On Demand
John McCain’s Speech in St. Paul
Friday, September 05, 2008
Clark Judge talks about McCain's nomination acceptance speech in St. Paul last night. Judge was a speechwriter and special assistant in the Reagan White House, and he wrote many of Reagan’s campaign speeches in 1988 and numerous podium speeches for the 1992 GOP convention. Currently he’s Managing Director of White House Writers Group, Inc.
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Mc Cain Speech last night was definitely a C-.
If a No-Candidate-Left-Behind standardized test was administered he would fail. Palin is running her 2012 campaign. She is even trying to keep her distance from him on stage.
Your callers are deniers.It was an incredible speech. I had to marvel at the Repubs' speech writers. They are undeniably brilliant.
A lot of it was written in code: if you didn't know the right's take on issues, it would fly over your head, and you'd concentrate on the issue that meant something to you.
For example, if you didn't know what he meant by "judges who legislate from the bench," it would just pass you by. It filled me with fear, because I know who he was talking to with that phrase.
And, in an election where the VP is an incredibly important post, I worry that if McCain gets in, the far right will assassinate him, blame it on the left--and stick us with their real sweetheart--Palin.
John McCain -- in opposition.
As in 90% support in his votes with George W? As in this _talk_ opposing torture, but his _votes_ supporting it?
Open, transparent, accountable?
As in the S&L scandal? As in the vicious, racist ads his campaign has used this year?
The guest should just come out and say Obama is an intellectual, Eastern liberal elite. That's what he obviously thinks.
I thought this was supposed to be a neutral critique on speech writing and giving. This guy sounds like he's from the McCain campaign.
The campaign of attack against Palin? Give us some examples of what Obama said. Obama was gracious to the extent he said anything.
As for issues of her experience, her honesty -- Democrats did _exactly_ what Republicans have.
As for the children, I DEFY Mr. Judge to cite EVEN ONE leading Democrat or liberal who attacked on that point. (Citation, not vague, unsupported reference).
There was Laura Schlesinger -- right-winger -- who attacked Palin.
Why are canidates families "off limits" when they parade them on stage for political purposes?
This guy has got to be kidding - no one is smearing Palin - they are questioning her fitness for office. If she's a reactionary, vindictive hypocrite, we need to know. We've had eight years under two of those, and enough is enough.
Your guest claims that the Obama campaign came out attacking against Palin and that's false. Obama has respectfully welcomed her and even defended her family from the media coverage. All "smears" and questions about Palin have come from the media, not the Obama campaign.
c'mon folks...this is reagan's speech writer.
anyone remember all the mileage this clown got out of cadillac driving welfare queens.
he is a hard right divisive attack dog to the core.
just drive on by.
nothing to see here.
Is this supposed to be an analysis of McCain's speech or a partisan defense (and attack) by a bitter Republican speechwriter?
Not enough analysis of the speech and too much partisan politics!
I had to turn off my radio - I was hoping to hear an analysis, and heard your guest only spouting Republican talking points. What a waste of time!
I am not impressed with Senator McCains performance last night…
He is completely out of touch with the 95% of us average Americans in need of a governmental change!!!!! That is exactly what Obama will bring to the White House!!!
We do not need an “Out Of Touch War Hero” in the White House…
NOTE : There were exactly (169 lobbyist ) sitting down in the front rows of that fake bring about change RNC… What a joke!!!!!! Check the facts!!!!!!!! That’s not change!!!!
We need someone with fresh ideas, in touch with what is going on here & aboard Someone with GOOD judgment…
Barack Obama – 2008
We Will Be Heard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Peggy Noonan gave us the "read my lips" line -- the same Noonan who was caught on air giving her true opinion of the Palin pick.
As for Judge, perhaps we should ask whether he was involved in the THEFT of the Carter briefing book in the 1980 campaign.
As for his comments here, Judge just sounds like another vile Republican liar. He is certainly lying about McCane's voting record.
McCane is very good about saying one thing and doing another. The proof is in the voting record -- easily found online at the Washington Post and elsewhere.
Clark Judge as a guest? So far he's said nothing that you would not hear from any commentator on FOX News.
Please give us some analysis of the speech and not your own blatantly simple editorializing.
Mr. Lopate: poor choice in guests!
This isn't a deconstruction of McCain's speech.....it's an apologist/propagandist guest speaker. Now I have to go do the work myself.
Big disappointment...Maybe just ask him to talk about his own work and get a better guest to deconstruct McCain's speech.
Subprime crisis was unanticipated? It is to laugh.
Leonard and Judge discussed the 1992 "no new taxes" line. Although these words came to haunt Bush I, they certainly did help get him elected.
In contrast, in 1984 Mondale had said, "Let's tell the truth. It must be done, it must be done. Mr. Reagan will raise taxes, and so will I. He won't tell you. I just did."
His candidacy was a non-starter after that one. So much for truth.
