NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Crazy in the Streets
Yesterday the protests in New York turned violent. A plainclothes policeman was badly beaten; the broadcaster Chris Matthews was reportedly manhandled by protesters; and some 900 law breakers were arrested.
For many Republican delegates, however, the most unpleasant memories of the convention will not involve the lurid troublemaking of the street anarchists but the casual offensiveness of overly politicized New Yorkers.
Delegates tell stories of theater matinees that start late because the performers at the last minute refused to perform for supporters of George W. Bush, of being insulted by passers-by, of garbage being tossed at the busses that move them from place to place. How true are these stories? The ones I have heard come second- or third-hand: “My friend in the California delegation told me about something that happened to her friend from Georgia...” On the other hand, you do hear enough of them that you have to wonder whether these urban incidents are merely urban legends.
Look, it was a great idea to hold this convention in New York, and not just because of the memories of 9/11. New York symbolizes how Republican government – the mayorship of Rudy Giuliani – could transform a frightened, dying city. I lived here from 1989 until 1994, the Dinkins years. I remember the crime, the car alarms that screeched all night, the casual disorder, the dirt, and above all the universal feeling that tomorrow would be even worse than today. Now I am staying in a hotel just across the street from the Greyhound bus terminal – an area that was once one of the very nastiest in all Manhattan – and the area is thronged with happy tourists on their way to the new Madame Tussaud’s.
The Republicans chose New York as their convention site to show solidarity with the wounded and recovering city and its indomitable spirit. Nobody expected that gesture to win many New York votes. But it would have been nice if New Yorkers showed more appreciation for the gesture.
Star Power
Arnold’s speech was one of the wonders of the convention: funny, charismatic, touching, and did I say – funny? The tribute to Ronald Reagan is scheduled for tomorrow night, but I wonder whether the authors of that tribute will have anything more compelling to offer than Arnold’s story of life during the days when the Soviets occupied part of Austria.
And Laura Bush’s speech was perfect: good but not too good. It’s obvious that she is not comfortable on a podium – which is of course exactly why America likes her.
In between, unfortunately, were the Bush twins. About the best that can be said of them is... well, their performance may cause future conventions to rethink this emerging custom of letting the candidates’ children speak.
Eavesdropped
Despite the occasional moment of tenseness with the locals, this is a positive convention. Republicans disdain John Kerry, but they don’t dislike him – certainly they feel nothing like the animus the Dems feel. At Boston, the Dems all seemed to be clenching their teeth and insisting with bulging eyes, “No, we are not ANGRY. No, we do not HATE that lying, vicious, moron. No, we love our candidate, what’s-his-name.” Maybe it’s because I’m staying in the same hotel as the Mississippi delegation, but the Republicans just seem to be filled with pleasanter feelings. Overheard in the elevator:
FIRST REPUBLICAN WOMAN: “Did you go to the Laura Bush event?” – referring to a private reception with the First Lady earlier in the day.
SECOND REPUBLICAN WOMAN: “Yes, wasn’t it lovely?”
THIRD REPUBLICAN WOMAN: “Lovely was just the word for it. And isn’t she lovely?”
FIRST REPUBLICAN WOMAN: “Lovely.”
New Bush Lead
I did a radio program yesterday on WBUR in which the head of Gallup polling was also interviewed. He said on air that his polls now show Bush with a six-point lead on the question, “Who will do the best job handling Iraq?” I haven’t seen that figure in print anywhere yet. Iraq, you’ll recall, is supposed to be George W. Bush’s greatest point of vulnerability in this election.
Elsewhere
Can we now turn our eyes from New York to the grief and horror unfurling itself in Russia? Hostage-takings in schools, suicide bombings in the subway, the claims that terrorists destroyed two airliners and killed all aboard – August 2004 has been Russia’s season of terror.
Let's stipulate that Russia’s conduct in Chechnya has been appalling almost beyond description – stretching back to the time when Stalin deported half the Chechen population to Central Asia. But this Chechen terror counter-campaign is as horrible as anything done by al Qaeda, Hamas, or Hezbollah. 09:00 AM
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