The Audacity of Hope

The office has kept me running for the last week, so no blogging. But, it has been a damn good week to be a Democrat. Two top notch speeches by Clinton and Edwards. One legendary address by Barack Obama. And finally, a Kerry performance that exceeded my expectations. I have to admit that of the four I was least excited about watching Kerry's. What can I say? He's just less charismatic. But I thought he did a great job. Much has been made about his talking over applause and rushing the speech a bit, but I actually thought it was cool that he was patting down the applause. He didn't surf the wave of the audience in the masterful way Obama did, but he delivered his message effectively.

One critique I have of the whole operation, though, is the Vietnam hammering. I would prefer that he leave it alone. It's slightly undignified to keep parading his four months of service forty years ago like it is the best thing he's ever done. You don't see Colin Powell doing it, you know? Maybe it's a strategic move to bait Bush into talking about the candidates' respective earlier lives, which is a place Bush surely does not want to go ("This is my Band of Brothers, see. Sure, we're a little older, a little grayer, a little less drunk, most of us quit snorting cocaine - but we still know how to.. well.. you know. Be rich or whatever."). Still, I say leave it alone.

Overall, though, I have to say that the Convention was very impressive. We'll have to see what the GOP throws together. They've got some pretty stellar talent of their own.