Has any national political convention ever bombed so badly

[Surya Gayatri]

on its "opening" night? Has an opening ceremony ever sunk like a bigger lead balloon?

How bad was it! I couldn't believe my eyes and ears.

From Rinse Peenus' first shit-eating smirk in the near- empty hall, to the lame run-on invocation, to the last gavel bang--

TOTAL, UNMITIGATED FAIL!!!!

[Skittles]

1. thank you for your assessment, Surya

I cannot bring myself to actually watch a republican convention so I have to rely on the kindness of others willing to take on the dirty work

[Surya Gayatri]

3. Believe me, it wasn't intentional, Skittles...

I was watching Tamron Hall on MSNBC and they covered it as breaking news.

[Skittles]

26. OK

I HAD considered kicking your RNC-watching ass but....I'm curious about it too; IT IS A QUANDARY I TELL YOU.

[SunsetDreams]

19. LOL same here

I just can't do it

[Skittles]

27. I don't rubberneck car wrecks, either

[Surya Gayatri]

30. But sometimes, it's just hard to look away, ya know?

[eShirl]

2. if one has, i would love to read all the juicy details...

Big hint hint hint to DU historians...

[CK_John]

4. 1968 in chicago when the police rioted and Dan Rather got beatup on the floor.

[Siwsan]

7. Wow - beat me to it!

Great minds, and all.....

[Surya Gayatri]

8. Point taken, CK, but most of the action

was taking place outside in the street.

And, at least there was action, something happening.

This was more like a funeral directors' congress than a political rally.

[Siwsan]

14. I have never seen such a jumble of bad circumstances, that's for sure

Bad location (only because of it being hurricane season - I love Tampa) bad candidate, and really, really apathetic and/or fractured party structure. The vibe I get is they know they are stuck with this pair, so they are trying their best to look like they are not freaking out.

[Surya Gayatri]

22. The whole enterprise reeks of fail...

more like a wake than a rally!

[Siwsan]

5. Well, there was that convention in Chicago, back in 1968

That was pretty wild. But at least people were protesting for a righteous cause.

[WI_DEM]

6. Wasn't there first night four years ago cancelled too?

[Surya Gayatri]

16. Yes, but they didn't stage this kind of

lame effort at an "opening" ceremony.

And it made more sense to postpone it, as the first day fell on Labor Day.

This was just shockingly lame--what a way to make over Mitt's image.

[MineralMan]

9. I believe the 1968 Democratic Convention

takes all prizes in that category. Truly. The ugliest presidential convention ever.

[Surya Gayatri]

12. For sure, the Chicago convention was an over all

disaster. But, at least people were glued to their TeeVee screens.

In terms of a complete lack of atmosphere and excitement, this one takes the biscuit.

[MineralMan]

13. If nobody watches, was there really a convention?

I think not.

[Surya Gayatri]

17. Excellent meta-physical question, MM...

If a convention is convened and nobody sees it, does it really happen?

Schrödinger's convention?

[MineralMan]

21. I think there is a Koan that covers that one.

But I'm not sure.

[Surya Gayatri]

24. May the lesson of the Republican koan be learned...LOL!

"A kōan is a story, dialogue, question, or statement, which is used in Zen-practice to provoke the 'great doubt'..." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C5%8Dan

Let's hope the kōan that is this convention provokes a lot of doubt!!

[slackmaster]

10. Another vote for the 1968 Democratic National Convention

Some of us are old enough to remember it.

[enough]

11. Has it happened already? (nt)

[Surya Gayatri]

20. Only the "opening" gavel and invocation...

with some obligatory Obama baiting about the debt.

They've got a huge "debt clock" running for the duration.

[DefenseLawyer]

15. The 1992 Republican Convention was pretty bad

Prime speaking roles for Pat Buchanan, Pat Robertson and a slew of other religious right crackpots did a great job scaring the crap out of the middle.

[Surya Gayatri]

18. Fortunately, I missed that one...

No internet streaming back in those days!

[Liberal_in_LA]

23. yes, Pat Buchanan's "cultural wars" speech helped Bush #1 lose

[tridim]

25. Careful with the lead balloon metaphor..

The Mythbusters have spoken.

[Cha]

28. Their Racist, Misogynist, Welfare for Billionaires

Platform might have something to do with it?

[Surya Gayatri]

29. Ya think? LOL!