* I still say Michael Bloomberg, while not the best speaker, was the Democratic Convention’s most impactful one. Nobody wins with just its base. You need a chunk of independents and some opposition moderates. Bloomberg, although charisma-challenged, advanced the cause.
The former Republican mayor of New York, whose net worth is 10 times that of Donald Trump, called out Trump as a “con” as only a fellow billionaire New Yorker can. That he would support Hillary Clinton–not just disavow Trump–was a big, no HUGE, get. We’ll be hearing more from him between now and November.
* So, did Gen. John Allen, the fiery, former deputy commander of CentCom, binge-watch George C. Scott as “Patton” before his well-chronicled address?
* To those Bernie Sanders supporters tempted to follow the loud lead of disaffected backers at the convention, take one for your country. Don’t sit this out, and don’t go Green Party. Jill Stein will understand. Hell, Ralph Nader would understand.
* In retrospect, it would have been better for the Democrats to have given a higher profile speaker spot to Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Articulate, respected and internationally known, he’s the antithesis of the Muslim bogeyman that embodies Donald Trump’s message.
* Bill Clinton has been called a lot of things throughout his political career. But until the Democratic Convention, we hadn’t thought of revisionist romantic.
* Frankly, Hillary Clinton is a better speaker than given credit for. For all the wide-eyed shouting and head-bobbing on the stump, she’s a pro, if not a stemwinding orator, in front of a teleprompter before a packed arena and millions viewing at home or on line. Tim Kaine should be this good.