RNC Night 2...6 Days Later

Ah the Bush twins...One has to wonder what Karen Hughes was thinking when she wrote that painstaking valley-girl-esque speech. As I watched Jenna and Barbara trade off their youth-vote-attracting one-liners I couldn't help but wonder, Is this meant to make George look smarter? Because I must admit, when President Bush is placed side by side with the daughters Bush of the RNC, George looks like a genius. While the entire "speech" -- if you can call it that -- was quite painful, there were a couple lines that were so painful, I actually remembered them. For instance, "We had a hamster to. Ours didn't make it." A bit sad, no? Actually, the saddest thing about that line to me, was that not even Jenna and Barbara's speech avoided taking a jab at Kerry. But really, who would expect W. to do anything to save a hamster? After all, he finds it amusing to give freshly caught, still struggling fish to his dog to play with. But, far and away the most painful Bush twins line of the night: "Grandma thinks sex in the city is something married people do, and never talk about." Odd, disturbing, and even slightly inappropriate. Actually, I was a bit surprised that the Republicans would allow a sex joke, no matter how lame, at their convention. The most painful thing about that line though, was watching the twins, especially Jenna, look around uncomfortably afterwards, trying to gauge the delegates reaction: a mixture of laughter, somewhat suppressed "I shouldn't be laughing at this but I'm going to anyway to be polite" laughter, and flat out, yet polite, disapproval. I never thought I would be happy to hear George W. speak, but when his daughters finally introduced him and he began his introduction of his wife, I must admit I was quite relieved.

I must say I found Laura Bush's speech quite respectful. It was, if my memory serves me correctly, one of the few speeches I heard over the course of the four day convention that did not make an attempt to tear a political limb off of John Kerry. (If I am wrong about this, please correct me). In all honesty, I actually feel like I would like her if she were free to express her own political views and not forced to fall in line with her husband on every single issue -- was I the only one who caught Laura's slight look of disapproval when George went into his pro-life shpiel during his speech? It also wouldn't hurt for her to ease up on the "Stepford" look and act. All in all, night two of the RNC was, and I use this term in a very reserved fashion, respectful. At least it was in comparison to what would follow...