And I don't know if anyone else caught the former textile-plant worker named Gloria Craven from North Carolina, but she was really good.

Steve she knocked me out. Her story is heard over and over out there. Since "Norma Ray".

Glad he didn't pick Sebelius. She's rather dull.

I going back and forth from CNN to MSNBC and there's still too much talk about the Hillary dead-enders and how there's this big division between the camps. I think it's mostly media-driven and I'm hoping that Hillary's speech tonight will put an end to it.

Damn, Kucinich was pretty great!

Been watching the straight feed... Kucinich was pretty good, although that's relative to the everyone else today, which isn't saying much.

The rest not so impressive. Maybe I'm just jaded, but it seems like everyone is talking through a pillow. Waiting for Hillary...

Chris Matthews just repeated and then re-repeated that old lie about Casey Sr. being kept off the podium because he anti-choice. Is C.M. lazy, ignorant or in the tank?

As Mark Twain said, "The difference between a lie and a cat is that the cat has only nine lives."

Four More Months!

Yeah, "four more months" was the high point today.

Is C.M. lazy, ignorant or in the tank?

Yes, yes, and sometimes. He just said something about the country being ruled by a clown. He tried to back down a bit, but it wasn't convincing.

"McCain likes to call himself a 'maverick,' but he votes with George W. Bush more than 90% of the time. That's not a maverick; that's a sidekick."

Let's hope we see at least one political cartoon depicting McCain as Tonto to Bush's Kemo Sabe.

People are speaking - other than these fucknits on CNN? Who knew.

With CNN and Fox being my only options, I am seeing snippits of speeches hereand there, mostly cut off so we can bask in the knowledge of CNN's talking asses.

CNN is Fox lite, no doubt about it

I will never watch CNN again. This is appalling.

As stilted and uncomfortable as she obviously was at the podium, Lilly Ledbetter came across as more authentic and her message more compelling than anyone so far. (Ok, so I'm a sap, she was still great.)

And supposedly Chris Matthews wants to be the next U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania -- perhaps even running as a Democrat? Anyway, I'm watching PBS and David Brooks repeated the Casey '92 myth as Jr. began speaking.

Actually, Casey gave a better speaking performance than I recall from his own senatorial campaign.

Kudos for the current speaker, Lilly Ledbetter, her name and Supreme Court case never merit conversation on 24/7 Corporate Media outlets.

The live feed available from http://www.demconvention.com/dncc-video/ is great, once you have all the right SW/add-ons installed.

Warner's nailing it... hammer that message home.

The Fox coverage last night was an utter joke.

They are commercial right now in the middle of the keynote address.

And last night Fox didn't respect their viewers enough to come up with talking points that didn't mirror the McCain Spokeswoman's comment exactly.
Talk about Lazy.

has407: I'm in complete agreement. It's criminal that all the cable news networks didn't carry that segment. She did great with her vital story.

OMG...Warner is amazing! 'Had Bush asked us to use less gas after 9/11...PERFECT! Real person, working class background. Having an amin which actually believes in science. Priceless! Future v. past, great way to show McCain as he is: an old, tired hack attacker. Man, this guy is impressive. GREAT Virginia stories of how he made some fantastic changes for his state.

Right on, Mr. Warner! OUTSTANDING!

I've skimmed print, radio, internet and TV coverage of Hillary's disappointed supporters. I've watched and heard pledged delegates pronounce from the floor they're ambivilent about Obama, he's not the real deal, he's short on accomplishments, he hasn't reached out to Hillary supporters, Hillary lost an unfair, rigged primary process. Worse I've seen and heard dozens of Hillary delegates state they'll either not vote or vote for McCain for all the above reasons. WTF!? I swear these people are batshit insane. GET. THE. FUCK. OVER. IT! Don't they realize or care for the future make up of the Supreme Court, for their sons and daughters sent off to fight in Iran and Syria and Russia? McCain is truly a certified whack-job. And how in the hell does a delegate look into a camera from the convention floor, tear down and criticize the presumptive nominee and then state they're voting Republican? How? Someone tell me why in the hell they're not escorted from the premises, stripped of their credentials and told to get the hell out of Dodge? You're a goddamned Democrat delegate to the Democrat convention and you go public with a pledge to vote for McCain. Oh man. These freaks need some harsh bitch slapping. Want to take bets on how many Republicans pull the same stunt during their convention and are still welcome at the wet bar? Are welcome freaking anywhere in the entire state of Minnesota? Hell, they'd end up in GITMO. Democrats should have no use for these traitors. Unbelievable. Words fail.

