The Democratic Party chose the Denver Broncos stadium as their venue for the party convention. They ensured that huge crowds were pulled to the event which built on strong visuals all the way through, with a raised stage in the middle surrounded by a colonnade and steamers and fireworks shooting in the air.
Barack Obama’s acceptance speech focused on specific policy pledges and attacked John McCain, his opponent. Mr Obama’s most eye-catching promise was to cut tax for 95% of working-class families. He urged to decrease the dependency of the US on foreign oil. In response to John McCain’s portrayal of Mr Obama as an out-of-touch celebrity, he spoke about his Kansas grandparents, his grandfather’s involvement in the Second World War and how his grandmother fought against sexual discrimination. He barely mentioned his Kenyan father, though.
The Republicans convened in St Paul, Minnesota, to nominate Senator John McCain as their presidential candidate. On Monday McCain named Sarah Paulin, the 44-year-old governor of Alaska, as his running mate for Vice President. Mrs Paulin is a relatively unknown and high-risk bet, who said that she is “just the average hockey mom”. Mrs Paulin is a mother of five, who married her high school sweetheart. One of her sons is due to leave for Iraq in September and the one born in April was diagnosed with Down’s syndrome. This week she has announced that her 17-year-old daughter is pregnant and is to marry the father of the child.
The Republican strategy is set to reach out to disaffected supporters of Hillary Clinton who said they had made 18 million cracks in the highest glass ceiling in the US. President George W. Bush addressed the party convention via video-link. He endorsed John McCain’s nomination and said that he is “a great American and the next president”. President Bush said that Mrs Paulin was “an exciting choice”. McCain is delivering his nomination acceptance speech today.
Vocabulary
- party convention – párt nagygyűlés
- to nominate sy – jelöl vkit
- colonnade – oszlopcsarnok
- pledge – ígéret
- eye-catching – meghökkentő, szembetűnő
- out-of-touch celebrity – a valóságtól elrugaszkodott sztár
- sexual discrimination – nemi megkülönböztetés
- running mate – jelölt társ (választáson)
- disaffected – elhidegült, hűtlen
- endorse sg – támogat vmit
