Obligatory Convention Blogging

I won't bore you with too much arm-chair analysis of McCain and Giuliani's speeches last night. After all, not only are there a zillion other pundits out there, but we've got a gen-u-ine ringer here in the form of Steve-O. You don't keep a dog and bark yourself.

But I will just say this. I thought McCain gave a very solid, principled speech, laying out all of the reasons for going to Iraq. (Yes, nobody in the White House ever thought it was all just about WMD. That point needs to be made again and again.) I was delighted to see him get in a dig at Michael "Fat Bastard" Moore - and indeed, say the line twice. When the crowd erupted after that one, some of them were chanting "Four More Years!", but I would swear that another group was looking at Moore and chanting, "Bullsh*t! Bullsh*t!" The ravings of the F9/11 crowd aside, I think McCain's prominance is devastating to Kerry. After all, here's a guy whose Vietnam creds run circles around Mr. Reporting For Duty. McCain doesn't even really have to say anything - his mere presence takes the wind out of whatever War Hero sails Kerry had been counting on to bolster his image.

The other thing I'd note is that I can't remember the last time I saw someone having as much fun with a speech as Rudy did last night. He was the Hulk to McCain's Bruce Banner.

I gather that the Dems have been hoping to neutralize 9/11 and our achievements in Iraq and Afghanistan as campaign issues, harping on the negatives so much that the Republicans would become gun-shy about even mentioning these issues and, if they are brought up, being reflexively embarrased and defensive about them. From what I saw last night, ain't. gonna. happen.