Direct feeds are avialable from both the DNC site and MSNBC (others?), at least on the Internet. Stop whining about Fox and find another source.

Ledbetter spoke??? FUCK CNN!!!

Night 2:

It is a killing floor.
Republican blood blood is everywhere.

What a lovely sight.

Warner is sharp. But he continues the falsehoods and therefore cannot be trusted because he is too smart to be believing the falsehoods that are leaving his mouth.

He talks about ‘getting off foreign oil’, but does not address how. Getting off foreign oil means getting off oil, because we only have about sixteen years worth at our disposal here. We will need that oil to make the transition (that is also why we need a military footprint in the isolated sands).

The future of transportation needs to be electricity until something better comes along, which it probably won’t. Electricity could be used to power transportation either through electrified transportation corridors (see French railroads) or fuel cells (electricity > hydrogen > fuel cell > turn wheels).

But either of these options require massive investment into electrical generation and transmission capacity. This means nuclear and coal power since wind and solar are intermittent sources and could only power maybe 25% of the future electrical grid.

Oh, sorry about that:

“Solutions over stalemate.” “Four more months.” “Drill here, drill now, pay less.”

Grow a garden.

Some people watch Fox so we don't have to.

In my humblest of opinions, Mark Warner was terrible.

Hey Joanne

Do you got PBS? Give them a try.

MSNBC has Boocanon on now so you gotta deal no matter what.

Drill here, drill now, pay less IN TEN YEARS!

First 10 words out of Blitzer's mouth on Warner: good speech but too intellectual. Will the Amercan people get it? Not if they're watching YOU!

Oh and VA got over their problems by raising taxes. OY!

Stop whining about Fox and find another source.

There is no other source, nameless moron. FOX is the only network allowed on the floor.

All other networks are sourcing from FOX.

doubtful, why do you say that?

TCG, my hotel only has Fox or CNN and the internet connection to stream blows. I am on my phine now. No streaming ability.

I am in PA now so I finally get to see some campaign ads (I am even channel checking Fox now and again...lots of McCain ads there).

doubtful -- While FOX may be running the cameras, you don't have to put up with their interruptions.

Direct feeds, including alternate camera feeds, are available through the DNC feed, or through MSNBC; I'm sure there are others.

Ms Joanne;

Give me ten billion dollars and a wavier of all permitting requirements, and I could probably fill your gas tank for Christmas.

But count me with the polar bears on drilling. We should save that oil for when it is more valuable. Let others sell their oil for paper money.

David Brooks is a horrible, awful person. He dismissed all the speeches of the night as, "banal." The other commentator, Mark {???} looked taken aback.

Well, I guess we know who's in the tank for McCain!

Man the Fox Guys are too lazy to come up with good BS. They are trying hard but it is so lame.

This is sad. I've seen them far better than this.

But Apparently, Hillary may still win the Dem Nomination!

Or she may drop out of the race tomorrow.

Fox reports. People decide.

MsJoanne,

The keynote of the Democratic Convention is not the place for post-partisan rhetoric (doesn't matter if it's R or D?).

This was the opportune time to start attacking McCain, and I think he completely failed at that.

Bob Casey, Jr's speech was FAR better, and would have made a much better keynote.

I'll need a transcript to rip it apart further, but I remember yelling at the television at least four times during the snorefest of a keynote.

I came away from it thinking it sounded more like a campaign speech for his own personal election than the keynote of the convention.

Doubtful...

CSPAN...

No talking heads.
Not one fuck ugly mug telling you what to think.
Not one commercial telling you what to buy.
Non-stop coverage.

