-Would welcome your thoughts – I’m not sure what to think. I do know that, regardless of the speech, he’s proven he’ll be the same old-line lefty politician we always thought he was. No surprise, but he didn’t make a good case that he’d really be a “different” kind of Democrat. Or “Post-Partisan” as he likes to call it.
-Ooh, in the background, I think I just heard Nancy Pelosi lead the crowd in a rousing round of “Yes We Can” chants!
10:07 p.m. Juan Williams has it right: “this speech was more prose than poetry.” I think some of us expected poetry. Maybe that’s not fair, but hey, that’s politics. John McCain certainly can’t match that spectacle. Can he exceed expectations? I’m not sure. Unfortunately, I am not sure the GOP can do as well as the Dems did, even though I don’t think this convention was that impressive. Tomorrow’s rally in Dayton, I feel, will tell us a great deal. We shall see.
-ALSO, the CUBS WON!!! WOO HOO!
-Great comment over at the liveblog on RedState: “OMG, someone just rolled the temple!” Ha!
-Are these “green” fireworks and confetti?
-Ooh. OK. Those fireworks are better. Dramatic music, too. I’m a little scared. (my wife just turned to me: “what’s with the music?”)
-Hey, maybe they won’t have to water the field now, given all the tears.
10:59 p.m. Firewords are cool, but balloons are much better. Much better. (and the streamers look a little strange)
-Gut reaction: Pretty good speech. Not great. Not enough red meat for the 85,000 people in the stadium, but probably the right amount for the average viewer. No soaring Ted Sorenson/Aaron Sorkin lines. “Workmanlike” as they’ve been saying all week. Was it “Presidential?” Not sure.
-Wow – they’re playing BROOKS & DUNN??? Who, by the way, played at the GOP convention last time around. That’s just wrong.
-Farms to save?
10:54 p.m. First mention of MLK, Jr. speech. Surprising it took that long.
-More crying people. (and they appear a little sweaty, too)
-I believe we’re now entering the “change” portion of the speech. (the preceeding session was the “liberal Democrat socialism/government can do everything” portion of the speech.)
-There’s another “change we need.”
10:50 p.m. “If you don’t have a record to run on…” ?? From Barack Obama? Four years ago, he was a back-bench state legislator who was sponsoring bills to protect partial birth abortion. Hm. Record?
-We’ve lost our sense of “common purpose?”
-He’s going to solve everything!! I may have missed something, but I think he just claimed he could solve genocide, terrorism, poverty, climate change (ha!), and maybe even bullies in your kids’ schoolyards? Can Barack buy me a new car? I could use a flat screen, too. Also, I’d like to be a little less stressed.
-Hmm. Cheap shot on McCain’s “gates of hell” comment. Obama knows which cave bin Laden is living in? Shouldn’t he tell someone? Hopefully someone with a big gun?
-Have we heard a “Yes We Can!” yet?
10:38 p.m. OK – here we go again with the “equal pay for equal work” crap. REALLY?? REALLY?? We’re stuck on this. It’s like the 12th time someone has said that line at this convention. Is this 1964?
-Now we’re getting into the meat of the liberal agenda. More money for teachers (all teachers, mind you, not just the good ones), universal healthcare, etc. etc. Groan.
10:36 p.m. Yet another crying person. I lost count.
-He’ll make it easier for Americans to afford these new cars? Huh? How? Is he going to pay a portion of everyone’s car purchases himself? (or is he going to end unionization? yeah, probably not.)
10:33 p.m. Note he didn’t say “cut our dependence on foreign oil,” but rather “oil from the Middle East.” Does that mean Hugo Chavez’s oil is okay still? Note it’s still not a commitment to increased domestic production (AKA DRILL DRILL DRILL!).
-If cutting taxes is such a good thing to do that you’re supposedly willing to cut them for 95% of Americans, why not cut them for everyone?
-You know, he keeps talking starting a small business. And yet, still, he’d like to go ahead and raise our taxes, creating significant barriers to starting a business.
-The framing of the tight shot on the speech is good, I think. The window-y thing in the background works against his dark suit, with the flag flying in the background. And, the side shots with just GOBS of people is effective. The stadium was a risk, but it may pay off.
10:25 p.m. He did not just diss the “ownership society!” Boo. “Even if you don’t have boots??”
-And just why, Senator Obama, did that auto plant close??? Perhaps because the heavy burden of unionization made American manufacturing too expensive to be affordable to everyday Americans!
-OK, Bill Clinton said McCain “voted with Bush” 90% of the time. Biden said 95%. Now Obama says 90%. But, can someone let me know when the last time President Bush cast a vote?
-If you’re playing the drinking game – “change we can believe” – drink now.
-”Eight is enough” is a mouthful to chant. Did I hear that right?
10:19 p.m. Crying person #5 on NBC by my count.
-Ok, a comment about Obama’s speaking rhythm. The last syllable of each phrase happens really quickly. Drawn out syllables throughout, and then, BAM, quickly end the phrase (and somewhat quietly). It’s a little odd, and I’ve never really noticed it before. There’s not much punctuation of the final words, which it seems like there should be.
-Geez – more pandering to the Clintons? I know he needs to win over her people, but make this YOUR night, Senator – let the Clintons be in the past.
-”I accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States.” How many times do you think he’s practiced that in front of the mirror?
-10:12 p.m. (just for some perspective) Let the crying begin. NBC has already shown two people overcome with tears.
-And here he is. Michelle looks nervous. I would be too. Wow – look at all the flashbulbs.
-I mentioned this to a colleague earlier, but it’s going to be a real challenge for Senator Obama to talk and project and fill the stadium without making it sound like he is shouting. If it sounds like he’s shouting (which he has a tendency to do) it won’t come off as well.
-Nice “family laughing and playing cards around the table” shot.
-Michelle Obama, whatever you think of her, really is a pretty woman. She has come off much more human/normal/middle-America this convention than during the campaign to date, I think.
-I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen a picture of Obama’s mom.
10:01 p.m. – OK, I’ll probably stop adding the timestamp now. The Obama-pic is rolling. Going to be lots of flashbacks to the ‘04 convention, I suspect. It was indeed a good speech. Will we hear “south side of Chicago” soon? (which always remind me of the old Jim Croce song).
10:00 p.m. Eek. Now 4-1 Phillies.
9:56 p.m. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. I’m jealous of Britt Hume’s wardrobe. Also, can it really be a “Fox News Alert” that we’re “awaiting Barack Obama?” That seems a bit much, even for Fox.
9:53 p.m. You know, honestly, I don’t get all the hubbub about the stage with the columns and what not. I think it’s kind of nice, official classic-looking. Would have been much worse if they went modern-crazy or something like that (though it is pretty amusing that it was designed by the people who design the sets for Britney Spears concerts). On another note - it’s like a rock concert there. I just heard some “whoop whoops” from the crowd. Crazy.
9:47 p.m. Uh-oh. Cubs are down 2-1. Not a good start to the evening!
9:40 p.m. Just watching the lead-up to his greatness, flipping back and forth between CNN, Fox and PBS. Wolf Blitzer just postulated that he “can’t overemphasize enough the gravity and historical nature of this night.” I believe you can indeed overemphasize, and you’re about reaching the limit. Stop now. More later…