Thinking about the RNC and the DNC

Before we focus on the nine weeks of campaigning ahead of us, I’d like to take a minute for a quick convention recap. Ignoring the politics behind the words said and pictures shown, I think the Democrats pulled off one heck of a convention. Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama both gave memorable speeches and Barack Obama pretty much hit it out of the ball park. I feel like Joe Biden’s speech got a little lost in the middle there, but even so, it was well received.

Sarah Palin did pretty well by the Republicans, but John McCain’s speech — his chance to really set the tone for the rest of the campaign — fell flat. With the abbreviated schedule of Monday, and Tuesday night hinging on Joe Lieberman (a man that most in the room worked hard against in 2000) and Fred Thompson, the RNC needed McCain to at least speak well. It just didn’t happen. Palin remains the saving grace, rhetorically speaking, of the RNC.

There are still nine weeks for Obama and McCain to convince voters, one way or the other. But McCain will need to do more than trot Palin out to change the tone his lackluster speech set last night. At least now we can spend more time on issues, right?