Who believes at GOP convention you'll hear "Win one for the Gipper?"

[PretzelWarrior]

I mean, it's bound to happen, right? THe question is...on a scale of 1 to 10 where will such statement occur? (1being some drunken delegate to another drunken delegate at some watering hole after a convention day. 10 being Bush himself hugging the embalmed Reagan corpse on the stage declaring he's the father he never had and saying...."Let's us in America Win one more for the Gipper"

[West Coast Democrat]

1. If that happens, Wellstone's family should release a statement....

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

2. Fortunately for the GOPrs...

Reagan's illness kept him from being in the limelight to 'approve' or 'disapprove' of GWBs actions.

Guess they can claim his 'support' without RR ever really knowing WHAT was going on.

[Walt Starr]

3. Oh absolutely

Just like with ground zero, this will be milked for every political advantage imaginable.

Hell, if they could drag the corpse of Reagan to the stage for Dumbass*'s acceptance speach, I believe the would!

[physioex]

6. Not soo simple...

I don't think Nancy is enamored with Bunnypants...As long as she is alive, she may not allow it..

[Walt Starr]

8. If she couldn't stop Dumbass* from being the person to deliver the eulogy

on Friday, she can't stop shit at the convention.

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. Prolly

[LittleApple81]

5. mopaul has the perfect cartoon:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1739334

but I don't think it will work. Or maybe I am giving too much credit to repug intelligence.

[AntiCoup2K4]

7. The bumper stickers will be on gas guzzling Hummers by next week

Once word came down that Cowboy Ronnie was about to ride off into his last sunset, they started up the presses.

[PretzelWarrior]

9. you are probably right. never thought of that.

the funny thing is....they've had years to plan how it would be maximized.

the only question to debate is whether the timing was merely fortuitous or planned. No more threads or opinions from me on that.

But the point...it is what it is...and people on the GOP bandwagon will jump all over this through bumper stickers, t-shirts....

ughhh....long hot summer.

[Snellius]

10. It's appropriate Reagan gets his nickname from a movie character

He gave it to himself from a part he played. Reagan always seemed to believe that if he played Knut Rockne: All American, he was the Gipper. Or General Custer. Or if he rode a horse and talked like John Wayne, he was really a cowboy. Or acted like the president, he really was one.

[greekspeak]

11. I would say a 9

Shrub won't do that or say that to the corpse. But they might put Reagan in a glass topped coffin and do some sort of "win one for the gipper" stage show with the body at center stage. Possibly it would involve Charleton Heston hamming it up with an emotive speech about how the only thing the Gipper loved more than jelly beans was guns. Perhaps they could bus in some republican dancers and have a sort of interpretive dance connecting Shrub and Ronnie, and this would be going on in the background. No doubt the puke throngs would be screaming "St. Ronnie is dead...long live God's second son, p(R)esident Bu$$$H." Perhaps there could be some faith healings and tongue speaking, followed by Shrub alighting on the stage from above dressed as a generalismo.

[PretzelWarrior]

12. Cooll....they could have a Winchester rifle in Reagan's grip

and Heston could rip the gun from Reagan's casket, hold it high over his head and declare, "From his COLD DEAD HANDS!"

[polmaven]

25. I wouldn't rule it out

that Bush will use the "Gipper" on Friday. The RNC is, behind closed doors, of course, simply giddy with joy about this situation. Between winning for the Gipper and tearing down this wall, the GOPers have the campaign slogans of a lifetime!

[PretzelWarrior]

29. which "wall" would that be this time? the Israeli wall?

the wall of secrecy from the WH? What Wall should we demand be torn down in honor of Reagan?

[polmaven]

33. The Repubs

will demand that we tear down the wall that separates church and state, and thae one that keeps us from seeing what a great
(p)resident Bush is, and the one that keeps the real Americans (them) from doing whatever they please in the name of freedom...like stopping people randomly and demanding ID (something the Boston area MBTA subway and commuter lines are going to start doing). The list goes on and on....By the time their convention is done, Bush will probably start sounding like John Wayne like Ronnie did.

[Crachet2004]

13. Call me cynical...but was Reagan on life-support?

Is there a chance they pulled the plug to milk maximum political advantage from his passing? That really WOULD be cynical...of the GOP! And I would'nt put it past them.

We will hear that 'Gipper' garbage ad nauseum, I am sure.

