Reluctantly blogging the convention – UPDATED

As regular readers know, I watch very little-to nothing by way of tv news, unless it’s breaking, but I thought I’d watch a bit of the convention tonight. I’m still going to try. But honestly, after flipping from cable channel to cable channel and discovering I just couldn’t abide any of those people, not on CNN, not on MSNBC (I used to like Matthews, but my GAWD he looks and sounds like a damn crank, anymore), not on FOX.

Tossing the remote I bellowed, “Isn’t there anyone I actually want to watch on these channels?”

I think I’d hoped that Linus and his blanket would show up and recite a passage from Matthew that would explain it all. But no such luck.

I tried again. I picked up my notebook and plunged in, channel surfing…and an hour later, when I glanced down I had written only this:

“Wolf Blitzer looks miserable. He looks like someone is just off camera, holding a gun on him; he looks like a hostage.”

also:

“I don’t love prolonged chanting of “U-S-A, U-S-A” but at least these people are chanting for the whole nation, and not in the name of one man.”

Sigh. I’m off to try again! Supposedly they’ll be talking about a Medal of Honor winner. That will be good. Maybe. Probably.

UPDATE: Laura Bush looks fabulous and I love her suit. She should wear red more often. Listening to her praise her husband, I am disappointed in the response of the crowd when she talks about what Bush has done for human life in Africa; even his own party does not understand the huge impact he has had there. Thanks to a disinterested press, sometimes I think only Bob Geldof and Bono appreciate it. Also, she says something quite true: thanks to Bush, “50 million people in Afghanistan and Iraq live in freedom.” Good applause, not great.

President Bush seemed almost moist-eyed to me as he talked about 9/11. I wonder if he’ll ever get over that event. I bet not.

Fred Thompson strolls up and takes command. Introduces John McCain’s 96 year old mother, Roberta. I can’t believe that lady is 96. She looks formidable and fantastic. Thompson goes after Palin’s critics, says the Dems are in a “state of panic” about her – he’s right, and compares her to Teddy Roosevelt. Bully! My favorite line: “Sarah Palin has GOVERNED, not just showing up on the Sunday talk shows and hitting the Washington cocktail circuit!” Love it.

UPDATE II : Fred Thompson gave a GREAT speech (text here, and STACLU has vid excerpts). I come online to learn that NBC and CBS could not be bothered letting their viewers see or hear it. What littleness…and what fear. Afraid to let people hear a speech.

It’s not democratic. It’s not “the American way.” What would YOU call that decision?

Thompson’s full speech here (h/t Gina, in comments, who likens the press “analysts” to a bunch of slumber-party gossipers. Not bad! Go Gina!)

Ann Althouse live blogged the speeches (I have to either get a laptop or move my computer; liveblogging is hard in my set-up) – she makes very interesting observations, and says CNN is just insufferable. I thought so too, I couldn’t watch them. Couldn’t watch any of them, actually. I applaud anyone who can sit through watching and listening to a bunch of nasty blowhards and vain gasbags as they sneer and pose and engage in snide innuendo. Also, Althouse says Donna Brazile, who I kind of have a girl-crush on, stumbled so much in her commentary, she seemed to be reading from a teleprompter. Hmm.

Obi’s Sister says Campbell Brown was so rude to a McCain staffer that McCain has pulled out of an interview with Larry King. Well, good. Enough, already. Why play along with these hostile idiots?

UPDATE III: Having seen the tape of Brown and Bounds, I have more thoughts here

More:
Chuck Muth has a full recap
AJ Strata