Another shill for the Republican party. This idea that the Obama campaign maliciously attacked Sarah Palin is such a fallacy. The one specific attack this propagandist brought up regarding Sarah Palin,her daughters pregnancy, was called off limits by Obama himself.The other giant fallacy is that
McCain is not a Maverick and either is Palin.
Even Republicans are trying to distance themselves from Bush, especially McCain now, so what's with supporting Bush in his elections and supporting his policy over 90% of the time?
McCain and the Republicans want it both ways.
The Daily Show did a great piece showing the utter hipocrisy of the Republican propaganda machine.
This guy is just another cog in that wheel.
The subprime crisis most emphatically was anticipated -- by Elizabeth Warren at Harvard, by Nouriel Roubini at NYU and by Karl Marx about 150 years ago (anticipating the general form of capitalist failure).
McCains military experience-- shot down, tortured.
He votes for torture.
I feel compelled to argue that 5 years in solitary is not deep military experience.
Where's the change?
Talk about energy-- he votes against orskips the vote on renewable every time and now we are supposed to believe that he's going to dive right in?
Why am I so skeptical?
Palin cancelled the bridge once she realized she wasn't going to get it. She instituted lobbying for Wasilla. She raised money for Ted Stevens 527.
Your guest is dishonest. Nice work.
I wonder what Clark Judge calls personal attacks - I thought the discussion of Governor Palin was tame.
Sarah Palin went after the biggest men in Alaksa, said the guest, but he failed to add what Alaskans observed: she went after people standing in her way. One way of eliminating the competition.
Thanks Hugh - I couldn't pull out the names, but I knew it had been.
Your guest Clark Judge claims the WTC attacks 9-11-2001 was "unanticipatable" to defend how Bush handled various unexpected challenges and how the current candidates might fair in similar situations.
In fact 9-11 WAS anticipated. By AL GORE. Also, we had FBI agents watching the hijackers for their participation in flight schools. All while that dope John Ashcroft was chasing down sodomites and pot-smokers.
Leonard, you MUST speak truth to this nonsense. Please look sharp.
C'mon Leonard. You are letting this guy off easy.
Sarah Palin canceled the construction project that was the "Bridge to Nowhere" but she kept the earmark. She kept the money!!!
Did you not know this?
This is how these guys get off the hook.
He provided zero insight on speech writing for political candidates, instead he just dutifully regurgitated Republican talking points.
And you let him get away with it.
Total waste of airtime.
Clark Judge just said Palin opposed the "bridge to nowhere" when she learned of it and stood up to Ted Stevens. In fact, she spoke publicly in favor of it, only changing her position after the criticism, and was a member of Stevens PAC.
What's With FOX NEWS..??
Fair & Balanced..? Are They Crazy..???
Every commentator on that news channel describes 'Palin' as if she is one of GODS Disciples...
It really is humorous...
Palin has what I consider to be "Very Poor" parenting skills...
I mean come on...allowing her 17 year old daughter to become pregnant..??
If she cannot keep tabs on her own 17 year old daughter how can this women be considered for 2nd in command of the greatest country in the world!!!
What A Joke!!!!!!!! Get Real!!!!!!!!
The True Change We Need....
Obama – 2008
**The Average American Will Be Heard **
I have to agree with the posts saying that Mr. Judge's appearance involved no "deconstruction" and was mostly "cheerleading." I don't know that the White House Writers Group, Inc. does, but he did no critical analysis of the strategy, structure, facts, style, distortions, or many other topics that could be of interest to understand what the R's candidate for President offers us.
F.Y.I. - In Case This Was Under The Radar...
Aides to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin improperly obtained her former brother-in-law's state police personnel files and cited information from those records to raise complaints about the officer, the head of Alaska's state police union said Thursday.
"It's apparent to us that the governor or someone on her staff had direct access to his personnel file, as well as his workers' comp file, and those are protected," said John Cyr, executive director of the Alaska Public Safety Employees Association.
I'm sorry to have to say your guest is a Republican apologist - by which I mean He finds everything Republicans say credible and everything said against them contemptible. I think you did as admirable a job as possible under the circumstances but in terms of an informed discussion he is a useless cipher.
it's good to hear from the other side. that way it confirms who i am, knowing i can't buy what's being sold.
I Totally Agree...
Anyone With Half A Brain Can Tell McCain Is Welded
To Bush...
McCain Will Bring 4 More Years Of Pain!!!
Obama Will End The Drama!!!!
Leonard- Your inability to challenge your guest in this interview was pathetic. I am embarrassed to be a NYC listener. You might as well let the Repulican party take over your show. You are not a journalist, but a pansy. I am sick and tired of the limp wristed so called Liberal Press who get so scared of the right wing and do not call them for the liars and hypocrites that they are.And Brian Is not much better.
The segment title had the word analysis in the title. The guest was not an analyst but a political cheerleader for the Republicans. It continues to amaze me the blinders Republicans, such as your guest, have on.
STAMP OF APPROVAL
Obama's like the postage stamp
"USA First-Class Forever"
Except for this: he won't be licked--
American voters are too clever
This thread is closed.
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