REPUBLICAN CONVENTION – DAY ONE

I have just finished watching the endless analysis of the day's events inflicted on us by Fox and CNN.  Such overintellectualization of trivia I have rarely heard. 

There was only one event at the convention tonight that Americans truly cared about, and that was the appearance by Melania Trump, the candidate's wife.

And she delivered. 

She was introduced by the candidate in the shortest speech he ever made, and then showed real star quality.  No one will remember what she said, but she was captivating, gorgeous and stylish.  I think she'll be an asset to Trump by her very presence.  Americans know that their choice for "first spouse" is between Melania and Slick Willy.  She wins in a landslide.

I did watch some of the other speeches.  Some were fine, some a bit strident.  I just don't think viewers pay much attention to them.  It was Melania they wanted to see, and I'd love to see the ratings. 

UPDATE:  I see that some critics are pointing out a few similarities between Melania's speech and the one delivered by Michelle Obama at the 2008 Democratic convention.  Yes, there are a few similarities, but nothing particularly scandalous.  From Fox:

The remarks came toward the beginning of her speech, which was otherwise distinct from the address that Michelle Obama gave when her husband, then-Sen. Barack Obama, was being nominated for president.

"From a young age, my parents impressed on me the values that you work hard for what you want in life, that your word is your bond and you do what you say and keep your promise, that you treat people with respect. They taught and showed me values and morals in their daily life,” Melania Trump said in her speech in Cleveland.

In Michelle Obama's 2008 speech in Denver, she said: "And Barack and I were raised with so many of the same values: like, you work hard for what you want in life, that your word is your bond, that you do what you say you're going to do, that you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don't know them and even if you don't agree with them."

Another passage with some similarities that follows two sentences later in Melania Trump’s speech addresses her attempts to instill those values in her son.

"We need to pass those lessons on to the many generations to follow," she said. "Because we want our children in this nation to know that the only limit to your achievements is the strength of your dreams and your willingness to work for them."

In the first lady's 2008 speech, she said, "Barack and I set out to build lives guided by these values and to pass them onto the next generation, because we want our children — and all children in this nation — to know that the only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work hard for them."

No doubt the Obama speech was studied by Melania or a speechwriter, and there were those similarities.  It would be better had they not been there, but I don't see this as real plagiarism.  Many words were changed, the ideas were pretty standard.  Won't help Melania, though, as the Dems and their friends will make this into World War III.

July 18, 2016