Watch Any Good Shows Last Night?

It was probably the most Republican-looking Democratic convention since the formation of the modern Democratic coalition under FDR, and also just about the slickest presentation they've ever had. Al Gore was funny-for-Gore, restrained in his rhetoric, and seemed a lot more comfortable as a speaker than he ever did as Vice President. But the one-two combo came from Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton (more on that below). They managed to deliver stinging criticisms of Bush from both the right and the left, all the while using southern folksiness and the gravitas of being former presidents to shield themselves from charges of cheap partisanship or "negativity." They sounded all the right notes on defense, foreign policy, and domestic concerns, and tied these issues together seamlessly. The initial reactions at CNN and MSNBC were extremely positive (even Joe Scarborough conceded that night one was masterful), and since the media coverage is bound to be a PR-driven echo chamber, the Dems are poised to have a fantastically successful convention.

I was amazed by how brilliantly Carter and Clinton worked in tandem. First Carter introduced himself and John Kerry as navy men, and in a thinly veiled jab at Bush's suspect national guard service, mentioned that Kerry managed to "show up." Carter then claimed that Kerry would restore the "judgement and maturity" that the executive branch has been "sorely lacking" for four years. Clinton picked up on the naval theme, calling Kerry a captain to lead our ship out of troubled waters, a metaphor that Kerry would be wise to adopt. And Clinton also stated explicitly what Carter merely implied about Bush, namely that he was a draft dodger---though he not only avoided off-putting hyperbole about desertion, but placed himself, along with Bush and Cheney, in the draft dodging camp. Similarly, Clinton attacked the Bush tax cuts not by demonizing the rich, but by stating that he was one of the rich, that he and the other rich didn't need tax cuts, and that Bush's spending priorities were sorely misguided. Finally, where Carter spoke of judgement and maturity, Clinton pointed out that "strength and wisdom are not opposing values." Individually, these speeches might have been the best of either man's career. Together, they were devastatingly effective. [There was one downside to the Clinton speech: one of his taglines, "Send John Kerry," is obviously going to get co-opted by the GOP as "Send John Kerry home"--ed.]

Here's what I'd like to know? How did the Democrats coordinate everything so well? The apposition of Kerry's shipmate, Carter, the violin rendition of Amazing Grace, the joint prayers by a Jew and a Muslim for the victims of the 9/11 atrocities, and finally Clinton, looks like the work of a sublimely cunning political operative. Let's hope that whoever put it all together (I'll shave my head if it was Bob Shrum) can sustain this level of performance for the rest of the week, and that Kerry himself will be up to that task.

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What about the Fox coverage? In yet another sign that Fox is becoming increasingly unable to sustain the "fair and balanced" facade, and might not even give a shit about looking objective, they decided to broadcast Bill O'Reilly talking about God-knows-what during Gore's speech, and in a stroke of inspiration that will get overshadowed by the night one speeches, had Sean Hannity and Bill Bennett talking over Jimmy Carter while Alan Colmes sat on a broom-handle (as is his wont). How fucking bizarre that Fox would have its employees (I won't call them journalists) at the convention and even out on the floor, while deciding not to broadcast the speeches of a former president and a former vice president! Anyone care to bet on whether or not Fox will broadcast the 8-10pm speeches at the Republican convention?