Democratic Convention Day Four In Four Thoughts

1. God damn, I wish the TSEA and the AFL-CIO hadn't rigged the delegate selection process in the the Fifth District so that I could have gone to Denver. I mean, I know I really couldn't have gone anyway because of the first week of law school, but still...

2. Al Gore's speeches don't pack the same punch for me anymore. Maybe it's a result of all the excitement surrounding his surprise visit to Netroots Nation back in July, and spending his whole speech hyping his website.

3. I am, however, still blown away by Barack Obama (call me a Kool-Aid drinker, but it's some damn good Kool-Aid). Obama did everything he needed to do tonight--he gave the inspiring, soaring speech to give red meat to the base, while giving the policy specifications that he's been criticized for so long for not providing. He managed to strike a credible populist note, and demonstrated that he will fight against McCain. He's willing to be bipartisan while not comprosing core Democratic principles. And "Bush says he'll follow Bin Laden to the gates of hell, but won't follow him to the cave he lives in" was easily the best line of this convention.

4. I eagerly await the statement from Governor Bredesen about why this speech would have been better if it had been delivered to truckers in a Waffle House somewhere in East Tennessee. On that note, has Bredesen ever been in either a Waffle House or a Wal-Mart in his entire life?