Wednesday, July 27, 2016

The Voters (Delegates) Have Spoken: Hillary is the (Democratic) Nominee

It's time to Break It Down!

As we greet this new day on planet Earth, there are a number of great truths; few more apparent than that there is a gulf separating the two major political Parties, a space that spans poles (no pun intended). The philosophies and ideologies that frame the views and the accompanying talking points of the Republican Party, which convened last week in Cleveland, are frequently pitted in diametrical opposition to those of the Democratic Party, now underway in Philadelphia.

More often than not, it seems the media, intent upon the devolution of all civil discourse, fans the flames of discord. It may be to garner ratings, or to gain clicks, or to sell newspapers or magazines. Regardless of the intended purpose, far too regularly, a media outlet is front and center in the midst of the resultant turmoil.

Last week, the GOP gave us four days flush with varying degrees of drama. Let me say up front, the early analysis suggests that, at least in the short term, the drama was a plus for Candidate Trump. He started this week with a 6-point bounce, and a lead of then Democratic presumptive nominee Clinton. According to CNN, Trump leads Clinton 44% to 39% in a four-way matchup between the Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, and the Green Party. In a head-to-head match-up with Clinton, he leads 48% to 45%.

If anything I suppose those results give credence to the maxim, “There is no such thing as bad publicity…also framed as “All publicity is good publicity.” At least it seems that way when you consider the chaotic nature of the GOP’s four idyllic days in “Believe-land.” To summarize that amazing moment in time, the highlight of which was formally elevating Donald Trump to the status of Party Nominee, here are my personal highlights:

  Monday – Melania bites Michelle. No, not in a man bites dog kind of way. Rather that is hipster patois for copying one’s style, copping one’s moves, or in this case plagiarizing one’s speech. That may actually have been the low moment of the Convention. It was certainly the negative event that consumed the most media time and energy. It totally “trumped” the day's earlier events, when a small group of Delegates attempted briefly to oust Trump as the Nominee-in-waiting, and Ohio Governor, John Kasich opted to follow through on his pre-announced plans to skip the Convention (held in Cleveland).
  Tuesday – Dr. Ben Carson uses Alinsky, Lucifer, and Hillary in the expression of a singular circular thought. It was the kind of classic Carson logic with which we have become all too familiar. You know, the sort that assails Obamacare, asserting it is the worst thing for America since slavery. I suppose I should give him credit for ascribing to slavery a negative light. OK, thumbs up, Doc.
  Wednesday – Ted Cruz addresses the GOP Convention, and, after having advised Mr. Trump of his intentions days in advance, and providing a copy of his remarks earlier in the day, to absolutely no one’s surprise, he refused to endorse Donald Trump. Suddenly what had been reported by CNN for two days was treated as a shocking development...by the media. There was gnashing of teeth and wringing of hands, and a general post-mortem consensus that Mr. Trump should have deleted Senator Cruz from the program, given what he knew, and/or Senator Cruz should have, knowing what he knew, just stayed home. But where would the drama have been in that?
  Thursday – Donald Trump talks for 75 minutes in his acceptance speech, a modern day record, before finally “humbly and gratefully” accepting his Party’s nomination. In his uniquely “humble” way, he declared himself the only person capable of resolving the litany of problems he enumerated that require fixing, in order to make America safe, work, first, one, and of course, great…again. If I didn’t know better I’d think a master Reality TV producer engineered their convention. But that’s just me.

This week, it is the Democrat’s turn to step up and show their wares. At the outset, it looked at though the media and the Convention were jointly committed to create just as much excitement, or drama, if you will, as the Republicans brought us last week. Even before the Monday opening, Wiki-Leaks released a series of emails Sunday that showed high ranking officials of the DNC conspiring to devise schemes to denigrate Senator Sanders. The resulting fallout led to the resignation of the DNC Chair, Debbie Wasserman Shultz. Initially, DWS planned to gavel the Convention into Session, and to gavel it closed, even though she had resigned. This…was an incredibly bad idea. Yes, the optics were less than desirable, but more importantly the concept itself was profoundly flawed.

Fortunately, sanity prevailed, and some Democrat, or perhaps several, figured out that the most effective strategy to pursue if you dig yourself into a hole…is to stop digging. To that end, the erstwhile Chair relinquished the remainder of her duties and responsibilities, and stepped to the sideline. The result was, after looking and sounding like a hair-on-fire story throughout Sunday night, and Monday morning, the Democrats reinvented the opening day by the time the Convention was gaveled into Session at 4:00 p.m. Monday afternoon.