Best game in town.

hmmm.... was that a couple shots across HRC's bow I just heard?

B O B, I agree 1000%!

And to the nameless dickhead, I have no othr options (read much?)

I have important news for Hillary supporters and other presumptive feminists: at Saddleback, John McCain said "Life [personhood] begins at conception." That means, unless he is a hypocrite who is just trolling for religious conservative votes, that he would have to criminalize not just genuine abortion but all forms of birth control that prevent implantation of the fertilized egg. Go around and tell all your Hillary fans that and make sure they understand the implications of voting for John McCain out of spite (not that I really think many of them would; how much of that prospect is media hype?)

Rove was just on Fox and told Britt that Veterans ran From Bush to support Kerry in 2004.

Those voters will come home for McCain in 08.

McCain can win win win !!!!!

YES. Too Lazy to Lie.

doubtful, while I loved his speech, I agree there isn't enough McCain bashing. It's there but too subtle. I prefer that tone but.... Point taken.

ROTFL...rub it in dude. Thanks. :(

I'm with doubtful wrt Warner. What a snooze-fest of a speech. That it was the keynote speech makes it all the more of a failure. Truly, he seemed like he was speaking to an audience other than a national party fed up with the status quo.

What a sad waste of Prime Time.

ROTFLMLiberalAO,

It's still my understanding that it's the FOX feeds. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but as I understand they are the only network allowed on the floor.

NBC, CSPAN, PBS, MSNBC, ABC - They're all getting the floor feeds from FOX.

Whoa...Schweiter is a character!

doubtful, you are correct about all teevee feed originating from Fox (wtf were they thinking??) but I think each outlet determines what they relay to us.

Not that that seems to matter to me (sigh).

Schweitzer sounds more like a keynote than Warner (and, trying to be this year's Clinton '88, his may be the longest speech of the evening as well!)

I like them both, and think Warner is likely brighter, but Schweitzer is better for this type of event.

WTF is that about? Fox is the only network on the floor? Are we in the Soviet Union now and only allowed to read Pravda?

Petro dictators. Love it!

This is good: I forget his name/venue (Gov. of Montana?), but the guy speaking now: ~ "If you drilled for oil in all of John McCain's backyards, even the ones he doesn't remember ..." Brilliant cleverness - like a good Leno line. I wonder if he wrote it.

As a westerner, I like Schweitzer.

Yeah, but Schweiter is too long winded.... he really needs to tighten it up. If he could put the same message as forcefully as Warner, it'd be a winner, although his closing hit the mark.

now that was high praise: as Schweitzer finished, they cut to a candid shot of Bill Clinton in the audience and you could read his lips as he leaned to someone and said with a big, laughing smile "that was good!"

Schweitzer, on the other hand, might be worthy of trust. He appears to be dumb enough to believe his own lies.

Wind, solar, and biofuels won’t cut it. T Boone’s 1.9 cents per kilowatt-hour wind subsidy is set to expire on December 31st. That works out to $20,000 per hour. Thus the commercials. But T Boone has the intregrity to disclose that wind can only power 20% of the grid.

The answer is coal, nuclear, hydro, and perhaps tidal energy. And we need to get moving. The average piece of food is moved 1500 miles before you put it in your mouth. The alternative to facing facts is really, really ugly.

Grid Down Dining.

Schweitzer:

House. On. Fire!

I want to defend my ex-Governor. Mark Warner was quoted in our local paper the Daily Press saying, he just doesn't like to attack. It's OK for someone to present the positives of our own side, and he did criticize McCain anyway by saying that he represents failed policies. Michelle says this is also Barack's way, that BO would rather give answers than "red meat."

But this guy who just finished is great: "That's it, baby, let's go win this election. ... God bless America." They are still chanting for him.

MsJoanne,

Oh, I just remembered, one of the first things I retched about during Warner was his long winded back story about his failed businesses and prescience with regards to cell phones.

Great, so you're probably a multimillionaire. I don't care. Not during prime time. Not during the keynote.

It's not about Warner, but he made it about him, and who is there to be excited about Warner?

