Bizarre Speech Gets Low Marks

Bipartisan speech lacked red meat for base
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 3, 2008 11:40 AM CDT
Bizarre Speech Gets Low Marks
Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., addresses the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2008.    (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Joe Lieberman’s speech was certainly noteworthy, but not necessarily in a good way. Here’s what pundits are saying:

  • Lieberman “muddled through” his speech “like a reluctant accomplice,” writes Adam Kushner of Newsweek. Whereas Zell Miller had Republicans whooping, Lieberman gave a languid, golf-clap-worthy address.
  • The Connecticut senator probably “has too many parties to make a coherent argument,” theorizes Mark Halperin of Time. Praise of Bill Clinton particularly confused the crowd.

  • But it was that very understated manner that appealed to Kyle-Anne Shiver of the American Thinker. “He does not need to rely on theatrics,” Shiver raves. Instead, he seemed genuine, endorsing McCain out of “heartfelt belief."
  • Dana Goldstein of the American Prospect thinks Lieberman’s “country matters more than party” line got to the core of the GOP message, but still found his appearance “surreal and a bit sad." 
(More Joe Lieberman stories.)

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