The actual Convention session went off largely without a hitch. In fact, the proceedings were so understated from a drama point of view, that CNN’s resident GOP counter-programming critics were either mostly silent, or altogether AWOL. That means, unlike the Trumpster Fire that lasted all four days of last week’s Convention, Day 1 of the Democrat’s Convention was a critical success.

Even after losing DWS, there was still a level of anticipation that Bernie’s supporters would bow up and crash Mrs. Clinton’s party. The media kept trying to keep viewers on the edge of their seats with what ifs, and queries of what might happen next. By the time the evening was over, Senator Sanders, who wrapped up the evening, had given a clear and passionate endorsement of Secretary Clinton, Senator Cory Booker, NJ, gave a stem-winding speech, Senator Elizabeth Warren gave a strong speech touting the candidate that drew high praise, and the cherry on top, though it was not the final speech, was a masterpiece by First Lady Michelle Obama.

By now, we have like last week, traversed half of the Convention. Last night's highlight, naturally, was a speech by former President Bill Clinton who wove a series of anecdotes and short stories into a compelling tapestry about Mrs. Clinton. There was a considerable amount of discussion about whether Bill would be able to effectively humanize his wife. In all fairness, he has frequently had a blind spot when it comes to Mrs. Clinton. Last night, that did not appear to be the case.

Clinton’s speech on Clinton was substantial in every conceivable dimension. However, it was Bernie Sanders, in fact, who delivered Tuesday’s highlight. The Clinton and Sanders teams negotiated an agreement that led to the Senator formally making a motion that led to the Party nominating Hillary Clinton by acclamation. While I am sure there will be strains of the Never Hillary Movement in the future, that single act moved mountains in diffusing the most substantive elements of any remaining resistance. In effect, Sanders demonstrated he would continue to do his part to unify the Party.

With that said, when Mrs. Clinton, who appeared via satellite Tuesday night, formally accepts the Nomination tomorrow, it will mark the moment when the gloves come off…for all parties. The sparring between the two sides has grown in frequency and tenor in recent weeks. However, methinks, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Years from now, when we look back on it, the crossfire between Clinton and Trump is likely to be deemed legendary. In just under 15 weeks, this whole thing will be a wrap, kit and caboodle. Today we can reflect on Mrs. Clinton having become America's first female major Party Nominee for President. Indeed, “The Voters (Delegates) Have Spoken: Hillary Is the (Democratic) Nominee!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com.

Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.”

Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.
Consult the links below for more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post:











http://www.whio.com/news/news/national/read-bill-clintons-speech-democratic-national-conv/nr5gZ/
It's time to Break It Down!

The Voters (Delegates) Have Spoken: Hillary is the (Democratic) Nominee

It's time to Break It Down!

As we greet this new day on planet Earth, there are a number of great truths; few more apparent than that there is a gulf separating the two major political Parties, a space that spans poles (no pun intended).  The philosophies and ideologies that frame the views and the accompanying talking points of the Republican Party, which convened last week in Cleveland, are frequently pitted in diametrical opposition to those of the Democratic Party, now underway in Philadelphia. 

More often than not, it seems, the media, intent upon sparking the devolution of civil discourse, fans the flames of discord.  It may be to garner ratings, or to gain clicks, or to sell newspapers or magazines.  Regardless of the intended purpose, far too regularly, a media outlet is front and center in the midst of the resultant turmoil.     

Last week, the GOP gave us four days flush with varying degrees of drama.  Let me say up front, the early analysis suggests that, at least in the short term, the drama was a plus for Candidate Trump.  He started this week with a 6-point bounce, and a lead of then Democratic presumptive nominee Clinton.  According to CNN, Trump leads Clinton 44% to 39% in a four-way matchup between the Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, and the Green Party.  In a head-to-head match-up with Clinton, he leads 48% to 45%.

