republican_2008_convention

2008 RNC - Fourth Day

Fake Soldiers Used In RNC Video - CBS News found that the footage of the ‘funeral’ and soldiers is what is called ‘stock’ footage. The soldiers were actors and the funeral scene was from a one-day film shoot, produced in June. No real soldiers were used during production.

The footage, sold by stock-film house Getty Images was produced by a commercial filmmaker in Chicago. Both Getty and the production company, Mr. Big Films, confirmed that the footage was shot on spec and sold to the Republican National Committee.

One of the actors, Perry Denton of Chicago, IL also confirmed that he was hired on a day-rate as an actor for the shoot and told CBS News he was surprised to learn the footage was shown at the convention.

More from cbsnews.com

John McCain's acceptance speech at the Republican Convention pushed his biography as a Vietnam POW and an agent of change in Washington. MP3 - Running time: 48 min, 56 seconds Windows Media Version

Cindy McCain spoke to the convention three times, a record for the spouse of a nominee. In Thursday night's speech Cindy showed the softer side of her personality. MP3 - Running time: 17 min, 59 seconds Windows Media Version

Tom Ridge, a long time friend of John McCain spoke at the convention in support of the ticket and as former director of Homeland Security assured everyone of McCain's ability to protect and serve.
MP3 - Running time: 11 min, 30 seconds Windows Media Version

John McCain Puts the Cap on Change
by Jerry Pippin

(10:30 p.m. Central, 09-04-08) Senator John McCain was billed to give some sort of town meeting, in fact, they even built a stage for it, but he didn't do that at all. He had a low key straight talk pitch that was probably much more effective to those at home watching on TV, listening on a computer or radio, than to the "true believers" at the convention. In fact two things stood out for me tonight as the Republican Convention came to an end and the end of two weeks of politics, politics, convention style with both Democrats and Republicans.

The theme for the convention this year was "country first." McCain came back to that point with his heart wrenching story of being a POW, "I wasn't my own man any more, I was my country's." Sometimes the delegates did not applaud or if they did, only lightly because much of his speech was pointed to change. Making his point that he can do change better than his opponent Barack Obama.

If you were not aware of it, if you had been on Mars and had just come home and had not heard the news for the last 8 years McCain's party was in charge. It was like someone and some other group had been in charge for the last 8 years. The Bush family was mentioned but only by name. He did stress that he would not being doing business as usual and acknowledged that there had been some problems and Republicans as well as Democrats had been infected by the disease of "being on the take" and not a government for the people anymore.

So the question is simply, can we believe McCain and his new rock star Veep candidate, Sarah Palin (she is now getting more hits on the internet than many super stars) that he will "fight with me for what is right." The question is what does McCain/ Palin think is right?

The good news is, it's only two more months and the decision will be known. McCain laid out specifics that indicated his laundry list seems to be aimed at changing the Republican Party as much as anything.

CLICK HERE FOR FIRST THREE DAYS' COVERAGE OF THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION

CLICK HERE FOR DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION COVERAGE