Republican National Convention
The Republican's opened their national convention Monday at South Philadelphia's First Union Center
and will wrap it up later in the week when George W. Bush accepts the party's nomination. Between now and then there will be many speeches and the time wasting delegate count. Obviously counting the delegates had a purpose at one time, but it is all ceremony now as a party's candidate is chosen well in advance of the convention.
Major party conventions are now little more that self-aggrandizing get-togethers, looking to give their candidate a boost in the polls and entertain the party faithful and powerful. Some would argue that the party platforms are discussed and hammered out however I believe that the platforms today are much more tools to try and reach the largest base of people rather than doctrines about what the Republicans or Democrats are really about. It's just another con game.
Philadelphia just averted a disaster by settling with public employees just hours before a planned strike. Everything is not rosy in the city of brotherly love however. John McCain was soundly booed when he released his delegates to W. Bush at the shadow convention. There are also protests , marches, and expected civil disobedience planned from a number of organizations concerned with a number of causes such as Philadelphia's Mumia Abu-Jamal murder case.
The first official policy speeches will begin Monday evening when Laura Bush and retired Gen. Colin Powell step up to the podium. Dick ( this is your fathers Oldsmobile ) Chaney will speak on Wednesday night and Bush on Thursday. "I can't wait to share what's on my mind," said Bush; and promised "a positive, uplifting tone for the country."
Bush himself is still campaigning in the Mid-West and will arrive in Philadelphia on Wednesday. The polls indicate that Bush has gotten a pre-campaign boost and has increased his lead over Gore by a few percentage points. Bush remains cautious saying he's "seen the numbers crumble" before.
