Is it really true that Al and Tipper kissed again like they did
last convention summer? I missed it entirely, though what further
proof do we need that Al is having trouble coming up with new
ideas? Anyone know a good choreographer?
Driving home I tuned in to C-Span radio just as Al was winding
down, sending a kiss to his wonderful "friend and ... partner for
eight years Bill Clinton." A cycle late, and a few dollars short.
But music to Clinton's ear, no doubt, as yet again his
indispensability was recognized by another of those many losers
he's had to put up with over the years.
Later Hillary gave a much better speech than the extended drone
she performed in Los Angeles on the Democrats' opening night four
years ago. She was least effective in greeting her husband as he
walked out for his star turn. Frigid doesn't begin to describe
whatever it was their effort of an embrace and kiss meant to
signify. Luckily the moment was short-lived and Bill wasn't knocked
off his game. Perhaps it even kept him from overheating, because
boy was he hot.
Could it have been the best speech of his life? Unlike in L.A.,
when he walked through a maze of corridors before landing on the
stage, and for the next endless minutes proceeded to take credit
for the greatest presidential performance he'd ever seen, last
night he kept himself pretty much under wraps, understanding for
once that he doesn't have to talk about himself to have people
eating out of his hands or to project absolute command of whatever
devious political scheme he wants to impose on his dull-witted
followers. He was the man, the maestro, speaking at sharp clip,
reducing George W. Bush to the second coming of Newt Gingrich,
twisting the Democratic construct of a nation divided into a
Republican scheme, and above all elevating John Kerry to a stature
he can't possibly live up to.
Clumsily unclever Kerry had made a surprise appearance in Boston
on Sunday only to leave town on Monday. By the time he returns for
his Thursday appearance, the magical buildup Clinton gave him will
have dissipated. What Kerry should have done is stuck around and
delivered his acceptance speech right after Clinton had finished,
preferably with Clinton at his side urging him on.
Instead, Clinton by Tuesday will be long gone, passing into
another stratum of legend, toying with a party that without him
can't even go through the motions.
Before the speech some 15,000 pundits in Boston predicted
Clinton would hurt Kerry by talking only about himself. Little did
they know that Clinton would do just the opposite: hurt Kerry with
a display of generosity that only reminded everyone in the universe
that a Bill Clinton can have no successors. Once a devil, always a
devil, and again dizzied Democrats are in the worst position to see
him as he is.
topics:
Bill Clinton