Try buying local. It tastes better and is better for you and all.

www.eatwild.com

Nuclear? And do what with the waste? The fucking Middle East is shipping 6700 tons of sand with depleted uranium back to the US for disposal in Idaho.

Sorry...we don't need any more nasty shit here with a 4.5 BILLION YEAR half life.

I now get why wach main speaker had signs that people were waving. VERY VERY slick. Smooth move, dems!!!

Yo! While I admit to being an Obama fan, she's a great lady and deserves our respect. Go Hillary!

You call Nextel a "failed business"?!

it's still my understanding that it's the FOX feeds. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but as I understand they are the only network allowed on the floor.NBC, CSPAN, PBS, MSNBC, ABC - They're all getting the floor feeds from FOX.

Uninfomed question coming:

Fox? At the democratic convention? How does that happen?

"Wind, solar, and biofuels won’t cut it."

BrickOvenBill. Bullet. Forehead.

No way. No how. No McCain! Great line, Hils! Bravo!

The media should just straight-up televise the convention and spend less than 5% of its broadcasts' time on its own commentary on the conventions.

Anything more is irresponsible behavior from the media.

"This is a fight for the future and it is a fight we must win together" ... Yes has407, Hillary sounds good, make a good run for it, and deserves our respect. So many good lines in this speech, "No way, no how, no McCain!"

You call Nextel a "failed business"?! -Neil B

I assume your talking to me, but you're misreading what I said.

He spoke of failed businesses prior to his self congratulatory recognition that people would want car phones.

I didn't call Nextel a failed business, I just mentioned he waxed poetically about his failings the preceded his success.

All of which is completely irrelevant to the Democratic Convention.

part of why I was an early Warner supporter before he backed out is that I thought it would be great to have someone up to speed on modern technology and modern communications, someone who believes from first-hand experience in real science education as President.

Wow. Hillary's right on the money. Sweet. Finally!

I love "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pantsuit".

Fox? At the democratic convention? How does that happen? -e henry thripshaw

It's almost literally like they draw straws. Every convention, one network is chosen to exclusively do the floor feeds and all other networks get those feeds.

FOX got the Dems, NBC got the GOP.

Never let it be said that I don't have an uninfomed question.

oh yeah. this is why i supported her. when she is on, she is really on.

She's definitely on...

Hillary is showing us why she has been successful. I wonder how much that cost.

Nuclear waste is metallic. It is then encased in a metal casket and buried in a mountain. What people don’t remind us of is that, in the vicinity of Yucca Mountain, WE USED TO BLOW UP NUCLEAR BOMBS UNDERGROUND.

I’ve been to Beatty, and the people look fine. They are actually pretty attractive, despite the drinking. Two generations later even. So even if the casket corrodes ten thousand years from now in the middle of a large rock, IT DOESN’T MATTER. Any radiation released would be insignificant in comparison to what is already there.

Nuclear power is a big part of the solution and we should embrace it immediately. The alternative is really ugly. Humans competing for resources is really ugly. Our whole society has been built on cheap oil over centuries. We might have fifteen years.

that line about McCain and Bush in the Twin Cities was a great set-up for next week. priceless.

Now THIS is a speech.

Mark who? ;)

No way. Now how. No McCain.

that line about McCain and Bush in the Twin Cities was a great set-up for next week. priceless.

Priceless came to mind too when she said that. She is a great orator.

Hillary, you were absolutely awesome! (Dont tell anyone, I cried.)

I am so proud to be a democrat right now. Thank you Hillary. Thank you.

Doubtful, sorry I misunderstood as I breeze around blogs and watching feed of the Democon. Even so, there's nothing wrong with talking wistfully of how one tried and didn't succeed at first, but tried again and did. Really, what's the point of cynicism about such things?

Wow, Hillary sounds so good. It would have been a good run if she'd made it. I could have gone with either one of them. Maybe BHO should ideally have waited a while, but he's the chosen one and Hillary is gallantly and brilliantly giving her all for him right now. It must be difficult, and I admire her all the more for that too.

ok, she got a little rambling and less focused in the last 5 minutes or so. still, i dont know how anyone could have asked for much more. she did herself, her real supporters, and her party proud.

