RNC Backstage Pass: Farewell St. Paul

It was a long night and an early morning, and we're trying to get ourselves packed and ready to go.

But before we go ...

Thanks so much to Deborah Amos for sitting in the chair and holding it down while we were in St. Paul. I think she did a great job, don't you? And thanks again to Cheryl Corley, who guest hosted the week before ... and Lynn Neary the week before that.

Taking a step back and looking at John McCain's speech:

Was it too long on biography and too short on policy? Or, did McCain (and I am so sick of this phrase) "do what he needed to do"?

Will both candidates be able to keep the campaign on the issues they and the country all say are most important, which is to stay on fixing corrupt and special interest-dominated political systems, fixing a broken health care system, addressing economic growth at home and threats abroad ... as opposed to who is the bigger patriot, who loves the country more?

Both men say this is about you, not them. But will the blogosphere, and their supporters be able to contain themselves?

More random thoughts:

The protests? Dozens of people have been arrested here over the course of the week. We met one of the parents of one young man who was arrested. He says the police went too far to suppress dissent and arrest people long before their behavior crossed the line.

Hard to know without being there. We spent so much time in the convention hall that, half the time, we never knew what was going on outside until it was all over.

But if you spent any time in and around St. Paul this week, what were your impressions? Did you feel the police went too far, or did the protesters abuse the concept of peaceful protest?

Also, this convention does not seem to have been a big economic boost for the city. The restaurants were not full, the stores did not seem to be crowded -- at least not where we were. It was big change from Denver, where the place was hopping with vendors on every corner and a party in every watering hole.

What happened?

Real life did continue.

We came upon a lovely farmer's market here on seventh street -- gorgeous tomatoes, flowers, long beans and raspberries. Wish I could bring some home with me.

And, did the conversations heard on TMM about the political conventions these past two weeks serve a useful purpose? Or, is it all just too much hoopla for too little result?

Blog it out.

I'm outta here. As for me, this has been great but I miss my family, my house, my staff.

Please, weather, cooperate so we can get home!

See you Monday.

Michel Martin

3:49 PM ET | 09- 5-2008 | permalink

comments () | | e-mail

 

RNC Backstage Pass: Listening to McCain

... Nearing the end of John McCain's speech.

Right now, I feel privileged to have been here to see it, and indeed privileged to have heard both his and Barack Obama's speech.

This one is as remarkable in its own way -- gracious, tough, leaving nothing on the table.

There are not so many tears here, there were moments of near silence, which is a remarkable thing in a hall of 20,000 people. There are many lumps in the throat as a room full of men used to holding things in heard their truth spoken out loud.

Both men (Obama and McCain) called this country and its people to its best self -- something grander and more remarkable than we might even imagine. They have very different visions about how to get there, but in the end they both offer a call to decency, a call to service, a call to put others above self.

Will we listen? ... And to whom?

Michel Martin

11:28 PM ET | 09- 4-2008 | permalink

comments () | | e-mail

 

The Rest of the World, Remember That?

Deborah Amos, here. I am sitting in for Michel Martin this week, although 'sitting in' is hardly the relationship. It is more like we're driving the car together.

Rudy Giuliani reminded us in his speech at the Republican National Convention (RNC) that the world is a scary place. But then he would say that, wouldn't he. While I don't completely subscribe to the former New York mayor's bleak world view, he reinforced, for a few moments, that the rest of the world is a complicated place and will test the skills of the next team that takes over the White House.

There have been some intriguing international news stories that may have passed under the radar with all the recent attention on a soccer (or hockey) mom from Alaska:

- American troops crossed the border into Pakistan for the first time to chase down Taliban targets. This is a major escalation and is likely to weaken the Pakistani government.

- The Bush administration upped the ante in the confrontation with Russia, pledging one billion dollars in aid to Georgia after Russian sent troops into Georgian territory. This is Middle East kind of money. Big problem money. Georgia is now one of the highest per capita recipients of U.S. aid in the world.

I talked to three international journalists this morning on Tell Me More to find out how the U.S. elections are playing in Mexico, in the Middle East, and in Russia. The good news is that the elections are closely followed in the rest of the world. The bad news is, "they" don't like us very much out there. But, still, there is an expectation that the United States has to take a strong role in the world, or the festering problems will only get worse.

We've had a bit of a vacation during this election season from the daily focus on the most destabilizing world problems. This is an American election after all, and we've been talking about the most pressing issues at home: the economy, education, the high price at the pump.