If anything I suppose those results give credence to the maxim, “There is no such thing as bad publicity…also framed as “All publicity is good publicity.”  At least it seems that way when you consider the chaotic nature of the GOP’s four idyllic days in “Believe-land.”  To summarize that amazing moment in time, the highlight of which was formally elevating Donald Trump to the status of Party Nominee, here are my personal highlights:

·      Monday – Melania bites Michelle.  No, not in a man bites dog kind of way.  Rather that is hipster patois for copying one’s style, copping one’s moves, or in this case plagiarizing one’s speech.  That may actually have been the low moment of the Convention.  It was certainly the negative event that consumed the most media time and energy.  It totally “trumped” the earlier events of the day, when a small group of Delegates attempted briefly to oust Trump as the Nominee-in-waiting, and Ohio Governor, John Kasich opted to skip the Convention, in Cleveland.
·      Tuesday – Dr. Carson uses Alinsky, Lucifer, and Hillary in the expression of the same circular thought.  It was the kind of classic Carson logic with which we have become all too familiar.  You know, the sort that assails Obamacare, asserting it is the worst thing for America since slavery.  I suppose I should give him credit for ascribing to slavery a negative light.  OK, thumbs up, Doc.
·      Wednesday – Ted Cruz addresses the GOP Convention, and, after having advised Mr. Trump of his intentions days in advance, and providing a copy of his remarks earlier in the day, to absolutely no one’s surprise, he refused to endorse Donald Trump.  Suddenly what had been reported by CNN for two days was treated as a shocking development...by the media.  There was gnashing of teeth and wringing of hands, and a general post-mortem consensus that Mr. Trump should have deleted Senator Cruz form the program, given what he knew, and/or Senator Cruz should have, knowing what he knew, just stayed home.  But where would the drama have been in that?
·      Thursday – Donald Trump speaks for 75 minutes in his acceptance speech, a modern day record, before finally “humbly and gratefully” accepting his Party’s nomination.  In his uniquely “humble” way, he declared himself the only person capable of resolving the litany of problems he enumerated that require fixing, in order to make America safe, work, first, one, and of course, great…again.  If I didn’t know better I’d think a master Reality TV producer engineered their convention.  But that’s just me.

This week, it is the Democrat’s turn to step up and show their wares.  At the outset, it looked at though the media and the Convention were committed to create just as much excitement, or drama, if you will, as the Republicans brought us last week.  Even before the Monday opening, Wiki-Leaks released a series of emails Sunday that showed high ranking officials of the DNC conspiring to devise schemes to denigrate Senator Sanders.  The resulting fallout led to the resignation of the DNC Chair, Debbie Wasserman Shultz.  Initially, DWS planned to gavel the Convention into Session, and to gavel it closed, even though she had resigned.  This…was an incredibly bad idea.  Yes, the optics were less than desirable, but more importantly the concept itself was profoundly flawed.

Fortunately, sanity prevailed, and some Democrat, or perhaps several, figured out that the most effective strategy to pursue if you dig yourself into a hole…is to stop digging.  To that end, the erstwhile Chair relinquished the remainder of her duties and responsibilities, and stepped to the sideline.  The result was, after looking and sounding like a hair-on-fire story throughout Sunday night, and Monday morning, the Democrats reinvented the opening day by the time the Convention was gaveled into Session at 4:00 p.m. Monday afternoon.

The actual Convention session went off largely without a hitch.  In fact, the proceedings were so understated from a drama point of view, that CNN’s resident GOP counter-programming critics were either mostly silent, or altogether AWOL.  That means, unlike the Trumpster Fire that lasted all four days of last week’s Convention, Day 1 of the Democrat’s Convention was a critical success.

Even after losing DWS, there was still a level of anticipation that Bernie’s supporters would bow up and crash Mrs. Clinton’s party.  The media kept trying to keep viewers on the edge of their seats with what ifs, and queries of what might happen next.  By the time the evening was over, Senator Sanders, who wrapped up the evening, had given a clear and passionate endorsement of Secretary Clinton, Senator Cory Booker, NJ, gave a stem-winding speech, Senator Elizabeth Warren gave a strong speech touting the candidate that drew high praise, and the cherry on top, though it was not the final speech, was a masterpiece by First Lady Michelle Obama. 

By now, we have like last week, traversed half of the Convention.  The highlight, naturally, was a speech by former President Bill Clinton who wove a series of anecdotes and short stories into a compelling tapestry about Mrs. Clinton.  There was a considerable amount of discussion about whether Bill would be able to effectively humanize his wife.  In all fairness, he has frequently had a blind spot when it comes to Mrs. Clinton.  Last night, that did not appear to be the case.

Clinton’s speech on Clinton was substantial in every conceivable dimension.  However, it was Bernie Sanders, in fact, who delivered last night's highlight.  The Clinton and Sanders teams negotiated an agreement that led to the Senator formally making a motion that led to the Party nominating Hillary Clinton by acclamation.  While I am sure there will be strains of the Never Hillary Movement in the future, that single act moved mountains in diffusing the most substantive elements of any remaining resistance.  In effect, Sanders demonstrated he would continue to do his part to unify the Party.