@Jo (shhh... me too)

Hoping for a blow-out speech from Bill tomorrow night!

I'm feeling much better now. Yay!

Really, what's the point of cynicism about such things? -Neil B

Well, I'm nothing if not a cynic. :) I was hoping for something more like Hillary's speech for the keynote.

Thankfully, no one will remember Warner's speech (and please, no one get me wrong, I'm being critical of the speech, not the man or his policies).

Hillary's amazing speech will eclipse the night. Honestly, I don't know how that could have been better.

Way to go Hillary! Thanks!

Damn that was good. I think I need a cigarette...

I am watching Fox and Kristol is slamming Hillary. Minimal support for Obama. Didn't really support him. Only said his name 10 times. She carved out her own space in the woman's movement. Wow. Just wow.

She did what she set out to do. She did it well. Hopefully we'll see some missing Hillary supporter reflected in Obama's polls.

She. Was. Magnificent.

It's OK doubtful, and Hillary really did us proud. It's time for the PUMA folks and the dead enders to show her the ultimate respect, follow her lead, and get on the train. We need them all and it won't be easy.

This final progressive-spirituality convocation is fascinating. Maybe a bit sectarian but I realize the need to have these things.

ROTFLMLiberalAO talk of bullets and foreheads and 2050. I’ll talk of reality and subsidies and 2008. Solar energy is not competitive today. I hope the Scientific America guys can figure out how to harness the power of the sun to power 35% of our power requirements in a way that can compete economically with nuclear, coal, and hydro. That would be good. I wish them well. But I think we are, like, already out of money.

Until the magazine guys figure it out, I’d recommend working on fuel cells, power plants, transmission lines, and the electrification of our railroads.

Hillary is a very good politician as we have just witnessed. That is why her family is flying around in private jets locking up interests in Russian Uranium.

Fox: No memorable lines from her speech.

The convention has been cliche after cliche. The last 8 years haven't been THAT bad!!! Christ, even their idiotic viewers have to see through that. Sheesh!!!

Watching the broadcast on MSNBC. They are doing right by Hillary.

This was the best speech she has ever given (IMHO).

Impassioned. Some good one liners. Her reasoning was superb. She had the convention center eating out of her hand. She's a star Dem forever for this night.

I'm still puzzled by all the disco. I mean I dig it but I feel I'm in a time-warp.

Anyone else hear Springsteen may perform after Obama's speech Thursday?

Hillary for Majority Leader!

Fox: No memorable lines from her speech. -MsJoanne

Let me just run that through the newspeak decoder.

Beep boop bop bebop kaching...

Fox: Oh shit!

Well, she'd certainly have more balls than the current Majority Leader.

Great...CNN has a delegate talking about Obama's lack of experience. STFU!!!!

Fox hacks actually said, no memorable lines from Hillary's speech? Hillary didn't really support Obama, etc? They are just such utterly shameless, well hacks. It's almost like a parody, it's hard to believe they can be that bad. Can they really be credible at all to more than a little sliver of our population?

I am watching Fox and Kristol is slamming Hillary. Minimal support for Obama. Didn't really support him. Only said his name 10 times. She carved out her own space in the woman's movement. Wow. Just wow.

Yeah, I am watching this too. They also said, something about the way the Democrats are talking, you would think everyone is in dire straights/ ready for revolution / rapture - all reaffirmed with strategically placed chuckles. Meanwhile the country has been so mismanaged over the past 8 years. And all these f'n commentators have to say in so many words is that 'oh the country isn't in that bad of shape'

And all these f'n commentators have to say in so many words is that 'oh the country isn't in that bad of shape'

It isn't, if you're a rich Republican, say someone in the top 5% of wealth (you know, the one's Bush calls his base.)

One has to hope that for once the other 95% will punish the Rethugs for being so "let them eat cake" sort of out of touch.

Michael Beschloss on PBS was pretty fucking bad, too.

Brian Williams is so intellectually vapid. Why is he getting any airtime? Ugh. Please.

