The Democrats

Thought I confess to an inherent bias - I am a registered democrat and have been my whole life, though I hasten to add I have crossed party lines in the past for certain candidates - I think the Democrat's really nailed this convention. Finally.

A couple of things that came across crystal clear the past few days:

-- they have learned lessons from the (Rovian) Republican's and aren't afraid to get a little proactive and take the fight to them direct.

- they've learned the importance of imagery, an area where they have big-time lapsed, post Bill Clinton. From a PR perspective, staging Obama's speech at the football stadium was a masterstroke of brilliance, regardless of how the Republican's try to position it next week. I liked the backdrop too; it made him seem even more presidential.

-- they learned the importance of coming together as one. To this I have to give props to the Clinton's. WIthout question, they did their job. It probably killed them, but they get big time style points for sucking it up and doing the right thing.

-- they kept the speeches tight and they were all good. Every single one of them. Kennedy. Michelle. Biden. The Clinton's. Al Gore. They all killed.

I have to say that Barack is impressive. As many of you know, I've met him a few times in the past when I lived in Chicago and he was a State Senator. He was impressive then, he is obviously impressive now. He killed his speech tonight, he is riding the zeitgiest full tilt, and I believe he will be the next President of the United States.

And he damn well better be a good one because we need a lot of help.

So there it is: my first, and probably last, political diatribe. I've tried to keep politics out of this blog, but given the season, I feel I had to say something.