With that said, when Mrs. Clinton, who appeared via satellite last night night, formally accepts the Nomination tomorrow, it will mark the moment when the gloves come off…for all parties.  The sparring between the two sides has grown in frequency and tenor in recent weeks.  However, methinks, you ain’t seen nothing yet.  Years from now, when we look back on it, the crossfire between Clinton and Trump is likely to be deemed legendary.  In just under 15 weeks, this whole thing will be a wrap, kit and caboodle.  Today we can reflect on Mrs. Clinton having become America's first female major Party Nominee for President.  Indeed, “The Voters (Delegates) Have Spoken: Hillary Is the (Democratic) Nominee!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com.

Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.”

Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

Consult the links below for more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post:











http://www.whio.com/news/news/national/read-bill-clintons-speech-democratic-national-conv/nr5gZ/

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Trump Towers Over the Never Trump Movement: Drops the Title "Presumptive!"

It's time to Break It Down!

Last night was the culmination of 13 months of what can only be appropriately deemed a Trump tour de force.  We can now say Trump has been marching inexorably toward the nomination as the Republican’s 2016 candidate for President since June 2015.  Last night, Donald J. Trump, Jr. exulted in the dual honor of reading the results of the New York Delegate distribution, and simultaneously putting his father over the requisite 1,237 (of 2,472) Delegates that Party rules require in order for a candidate to clinch the GOP Nomination.  There was more business to be handled, for sure, such as Convention Chair Paul Ryan announcing the official tabulated results, but for all practical purposes, it was over when Don, Jr. read the State of New York’s Delegate designation.

The reality, of course, is it ended long before that.  It ended when Trump cobbled together sufficient momentum to force his final two GOP Primary competitors, Ted Cruz and John Kasich, to yield and shut down their respective campaigns.  A few diehards refused to abandon the notion of Never Trump.  This is a concept, by the way, that I repeatedly suggested, quickly after it emerged, had no shot at succeeding. 

The Republican National Convention Kicked off Monday.  During the afternoon session a few rogue Delegates attempted to launch an insurgency, mainly to disrupt the proceedings, but with no real hope of actually executing any kind of bloodless coup, politically speaking.  Trump delegates, Convention Chair Ryan, and Convention Whips made sure noting came of that wild hair.

Having dispensed with the untoward impulses relatively early, the GOP seemed on the road to zeroing in on how best and most fervently to bash Mr. Trump’s opponent in the November Election, Hillary Clinton.  However, the highlight of Monday evening festivities was to be a featured appearance by Melania Trump, who was tasked with the unenviable assignment of humanizing the candidate, her husband.  By most accounts, her speech was successful, if not in providing any special anecdotes or insights about her husband or his psyche, in casting her as and individual who could proficiently calm her nerves long enough to read from a teleprompter (Donald must be really proud) and convey how she transitioned from having been an immigrant to becoming a citizen…the right way.

While the early feedback noted that she did not accomplish Job 1, framing Donald in a softer light, she did, as a non-politician, hold her own in front of God, a teleprompter, a packed arena, and a television audience of tens of millions.  Granted, her husband is the politician, not her, so she should get points for completing the assignment without committing any discernible faux pas.  But wait, before the Quicken Loans Arena could be cleared (Monday evening’s proceedings did run long), a counter-theme emerged.  It appeared, in weaving her story of the evening, Mrs. Trump may have appropriated substantial parts of several passages from a speech that Mrs. Obama delivered during the 2008 Democratic Convention.  There is much more that could be said about this matter, but I suspect you’ve already seen or heard it.  In the unlikely event you missed it see the last link below.

Back to the subject at hand, the title makes clear this post focuses on Donald Trump’s biggest victory to date in his quest to become President of the United States.  You may recall, the magic number GOP candidates were aiming for and needed to become the Party’s nominee was 1,237.  Here is a breakdown of the total Delegates won by candidate:

1.    Donald Trump – 1,725 (1,237 Required)
2.    Ted Cruz – 475
3.    John Kasich – 120
4.    Marco Rubio – 114
5.    Ben Carson – 7
6.    Jeb Bush – 3
7.    Rand Paul – 2

When one thinks back and recalls that at one point the Republican field of candidates consisted of 17 candidates, it is certainly appropriate to appreciate that Donald Trump not only survived the crucible of a rigorous campaign, he fundamentally restructured the Republican Party.  It may not have a revolution, in Bernie Sanders parlance, but it certainly was a revolt.  That may sound extreme at first glance, but think about it in big picture terms.  In June of 2015, when he announced his candidacy, Trump’s odds of winning the GOP Nomination were slim, possibly slim and none.  While it is conceivable that Ben Carson, and or, Carly Fiorina had longer odds, being a Black Republican or a woman (and like Trump, having no previous political experience) and all, virtually every other candidate was high on the scale of political hierarchy that includes Governors, former Governors, and Senators.       

