Gaston Update and RNC Thoughts...

Update on Gaston's destruction in Richmond.....

We now have eight confirmed deaths in the area, mostly from people being swept away in their cars. There is incredible footage on TV from the videocam of a city bus showing the water rampaging by the bus, carrying other vehicles. Then the driver and few passengers trapped realize there's a woman on the roof of her car beside the bus, so they open an emergency side window, two people hold someone while they dangle out of the bus and pull the woman to safety. Unbelievable to witness.

Good news: Shockoe Bottom reopens at 9am today (Friday 9/3), but residents have to show some sort of proof of residency (I'm thinking, what if it's all up in my apartment??) Some roads in the area probably won't be reopened for weeks, maybe even months.

We are now thankful that it does not look like Frances will make that dreaded northwest-north turn up the East Coast, but I'm praying for the people of Florida especially, but also Alabama, Georgia and others. This "tropical depression", Gaston, reminds us all that you don't have to live on the coast to lose your life because of a hurricane....

On now to NYC and the RNC...

I've watched the last two nights on a 5 inch B&W TV in my office, working ridiculously late (getting home between 1130 and midnight both nights)....somehow between the holiday weekend, football broadcasts starting, and whatever else, we were deluged with commercial work this week. This too, I'm happy to say, shall pass, and it beats the alternative!!

Wednesday night: I thank Zell Miller for his stand, his honesty, and his bold frankness. Everybody's "so scared" to tell the truth, and now everyone (in the "media") is labeling him "mean". Gee, he wasn't "mean" in '92 when he went off against Bush 41....what's the difference, eh?

Zell spoke truth, and I loved it....no man who has spent 20 years of Senate service constantly attempting to gut the defense budget, who voted against Desert Storm for crying out loud (let's see, a Kerry world would have Saddam Hussein in power over Iraq and Kuwait, and by now, most likely Saudi Arabia...and the price of a barrel of oil would be......) has any business being our commander-in-chief. I don't care if he did wear a military uniform. Gomer Pyle did, too, would you vote for him??

John Kerry's military "tour": 4 months.
Dick Cheney's service as 2nd in Command to the Military: 4 years.

You decide the experience edge.....

Cheney was, well, as I expected, and that's great. He's laid back, thoughtful, but will tell it like it is. Gee, I note a developing pattern here....mediawonks and liberals don't seem to care much for people who tell it like it really is (Bush....Cheney....lump ol' Zell in there now since they've ex-communicated him).

Peter Jennings, as Zell walked out, noted that "he is retiring this year", i.e.--he wouldn't do this "for his family's future" if he had to run for re-election. Peter, quick word of advice, don't say that within earshot of Zell. Ask Furball's Chris Matthews what happens when you mess with Zell.....

Tonight: Bush did fine. I actually heard an NBC wonk correctly point out something; he's definitely more passionate when talking about the war on terror and defending our nation. I think some of that is because how much emphasis he's been forced to place on it during his first term (did anyone use the word "terrorism" during either convention in 2000??).

I was happy overall, totally not surprised that the well-behaved, respectful left had a couple of plants in the audience, and like lots of his ideas, especially the "zones" for economic/job development. We've had them in our area for years. I used to work in an area where it had really, really gone downhill. I'm at a Christian radio station working, at night, fearful because someone might stumble out of the bar across the street, come in, and do whatever.

George Allen (then Governor, now our US Senator in VA), approved "enterprise zones" that Chesterfield County took full advantage of. Now I drive down the two-road, three-mile stretch, and the only thing that looks run-down is where I used to work!! It's a shame, too--the station went to a new location in 1996 just before I left, and the company obviously has spent zero dollars to at least keep the old place (since it's still being used for housing electronic equipment for companies renting space on the station's towers) looking, well, as if it weren't condemned.

I'm on a rant, anyway---the bottom line is, today there's a Home Depot, a Food Lion shopping center, a Wawa, revitalized storefronts selling new boats (marine store), a new McDonald's, multiple new hotels, etc....NONE of which were there ten years ago.

Give the American entrepeneur incentive and he/she will come!

Bottom line: For our future, our safety, for steady, experienced leadership who puts America first....

"We don't need to go to the John!"

As you see with the link, he's already whining about military service records....let's see....they didn't matter in 1992 when a draft dodger ran for President as a Democrat...certainly there's no double standard here....

Let the campaign begin!!! Go George W!!!!!

Oh, and Dick Cheney, too. (With apologies to the Jib Jab folk)

Hopefully, over the weekend, less work, more blogging, and back to stuff other than politics, floodwaters, and 28 hours of work in two days.....

Night!!