snark as substitute for substance

By all accounts, the symbolism of Obama declaring victory in the nomination - at the same convention center in Minneapolis where the GOP will hold their convention in the fall - utterly swamped and rendered pitiful the simultaneous speech by John McCain. Even conservative pundits were forced to grudgingly admit that McCain was outmatched, and even petty. DailyKos has a compilation but of these, the one that stood out the most was by Amy Holmes at National Review (emphasis mine);

McCain's speech was creaky, ungracious, and unnecessary. I never understand why politicians don't take the opportunity, when so easily presented, to simply be gracious and hold their fire. Watching McCain, I couldn't help but think of the astonishing contrast Barack's triumphant speech to a massive and adoring crowd will be. It was not a comparison McCain should have invited.

It would have been more statesmanlike ‹ precisely the profile McCain is attempting to craft ‹ to acknowledge this historic moment in American politics. A major party is on the cusp of selecting an African American to be their nominee for President of the United States. It's a tribute to America that we've come this far. It would have been magnanimous to leave it at that, and wait until tomorrow to declare with enthusiasm and relish, "It's on!"


However, the crew at RedState seems not to have received the memo - the best they can muster in response to this historic moment in American politics is engage in some truly weak snark about socialism. Even Moe Lane has been grasping at straws of late, attempting to cast Hillary's (primary) campaign debt as a mountain when reality shows it will amount only to a molehill. (UPDATE: Moe Lane must be crying in his soup).

McCain is a serious challenge and beating him will not be a cakewalk, or even a heavily guarded, bullet-proof wearing stroll in Baghdad either. But as far as the online rightroots go, there isn't much to fear.

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