… I was fortunately busy with other matters and only caught part of the very end of RNC-2, where Dr. Carson seemed to think referencing “In God We Trust” on our currency has some sort of relevance to our successes – and failures – as a nation. I’m also curious why such a brilliant surgeon finds it so urgent to credit God with the successes of Man. Are the most reverent the most successful? There’s little correlation; and it’s disrespectful to those who’ve worked so hard to achieve so much. He’s basically telling them that all the time, effort, and discipline is irrelevant, since God really does it all. For those who can think clearly, and yet accept such an assertion, it must be quite the blow to one’s faith in the virtues of working hard.
And reading Andrew Sullivan’s second night of live-blogging, I must admit to feeling pity for him. He’s clearly feeling a lot of pain at watching the GOP melting into irrelevance. Read it backwards:
9:31 p.m. In the last few seconds, Paul Ryan got his mojo back in a call for unity. But the speech was painfully devoid of any praise for the nominee, and framed around supporting a “conservative governing majority,” rather than a president. Again, it’s pretty amazing for the speaker of the House not to mention in more than a cursory way the actual nominee of his own party. Beyond Awkward. I bet you Trump is pissed.
9:27 p.m. Ryan is dying up there. A reader writes:
Paul Ryan’s speech would be very good in 1988 or thereabouts. Today, it’s just pathetic and utterly detached from the Trumpers who don’t know whether to clap or not.
He’s now all but apologizing for speaking: “Last. Last point …” Jesus this is depressing.
9:26 p.m. A speaker actually mentioned “liberties”. Ryan is just offering some somewhat lame anti-progressive clichés. The crowd is talking among themselves.
9:20 p.m. Ryan is trying to make a change election argument. So far, awkward. No mention of any policies proposed by Trump.
9:19 p.m. Ryan invokes Lincoln. Graves spin.
While it may be enjoyable in a creepy sort of way, I’m dismayed that the best analogy for the RNC is to Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, who made her name through, let us say, excess cleavage. Given the lies and appeals to the “fever swamps right” emotions, its really base nature and disdain for facts and truth, it’s really how it all seems to be. A vast orgasmic week for the resentful.
A number of GOP officials have avoided this year’s RNC, supposedly because of concerns about violence, although the idea of riots seems to have faded. I think that was just an excuse, and that most of them were so embarrassed at the thought of associating with Trump that they just decided to find a reason not to be present. It’ll be interesting to see how that plays out now that he’s the official nominee. Will they support him? Subtly chip away at him while trying to retain their elective seats? The drama continues.
