Heather Robinson @ Political Mavens:
Tonight’s speeches at the Republican National Convention in Tampa were solid and periodically inspiring. Ann Romney spoke about her husband and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie gave the keynote.
The most affecting moment, for me, came when Ann Romney spoke about Mitt in the second half of her speech. She came across as dead honest and sincere when she looked point-blank into the camera and said, ‘One thing I can tell you: this man will not fail.’ A couple thoughts: one, whatever else may or may not be true, I have zero problem doubting the sincerity of her belief or the likelihood that statement is probably a true one. Of course, failure and success are relative and the Presidency is surely one of the most complex jobs on the planet. She acknowledged that no one can possibly know what challenges lay in store. But Mitt Romney is a highly successful man in most endeavors he’s undertaken and is nothing if not an effective manager – something the country sorely needs.
The other thing about the ‘he will not fail’ statement is, without directly confronting it, it turned on its head the Obama team’s ridiculous effort to turn Romney’s success into a negative. In that vein, “This is the genius of America – dreams fulfilled help others launch new dreams” reminded listeners of the great truth that drives the economic engine that has helped more people attain prosperity than any system in human history.
Full speech:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK9Gl8PZfyk[/youtube]
She talked of substance not hope. While I was in Iraq, there was a large oil spill on the Tigris river that threatened to close down all the water plants and electricity in Baghdad on the first election day. I was in charge of forecasting the levels when it would get to Baghdad. One highly respected Major burst into the office and asked every one in the state department what they were doing to prevent the shut down of the water and electricity. The State Department stated that they hoped the spill would have been greatly reduced by the time it got to Baghdad. The Major had requested that an oil boom be flown up from Basarah to capture the oil. He said in very a very loud and disgusted voice, “Hope never accomplished anything, only action accomplishs something” There are many who might agree with him right now. Hope with out action is nothing!