[lifesaver]

Of course they are backing away. The republicans learned a very hard lesson at the 1992 Houston Convention. They let Pat Buchanan give the keynote speech one night and it, along with other speakers gave the whole convention a feeling of hatefulness and extreemism. Example:

"George Bush is a defender of right-to-life, and lifelong champion of the Judeo-Christian values and beliefs upon which this nation was built.

Mr Clinton, however, has a different agenda.

At its top is unrestricted abortion on demand. When the Irish-Catholic governor of Pennsylvania, Robert Casey, asked to say a few words on behalf of the 25 million unborn children destroyed since Roe v Wade, he was told there was no place for him at the podium of Bill Clinton's convention, no room at the inn.

Yet a militant leader of the homosexual rights movement could rise at that convention and exult: "Bill Clinton and Al Gore represent the most pro-lesbian and pro-gay ticket in history." And so they do.

Elect me, and you get two for the price of one, Mr Clinton says of his lawyer-spouse. And what does Hillary believe? Well, Hillary believes that 12-year-olds should have a right to sue their parents, and she has compared marriage as an institution to slavery--and life on an Indian reservation.

Well, speak for yourself, Hillary.

Friends, this is radical feminism. The agenda Clinton & Clinton would impose on America--abortion on demand, a litmus test for the Supreme Court, homosexual rights, women in combat--that's change, all right. But it is not the kind of change America wants. It is not the kind of change America needs. And it is not the kind of change we can tolerate in a nation that we still call God's country."
-Pat Buchanan

The 1992 RNC convention was seen as at best, as a missed opportunity. At worst, a misirable failure that provided one more nail in the coffin of Bush (41). The failed and hateful convention, combined with the uncertainty about the economy, and Bush's slow responce to order goverment to help aid victims of Hurricane Andrew ultimately did him in.

Most pundits and even the parties themselves realized that you want to minimize harshness at the conventions. You see this trend to this day: the presentation of 'the softer side of Bush.' I dont know how Zell's speech got by, but its interesting the party seems to be distancing itself from it.