Archive: September, 2008
Let us now praise a famous man, Paul Newman, who was more than a movie star in the pantheon of great movie stars. He was a sublime actor, an indelible cinematic character and a man of immense charity and purpose.He died at the age of 82, leaving behind a legacy rarely rivaled in Hollywood history. Foremost, because he didn't live in Hollywood but in rural Connecticut and kept company with the same wife, the glorious Joanne Woodward, for many, many decades. He always said she was the more talented of the two, an uxurious stance that endeared him to multiple generations of women even more.
Newman treated his surreal good looks -- he was the Brad Pitt and George Clooney of his day -- as something to overcome rather than exploit. He preferred to play the outsider, the ne'er do well, rather than the hero and simple rake, though he had more pluck and charm than any actor in recent memory.
Newman didn't coast on stardom. He used it do support his true interests. He did small films. He directed. He raced cars and refused to play the Hollywood game. He never risked turning into Tony Curtis, who let his game go flat after so much promise.
Newman never seemed to care about the money or the ephemeral, extravagant flippery of fame except in that it allowed him to be more independent and philanthropic. (Like his dear friend and co-star Robert Redford, though the Sundance Kid has always seemed less generous as an actor and a human being skilled at interpersonal relationships.)
How many actors have raised $200 million for charity, children with cancer foremost among his concerns, with less craving for gratitude? Elizabeth Taylor has done wonders for Aids charities, but she expected to be treated as royalty while living like a princess. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are doing their share, but with the cameras always zoning in on the white heat of their fame and, even worse, their children.
Newman did it all with characteristic humilty and humor.
If you're lucky, you get to experience the thrill of such a great star, a great man, and a beautiful human being in every sense of the word every half century or so.
Posted by Karen Heller @ 10:28 PM
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At a Republican National Convention that threatened to be overtaken by Hurricane Gustav and a surprise vice presidential pick, John McCain finally owned his convention.
In the build-up to his appearance, it didn’t help that his own wife, Cindy, described her husband’s running mate in Daniel Boone-like mythic proportions: “a reform-minded, hockey-mommin’, basketball-shootin’, moose-huntin’, fly-fishin’, pistol-packing mother of five.”
McCain, a man who speaks better without a text and more passionately on the subject of others, was asked to tell his own heroic story, again. The stories of both parties’ candidates are now so well-known that they have passed into legend. This may be the first presidential contest between two best-selling memoirists.
In the last hour of a convention that spread out over three days and change, the nominee, in his acceptance speech, finally spoke about what he would do in his presidency, not solely about the greatness of the country and the evil of the terrorists.
Though Republican operatives have set this up as a battle between Western candidates of action and achievement versus Washington insiders of words, the Republican gathering in St. Paul was huge on platitudes about the country and honor and McCain’s heroic struggle in Vietnam, and relatively short on a specific plan of action.
In his 50-minute speech, McCain dropped his trademark “my friends” six times. He finally referred to the elephant in the room, mentioning economic “hard times” on a day the Dow has plummeted almost 355 points. The issue of health care was addressed in a solitary sentence. The environment wasn’t even accorded that.
The greatest difference between the two conventions was how they viewed Americans’ worries. For the Republicans, the fear was all about the nation being harmed and evil that lurks abroad. For the Democrats, the fear was all about the economy, losing jobs, health care and homes. The real test will be which fears weigh more profoundly on the electorate.
McCain, who has served in the U.S. Senate for more than two decades, is running as an outsider. He delivered a speech that made it seem as if a party other than his own has been governing the nation for the past eight years.
He mentioned the president once, and not by name. The name of the vice president, arguably the most powerful in history, was never uttered during an evening speech. Number of times Osama Bin Laden’s face was shown: Once. Number of times Dick Cheney’s was displayed: Zero.
“We need to change the way government does almost everything,” McCain said, adding, “We’re going to finally start getting things done for the people who are counting on us.”
In the introductory video, in the most surprising turn of the evening, the phrase that was cited as summing up John McCain was not the oft-used maverick but “mama’s boy.”