Round 2 goes to Baracky

Great night for the Dems.
They come out swinging and didn't let up.

Same old, same old is starting to resonate.

Please, please, please Ds: Put on your A-game and
raise that pleonasm to some ridiculously redundant power.
We Americans are a simple teevee folk, we need to have ideas pounded in...

they're all just in pissy moods because Hils spoiled their fun by being a team player. sheesh, where's the simplistic drama to cover in that? couldn't she and michelle have had a bloody cat-fight or something that sells copy without much work by the on-air staff?

I couldn't believe Fox was saying that stuff. Even their viewers have to see how their own lives are affected.

BlueGal, GREAT to see you!!

Pretty good speech. Did anyone else notice that in the beginning she identified herself as a mother, a Democrat, a Senator, an American -- but not a wife? I don't particularly care, and it didn't affect the speech, but it was odd.

I can't spoil my joyous politicobuzz by listening to commentators. No, sir. Not after that.

So, all you good dems, a question for you:

Thus far...you would rate the convention an... A? B? C? D? Sucked ass?

Why did you rate it that way?

I am off to bed but cannot wait to see what you all think.

Since I am on a strict diet of CNN, I have to say thus far I say B-. Not enough McCain is bad and why. A little more not-quite-wonkish policy details would be nice. Band sucks totally. :D

And you?

Yeah shortstop, I shoulda dashed across the room for the teevee instead of rooting around for the remote.

MsJoanne,

I'll give it a B+.

Kennedy was awesome and absolutely inspiring.
Michelle was great, and Sasha and Malia were adorable. Of course, you know I thought Warner was a dud, and Hillary hit a home run around the entire globe.

Some of the other speakers have been good, too. Bob Casey Jr. and Ed Rendell were pretty good today.

I've yet to see Kucinich, but heard good things.

Pelosi was kind of a disappointment yesterday.

I think Clinton's speech was the clear 'on switch' for going after McCain. I hope Bill and Joe continue that tomorrow.

I think another thing that's telling about how successful this convention has been is the McCain response. Crickets.

They've essentially ceded this week to the Democrats because they got nuthin'.

Haha.

How to tell you're up too late and two sheets to the wind.

I just thought Olbermann said and now back to Norm MacDonald with our panel.

And I was genuinely curious what that rascally comedian had to say.

I'm glad you guys are happy. I am really upset about this speech. She did nothing to rebut her negative attacks on Obama during the campaign. I really wanted her to say that he had earned her respect and that he was ready to lead, ready to be CinC. She didn't do that. I hate to say it, but I agree with the Fox commentators on this one.

It was a great speech for a generic Democratic, but her attacks were specific and pointed, and she needed to disavow them.

I'm sorry but anyone who thought that Mark Warner was anything but goddamn awful is just too far from reality to judge. Pelosi last night was also a disaster. In no way should she call herself a professional politician or be speaker of the house. I hope she is edged out of that position. Putting that job-pay woman up there during prime time was a big mistake. The Dems' job in this convention is to awe people with their power and thereby inspire, not talk about how they got struck down in court. Totally pathetic. This is show biz folks, the GOP understands this, why don't the Dems?

Schweitzer was fantastic. He knows how to do it. Michelle Obama was great last night. I supported Obama, but I'm beginning to think that Hillary should of been the one. She knows how it's done.

So far, this convention has been the most amateur piece of crap I've seen on TV in a long time, and that's saying a lot. VERY DISAPPOINTING! One or two acceptable speeches per night won't cut it. The next two nights are critical, or we'll have an unmitigated disaster on our hands. How did this happen?

beep52 @ 11:37, maybe she knows something about Bill's speech that made her reluctant to say she was a proud wife?

with that intro. . . if I were Bill's advisor. . .

the word is that Bill feels Obama dissed the accomplishments of his administration. the McCain campaign gave a statement after Hillary's speech that she still never addressed Obama's lack of experience. funny how things work: what will likely make Bill feel good happens to be what Obama needs.

