Dear Commons Community,

We heard lots of news and reviews of the Republican National Convention this past week.  Here is a quick recap:

• Hurricane/Tropical Storm Isaac wreaked havoc with the schedule forcing the four day event into three days.  In the interests of safety this was a good decision.
• Ann Romney was effective in portraying the human side of her husband but could have gone into more depth on a few of her assertions.
• Chris Christie’s talk was too much about him and not Romney.  One commentator counted Christie saying the word “I” 37 times and “Romney” seven times.
• Condeleeza Rice likewise focused a bit on herself and may be laying the groundwork for a run in 2016.  Wouldn’t this be fun if Hillary Clinton was the Democratic nominee in 2016.
• Paul Ryan has a serious truth problem.   He blamed President Obama for all the ills of the country and had absolutely no problem lying and distorting facts (i.e., Medicare proposals, closing of automobile plants)
• The Republican National Platform reads like a right-wing manifesto.  Lots of pain for lots of people except the wealthiest Americans.   John McCain, a moderate, when asked about it said:  “You rally around a platform at the convention but run away from it if elected”.
• Someone must have put some illegal substance into Clint Eastwood’s Geritol for him to give the most bizarre convention speech ever.
• Mitt Romney was good but not great but then again he had to follow Clint Eastwood.

If you haven’t had enough of political conventioneering, the Democrats have their turn starting on Monday.

Tony