It’s not every 72-year-old presidential candidate that can still call himself that and shout out to his 96-year-old mother in the crowd.
Another surprise was the grace of Cindy McCain’s speech. Over the years, she’s been a constant but relatively silent campaign partner. Thursday evening showed that she is an effective force in delivering her husband’s message.
At a convention that celebrated faith and God, the speeches of both McCain and his wife were relatively free of religious references, drawing more on service, charity, character and experience. McCain was gracious in his references to Barack Obama and
downright civil in mentioning the Democratic party. He’s waited a long time for this moment, and clearly was relishing the achievement.
The night ended with the customary balloon drop, a tradition that was skipped at the Democratic gathering last week due to Obama’s stadium acceptance speech. In Denver, the Democrats had rock stars and fireworks. The Republicans didn’t have any rock stars serenade the candidate but made sure the night and convention ended in a blizzard of balloons and streamers. Not to be outdone, a virtual fusillade of fireworks appeared on the giant monitor behind McCain, Palin and their families.
Now, the campaign begins anew. Sixty days to election day and counting.
Posted by Nathan Gorenstein @ 1:59 AM
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Is anyone watching the Republican National Convention? It's been up against the second season premiere of Gossip Girl, a new version of 90210, the latest installment of Project Runway.
Turns out, people are watching. (Actually, due to Monday's truncated schedule it was possible to watch Cindy McCain and Gossip Girl.)
Wednesday's speech by Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin speech generated 37.2 million viewers, according to Nielsen television research. That's 1.1 million viewers short of Barack Obama's acceptance speech, Greek columns and all, on the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention.
Strikingly, the presumptive Republican vice presidential nominee's speech was broadcast on six
networks while the Obama speech was carried on ten (BET, TV
One, Univision and Telemundo).
Palin attracted a large female audience, 19.5 million women, or
4.9 million viewers that watched Hillary Clinton's speech in Denver.
Unsurprisingly, ratings for viewers 55 and older (25.2 million viewers) has been consistently ten times
higher than the teenage audience (2.2 million) which may, indeed, have tuned in to Project Runway.
Turns out, people are watching. (Actually, due to Monday's truncated schedule it was possible to watch Cindy McCain and Gossip Girl.)
Wednesday's speech by Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin speech generated 37.2 million viewers, according to Nielsen television research. That's 1.1 million viewers short of Barack Obama's acceptance speech, Greek columns and all, on the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention.
Strikingly, the presumptive Republican vice presidential nominee's speech was broadcast on six
networks while the Obama speech was carried on ten (BET, TV
One, Univision and Telemundo).
Palin attracted a large female audience, 19.5 million women, or
4.9 million viewers that watched Hillary Clinton's speech in Denver.
Unsurprisingly, ratings for viewers 55 and older (25.2 million viewers) has been consistently ten times
higher than the teenage audience (2.2 million) which may, indeed, have tuned in to Project Runway.
Posted by Karen Heller @ 5:25 PM
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East Coast media expresses disdain
On Wednesday, the Republicans turned it on with a vengeance, painting the media -- every single member of it as if our hearts all beat as one -- as the enemy, along with the elite and the East Coast establishment.
"And I've learned quickly, these past few days, that if you're not a member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some in the media consider a candidate unqualified for that reason alone," Alaska Gov. and presumptive Republican vice president nominee Sarah Palin said last night at the Xcel Energy Center.
"But here's a little news flash for all those reporters and commentators: I'm not going to Washington to seek their good opinion. I'm going to Washington to serve the people of this country. Americans expect us to go to Washington for the right reasons, and not just to mingle with the right people."
Well thanks, at least, for labeling us "the right people."
This is the same Sarah Palin who, since last Friday, has been treated to unprecedented media coverage, and much of it more positive than the Republicans claim. Check out the glowing headlines today in both New York tabloids. Palin might want to think twice about bashing Washington insiders. If running mate Sen. John McCain is elected, she's going to have to work with members of the United States Senate, not against them.
The ultimate irony of the Republicans' bashing the media is that no politician -- not one -- has benefitted more from the gaze then John McCain. By allowing unfettered access in past campaigns, by playing nice, by offering free rides on the Straight Talk Express and constant on-the-record remarks, McCain enjoyed true love from the press.
