Category: Featured News

by David L Pierce

Senator John McCain proudly accepted the Republican Presidential nomination Thursday night, September 4 2008 at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

McCain thanked his family and supporters, and made it clear that he respected his Democratic running mates, Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.), and Senator Joe Biden (D-Del.). “There are big differences between us,” McCain explained, “but you have my respect and my admiration.”

Pro-choice protesters interrupted McCain as he introduced his running mate, Governor Sarah Palin. “Please, my dear friends,” McCain grinned, “don’t be diverted by the ground noise and the static!” He defended Palin’s experience, amid growing skepticism, by noting she ended corruption and balanced the state budget in Alaska.

McCain had harsh words for his own party, claiming that Americans lost trust in the Republican Party due to corruption, and promised a new party future. “The party of Lincoln, Roosevelt and Reagan,” said McCain “is going back to basics.” He said he’d veto pork barrel earmarks and reveal its author. “I will make them famous,” McCain said, adding “you’ll know their names.”

He promised to lower taxes, cut government spending and develop a better healthcare system, while claiming Obama will do the opposite. The crowd applauded as McCain announced his energy plan, which included immediate offshore oil drilling, more nuclear power plants, and alternative energy sources. “Senator Obama thinks we can achieve energy independence without more drilling and without more nuclear power, but Americans know better than that.”

Foreign policy was also a major issue in McCain’s speech. “I know how to work with leaders who share our dreams,” McCain said “And I know how to stand up to those who don’t.” McCain explained that he hated war, and that he would use his experience to build an enduring peace.

McCain recalled his experience as a prisoner of war and praised his fellow American prisoners, explaining that they fought for him every day. “My country saved me and I cannot forget it,” McCain said. “I will fight for her as long as I draw a breath so help me God.”

At the conclusion of his speech, McCain’s and Sarah Palin’s families joined them on the stage. An endless sea of patriotic-colored confetti, balloons and beach balls fell from above. McCain passed Palin a beach ball after it bounced off of her head.

George Mason University students gathered in the JC on Thursday night in order to watch John McCain accept the Republican party’s nomination for Presidential candidate. Mason Votes ran a live blog on the RNC with students commentators.

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Vice Presidental Nominee Joe Biden spoke Thursday, Sept. 4 at George Mason University’s Verizon Auditorium in Prince William. Mason Votes was there to cover and provide the full audio of the event.

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See our photostream of the event.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee Joe Biden spoke today at the George Mason University’s Prince William Campus’ Verizon Auditorium. Biden spoke this morning in Virginia Beach about national security but chose to hold this town hall meeting on the economy, bringing up issues such as crime, taxes, education and the price of gas and healthcare.

In his introduction of Biden, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, who’s name had been on the short list for the Democratic vice presidential nomination, acknowledged George Mason University President Alan Merten, who was in attendance, and the University’s status as the “Number One Up and Coming University” and underscored Biden’s experience and his own support for the VP nominee.

Biden discussed his experience not in government but with the average American and as an American from a small state. This is the] singe most important election for anyone in this room,” said Biden, “We are either going to get this country back on its feet…or our children and our grandchildren are going to be in a real tough situation.

Intertwining stories from conversations he has had while campaigning, he painted a grim picture of a problematic economy that is strangling citizens through the high costs of healthcare premiums, taxes and gas.

“I don’t expect the government to solve my problem; I expect them to understand my problem,” said Biden, quoting his father.

Responding to attacks made last night by Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee, in her acceptance speech, Biden extolled the virtues of universal healthcare, Democratic Presidential Nominee Barack Obam’s tax plan and questioned the need to provide incentives to oil companies for drilling.

We’re not saying lets take care of all these [people’s] problems, we’re saying lets give these people a fighting chance,” said Biden. “Folks the middle class has built this county…as the middle class begins to shrink we’ll find ourselves in the circumstance where this country is fundamentally different.”

Biden asked five Virginians to tell their stories of economic despair and then asked the audience for questions and comments.

“I’m really tired of the republican pandering the woman voters,” said a female audience member.

Other questions were raised about illegal immigration, the price of education and the deficit.

“A country that out teaches us will out compete us,” said Biden in a response to a George Mason University faculty member’s comment about her inability to send her children to Mason due to her low salary, “We’re going to have to pay teachers more.”

The auditorium, which seats 300 people, was almost completely full with supporters who interrupted Biden multiple times with applause, laughter and shouted comments.

by David L Pierce

Governor Sarah Palin accepted the 2008 Republican vice presidential nomination Wednesday night, September 3 2008, at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Palin, a relatively unknown governor from Alaska, became the second woman to be nominated on a major party’s ticket in United States history, the first as a Republican.

Other notable speakers in this, the third night of the convention, included former 2008 Republican presidential hopefuls Governor Mitt Romney (R-Mass.), Governor Mike Huckabee (R-Ark.) and former New York mayor, Rudy Giuliani.

Mitt Romney greeted the GOP by urging voters to make, what he called liberal Washington, a conservative town. He criticized Democrats on the economy and the war in Iraq. “Radical violent Islam,” said Romney about McCain, “is evil and he will defeat it.” The crowd immediately chanted “U.S.A.”

Mike Huckabee began his speech by criticizing the integrity of recent media reports. “The reporting of the past few days,” said Huckabee “has proven tackier than a costume change at a Madonna concert.” He stood up for Sarah Palin, claiming that Joe Biden, during his run in the national Democratic primaries, received fewer votes than Palin did in her mayoral run in Alaska.

Rudy Giuliani called McCain a proud foot soldier in the Reagan revolution, praised his role as a prisoner of war, and outlined his plan on improving the American economy. Giuliani then attacked Obama’s lack of experience. “He’s the least-experienced candidate for President of the United States in at least the last 100 years,” Giuliani said, and with reference to Obama’s flip-flopping, he even made a suggestion to Joe Biden: “I’d want to get that V.P. thing in writing.”

Standing ovations and applause shook the Xcel Energy Center as Governor Sarah Palin was introduced. Palin proudly accepted her party’s nomination and showed her support for John McCain.

After introducing her family, Palin quickly began her attack on Barack Obama. She likened her experience as mayor to Obama’s experience as a community organizer, except for the fact that she had responsibilities and, as she believes, he didn’t. She went on to echo the fact that she was a Washington outsider and that, unlike Obama, Palin would go to Washington to serve the country and not to appease the media.

Palin shifted her speech’s focus to her own experience. She claimed to cut costs to Alaskan taxpayers by suspending the state fuel tax, ending the oil lobbyist’s monopoly on state power & resources, and even stated that she sold the governor’s personal jet on eBay. She then continued her criticism of Obama, stating that he hasn’t created one reform or law in the Senate, and that the presidency isn’t supposed to be a journey of personal discovery.

Governor Palin emphasized that John McCain was not afraid to take on our enemies, and that he isn’t looking for a fight, but isn’t afraid of one either. “There’s only one man in this election that has ever really fought for you,” Palin explained, “In places where winning means survival, and defeat means death, and that man is John Mc Cain.”

John McCain appeared briefly at the end of Sarah Palin’s speech to a roaring crowd and thanked the night’s speakers, including patting the shoulder of Governor Palin’s nearly 4 month old son Trig, who has Down syndrome.

Tonight, students are invited to watch Arizona Senator John McCain accept the presidential nomination of his party. Mason Votes is co-sponsoring a Republican National Convention watch party which begins at 8:30 p.m. and McCain’s acceptance speech is expected at 10 p.m.

Mason Votes will feature video responses to the speech, live blogging from our Democratic and Republican bloggers and a roundtable podcast following the event. Everyone is invited to join to the live blog.