my only concern is that this is the kind of dipshit populism that wins elections.

Those who did noted it seemed to be all about Fear and 9-11 and turned them off.

But, hey, reality has a bias.

Grats, ECB.

Excellent analysis ECB. I truly hope you're right, and that style doesn't triumph over substance which seems to be the case last night.

"PALIN RAISES MONEY -- FOR OBAMA! **Exclusive** Obama scores $8 million since Palin's speech from over 130,000 donors - on pace to hit $10 million by the time John McCain hits stage, campaign says... Developing..."

I wonder about the non-substantive stuff having an effect on a lot of voters. Many don't want a complicated answer, they want an easy answer delivered by an attractive, charismatic figure that professes to be just like them - a mom. WE know it ain't true.

It remains the job of the Obama campaign - and its many surrogates, including the Clintons - to continue to define McCain and Palin as more of the same, and its the of the media to keep reporting the facts, regardless of Republican whining about bias.

Even more pathetic was all the talking heads going on and on how she pulled it off.

Damn, I can't wait til some debates start and the GOP's scraficial lamb gets cooked. Then she can go back to obscurity with her ridiculous self.

I'm really happy to be writing for the same paper as you.

Women aren't stupid, but Palin was nominated to appeal to those of them that are. And there's plenty of them - they're called "independents" or "undecideds".

Granted now the Democrats have a much better candidate running, but still. I am nervous about the "low information voters". Nervous enough that I won't feel good about this whole thing (despite all the Palin scandals) until Nov. 5th.

But he was likable. Palin isn't nearly as likable, and McCain is repulsive.

Awesome post.

"Those numbers are anecdotal, of course, but I’m hardly going into uncharted waters when I say they speak to a larger trend in American politics."

The latest numbers from The AP show more than 40 million people watched Palin last night. That's more than a million more viewers than the record set by Obama during his acceptance speech last week.

And I realize you're talking about your generation here...:

"Most of us who supported Hillary did so because she was the first progressive, smart, charismatic, Democratic female candidate for president we’d had."

...Don't forget about the great Shirley Chisholm who, in 1972, became the first major party woman/African American to run for president.