Bill should start out bragging about his accomplishments by comparing them to the results of Bush II. stronger job creation. fewer foreclosures. more cops on the street. less violent crime. better standing around the world. a surplus that Bush has turned into a huge defecit. every measure he can think of - brag about it as a way of showing how much worse Bush and the Republicans have done.

Then he pivots. First, into a direct attack on McCain: given how much worse Bush II has done, why would anyone want 4 more years. "Whenever anyone said they voted for George Bush over Al Gore I used to ask 'which part of the Clinton/Gore administration didn't you like, the peace or the prosperity.' Sadly, its not as funny now to have to ask what part of Republicans in power you'd want more of, the lack of peace or the lack of prosperity."

Second, he pivots back to Obama. "We need a change from the last 8 years. We need to return to the successes Democrats can achieve in office. The Republicans will tell you Barack Obama doesn't have enough experience. You know what? I did alright and Obama has as much experience as I had, maybe more. If all that 30 years in Washington has done for John McCain is convinced him to continue taking the country in the same direction as George W. Bush, that hasn't been much of an experience. Barack Obama has all the experience he needs to recognize that the Republicans have made a mess of things and we need a change to clean things up around here."

Bill comes out looking good, and he addresses a couple of points Obama needs that Bill is uniquely able to address.

But he hasn't asked me for my advice.

zeitgeist,

I'll bet you're right on track. The rumors are the Big Dog doesn't want to discuss national security, but the economy, which obviously points to his accomplishments.

I happen to think a strong economy is a key component of national security, so I'm all for it.

The economy is the one area where everyone with a brain agrees, McBush is in the weeds. You better believe Big Dog is going to take advantage of that. It also happens to revive the legacy he had before the primary campaign chipped away at it. So....why not?

MsJoanne -- D to C: most of the crowd; B: Schweitzer (a few good lines but should have done better for a professional); B+: Ledbetter (points for being articulate and compelling even if she's not a professional); A: Warner (good lines and good tempo); A++: Hillary (don't think she could have done better).

"Did anyone else notice that in the beginning she identified herself as a mother, a Democrat, a Senator, an American -- but not a wife?"

I did. In fact, I kinda missed the rest of the speech, wondering if Chelsea was Bill's and Hillary's love child. If there was something important that Bill and Hillary never really divulged to their fans and Kenneth Starr... if Cindy McCain is more bipartisan than we think... if the Big Dawg will propose to Hillary on national TV tomorrow night...if Linda Tripp and Ralph Reed...oh, never mind.

Hillary cemented her position as a powerbroker in Washington tonight. She seems ready to assume Ted Kennedy's mantle as a lion of the party. I noticed she did give respect to McCain in her speech and I think that seals her stature in the Senatorial Club with the other side of the aisle. Power in Washington will flow through her.

WTF is up with the coverage? Didn't get to hear anything from Schweitzer because all the talking heads talked over him, but you could hear the crowd roaring approval in the background. NBC had Peggy Noonan commenting on Democrats ... so I'm assuming they'll get Michael Moore's comments at the RNC in Minneapolis?

This event is Rachel Maddow's coming out party. Every time I have seen her, she has towered over everyone else's commentary. Her presence only reinforces what utter lightweights make up the rest of the blabbering idiots on the tube. Tom Brokaw needs to stay retired.

Hillary's speech was stunning. It's going to be very hard to beat..

Hillary did a great job.

I just took a look at Kucinich. Wow, he brought the place down. He is really a patriot.

And I do believe if the Dems don't win, there will be nothing left of the USA to save in 4 years. We'll be a subsidiary of China.

CNN must be looking for unhappy Hillary delegates to interview. The Hillary delegates that CSPAN has interviewed are almost gushing over Obama.

Figures.

jasper...don't remain uninformed...

Q: Is it true John McCain voted with George Bush 95 percent of the time?

The Obama campaign keeps claiming McCain has voted with President Bush 95 percent of the time. Is this true? Is this significant?