[PretzelWarrior]

15. I was called an idiot for thinking like that.

Some people don't get how much the body politic of GOP are banding together against what they see as unprecedented "Dem banding together". I could see them patching up old rifts and being convinced that even this is necessary to maintain the purity of America by ensuring another 12 years of Bush. (8 for Jeb, ya know)

[JHB]

14. What, you doubt it for a second?

The real questions are how many times will someone say it, and will that be so many times that it becomes counterproductive for them (it sounds as canned as it is).

[samhonk]

18. Exactly what I was thinking...

It reminds me a bit of one of the recent Olympics - Nagano, I believe - every single fast food corp had the same idea: Athlete X is performing his/her skating/skiing/other event and looks up to realize in dismay that his/her parents' seats are empty. Cut to parents enthusiastically wolfing down junk food at Fast Food Joint Y.

Nothing of the kind showed up during the SLC 2002 Olympics, IIRC, so maybe the advertizers realized it wasn't so clever if it were beaten to death.

So, as you say, it'll be counterproductive if the speech-makers don't compare notes and it gets hauled out over and over.

[gulliver]

16. I believe it. And of course, Reagan was not the Gipper.

He only played the Gipper in a movie. The real Gipper (George Gipp) had his identity stolen.

http://home.no.net/birgerro/gipp.htm

(Whoops. Looks like Snellius already noted this above.)

[Athletic Grrl]

21. I already tried that with a Freep type yesterday.

Some of them have no clue about George Gipp or Knute Rockne for that matter. I basically told this guy that if I heard that at the convention, I reserved the right to laugh hysterically at the stupidity.

[ewagner]

17. It's a 10.

Probably a keynote speaker and done right after a tear-jerking, video retrospective of Ronnie.

We could have some fun with this by mocking it in advance. You know, a little innoculation would go a long way.

[PretzelWarrior]

23. I agree. If we respect the man and his family but condemn GOP in advance

for making his death their personal political tool...it may keep them from doing as much about it. But I doubt it.

Think about it. They will do everything militarily possible to keep protesters from marring their perfect 9/11 memorial, groundbreaking on new building, GOP convention. They will say whatever they have to say. Ah-nold will be there in all his glory. Guliani will be there pumping up the crowds....they will remind us Abe Lincoln was a Republican...and then they will trot out old Gip.

At least we can have people see this coming from a mile away and tune it out.

[ewagner]

24. I think

we're talking about the same idea.

What do you think would be the most effective way of pointing it out?

[PretzelWarrior]

26. seems like we keep raising the issue here and to others in public

those who have connections to radio media which could bleed over to TV media can discuss the tragicomedy of GOP DARING to stamp on the dust of those dead from 9/11--from THEIR FAILINGS for purely partisan political goals.

If we discuss how wrong and debased it is to do so...that they are below human decency by desecrating their graves...perhaps we can whip up some righteous indignation from the electorate.

[ewagner]

30. State Dem Convention

this weekend.

I'll spread the word...try to get others to do the same.

[trof]

19. Not "if". How OFTEN?

[Somawas]

22. If I were a betting man

I'd say that no matter what number you pick, I'd take the OVER.

[mitchum]

20. "Steal One For The Gipper"

[Bluebear]

27. All over yahoo already

http://news.messages.yahoo.com/bbs?.mm=&action=m&board=37138445&tid=apronaldreagan&sid=37138445&mid=8383&thr=8383&cur=8383

http://news.messages.yahoo.com/bbs?action=m&board=37138445&tid=apreaganworld&sid=37138445&mid=1128

[PretzelWarrior]

28. we can dampen that effect. we just need to preach to people it's coming

and they will say, "goshdurnit...you've been right every time. those guys really are fullosh!t"

or....they will buy a velvet Ronnie rug and vote line drones for the resident psycho cowboy

[ewagner]

31. That IS Sick!

Unbelieveable

just

Un-be-lieve-able!

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

32. You did read the transcripts of Condom Lesion's little speech today, right

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/06/20040607-2.html

"DR. RICE: Let me welcome you here to this very important summit. I'd like to start by just saying a word, of course, about the great sadness that the country feels at the death of former President Ronald Reagan, a true giant in international politics, and of course, someone who was very much associated with this summit. He hosted it in Williamsburg in 1983, and I think was one of the people who really gave the G8 a kind of -- at that time, the G7 -- a kind of profile. And so we all are deeply saddened by his death, and look forward this week to the opportunity to remember him, as a country and as a world.

As President Reagan said in 1985, the challenge of statesmanship is to have a vision to dream of a better, safer world, and the courage, persistence and patience to turn that dream into reality. And this week, the G8 statesmen will stand united in their resolve to build a better, united, and safer world."