In My Orbit: RNC Convention Fevah!

Digital Image courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Political junkie that I am, it's a no-brainer that I watched the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida. I'll also watch the Democrat National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina too; if for nothing else, comic relief.

Wednesday's RNC lineup was not only inspiring, but a powerful testament to which party truly makes a place for women of all races, colors, and creeds. I was particularly over the moon listening to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Secretary Rice is a class act who still has not received her due! The speech was powerful, yet measured with grace and hope--and she did the entire thing without a teleprompter. I hope this is not the last time we see her on the national stage--she is sorely needed. The Grio agrees with me: Why Condoleezza Rice's RNC Speech Matters.

And a big "Wow" for New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez! As the first Hispanic female Governor, she represented and energized the audience with her story. The money quote from her speech came from a personal story about how why switched parties. While still a Democrat,  she was invited to dinner with two state Republican representatives who simply shared about values, policy, role and size of government, without injecting the labels of "conservative", "liberal", "Democrat", "Republican". When Governor Martinez and her husband walked away from the meeting, she said,  "Well, I'll be damned, we're Republicans!"

She brought down the house, and rightfully so.

Earlier segments saw shorter speeches from Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina, the first Indian-American woman Governor of her state. And rising star Mia Love, a Black woman running for a Congressional seat for the state of Utah. Both women's stories are weaved with the same theme: daughters of immigrants who came to America to pursue a dream, and instilled in their children self-reliance, self-determination, and a belief that in America, there are no barriers save the ones you place on yourself. You can achieve anything.

So while the GOP was highlighting its best and brightest (many of them women) for the future of the Party, what was going on outside? A protest by Planned Parenthood in conjunction with Code Pink, under the "War on Women" meme. The ridiculous Code Pinkos were dressed in vaginas--you heard me--VAGINAS!

When this rambling, uninformed, and inarticulate young woman is the face of your movement, it does not bode well for your message:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR1LEhQNcqM]

And then you look at the DNC lineup. Old retreads is the nicest term I could use. President Bill Clinton (talk about War on Women!), President Jimmy Carter, the egregious Rahm Emmanuel, and Governor Jennifer Granholm. I think Mayor Corey Booker and California District Attorney Kamala D. Harris are the youngest and freshest, and among the few minorities taking the stage. Nothing "Forward" about it.

Then there is Sandra Fluke, the poster child for free contraception, and the doofus Debbie Wasserman Schultz. For some reason, they decided to crash the RNC on its last night and said that the GOP women were just "shiny packaging". Seriously? I'll take "shiny package" over "vagina" and killing babies any day.

All I have to do is compare and contrast the women leaders of the GOP with the sorry examples listed above to see which party has the War on Women.