Democrats Win First Night

I’m a little puzzled by some of the hand-wringing about the tone of the convention last night. I’ve argued that the Democrats need to attack this week, but last night wasn’t the time to do it.

Ted Kennedy’s seriously ill, and you don’t trot him out on that podium to hit McSame with gotchas and zingers. You don’t ask Michelle Obama, who right-wing assholes are still caricaturing as an angry America hater, to use her speech to deliver political attacks.

My favorite moment of the night was the interplay between Obama and his adorable little girls. You can’t build up to that moment with a night of "John McSame suxxxxx!!1!!11!!"

Now it’s arguable that Pelosi’s "and John McCain is wrong" refrain wasn’t forceful enough, and there’s been a mixed reaction to Claire McCaskill’s speech, who also got some nice partisan digs in. But the cable news networks only aired a handful of other speeches, including Craig Robinson and Caroline Kennedy, and none of them were naturals to really go after the GOP and McSame.

So how do I know the Democrats won the night? Look at the lineup that the GOP is trotting out their first night:

• U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman (Conn.)
• Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (Calif.)
• Vice President Richard B. Cheney
• First Lady Laura Bush
• President George W. Bush

I rest my case.

The 70% of Americans who hate George W. Bush and Dick Cheney will tune in and be reminded that John McSame is in the same noxious party as these two losers. And the more Bush and Cheney embrace McSame, the worse a night it will be for him. They’re pretty much screwed.

Democrats 1, Goopers 0.

(PS.

Having said all that, I hope HRC delivers a monumental smackdown on McSame tonight.)

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