RI Political Experts Give the Grades to the GOP Convention
GoLocalProv News Team
RI Political Experts Give the Grades to the GOP Convention
Romney, who as usual did not describe a single specific policy detail or proposal (because when he does people realize all the policies he proposes are going to hurt them) did not come off as an evil corporate zombie made of wood, so it was a good performance for him. What it says about a candidate's quality when the bar is that low is another story. B Aaron Regunberg, Progressive Activist and GoLocal MINDSETTER™
Romney was competent but not inspiring. He may not need to be both to defeat Obama in 2012. B Don Roach, former GOP Candidate for City Council in Warwick and GoLocal MINDSETTER™
On substance, I believe he succeeded in making his best case thus far that the country is on a downward spiral and electing him represents the best chance to reverse it. Stylistically, he managed to appear very comfortable but commanding on the stage which he needed to show to the audience, both in the hall and the millions watching at home on TV. Donna Perry, Executive Director of RISC and GoLocal MINDSETTER™
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTA smiling Mitt Romney, son of a moderate Republican governor of Michigan (who would likely be in the Olympia Snowe caucus of the GOP today), offered some genuinely moving personal anecdotes, stern warnings to Iran and Russia, celebrated the contributions of American women (despite selecting a man as his running mate), invoked Neil Armstrong and the Greatest Generation, and offered vague, misty-eyed, general platitudes about the greatness of America and Americans, and compared Obama to Jimmy Carter. Interestingly, his line toward the very end about caring for children and the elderly did not attract much applause. C- Dan Lawlor, GoLocal MINDSETTER™
Steady, sincere, and substantive, Romney came across as highly competent as he focused on his adoration for American ingenuity, his career in the business sector, and Obama’s failures – not to mention a touching segment on his personal family life, which could only have helped to eradicate the media’s portrayal of him as an unlikable and out-of-touch individual.Grade A – Travis Rowley, Chairman of the RI Young Republicans and GoLocal MINDESETTER™
Highlight of the GOP Convention
NJ Governor Chris Christie’s take no prisoners’ remarks were a highlight moment because he’s authentic and unapologetic, and he conveyed that “guy in the street” frustration with a down economy, vanishing jobs, and the President’s shortcomings in handling the country’s problems. Donna Perry, Executive Director of RISC and GoLocal MINDSETTER™
Condi Rice gave a well-delivered speech. I guess it's gutsy when the woman who failed to prevent 9/11 despite obvious warnings and designed the wildly ineffective strategy for the Iraq War can take to task the guy who got Osama bin Laden and who brought the Iraq War to an end. Aaron Regunberg, Progressive Activist and GoLocal MINDSETTER™
Highlight of the GOP Convention – No Democrats were allowed to be there. Travis Rowley, Chairman of the RI Young Republicans and GoLocal MINDESETTER™
Attacking Obama's 2008 rhetoric using 2012 realities. Simply crushing. Don Roach, former GOP Candidate for City Council in Warwick and GoLocal MINDSETTER™
Low Part of the GOP Convention
The homeless of Tampa who were harassed and displaced while hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent on catered dinners and parties (sadly, a scenario likely to be repeated at the Democratic Convention). Dan Lawlor, GoLocal MINDSETTER™
There were two ugly incidents. “They are happy to have a party when black people drown,” was what Yahoo! News Washington bureau chief David Chalian was caught saying about Mitt and Ann Romney while referencing Hurricane Isaac. Other members of the media also stayed true to the Left’s quest to convince as many people as possible that – even if they agree with the content of Republican speeches – the GOP is the party of racism. Travis Rowley, Chairman of the RI Young Republicans and GoLocal MINDESETTER™
The Rhode Island GOP delegation reportedly got stuck on an uncomfortable 2 hour bus ride to nowhere as they were trying to get from their hotel to the Convention site this week and that’s a big blunder on the part of convention organizers! Rhode Island’s delegation deserved better…. Donna Perry, Executive Director of RISC and GoLocal MINDSETTER™
It's bad when the racist, xenophobic core of your party gets away from you, such as when some of your delegates threw nuts at an African American camerawoman and said, "This is how we feed animals," or when a large portion of your crowd tries to yell a Puerto Rican woman offstage with chants of "USA, USA." Aaron Regunberg, Progressive Activist and GoLocal MINDSETTER™
Perhaps Tampa during hurricane seasons was not the best idea. Don Roach, former GOP Candidate for City Council in Warwick and GoLocal MINDSETTER™
Ryan gave a passionate argument for the Party’s view that the country is collapsing under its own fiscal weight and that Obama is not competent to handle it, and he solidified his status as the central figure of a new generation of conservatives. Donna Perry, Executive Director of RISC and GoLocal MINDSETTER™
Ryan took the fight to Obama...and kicked his butt. A- Don Roach, former GOP Candidate for City Council in Warwick and GoLocal MINDSETTER™
Ryan spoke about living on the same street he grew up on, the values of his family, joked about his Ipod, legitimately spoke of young people's frustrations and sunk hopes, and blamed the economic crisis on the President and the danger of "central planners" - if you weren't alive between 2000 and 2008 you might believe him on the last part. D Dan Lawlor, GoLocal MINDSETTER™
Ryan gave a hateful speech premised on a number of incredibly brazen, bald-faced lies and distortions. That's not unusual, of course--the entire Romney campaign is using the same playbook--but this time his disregard for the truth was so obvious that the media actually called him out on it. D Aaron Regunberg, Progressive Activist and GoLocal MINDSETTER™
Delivered with humor and enthusiasm, Ryan’s speech was a smart synthesis of conservative ideology and policy promises, earning strong applause for reminding the crowd that “our rights come from Nature and God, not from government,” and for vowing to repeal ObamaCare’s “2000 pages of rules, mandates, taxes, fees, and fines that have no place in a free country.” Grade A. Travis Rowley, Chairman of the RI Young Republicans and GoLocal MINDESETTER™