A: Yes, it's true, according to Congressional Quarterly's assessment of McCain's voting record.

http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/is_it_true_john_mccain_voted_with.html

Just read a very worrying comment on Daily Kos, that the Colorado official working on the case of the people arrested in the so called plot on Obama, that was never really a plot (in his words) will let them off. The worrying bit is that he is closely connected with Rove/Mukasey. This has me really scared.

Jasper apparently has never heard of a "SAP" (Statement of Administration Policy). Kinda makes him sound like, well ... uh ... a sap, actually.

Being savaged by Bush and Company which also includes a barrage from hundreds of political commentators that are composed of Journalist in the spectrum of radio and television cable is the problem in America today.

Especially when that very medium, America’s public electromagnetic domain, which should be based on first amendment rights open to all who would like to participate is totally consumed and ruled by the rich and well connected corporate and political long timers.

Face it; this is a tough battle to wage when major media is against you. Here, this Mainstream Media has been imbedded in a war and totally sidelining and in denial any wrong doing by Bush and Company in which they are complicit to lies, deceptions, fraud, profiteering, torture, unaccountable mercenary armies, millions in refugee’s, secrets that cover up corruption that span every America’s national security agency such as FISA, CIA, FBI, lost trillions in tax dollars.

All branches of the military especially prisoners and torture with mercenaries that are a brand that is growing obviously as a stratification in the Iraq war, is part of a deep long time complicity with the very enemy America is fighting, the Arabs, explicitly the Bin Laden family which are aided and comforted by Bush and Company. For me, it is a deep sadness and disappointment that our higher military generals or even first line veterans fail to recognize this and fail to do the patriotic thing; show America it is wrong, and Bush is in a failed partnership with this complicity in corruption and profiteering.

Right after listening and watching Michelle Obama give her speech my conclusion was that Michelle did spend time and was thoughtful in developing and delivering her speech. I’ll be honest with you all, for me Michelle is no way as gracious and no way has the class or manner as JFK’s wife Jacky was. But that does not mean Michelle is not good for the place as first lady. Perhaps the first Black first lady needs to be forged much harder than we are used to.

If there was anytime in history when a burned was placed on the Black population, it will be now, and American “Democratic Whites” are likely going to give the Obama’s a chance to step up. Here, for me and perhaps with many of you there is a whole host of Black White issues that need to air out with Barrack and Michelle at the helm hopefully doing it fairly and in good faith to steer American culture and get out of the chaos we are currently in to establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity. Sound familiar…

Carville and Begala were both on CNN after Casey, Jr. spoke and either of them could have said why Casey, Sr. was not invited to speak in 1992; neither did. CNN displayed one of their "Facts" while Jr. was speaking saying Sr. was bared for his abortion stand and Casey, Jr. was asked what was different this time. Perfect opportunities to correct the record and nobody stepped up. Have Carville or Begala been asked directly about this? I have long argued that Casey refused to endorse Clinton, but I am starting to wonder.

Michelle is no way as gracious and no way has the class or manner as JFK’s wife Jacky was.

What a pissy thing to say. Of COURSE she's not Jackie O. No one is Jackie O. Even Caroline K. is not Jackie O. Jackie was raised in privilege and assumed much more with her marriage to Onassis. Michelle was raised by working class people.

If you want studied manners, Mego, go with Cindy McCain.

I watched a lot of Democratic primary "candidate forums" -- where the contenders spoke to relatively small groups of local Democratic voters and activists -- on C-Span during the 2004 primary campaign.

Kucinich was consistently a brilliant, eloquent, articulate, passionate and fiery speaker and got multiple standing ovations pretty much every time he spoke.

Then John Kerry would take the podium and suck the life out of the room with interminable pointless droning.

If Dennis Kucinich looked like Robert Redford, he would have been elected president in a landslide in 2004.

Actually, if Kucinich were tall, african american, and good looking, that, coupled with his lack of experience and policy specifics, and ability to give a outstanding speech would probably have won him the nomination this year. It certainly was a winning formula for the current nominee. Come to think of it, though, at least Kucinich has had executive experience, unlike the current bnominee, even if he did drive Cleveland into the financial ditch. The only thing the current nominee has run is, well ... his mouth, I think. And for whatever office is next, of course.