by Eric Pryne
Seattle Times staff reporter
Americans across the nation tuned in to the third night of the Republican National Convention - including three Seattle-area families who have agreed to watch the Republican and Democratic conventions and discuss daily what they see.
Daphne and Chico Fernandez of West Seattle haven't been impressed with most of what they've heard from the Republican National Convention this week.
They liked Elizabeth Dole.
"She's really good," Daphne said after Mrs. Dole's 20-minute strolling testimonial to her husband last night. "If Bob Dole is elected, she'll make a great first lady."
"Maybe Elizabeth Dole should be running for president. . . . " Chico said. "She does make Hillary Clinton look like a lightweight."
But Mrs. Dole's performance wasn't enough to nudge the Fernandezes, who are leaning toward voting for Bill Clinton, into the Dole camp. "That's her," Daphne, 39, said of Mrs. Dole, "but that's not Bob Dole. That's not the Republican platform."
She said Mrs. Dole's collection of vignettes about her husband probably will give Dole a boost in the polls, because it provided a more compassionate picture of the Republican nominee.
Chico, 41, thought the remarks were overwrought: "Almost every story seemed like a sob story to me." The content of Mrs. Dole's speech didn't impress him, he said. Her delivery did.
The Fernandezes also differed on the effectiveness of Mrs. Dole's from-the-floor presentation. Chico liked it: "It made her more with the people." Daphne didn't: "It was kind of like an Amway thing."
Melanie Cannon of Auburn, whose inclination to support Dole has solidified during this week's convention, also was impressed with Elizabeth Dole. "I think the first lady is as important, if not more important, than the choice for vice president," she said.
Perhaps even more important than the candidate's stand on some issues. "Character surrounds itself with character. . . . " Melanie said. "I think it's important that the first lady is strong."
She was pleased with the generally positive tone of last night's major speeches: "Everybody is fed up with the name-calling."
But Melanie, 41, said she has a bone to pick with the major television networks for cutting away from the podium for interviews and analysis. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who nominated Dole, delivered a speech worth listening to, Melanie said - but she had to switch to CNN to hear it.
Melanie's husband, Rob, had to work late last night and couldn't watch the convention on TV. Nor could Mike Doner of Everett.
But Doner's wife, Deborah, wasn't particularly impressed with Elizabeth Dole or the convention in general. Both Doners are leaning toward Ross Perot.
Deborah, 45, said she wanted to know things about Bob Dole that Mrs. Dole didn't address last night - "what he does in stressful situations, how he handles pressure." The talk-show aspects of Mrs. Dole's presentation bothered her.
The pep-rally nature of the convention also left Deborah cold. "It was like being back in high school, when someone's running for student-body president," she said. "All the people jumping up and down, it didn't seem grown-up. . . ."
Melanie Cannon and Chico Fernandez said they're ready for the convention to end, ready to hear Dole's acceptance speech and the details of his proposals tonight. "It is exactly what the media call it - a big infomercial," Melanie said of the convention. "Exciting? No."
Future conventions should be shorter, she said. Chico Fernandez concurs. "Let's trim the fat and go to the meat of the matter here. . . . " he said. "There's so much garbage."