except the idea that the 1st and 2nd nights were unsuccessful. the whole convention was masterfully built up as a narrative. first night - introducing barack's (and michelle's) biography. second night - hillary night - unify the dems around the economy. third night - bill night - anoint the next democratic leader through his readiness to lead in global problems. fourth night - obama in full gravitas glow, combining every major issue with fluid compassion and intelligence.

the convention built upon itself instead of flatlining on one emotional peak or message. it ensured viewers every night. this was a virtual coming-to-age story. and it was fricking brilliant.

sure not all the speakers were great. but not every politician is a born speech-writer or speech-maker.

and there were the surprise bright spots (kennedy!), esp on tuesday - domestic economy night: dennis kucinich; brian schweitzer.

obama's campaign has reinvented the purpose and organization of a convention. that's amazing in itself. but that's not a surprise either since he's already reinvented the process of presidential campaigning.

Palin has had no foreign policy experience or policy proposal or policy stance ever. We are in 2 disastrous wars right now. And as of a couple of months ago, she was quoted as saying she wasn't really following the Iraq War, that she was more interested in Alaska issues. This is coming from a mother of a son who can be deployed to Iraq at a moment's notice and coming from a governor who has so many of its own people going off (and not coming back) to fight in those wars.

This isn't about gender. This person has no business being a heartbeat away from the presidency because just 20 months ago, she was a mayor of small village in Alaska, with a population that varies between 5000 to 9000. For comparison, my high school had 2000 students.

Obama has been formulating foreign policy proposals since the moment he stepped into Senate 4 years ago. He had foreign policy stances while he was in the Illinois State legislature. Biden has been the head foreign policy guru in Congress for years - his total time there: 30 years.

Soldiers are giving up their lives for this country. They deserve to know that the person who might have their finger on the red button and is in command of the Army, the Navy, at least knows what he or she is doing. She's never even visited most of the US. And you want this woman with no foreign policy ties whatsoever to negotiate with Maliki? Russia? France? Georgia? Israel? Iran?

She might be bright and talented. But no one who's been in a governorship for less than 2 years and has barely gone out of her state is qualified to be next-in-line to the Presidency after a skin-cancer ridden 72-year-old McCain.

Stop being petty. People lives are at stake.

Succinct coverage of the Palinapalooza that's going on right now.

I'm actually more concerned about something else. CNN just reported that the candidates are getting separate national intel briefings. Obama just had his; Biden, McCain and Palin will come next.

3 questions I hope you and your staff might investigate further:

1) Why are they being briefed separately and how do we ensure that they're all receiving the same information?

2) Obama, Biden and McCain all have security clearances because they're senators, but Palin doesn't. In light of her numerous scandals as well the recent revelation that she has ties to the AIP (Alaskan Independence Party, which as part of their platform, argues for secession from the union), how proper and safe is it for Palin to have intel briefings of national and international consequence?

3) How routine is it for candidates to be receiving intel information during the election season?

If you would all look into this, it'd be much appreciated. Thanks.

on energy. She's smart in how she handles the situation so that it can more immediately benefit Alaska.

But what I'm wondering is this - how does that make her fit to be next-in-line to the presidency? McCain should put her on his cabinet, as Secretary of Energy.

She's barely been outside of this country. She's met no world leaders,has shown no curiosity about world affairs (and national domestic affairs, except on the issue of energy) except as to how it might affect Alaska's oil production.

I've seen no evidence of her support for alternative energies in tandem with her plan to drill for oil. In fact, quite the contrary. (And we all know by now that drilling might help a few years down the line and it might last us for a decade, but with our consumption levels, we need investment and development in other sources of energy too.)

Instead, what seems to come to light daily is a pattern of reckless abuse of power and law. Moreover, her tendency to slash state programs and services with no real rhyme or reason during a budget surplus is worrisome. This woman has so little exposure to even the lower 48. How can we reasonably expect her to run our national economy that's in debt in the trillions? Especially when reports have it that she couldn't manage her town budget when she was mayor of Wasila, leaving that town in debt?

The woman is obviously smart, savvy, ballsy. But she's an up-and-comer, and makes Obama look like a veritable elder statesman, by comparison. I shudder to think that her seemingly failed economic policies in Alaska coupled with McCain's lack of economic knowledge are what we might have to look forward to in the near future.