We are having a much needed American conversation, and while, as voters, elections are rarely decided on foreign policy, the rest of the world will reassert itself on the agenda in January, 2009.

-- Deborah Amos

Michel Martin

2:02 PM ET | 09- 4-2008 | permalink

comments () | | e-mail

 

RNC Backstage Pass: Random Impressions

This convention comes across as both more business-like and less emotionally engaged than the Democratic convention.

Why might that be?

Because it's more of a conventional campaign run by political professionals, and less of a "cause"? Because there are fewer first-timers? ... And fewer women? ... Is it because the people are older?

... Are things different here because there is less of an undercurrent of the kind of intense sibling rivalry that haunted the first few days of the Democratic convention last week?

Also, there seem to be fewer journalists here, although I have seen more of my friends in St. Paul than in Denver (probably because of the time difference -- I'm not so dog tired -- since we tape in the morning). I know that a couple of the black media outlets that covered the Dems were not scheduled to be here, or are leaving early -- BET and Radio One, for example.

On the other hand, all of the big name Republicans who did the Democratic reaction are here, along with some of the Democrat counterparts, like Donna Brazile.

To answer some questions from listeners:

Why aren't the evangelical and social conservative Christians more upset about Sarah Palin's pregnant teenaged daughter?

Our unscientific reporting showed a split both inside the hall and out:

Texas delegate Fred Farias says it proves she's human, families go through this, and that it makes Palin more authentic.

"It's a family matter, and we like that fact that she's walking the walk, she's keeping the baby," said Farias.

Fellow Texan Cynthia Jenkins (one of the few African-American delegates here) agreed.

"Families go through this. I think people can relate to her and what she's going through," she told me.

But not so fast, says voter David Clough. He's not a delegate, he's just a guy we met on our way home who says he is a Christian (make that conservative evangelical).

"It is an issue," he says. "If she [Palin] can't run a moral household, she can't run the country, if it comes to that. I don't understand why John McCain is saluting that. It just shows how corrupt we've become. It's an issue to me because I'm a Christian."

Clough says he is not sure he will vote for anybody now, he's so disappointed.

Switching gears, we've been hearing that the Democrats are still battling rumors that Sen. Barack Obama is a Muslim. And this isn't just idle internet chatter.

Texan Margaret Ann Lopez, a guest of her delegate husband's this time (last time, she was a delegate and he was her guest), says she is absolutely convinced Obama is a Muslim.

"He's a liar," she says. "He lies about so many things. He lies that he is qualified."

How does Lopez feel about Palin and the baby?

Palin, she says, "is tremendously qualified ... she has done more service in those years than he [Obama] has in the years he has been there [serving in the U.S. Senate]."

Obama, she is convinced, is a "dangerous person."

I asked Lopez why the Palin matter is any different from the rumors in 2000, claiming that McCain has an illegitimate black daughter?

"This is different," she says. "There was no evidence of that."

Michel Martin

8:03 PM ET | 09- 3-2008 | permalink

comments () | | e-mail

 

Watching Palin And Taking Notes

Deborah Amos, here. I am sitting in for Michel Martin this week, although 'sitting in' is hardly the relationship. It is more like we're driving the car together.

After talking politics non-stop for the past two days, I realize that much of this election is riding on a woman ... again. This is another interesting twist in a political contest that has been unpredictable from the start. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin seems like the very opposite of Hillary Clinton, in terms of her policy choices and the causes she advocates. Of course, Palin is younger, and takes more risks when it comes to her public presentation. But, like Hillary, she's billed as "tough," a reformer, a champion of conservative causes.

But the more I think about it, we really don't know much about Sarah Palin. So far, it's all media projections and official campaign statements. After all, it was the McCain campaign staff that made the announcement that Palin's 17-year-old daughter is pregnant.

On Tell Me More today, I interviewed three women -- Ellen Moran, Janice Crouse and Ambassador Swanee Hunt -- who don't agree on much when it comes to politics, but they all agreed that it is "exciting" to have a woman in the race. Part of that excitement is the novelty.

I interviewed Nancy Pelosi a few weeks ago. When she first became Speaker of the House of Representatives, she said that "the first woman" distinction was often attached to her job description. There came a time, she said, when most people dropped the extra definition because, well, it seems her role had become a normal part of politics. She was defined by her stand on issues, not by her gender.

Tonight is the first step in this direction for Sarah Palin. For the first time, she will speak to a national audience. And for the first time, we will get to know her beyond the media hype and campaign spin.

