Democratic Convention Watch 2008 - Hillary Clinton

I keep thinking she's about to come out. But now the organic farmer/Governor of Montana is speaking. Now this guy's dynamic! It's all about the bolo tie, baby! Bring it, Schweitzer! Oh, he's getting the crowd going! "That's it, baby! Let's go win this election!" That's how he closed. Well done, Brian Schweitzer. Even Yarnell says we need more of this.

Finally! The tribute film for Hillary! It's a rockin' film, with splices of her speeches. The music has gone from Tom Petty to movie soundtrack classical! It's building! It's showing some Barack, too, this film. Oh, this is political propaganda at its best, people. And it features Chelsea Clinton's voice-over too.

Chelsea's introducing her. Here's my prediction: Chelsea Clinton will be the first female president of the United States. I hope it doesn't take that long, but she'll be the one if it does.

Hillary's got a bright orange pantsuit on. Oh, pantsuits, is there no color you can't be?

The missus is awake and moved. I tell you, this political theater works. But wait! Hillary speaks! At least she's trying to, but the crowd just keeps going and going.

Hillary's really been unwavering in her support for Barack, and the speech begins that way. Unite now, people! Fight and win together! She's doing exactly what she's supposed to. "No way, no how, no McCain." Hey, now... that's pretty catchy.

This tradition of individual anecdotes in politics is boring. A little too... cliche. I guess it works, but still. I'm done with them.

Now she's hitting the litany of issues, explaining why she ran for president and why she now supports Barack.

She's doing a callback on those individual anecdotes. She's not done with them. But she's using them as a challenge to the people who supported her but are lukewarm (or worse) to Obama. Maybe that works. She's definitely doing what the Party wants her to do.

And she's making a specific case for Barack now. "We did it before with President Clinton," (cut to Clinton leaning back in chair smugly) "and we can do it again with President Obama!"

Look out... Here come the attacks on McCain... More of the same! It's crap! We don't need that shit here! Ixnay on the Ohn-Jay IcCain-May! (I paraphrase.)

Good zinger about Bush/McCain's appropriate convention in the Twin Cities, "because it's so hard to tell them apart!"

The history geek in me loves the Harriet Tubman references. Keep going! Keep going! And to keep going we need to get going to elect Barack Obama!

Heh. She just said, "Duty."

OK, so Hillary just did very well. The missus and I were just discussing how much better she's gotten as a speaker since her campaign began six years ago (or whenever it was she began her campaign).

So what do Shields and Yarnell think? Shields says she did everything that could've been expected. I agree. And so does Yarnell, who also liked the "keep going" stuff. Maybe I'm a safe, reasonable conservative after all.

And the historians? Historian 1 thought it was a remarkable speech. Historian 2 thinks Eleanor Roosevelt would be proud. Historian 3 thinks she could've been more specific on changing her mind about earlier criticisms of Obama. Historian 2 thinks that would've been overkill and unbelievable.

On the floor Gwen Ifill thinks that generally the unity theme was successful.

They all continue to talk, way past my bedtime.