For a little perspective, here is a list of Mr. Trump’s 16 vanquished rivals:

1.    Jeb Bush (Former Governor of Florida)
2.    Ben Carson (Retired Neurosurgeon)
3.    Chris Christie (New Jersey Governor)
4.    Ted Cruz (U.S. Senator, Texas)
5.    Carly Fiorina (Former Business Executive)
6.    Jim Gilmore (Former Virginia Governor)
7.    Lindsey Graham (U.S. Senator, South Carolina)
8.    Mike Huckabee (Former Governor of Arkansas)
9.    Bobby Jindal (Former Governor of Louisiana)
10. John Kasich (Governor of Ohio)
11. George Pataki (Former Governor of New York)
12. Rand Paul (United States Senator, Kentucky)
13. Rick Perry (Former Governor, Texas)
14. Marco Rubio (U.S. Senator, Florida)
15. Rick Santorum (Former U.S. Senator, Pennsylvania)
16. Scott Walker (Governor of Wisconsin)

To go even further back down memory lane, there were times in the early going when many, if not most folks, thought Trump would never actually enter the race, and then a prevailing sentiment was he never release a Financial Statement, and I’m sure almost everyone knows he still has not released his taxes.  This last point should not be downplayed.  Every candidate since Richard Nixon has done so.  By flouting convention and refusing to do so, Mr. Trump is almost certainly setting a precedent that others will surely follow in the future.

The Convention is halfway over.  Last night, Tiffany and Donald Trump, Jr., (two of Trump’s children) along with Chris Christie and Ben Carson spoke.  From my vantage point, Tiffany gave the speech folks anticipated Melania might have, and Don, Jr. spoke, both about his father and about the political dynamics of the country.  He may have been the star of the evening.  Christie assiduously prosecuted Hillary Clinton for the vast array of Republican grievances, while Carson ridiculed her links to Saul Alinsky…and his links to Lucifer, and therefore, her links to Lucifer.  You had to see it to appreciate it, or to not appreciate it sufficiently. 

Just for kicks, last night’s speakers mentioned Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton a lot.  However, it is worth noting that, according to CNN, they mentioned Clinton more - Trump 61, Clinton 79.  Nothing will unify the GOP like voicing opposition to the Clintons.  While we’re at it, it is also interesting to note that 80 (3%) of the 2,472 Delegates to the Convention are African American.  That’s more than at Romney’s Convention in 2012, so I suppose the GOP can feel pretty good about itself on that score.  It will be interesting to see if the Democrats can match the GOP’s enthusiasm.  I’m confident they will exceed the level of diversity. 

Tonight’s speakers will include Newt Gingrich, his wife Calista, and Trump’s son Eric.  The Party’s Vice Presidential Nominee Mike Pence will also appear.  Then of course, Thursday will mark the piece de resistance, when Trump and Pence will officially accept their Nominations.  Each day of the Convention has bee thematically labeled.  The themes and days were paired, as follows:

·      Monday – Make America Safe Again
·      Tuesday – Make America Work Again
·      Wednesday – Make America First Again
·      Thursday – Make America One Again

Don’t worry about the themes though.  If last night was any indication, adherence to it may be hit or miss.  I will certainly not suggest the Convention has been compelling TV.  

The Party and Mr. Trump will likely feel much better about last night’s session than the one Monday night.  It is unlikely Tuesday’s speakers will have anything approaching the SNAFU emanating from Melania’s “borrowed” comments,” which Trump and the Party denied, deflected, and/or took an opportunity to dissemble when discussing (as is the Trump-world fact-free way).  This brings me full circle back to the main point…”Trump Towers Over the Never Trump Movement: Drops the Title 'Presumptive!”'

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com.

Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.”

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Consult the links below for more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post:
















http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/trailguide/la-na-republican-convention-2016-live-melania-trump-s-rnc-speech-appears-to-1468901655-htmlstory.html