I am looking forward to settling in tonight in front of the best "reality show" on television. I plan to listen very carefully to Sarah Palin's speech. I want to know what she stands for. I want to know how she thinks, not as a woman, but as a politician.

And by the time this election is over, I hope having a woman in a presidential race is just a normal part of any campaign.

-- Deborah Amos

Michel Martin

2:14 PM ET | 09- 3-2008 | permalink

comments () | | e-mail

 

RNC Backstage Pass: Don't Mess With Texas

Finally, some fashion to report!

The TEXAS delegation wins. I'm sorry they just do -- color coordinated shirts and ten gallon hats EVERY day. A DIFFERENT ONE FOR EVERY DAY.

Denim shirts were Monday night, red polos for Tuesday. Many fabulous boots. There were even some color coordinated painted fingernails that I saw.

Rolando, show the people what a convention fashion statement is all about:

Michel Martin

8:53 AM ET | 09- 3-2008 | permalink

comments () | | e-mail

 

RNC Backstage Pass: Signs of Normalcy, Star Power

It seems that the proceedings are getting back on track. The hurricane damage does not seem to be as severe as feared, and convention organizers are planning a program tonight that will return to a more normal agenda of political speeches.

According to the wires, the convention will resume tonight at 6:30 central time (7:30 eastern time). I'm not sure where all the big name anchors who flew off to the Gulf Coast will be broadcasting tonight. I know we'll be back on the air with our NPR special coverage. (I don't know, at this writing, whether I'll be participating. That's part of the deal; things have been so much in flux that we media types are reacting to events just as the convention goers are.)

Celebrity sighting:
Reggaeton star Daddy Yankee is here in St. Paul to do a hurricane relief benefit event. The Latin Grammy-winning artist is endorsing John McCain, too. Rolando saw him and got a picture:

Teshima, I WIN!

Continue reading "RNC Backstage Pass: Signs of Normalcy, Star Power" »

Michel Martin

3:05 PM ET | 09- 2-2008 | permalink

comments () | | e-mail

 

RNC Backstage Pass: On The Ground In St. Paul

So producer Rolando Arrieta and I made it to St. Paul last night. On the one hand, we're happy to be here, and on the other wondering if we're in the right place -- and I don't mean our convention workplace which is fabulous.
(Thank you Minnesota Public Radio, American Public Media; thank you NPR technical staff. Great building, great views, working equipment. Love you.... Except for the chairs. I can't say enough about how uncomfortable these chairs are. They are like the kind you'd sit on at a tent revival. But anyway ...)

Here's the issue: huge hurricane bearing down on the Gulf. At times it was a Cat 4 (Katrina was a 5). Now it's down to a Cat 2 for now. ... So, what are we doing here?

Stay?

Go? If go, go where? ... New Orleans? It's under mandatory evacuation order.

Mississippi, Houston?

For now we have made the decision to stay put. There's still a story here, and there's going to be a story here:

Just who is Sarah Palin? And why is she the VP nominee, and how does she affect the dynamics of the race?

What does it mean to have a woman on the ticket? One way or the other, history will be made -- we'll either have the first African-American President or the first woman VP.

I asked GOP strategist Sara Taylor, former White House Political Director for George W. Bush, why a "Hillary Democrat" would ever vote for this ticket?

... Pro-Iraq war, pro-ANWAR drilling, anti-abortion rights, anti-gay rights. Taylor made the argument that people vote on more than one issue (some people, anyway), and that they vote on character. And you know what? She has a point.

The argument is being made that people can "relate" to Sarah Palin and the GOP ticket in a way that they will not relate to the Democrats.

What does that mean?

Now, if anything is grist for a blog convo, that would seem to be it. So have at it!

More On Keeping It 'Real'

Did you check me out Friday night on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher"?

(One word: cold. That show's studio set was so COLD. I thought my teeth were chattering -- were they chattering? Other than that, why can't that makeup artist, Brenda, come home with me so I can look that good everyday? But I digress, again.)

Some of you have already sent me notes. One of you took issue with my comparing Sarah Palin with Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine. You pointed out that he served as mayor of Richmond, a city councilman, and as Lt. Governor; unlike Palin.

A fair point.

Another of you felt I should have gone stronger on the point that her presence undercuts the McCain argument that it's all about "experience" because, if so, what's she doing there?

Fair point, but I thought others made it.

Anyway, don't just talk to ME. Share your thoughts with the world, via the blog. Blog IT OUT.

Rolando and I will check in later. It's a very truncated evening, as we discussed ...

Michel Martin

12:32 PM ET | 09- 1-2008 | permalink

comments () | | e-mail