The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : Dance Hee Haw Monkey, Dance!

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The spectacle of Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer's speech and the glee Democrats displayed over having a real, live over-the-top, walking (wildly inaccurate) stereotype of "regula Midwest folk" dance like a trick monkey for them was pa-the-tic. Sadly, for me, others have already put this into more eloquent context:

1) Dave Weigel in his must-read column on the disappearing-before-it-really-appeared Libertarian Democrat, writes:

Instead of being a proudly contrarian executive of an oil-drilling state, he became a populist rancher raging against "petro-dictators," domestic drilling, and "tax breaks for big oil." Leaning back, then leaning forward with his finger pointed like the guns he didn't mention, Schweitzer country-drunk slurred his insults against the Republican candidate who'd bring "Mora-tha-same!" Surprise! His performance killed! The buzz among delegates on the interminable path out of the arena, lined with golf carts, blown-up fetus pictures, and bullhorn-hogging bearded loudmouths, was that the large fella with the bolo tie and jeans was this year's Obama 2004.

And Denver Post columnist David Harsanyi, who I interviewed last year about his book Nanny State, offers this:

Naturally, every political convention features its share of demagoguery. But buried beneath all the idealistic talk in Denver are some ugly details. Those who had the inner fortitude to remain conscious through speeches by Bob Casey and Mark Warner were surely entertained by the theatrics of populist Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer (a man who represents the possibility of America - a place where even a former cast member of "Hee Haw!" can become governor of Montana).

When Schweitzer claims "we must invest" in projects he likes, he means government will take it and invest it for you. You see, you must. Then Schweitzer claimed (in a half truth) that Republican nominee John McCain voted "against" solar energy, biofuels and wind energy. Which is weird, because I could swear my neighbor has solar panels, so they must be legal. I know I've seen windmills. So I suppose that Schweitzer meant that McCain voted against some federal boondoggle for wind and/or solar energy.

topics:
John McCain, Energy, Oil