Big names at VFW convention

As Tropical Storm Fay turned out to be mostly a non-event in this little corner of heaven, it is worth noting that we have been the focus of the national political scene around here this week.

That's because the Veterans of Foreign Wars is holding their 109th National Convention in Orlando.

And, they attracted some heavy hitters when it comes to guest speakers, including the current president and the two leading contenders to succeed him.

The best performance was delivered on Monday by John McCain. But, that was really no surprise. I mean, he is a decorated veteran himself. These are his peeps. A gallup poll shows he's leading amongst veterans by a whopping 22% over his presumptive opponent. And, he told them what they wanted to hear in terms of national security experience and commitment to the military family.

The worst performance was delivered on Tuesday by the junior senator from Illinois, though you have to give the guy some credit for even showing up. Perhaps not surprisingly, he dropped the trademark bombast and rhetoric he usually employs on stump speeches. Instead, he was almost somber in his presentation as he was forced to defend his patriotism. The smallish audience of about 3,000 was respectful and polite, but the "wow" factor that is so much touted in the "mainstream" media was nowhere to be seen.

Somewhere in the middle was the appearance by President George W. Bush. The vets gave him a warm reception. Only fitting since he is the Commander-in-chief. They applauded him as he defended his decision to invade Iraq and when he called for victory in the ongoing War on Terror. But, he received actual cheers when he talked about the newly-passed GI Bill. Unfortunately, very few members of the national media showed-up to cover the appearance. Bush is a lame duck, and they're treating him like one.

Anyway, if you're stuck inside due to wind and rain, it's nice to have something other than radars and path projection maps to contemplate. So, it's been great having the VFW in town this week. I hope they come back every hurricane season during presidential election years!