Well, from my position up here in Canada, Romney appears to be a weak opponent. I suspect more people will really be voting against Obama rather than for Romney. I didn't watch the speech but your summary made me feel as if I was there. Thank you.

He actually said the backbone thing, which shocked me. Other than that you can likely assume the rest and be accurate.

I've not put any interest into the election but about backbone to go to war..Does he actually gets votes because of that reason?

It was a good speech. Why don't you listen to what he actually said instead of reading your own biases into the speech. Romney didn't say he'd go to war. He's never said he wants us to go to war.

It really was not that good, no matter what side someone is on. He did not speak well, the jokes fell flat, there was heckling which threw off the pace, and he was very scattered going back and forth on topic. Then he personally mocks the President for 1) not going to war and 2) caring about the environment, which makes him look crazy.

I was a conservative-leaning independent until just the last couple year or so, when some things changed my perspective. I can be objective, and I am a sociologist by trade and was trained to examine messages and speeches. His was bad, performance and content wise, and basically amounted to "I am more American than the other guy, because America is God and survival of the fittest!"

Objectively it was not a good speech. Personally I found it disgusting, but that is more about my beliefs. He said all Obama does is talk and he has the backbone to do more. What do you think that means?

That's hard to believe when you read into the speech what you want to hear instead of what was said. He did not and has never said or inferred that he thought President Obama should go to war. And what's with all this "survival of the fittest" crap? Talk about totally misunderstanding the message.

I watched it with my girlfriend. All I did was troll it because pretty much everything he said was either factually incorrect or just total bullshit. Oh, and for a man who supports abortion in special cases, why the fuck is he a Republican?...wait, why am I not a Republican and from Texas? Weird...

I would argue the first point further, but your second point is so out there I can't bring myself to bother.

It's okay, you aren't alone my soft, velvet friend.

There were actually HECKLERS??? Now that's funny :)

I thought it was ridiculous that there was already a news story written up, complete with quotes, FOUR HOURS before he even gave his speech.

The Guardian just published a very good article ripping Paul Ryan's speech to pieces - basically calling him a liar (in a nice way because, well, they're The Guardian :)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/30/paul-ryans-speech-audacious-untruths

I just read through the transcript and the main message seems to be "USA ! USA! USA!"

Also, invoking NASA achievement in the past when you cut funding for NASA, really?

They never say it directly until its convenient. Plus nowadays even at the RNC, you do not inform the American People that they should expect another war. Its mostly about political posturing and innuendo. They have to assume that other foreign powers are paying attention to this laughing stock. Its the neo-conservatives hope that by pushing and prodding they can get Iran to fire the first shot, therefore justifying all their lies and political maneuvering.