RNC: Last Night
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As John McCain addressed the last night of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, the final pieces of the platform the GOP hopes will keep them in the White House emerged in sharp relief.
Victory in Iraq. More tax cuts for the wealthy. Plenty of domestic drilling for oil. Reduced or eliminated public help for the millions in society who don't have the means or the tools to help themselves.
Increasingly, the man who proudly called himself a political maverick has reached out to the rock-ribbed Republican base for the votes he needs to win.
Not surprisingly, the New Mexico GOP delegation loved every word of McCain's acceptance address - just like the state's Democratic delegation adored Obama's acceptance speech expressing the exact opposite ideals in Denver.
I was lucky enough to attend both conventions and interview members of both of the state's delegations, along with dozens of others from the state who are intensely involved in the political, social and economic future of our country.
I listened very carefully to the speeches by Biden, Obama, Palin and McCain and I watched the reactions all around me.
And I think it's very clear that America is becoming - no, IS - sadly polarized. I'm not the only one: A quick scan of convention coverage by seasoned political observers revealed this trenchant analysis:
It's GOP's world; elitists just live in it
I hate to think that two diametrically opposite sides are going to be slugging it out for the next two months for the right to "brand" the country we all love.
But after what I've seen these past two weeks, that's exactly what I know will happen.
It's gonna get worse.
On a slightly more hopeful note, I did talk to many people these past few week - many from New Mexico - who told me they are still undecided.
So, for the sake of those who are not already dug in, could we please keep looking for some common ground between polemic and unrealistic themes like "Drill, Baby, Drill" and all-wind-and-solar, all of the time?
I'm no political expert, but I promise it could only benefit us all.
Victory in Iraq. More tax cuts for the wealthy. Plenty of domestic drilling for oil. Reduced or eliminated public help for the millions in society who don't have the means or the tools to help themselves.
Increasingly, the man who proudly called himself a political maverick has reached out to the rock-ribbed Republican base for the votes he needs to win.
Not surprisingly, the New Mexico GOP delegation loved every word of McCain's acceptance address - just like the state's Democratic delegation adored Obama's acceptance speech expressing the exact opposite ideals in Denver.
I was lucky enough to attend both conventions and interview members of both of the state's delegations, along with dozens of others from the state who are intensely involved in the political, social and economic future of our country.
I listened very carefully to the speeches by Biden, Obama, Palin and McCain and I watched the reactions all around me.
And I think it's very clear that America is becoming - no, IS - sadly polarized. I'm not the only one: A quick scan of convention coverage by seasoned political observers revealed this trenchant analysis:
It's GOP's world; elitists just live in it
I hate to think that two diametrically opposite sides are going to be slugging it out for the next two months for the right to "brand" the country we all love.
But after what I've seen these past two weeks, that's exactly what I know will happen.
It's gonna get worse.
On a slightly more hopeful note, I did talk to many people these past few week - many from New Mexico - who told me they are still undecided.
So, for the sake of those who are not already dug in, could we please keep looking for some common ground between polemic and unrealistic themes like "Drill, Baby, Drill" and all-wind-and-solar, all of the time?
I'm no political expert, but I promise it could only benefit us all.
