Justin Webb - live blogging

Last week I blogged about Justin Webb's starry-eyed live blogging of Barack Obama's speech to the Democratic party convention. After I criticised Justin Webb for not live-blogging Sarah Palin's speech, despite having done so for Joe Biden, Justin Webb has at least had a go at John McCain's speech. Let's see if the BBC's unbiased North American editor can manage to stay unbiased this week, I predict less positive coverage...(my comments in italics)

"21:17: A slightly tentative start from John McCain with praise for Laura Bush. Most Americans know that the Bushes and McCains are not close. He can't waste time in this speech with platitudes - he's got to say something exciting.
Straight in with the negative words - tentative and platitudes


21:21: The stage is low, looking in from the side. It appears that John McCain is attached to the crowd. It's a nice effect - it certainly works from the angle I'm at.
Good grief a positive comment, mind you it is only about the staging.
21:25:

A protestor is shouting - the crowd is drowning him out with prolonged shouts of "USA".
There is a protestor, such a thing could never happen at the Obamessiah's coronation.
21:26:

This is now becoming a serious distraction. Another protestor is shouting as he's hauled out of the arena - will McCain be put off his stride?
"distraction" somehow I think Justin Webb is pleased by this

21:27: The protestor's silenced now - and there's a huge cheer for a mention of Sarah Palin.
"silenced" - an interesting choice of word, a tad loaded?

21:30: A strange part of th speech now where he's talking about changing Washington - does he think President Bush has been a good thing or a bad thing? It's one of the questions he's going to have to address in the speech. It's almost as if the enemy has been in power in Washington for the last eight years.
I don't remember Justin Webb questioning any part of Barack Obama's speech.

21:36: An important little story now about a family having a tough life in the heartland. It ends with him saying: "Their lives matter to me". If people believe that, McCain has a chance of winning this. If he's unconvincing he simply can't win. And he knows the polls show most people don't think he understands their lives.
"If people believe", "unconvincing", "simply can't win" - insidious stuff...

21:41: We've reached a section of the speech where he goes through the things he would do and the things Obama would do - with cheers for him and boos for Obama. The audience is energised but I'm not sure it plays that well around the nation.
At last something positive, but Justin has to remind us that "I'm not sure it plays that well around the nation", unbiased coverage as ever

21:42: A good line on jobs: "We're going to help workers who've lost a job that won't come back to find a new one that won't go away".
Careful Justin, if that line is picked up and promoted, maybe you have helped John McCain get elected rather than Barack Obama - that would be a disaster for you...

21:44: A promise for more choice in education gets good cheers as well. This is the kind of thing that the country needs to hear, though frankly I think this audience would rather be cheering and booing - and they're still dreaming of Sarah...
Still Justin Webb has to sneer, I really am starting to detest this person

21:47: A big cheer as well for a promise to drill new oil wells off the American coast. Funny, he hasn't mentioned man-made global warming. The Iron Lady from Alaska doesn't think it exists. A real straight-talk express line would have been to tell this audience - and her - that it does.
Justin Webb's coverage just gets more slanted, John McCain has failed to kowtow to the prevailing "wisdom" on climate change and must suffer for it as must Sarah Palin. Maybe Justin Webb, global warming is a con, a lie, an excuse for tax raising and controlling us.

21:51: A promise of solidarity with Georgia is almost whispered. It's a style that leaves the audience here a little non-plussed but I suspect on TV it works quite well. He looks calm and controlled. A ranting McCain would frighten the horses.
A positive comment but then a negative at the end, Justin Webb is on fire now...

21: 52: Again, when he says "I know how to stand up to those who oppose us", he whispers it. The line has little effect in the hall but may well strike a chord outside.
Another negative

21:54: I thought for one brief and very strange moment that Cindy McCain had walked out. This would be news event. In fact I would probably have to stop blogging to cover it. But in fact the family have simply moved behind the scenes to prepare to join him on the stage later.
"thought" or "hoped"?

21:58: He tells the story of being shot down over Vietnam with a twinkly charm. Humorous, but it brings you up short to look at him - a 72-year old man - and to think what his body has been through. And his mind.
A new low for Justin Webb; now not only is John McCain old he is possibly psychologically damaged as well

22:01: I wonder if part of his low-key speaking style is a deliberate effort to draw a distinction between himself and Obama.
Taken you that long to work this out has it? I thought you were a professional "editor".

22:05: The end of the speech is almost entirely drowned out by cheering. Most people can't hear what he's staying but they don't care. They think there ought to be one rousing moment so they've decide to make one for themselves."
And end on a negative, take a deep breath Justin Webb - "hatchet" job done.

Last week I sarcastically ended my piece with these words

"I look forward to Justin Webb's equally fulsome appraisal of John McCain's speech next week."

I was not disappointed.