When Al Gore and John Kerry proved aloof, or George Bush and Bill Clinton limited access -- his wife, too -- McCain enjoyed a serious Big Bad Love between himself and the media.
In addition to the press, McCain is the darling of the late-night talk shows because of his candor and constant availability. Consequently, he's rarely mocked, except on the subject of his age and then too much so. Something he makes light of, too, and also too often. Comedian Jon Stewart, who has sliced and diced most politicians, has been positively dainty in his treatment of his No. 1 political friend who has appeared so regularly on The Daily Show he might be considered a cast member.
The late, great Washington Post political columnist Mary McGrory, a liberal with a huge bleeding heart, had unabashed love for the Arizona senator. I remember riding on the Straight Talk Express with McGrory and watching her give him the type of gaze rarely offered by the a reporter to a politician, the sort of gaze Nancy Reagan reserved solely for her Ronny.
If McCain continues this theme tonight and onto the truncated two-month general campaign, biting the ink-stained hands that have so generously stroked him during the past dozen years, he may find that the wolf pack is quite capable of biting back.
Posted by Karen Heller @ 2:09 PM
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Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, left, is joined by Republican presidential candidate John McCain, right, and daughter Piper at the end of her speech at the Republican National Convention. (Charlie Neibergall / Associated Press)
This was a gift. Palin surely exceeded most critics expectations with a speech, crafted by the John McCain brain trust, that was strong, concise and delivered expertly, if vague on future action. (His advisers had already crafted one, the Washington Post reported Wednesday, then had to scrap the entire speech after it was deemed “very masculine.”)
Palin dimmed her former beauty-queen wattage by wearing a demure beige jacket with zip decolletage, a slim black pencil skirt and pumps. She made sure that, as the first female Republican vice presidential nominee - and the first woman to run for the position in 24 years - that no visual flash would detract from the substance of her speech.
Wednesday was the night the Republicans decided to go on the offensive and attack the Democrats. The words liberal, elite, East Coast and cosmopolitan (used as an invective by no less than former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani) were bandied about in a manner that hadn’t been heard since the Reagan years.
Indeed, to listen to the party’s history as rewritten Wednesday night, the Republican’s grand recent history skipped straight from the Gipper to John McCain, with nary a Bush to behold.
Some of this strategy worked beautifully. At other times, especially in the hands of Mitt Romney, the rhetoric became the theater of the absurd. The former governor of Massachusetts, as elite and East Coast a state as you can get, a graduate of Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School, tarred the people in power for being too, and I quote, liberal.
“But let me ask you, what do you think Washington is right now, liberal or conservative? Is a Supreme Court liberal or conservative that awards Guantanamo terrorists with constitution rights? It's liberal! Is a government liberal or conservative that puts the interests of the teachers union ahead of the needs of our children? It's liberal!”
This would be the Supreme Court of John Roberts and a Republican majority and a government largely ruled by He Who Shall Not Be Named (and Certainly Shouldn't Come And Speak), George W. Bush.
They should hand out awards for such absurdities.
Giuliani. McCain's former rival, served as the designated pit bull. (Palin did get off a wonderful line about her past as a hockey mom:”You know what they say is the difference between hockey moms and pit bulls? Lipstick.) He labeled the Democratic nominee Barack Obama, rarely mentioned by name, either, “as the least qualified presidential candidate in at least 100 years.” He repeatedly rallied the crowd to deride the job of “community organizer,” a night after the convention’s theme had been service.
He pointed out that the Democrats had held a four-day convention without using the phrase "Islamic terrorist." Then again, so far, the Republicans have been unable to utter the words "sub-prime mortgage crisis" and "failed economy" and, curiously, "Dick Cheney."
Giuliani chided Democrats for their sexism. “How dare they question if she has enough time to spend with her kids and vice president?” This, from a man whose own children are barely speaking to him and refused to join his campaign.
