Written by: Beck

Tommy Franks is out here. He needs to learn how not to trample over his own applause. "I'm not a Republican, I'm not a Democrat, but I believe in democracy and I believe in America." He asserts he's been an independent for the past 40 years, followed by giving his endorsement for Bush. I think this is a smart approach the Republicans have used for the past 4 days--they've put up a lot of people who are moderates, or unaffiliated (and even two Democrats). I think the point isn't that the Republicans are a moderate party, as they most certainly are not. Rather, I think their point is that Bush enjoys broad-based support because people recognize that the situation today is too important to leave the most important job in the country to someone who is fundamentally anti-war.

Franks floated the argument that we're safer today. Reason: "Because we have taken the fight to the terrorists."

"The question is, do we fight them over there, or do we fight them here? I choose to fight them over there." Logical mindset, esepcially for a military man. Because you can't be a successful military man if you have a defensive outlook rather than believing in taking the fight to the enemy.

"My and my wife are not willing to risk the future of our children on the goodwill of murderers. I learned a long time ago that hope, while terribly important, is not a strategy."

Character, consistency, courage, and leadership: the virtues America will be called upon in the next four years. The implied subtext, naturally, is that those are characteristics which Kerry is distinctly lacking (though Franks hasn't said a single thing, direct or otherwise, about Kerry).

Franks, after making a good argument for why we removed Hussein (brutal, dangerous, killed his own people, history of using WMD against neighbors and his own citizens) then floated the controversial assertion that Hussein had "ties to known terrorists like Abu Zarqawi." I'm sure we'll hear from the Dems and the press how the 9/11 Commission asserted there was no documented evidence of collaboration between Hussein and al-Qaeda, and once again, everyone will miss the point.

"I for one am proud that my country... has given 50 million people a chance. And we have not been in this fight alone. President Bush has built the largest coalition in the world." I'd like to see some statistics on that assertion.

Update: Franks is saying that Bush asked every one of his commanders if they had everything they needed, making sure every soldier would have the equipment to protect them from the WND that everyone thought Saddam had. Good story--why haven't we heard this before?

"Bush secured a larger increase in veterans funding in the past 4 years than Clinton did in the past 8." This serves as a reminder of why conventions can be so important, especially for Republicans. Much of the finer details of the story of what has been going on behind the scenes are largely and generally unknown outside of a few specific circles.

And that's that.