from:

The Politics Junkie: Three words: Diversity, Diversity, Diversity

(TIME.com) -- "... when a journalist turns into a politics junkie he will sooner or later start raving and babbling in print about things that only a person who has Been There can possibly understand." --Hunter S. Thompson, Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72

RELATED TIME.com The Politics Junkie: Get Ready

NYT, WP, USAT all lead with pretty similar Colin Powell-diversity stories -- nests of speech fragments and helpful dear-readers like NYT's lede: "The Republican Party put on its newly moderate and relentlessly disciplined face at the opening of its national convention today..." Or WP's roundup:

"... the Bush campaign and convention planners filled the first night program with Latinos, African Americans, Asians and Native Americans and with upbeat speeches and videos highlighting educational accountability, charter schools, adoption reforms and programs targeted to at-risk children."

WSJ actually puts its feet up, lights a cigar and dubs the whole thing "Women's Night." Right in the headline. Like the whole thing reminded the editors of that Bud Light ad with the hairy-legged guys in dresses. USAT straight and flat as always. Everybody hits race within the first paragraph, and everybody kicks with how Powell left the pro-choice out of Progressive Republican.

No boos this year.

With Mrs. Bush, there's this amusement, in varying degrees: This is the GOP attack dog? NYT says she "confined herself to an implict (sic -- hee hee!) comparison with Bill Clinton and Al Gore, whom the campaign often portrays as obsessed by bald political calculations." WP says she "poked fun" and made a "not-so-veiled reference to President Clinton and the personal scandals" for two other gibes. USAT calls the dignity-and-respect line a "tacit reference to the Monica Lewinsky affair." WSJ prefers "touched on the lingering voter angst." Add it all up and schoolmarm-cum-hostess Laura Bush was the angriest Republican on camera.

It's surreal, and that's the way George W. Bush wants it. The Man Himself just made what was apparently the first foreign-policy decision of his presidency by beaming himself into First Union from some 24-hour schoolhouse in Ohio and introducing wallflower-cum-secretary of state Powell with the line that rang the bell: "I hope his greatest service to America might still lie ahead."

Jim Lehrer got it (by the way, the PBS station here is unbelievably named WHYY). I got it. But I didn't find the line in any of the papers. I could be tired.

Amid the splendor of it all, NYT actually manages to pose a pretty decent head-scratcher: Where the heck is Rick Lazio, who still needs name recognition to finish off Hillary but will only do a Tuesday fly-by in the Grandest Old Party going?

Quoth the Times in reply: "Several Republicans suggested the party might have little interest in providing Mr. Lazio a prime position. Convention speakers have been instructed to avoid critical remarks in general -- and attacks on President Clinton and Hillary Rodham Clinton in particular. Such restrictions might have proved problematic for Mr. Lazio."

Mrs. Clinton plans no such shyness for Los Angeles.

And speaking of Hillary:

Return of the 2-for-1 sale

"One of the very best reasons I can think of to vote for me as president is to have Laura Bush as first lady of the United States of America." --George W. Bush (USAT)

Sigh

"I leave it to the choreographers whose business is to sell our message." --Henry Hyde, who said he was "not altogether thrilled" with House GOPers' low profile onstage. (WSJ)

Two different, compassionate ways to quiet a crowd...

"OK, that's enough." --Laura Bush (USAT)

"Come on! I gotta get out of here!" --Colin Powell

... and one to express cautious optimism about beating Gore

"The problem for us in this election is an embarrassment of riches." --Karl Rove (WP)

"Their strategy is to talk about compassion. It's a brilliant strategy. It's a pretty package. If they wrap it tight enough, no one will open it before Christmas." --Bill Clinton, feeding a pack of wild donors.

Copyright © 2000 Time Inc.

Tuesday, August 1, 2000

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• Bush ends preconvention road trip vowing to rally 'armies of compassion'
  
• Lazio pokes fun at Hillary Clinton at GOP convention
  
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• Clinton says his enemies are now Hillary''s
  
• Gore's guide to loosening up for a run
  
• President accuses GOP of deception
  
• latimes.com: A strong case for change is played down
  
• Now making her bow: The un-Hillary
  
• The Politics Junkie: Three words: Diversity, Diversity, Diversity
  
• Kansans to vote in Board of Ed 'evolution' primary
  
• Gore campaign faults GOP speakers
  

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