The speech was excellent. I was especially impressed by the confidence and command with which he spoke and his willingness to take on McCain in a very direct way.

That report from the AP has to have been written by someone who didn't even see the speech, but wrote the piece based on what they anticipated.

As far as the NPR comments about Obama seeming "too angry", I think that's pretty ridiculous too. In fact, I had been seeing criticism that the Dems hadn't been critical enough of McCain and of the failures of the Bush years. And though some of Obama's challenges to McCain were pretty sharp I really didn't see his tone as being overly angry at all.

After this I don't want to hear another word...not one...from the Republicans about Obama's "inexperience". This woman's only experience beyond the local level is a single term as a governor. Which is fine, but I thgink it's hard to argue she meets the commander-in-chief threshold. And there seems to be a real dearth of information about what her opinion might be regarding any of the critical foreign policy issues that face us. Remember, because of McCain's age and general condition, the likelihood that his vice president will be called on to take over for him is significantly higher than usual.

Isn't John McCain noted for entertaing all his political associates and media friends at barbecues? Now I wonder what the significance of that is!

Seriously though, I very much doubt whether more that about 1% of the people participating in barbecues, either as cooks or as eaters, have a single thought about the historical origins of the practice or their possible implications. They just want some good food! As for myself, I'm looking forward to having some ribs for dinner on Monday.

I don't blame Obama for slightly "exaggerating" the lack of attention to substantive issues at the GOP onvention, given how off the wall so much of what they've been saying about him is.

And, by the way, just what is an ad for a book that is no better than a hatchet job against Obama doing at the top of Salon's home page?

I also sent in a small donation today. Not much, but all I'm really able to do at this time. There was simply no way I could NOT give something. This election is just too important.

Interesting to see that, whatever the reaction of others, Democrats seem to be responding to Palin's speech and the GOP convention overall with an increased determination. We absolutely cannot let this one slip away!

Actually, I'm a little surprised at the number of those who don't consider Biden to be qualified. Of course, I suppose those are mainly the Republican base who wouldn't consider any Democrat qualified.

Meanwhile, there are a couple of aspects of this "experience" issue as it relates to Sen. Obama that need to be emphasized.

For all the disparaging remarks the Republicans made about the community organizer aspect of his resume...isn't that actually a pretty good way to learn to relate to ordinary folks and the issues that affect them? Which is what we're all supposed to be concerned about this election cycle...right?

And I think more positive emphasis needs to be placed on his experience stdying...and teaching...CONSTITUTIONAL LAW. After all, if you're swearing to uphold and defend the Constitution, isn't it a plus to have a good background in what it actually contains?

And finally, I'm having a hard time understanding why his legislative experience, including nearly four years as a UNITED STATES SENATOR are so easily dismissed. I know there are some senators who have been around the place forever, but that doesn't mean you have to have been around that long to know what's going on. Now a lot of people seem to be saying that it's only EXECUTIVE experience that counts. Which I suppose means that the only people ever qualified to become president are long term governors. But does having been a governor, paricularly of a small state, really prepare you that much better for heading up the national government than having learned its workings from the legislative side? I just don't see it that way.

Given these considerations I honestly don't believe that Sen. Obama's resume is anywhere near as "thin" as the Republicans are trying to make it out and I'd like to see this argument being pressed as the campaign goes forward.

It's a fine thing that the level of violence in Iraq has reduced and the situation on the ground has improved. But it seems to be distracting us from the fact that it's a situation we should not have been in in the first place.

The FactCheck.org critique of the McCain ad is excellent, but I wonder how many people will actually see it. It makes me wish there could be some way to require that every political ad must be followed by some sort of independent evaluation of its truthfulness.

Well, by all rights McCain's response to the financial markets' meltdown, simply repeating the old mantra that "the fundamentals of the economy are strong" (Exactly whose economy and what fundamentals is he looking at?), ought to hurt him some. Talk about out of touch!

And I do get the impression that the issue of the fundamental dishonesty and deceptiveness of McCain's campaign is taking hold, though it's hard to say to what extent.

So I am hopeful. But the truth is still that it's likely to remain a very close race right up to election day.