim Geraghty

August 29, 2012

In This Issue . . .

1. The Early Speakers: Cruz Okay, Haley Quite Solid, Davis Building a Political Comeback

2. The Big Names

3. Overheard . . .

4. Addendum

Here's your Wednesday Morning Jolt.

Enjoy!

Jim

1. The Early Speakers: Cruz Okay, Haley Quite Solid, Davis Building a Political Comeback

Boy, does it feel good to have the convention actually begin. I arrived on Saturday, and so it feels like there's been 72 hours of pre-game warm-ups.

If Nevada governor Brian Sandoval were not pro-choice, he would have an exceptionally bright future in national Republican politics. He still may, but his stance on abortion will make him unacceptable to a lot of Republicans who might be otherwise intrigued by his personal story.

Guy Benson: "CNN didn't air Kasich, McDonnell or Walker's speeches? Good thing their regular primetime programming pulls in such huge ratings!"

Former presidential candidate Rick Santorum spoke in the 9 p.m. hour, and he had a very good line discussing his immigrant ancestors: "In 1923, there weren't any benefits for immigrants, except one: freedom." The one that works is the only one you need.

That was probably his best line. I think his closing theme, "I shook the hand of the American dream. And it has a strong grip" . . . may not play as well.

Nathan Wurtzel: "I patted the shoulder of the American Dream and told it to keep up the good work."

Michael Blum: "The French dream always kisses me on both cheeks."

Kirsten Powers (whose cab I nearly accidentally stole): "What about jazz hands?"

It is an unfortunate that CNN and MSNBC talked over so many of the GOP's big names, but I don't think anybody who actually wants to see the speeches would tune in to those channels. This is what C-SPAN is for.

I thought senator-elect (I mean, come on) Ted Cruz was . . . okay. He went without a podium, and his delivery wasn't bad, but beyond the Texas delegation, the crowd didn't seem to be as into it as he wanted. Cruz has an enormous future in politics ahead of him, but tonight was . . . just pretty good, not blowing the doors off the place.

Former Democratic congressman Artur Davis of Alabama, one of Obama's 2008 campaign co-chairs, was one of the breakout stars of Tuesday night. His remarks had one good line after another.

Discussing Romney:

He doesn't confuse the presidency with celebrity, or loftiness with leadership. The Democrats' negative ads do convince me that Mitt Romney can't sing, but his record convinced me that he knows how to lead, and you know which skill we need more.

Then he made the pitch directly:

To those Democrats and independents whose minds are open to argument: listen closely to the Democratic party that will gather in Charlotte and ask yourself if you ever hear your voice in the clamor.

Ask yourself if these Democrats still speak for you.

When they say we have a duty to grow government even when we can't afford it, does it sound like compassion to you -- or recklessness?

When you hear the party that glorified Occupy Wall Street blast success, when you hear them minimize the genius of the men and women who make jobs out of nothing, is that what you teach your children about work?

When they tell you America is this unequal place where the powerful trample on the powerless, does that sound like the country your children or your spouse risked their lives for in Iraq or Afghanistan?

Do you even recognize the America they are talking about? And what can we say about a house that doesn't honor the pictures on its walls?

John F. Kennedy asked us what we could do for America. This Democratic party asks what can government give you. Don't worry about paying the bill; it's on your kids and grandkids.

Phil Klein: "Artur Davis giving a very strong reminder of how far Obama has strayed from the promise of 2008."

South Carolina governor Nikki Haley also garnered strong reviews. She seemed polished, quite comfortable in the spotlight. She looked like she was really enjoying herself up there. You almost wonder if she needed to be even later in the program.

2. The Big Names

So, we in the press often get written versions of the prepared speeches, or at least excerpts, before delivery. The convention organizers do this because they want the text printed online and in the next day's morning papers. The early buzz on Chris Christie's speech was pretty bad. The word was that it barely mentioned Mitt Romney, that it had no red meat, that it was all about Christie and that you could easily be lulled into thinking he was there to accept the nomination.

There was less buzz about Ann Romney's speech. There should have been: Brit Hume called it "the single most effective speech I've ever heard from a political wife." Ari Fleischer: "One of the best speeches I've ever heard."

This was a great section:

I'm not sure if men really understand this, but I don't think there's a woman in America who really expects her life to be easy. In our own ways, we all know better!

And that's fine. We don't want easy. But these last few years have been harder than they needed to be. It's all the little things -- that price at the pump you just can't believe, the grocery bills that just get bigger; all those things that used to be free, like school sports, are now one more bill to pay. It's all the little things that pile up to become big things. And the big things -- the good jobs, the chance at college, that home you want to buy, just get harder. Everything has become harder.

We're too smart to know there aren't easy answers. But we're not dumb enough to accept that there aren't better answers.

That line might be the very best line of the night.

As for Christie, perhaps he felt the need to demonstrate that he's more than the big guy who bellows at obnoxious hecklers at political rallies. But I liked it more than I expected; I thought the stories of his mother worked a lot.

Maybe the best section, one that dovetails nicely with Paul Ryan's presence on the Republican ticket:

We believe in telling seniors the truth about our overburdened entitlements.

We know seniors not only want these programs to survive, but they just as badly want them secured for their grandchildren.

Seniors are not selfish.

They believe seniors will always put themselves ahead of their grandchildren. So they prey on their vulnerabilities and scare them with misinformation for the cynical purpose of winning the next election.

Their plan: whistle a happy tune while driving us off the fiscal cliff, as long as they are behind the wheel of power.

We believe that the majority of teachers in America know our system must be reformed to put students first so that America can compete.

Teachers don't teach to become rich or famous. They teach because they love children.

We believe that we should honor and reward the good ones while doing what's best for our nation's future -- demanding accountability, higher standards, and the best teachers in every classroom.

They believe the educational establishment will always put themselves ahead of children. That self-interest trumps common sense.

They believe in pitting unions against teachers, educators against parents, and lobbyists against children.

They believe in teachers' unions.

We believe in teachers.

Brit Hume: "He lays out his political philosophy, but he's also the guy you sit behind at the ballgame." You mean an obstructed view?

Erik Telford: "You can judge how effective the convention is by how angry the anchors are on MSNBC. So it was a good night."

3. Overheard . . .

Things you might have heard if you snagged an invite to the National Review party last night . . .

A lot of folks are hearing that Pennsylvania is starting to get close. Apparently Obama is not playing well in one half of the Democratic formula, Pittsburgh. (Funny how a president who hates the coal industry won't play well there.) Obviously, though, Democrats can run up a huge margin of votes in Philadelphia.

There's increasing confidence about Iowa.

Virginia's numbers are stubborn. Not unwinnable, but just difficult.

A lot of buzz about Wisconsin. Some folks thinking that Ryan gives Romney a real shot; others thinking the odds for a surprise Republican win are slightly overstated by the euphoria over the Ryan pick.

4. Addendum

Doctor Zero: "Prediction: First Lady Ann Romney will talk to Glamour and Entertainment Weekly less often than President Barack Obama did."

Quick Links: The Campaign Spot National Review Online E-Mail Jim Geraghty

Save 75% . . . Subscribe to National Review magazine today and and get 75% off the newsstand price. Click here for print-edition information. Click here for digital-edition information.

Check out all of NRO's free newsletters: Morning Jolt, The Goldberg File, NRO Digest, and NROriginals. Click here for details.