Thoughts on the first night of the Republican Convention:

• As far as I can tell, the Republicans are nominating September 11th as president, and the Military as Vice President. It was just about all they talked about. As someone who saw the buildings fall in person, who felt the earth shake, and who smelled the sickening odor of burning metal, concrete, and God knows what else for months afterward, I'm offended at the Republican's pimping a national tragedy to get reelected. 3000 people died; show some respect.
• What I can see of the delegates: White. Male. Old.
• Republicans can't dance.
• Zero issues. No issues were mentioned. Unless frightening the country with the bogeyman of terrorism counts as an issue. In that case, the speakers mentioned one. There was a complete lack of substance tonight. Lots and lots of empty slogans.
• Note to delegates: wearing the Flag as clothing is not patriotic, it is disrespectful. The flag is a solemn symbol of our country. You shouldn't be sitting on it.
• Unless I'm mistaken, no one mentioned Osama Bin Laden or Al Qaeda. How did we hear so many speaches without hearing mention of these two?
• The Republicans seem bent on convincing me that changing my mind is bad. It isn't working.
• We didn't go to war in Iraq because of terrorism or what happened on September 11th. We were sold the war based on chemical, nuclear, and biological weapons. We did not go to war because Saddam Hussein was a brutal dictator or to bring democracy to the world. I'm disappointed in Rudy Giuliani and Senator McCain for suggesting otherwise.
• No mention of the economy, the environment, national debt or trade deficits, civil rights. Just lots of hedging and countering of Democratic policy.
• How veterans stand behind the political party that tried to demonize Sentor McCain and Max Cleland, I do not understand. Calling Max Cleland, a soldier who lost two legs and an arm fighting for the country, a terrorist is simply over the top.