The Democratic National Convention parades is Cricket XI and their Indian Cricket XI counterpart.
I am blogging this as I listen (on TV) to Bill Clinton address the Democratic Convention live in Denver.
It goes without saying that the American politicians know how to put up a show and get the maximum mileage out of this media crazed nation. Every TV station, newspaper, website and blog is generating tomes of information on this 4 day "circus". And the democrats are providing the firepower.
The Democrats are lucky to have a literal All-star team which it has been parading since Monday.
What struck me is that the top Democrats can be compared to our Indian test cricket team.
1) Ted Kennendy the grandfather of US Politics opened the innings struck the first ball out of the ground. Just as Sachin Tendulkar would do.
2) Michelle Obama blew away the crowd when she spoke just as Virendra Sehwag would plow into the opposition.
3) Brian Schweitzer, the governor of Montana is seen as the newcomer on the Democratic scene, much like Obama was 4 years ago. And he had the crowd eating from his hands in his folksy style. Much like Gautam Gambhir does with the opposition bowling.
4) Hillary Clinton spoke from the heart and anyone who had doubts about her support for Obama, laid those to rest. She reminds me of Rahul Dravid, whose intentions are never in doubt even if his form sometimes is.
5) Bill Clinton hit his first ball out of the stadium too. There is probably no other speaker in the US who can compete with Barack as an orator, and Bill was on fire. He showed us exactly why he is one of the most popular Presidents the US has ever had. And in the cricket team Saurav Ganguly comes to mind. Out of form, ex-captain still clinging to his past glory and once in a while showing us why we loved his style and play.
6) Joe Biden who was picked for his vast foreign affairs knowledge as the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Head brings the much needed experience to the ticket. Joe Biden has been known to be blunt and sometimes ruthless in his dealings. Just like our own VVS Laxman does especially against Australia.
7) Barack Obama….well what can one say about him. A virtual unknown 5 years ago, he has come up from behind to become the first minority African American to be on a presidential ticket. Much like M S Dhoni who has shown the way for cricketers to emerge from smaller towns and cities away from the big metros.
8) John Kerry the old warhorse who was run out of the race by rascal politics of the Republicans, but someone who has come back time and again to show that class is permanent. His contemporary in the cricket team would be our very own Bhajji who has been accused of crazy stuff most of it justifiably slow, but who has not lost his funny demeanour to come out trumps.
9) Al Gore the outspoken environmentalist who brings sheer weight (no pun intended) to the Democratic Party…what with the Nobel Prize. His contribution to the success of Bill Clinton’s Presidency is not well proclaimed. His counterpart in the cricket XI is none other than our own Kumble, the workhorse for most of the past two decades, mopping up wickets and bowling out the opposition.
10) Bill Richardson the governor of Utah, a Hispanic and a one time candidate in the race. He brings the support of the the other big minority group and is known to be a cool customer. Much like Zaheer Khan has been for India for the past few years.
11) And last but not the least Caroline Kennedy-Schlossberg who looked like an awestruck kid but was amazingly sincere and down to earth in introducing her uncle. She has been one of the first people to throw her weight and that of her family behind Barack with a wonderful op-ed in the NYTimes. She reminds me of Ishant Sharma…raring to go, wide-eyed 19 year old giving the Aussies a tough time on their own home ground.
So there sums up my comparision. Care to agree or disagree. Would love to hear your opinion.
As hard as I try I cant think of more than 2 or 3 Republicans for the same task 🙂