Palin, flanked by video images of the Liberty Bell, the Washington Monument, and other American landmarks, re-introduced herself on a personal level, as she had on Friday with her announcement, before moving on to her professional accomplishments. She said of her husband’s accomplishments “it all makes for quite a package.”
She celebrated one of the evening’s other big themes: “Drill, baby, drill,” arguing that America should rid itself of dependence on foreign oil and natural gas.
“Take it from a gal who knows the North Slope of Alaska, we’ve got lots of both.”
It wasn’t until 10:55 EDT that Palin, for the first time during the convention's evening sessions, brought up the issue of developing alternative sources of energy such as solar and wind power.
At the end of her speech, which was warmly received in the hall, and celebrated by skeptical television commentators (the very elite East Coast types that had been ridiculed in speeches), Palin was joined by her family. Not only her husband, Todd, known in Alaska as the First Dude, but all five children, and the newest addition, her future son-in-law, high-school hockey player Levi Johnston. One can only imagine that a year ago he was just dating her daughter, and now he’s on national television.
John McCain closed the festivities, as Barack Obama had done with Joe Biden a week earlier, by strolling on stage to hug his running mate. (In 1984, Walter Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro pointedly decided not to, believing it would belittle her role.)
“Don’t you think we made the right choice for the next vice president of the United States?” he asked to a roar of acclamation.
Finally, McCain seems to have directed the party away from other effluvia and back to the matters at hand.
Posted by Karen Heller @ 12:18 AM
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"For decades, the Washington sun has been rising in the East - Washington has been looking to the eastern elites, to the editorial pages of the Times and the Post, and to the broadcasters from the coast," Mitt Romney said Wednesday night at the Republican National Convention. "If America really wants change, it's time to look for the sun in the west, cause it's about to rise and shine from Arizona and Alaska!"
This would Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, as Eastern a state as they come, cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School.
He flung the "L word," that would be liberal as an invective.
He painted a picture of fear, of a nation besieged by liberal influences including, if you believe it, the Supreme Court.
What Washington is Mitt Romney talking about here?
"But let me ask you, what do you think Washington is right now, liberal or conservative? Is a Supreme Court liberal or conservative that awards Guantanamo terrorists with constitution rights? It's liberal! Is a government liberal or conservative that puts the interests of the teachers union ahead of the needs of our children? It's liberal!
"Is a Congress liberal or conservative that stops nuclear power plants and off-shore drilling, making us more and more dependent on Middle East tyrants? -- It's liberal!
"Is government spending - excluding inflation - liberal or conservative if it doubles since 1980? -- It's liberal!
"We need change all right, change from a liberal Washington to a conservative Washington! We have a prescription for every American who wants change in Washington, throw out the big government liberals and elect John McCain!"
This goes down as the wiftiest convention speech of recent memory, a staunch Republican painting George Bush’s Washington and the John Roberts-Sam Alito-Antonin Scalia court as liberal.
Now, former presidential candidate and Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckbee is attacking the "elite," something the wealthy Romney is in no postition to do.
Posted by Karen Heller @ 9:38 PM
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“Give the woman a chance to at least have two or three weeks of answering questions before you say, ‘Oh, she’s not prepared to be president or vice president,’ ” former New York mayor and presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani told ABC's Good Morning America.
There are only eight weeks to go until the election. Giuliani says the party's presumptive vice presidential nominee, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, should be given a grace period.
Republicans have been branding Democrats and the press "sexist" for criticizing Palin.
However, Democrats and the press were equally tough when George H.W. Bush pulled an 11th hour surprise and named the relatively unknown Dan Quayle to be his running mate.
By the way, despite Fred Thompson's inspired speech last night about John McCain, and Joe Lieberman's followup, all scrutiny in the press and blogsophere turned again today to Palin, understandable given that she speaks tonight.
Still, McCain and staff should do something to gain control of this convention and make the focus the top of the ticket.
There are only eight weeks to go until the election. Giuliani says the party's presumptive vice presidential nominee, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, should be given a grace period.
Republicans have been branding Democrats and the press "sexist" for criticizing Palin.
However, Democrats and the press were equally tough when George H.W. Bush pulled an 11th hour surprise and named the relatively unknown Dan Quayle to be his running mate.
