Lincoln Blog

August 28, 2008:

And on the third night . . . the finally got some traction.

After wasting the first two nights of the four evening Democratic National Convention without focusing either on the nominee or his message, it took former President Bill Clinton - not a big fan of Barack Obama's - to get his party's big show back on track.

Clinton became the first major speaker to actually outline a theme and seemed to energize the delegates who have shown little emotion; other than the Hillary delegates who are clearly struggling to cope with her defeat.
But even while finally showing some signs of life, the Democrats booted a major made-for-television opportunity.

The most significant development of this convention is the fact that for the first time in history a man of African descent is being nominated by a major party for President of the United States. The moment of his nomination was, by all accounts, a moving and awe-inspiring action. But it came well outside of prime time when nobody except the most dedicated of political junkies were watching.

That moment should have occurred at the time of maximum audience viewing as befitting the one thing at this convention that actually matters. It did not.

Of course Barack Obama will accept the nomination tonight, but Democrat stagers have already shot themselves in the foot by crafting a Greek temple from which the nominee will emerge. The pomposity of the setting has become the focus of ridicule and could overshadow anything Obama might have to say.

After two nights of this being a Clinton convention, tonight is the only purely Obama night. It will be a short lived affair.
Senator John McCain is set to announce his running mate selection on Friday at 11:00, meaning Obama's lone moment in the sun will have the shelf life of exactly one half of a news cycle.

Conventions are a unique opportunity for branding and message delivery. The Democrats have tripped coming out of the starting gate. Next week we'll see if the Republicans can get it right.

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