By the way, despite Fred Thompson's inspired speech last night about John McCain, and Joe Lieberman's followup, all scrutiny in the press and blogsophere turned again today to Palin, understandable given that she speaks tonight.
Still, McCain and staff should do something to gain control of this convention and make the focus the top of the ticket.
Posted by Karen Heller @ 4:59 PM
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7 comments
That's what Sarah Palin called the war in Iraq. Snippets of the Alaska governor's speeches are emerging on YouTube. She's scheduled to address the Republican National convention in St. Paul tonight.
In a speech to her Assembly of God church, Gov. Sarah Palin called the war in Iraq "a task that is from God...There is a plan and that's God's plans."
The talk shows Palin speaking without notes. In addition to having a habit of dropping her "g's" in speaking, the presumptive vice presidential nominee has a casual, anecdotal speaking style.
"You guys are all a bunch of cool-looking Christians," she tells the youth congregation. "People are going to be interested in Jesus because of the way you look."
In a speech to her Assembly of God church, Gov. Sarah Palin called the war in Iraq "a task that is from God...There is a plan and that's God's plans."
The talk shows Palin speaking without notes. In addition to having a habit of dropping her "g's" in speaking, the presumptive vice presidential nominee has a casual, anecdotal speaking style.
"You guys are all a bunch of cool-looking Christians," she tells the youth congregation. "People are going to be interested in Jesus because of the way you look."
Posted by Karen Heller @ 4:12 PM
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5 comments
It's a little after 2 p.m. Do you know what your Republican National Convention is doing?
Taking a cue from presumptive nominee John McCain, the Republican convention qualifies for maverick status, only putting out its theme and schedule a few hours before starting.
Having lost the first day to Hurricane Gustav, the convention only released the schedule of tonight's activities at 2:02. Tonight's theme? Reform. Dress accordingly.
Here's the schedule, but remember times here on the east coast are an hour later.
Taking a cue from presumptive nominee John McCain, the Republican convention qualifies for maverick status, only putting out its theme and schedule a few hours before starting.
Having lost the first day to Hurricane Gustav, the convention only released the schedule of tonight's activities at 2:02. Tonight's theme? Reform. Dress accordingly.
Here's the schedule, but remember times here on the east coast are an hour later.
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2008 Republican National Convention Announces Program for Wednesday
Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, and Vice Presidential
Nominee Sarah Palin Among Featured Speakers SAINT PAUL, Minn. - The 2008 Republican National Convention today announced the full program of events for Wednesday, Sept. 3. The evening’s program will feature remarks by Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican Party’s nominee for vice president. Among the other speakers participating in this evening’s program are former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. The speakers’ remarks will reflect the convention’s overall theme, "Country First," and the theme for Wednesday’s events, which is "reform." Participants are organized by hour of participation: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The 2008 Republican National Convention will be held at Saint Paul's Xcel Energy Center from Sept. 1-4, 2008. Approximately 45,000 delegates, alternate delegates, volunteers, members of the media and other guests are expected to attend the convention. Minneapolis-Saint Paul is expected to receive an estimated $150-$160 million positive economic boost from the four-day event. For more information about the 2008 Republican National Convention, please visit our website at www.GOPConvention2008.com and join our social network sites on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. |
Posted by Karen Heller @ 2:12 PM
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How is Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin preparing for the political speech of her career. Apparently, she's been holed up in a hotel room with John McCain's top advisers getting a crash course on the talking points according to this superb Washington Post article.
Most revealing is that the vice presidential speech had already been written but had to be tossed for being "very masculine."
As the Post reports:
Sitting around a dining room table, the McCain team has talked to her about Iraq, energy and the economy but has focused on what she should say in her speech, struggling almost as hard as she has to prepare for what will be, along with a debate in October, her main opportunity to shape the way she is viewed by voters. Not anticipating that McCain would choose a woman as his running mate, the speech that was prepared in advance was "very masculine," according to campaign manager Rick Davis, and "we had to start from scratch."
Posted by Karen Heller @ 2:00 PM
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