i thought Bill, Biden and Kerry rocked it tonight. I was extremely pleased with all the speeches. I think Bill's might have been my favorite of the night.

I watched the state roll call and was also extremely moved. Democracy is a beautiful thing.

I had a feeling that Obama would show up, I knew he was in town and more roads were closed surrounding the Pepsi center tonight than the other nights. Not that that means much, but there was definitely more security around. Super busy. Great speeches.

I hope you girls are having fun here!

Just one word GREAT!!!! John Kerry was wonderful, wish he could have done that four years ago.

Joe Biden's speech had me completely sucked in, and I don't support Obama or McCain! That man can give a heck of a speech!!

I agree Ruck, he sounded great. And his wife Jill kinda looks like Helen Hunt's big sister

I loved when Beau Biden said that he, his father, and his brother marries Jill. I thought that was so sweet.

Did anybody else see Obama kiss Biden's wife on the mouth? Whoa.

Yeah, I saw that! Looked like a misfire to me. I bet he takes some ribbing from Biden on that.

How awkward! Haha. Michelle looked confused.

I was really happy with all of the speeches. They made so many good points, my head is spinning now!

Citizen, thank you SO MUCH for sharing your personalized experience. I can't imagine being one of those people in there! There are so many of them! Talking about civic duty! Moved by the love of their country. How...American! Wow, I wish I was there!

Isn't he supposed to wait until he gets into the oval office to begin filandering?

Well, UnDave he is considered the progressive candidate. Maybe he'll want to get a head start.

I saw that too Michelin...whoopsies!!!

That's definitely a change!

My only criticism of the convention so far is that, although they've been attacking the Republicans, I feel like they are holding back. The have to pull some more punches. So far everything has been catch phrases. The Republicans certainly aren't going to hold back next week. Heck, McCain's camp is already running attack ads once every half hour on CNN. Democrats need to fight harder or they are going to lose.

UnDave, As a conservative, I'd be interested in your opinion. Do you think the Democrats are being tough enough?

And Mich too of course.

Kastarte, I think they're doing it to keep in line with Obama's promised clean, positive campaign. But honestly, I do think a lot of the focus has been on Republican bashing.

I agree that they are holding back and I don't know why.

I don't know. I just get this feeling that next week is going to get ugly and the Dems will look like kittens in comparison. Maybe it is just an irrational fear and I just need to take a break from politics for a while?

I thought Kerry was great. Did you watch his speech kastarte?

As I watch yet another "attack" ad on McCain by the Obama camp, I can say that I am tired of the same attack. It's like Obama is stuck on the Bush 3rd term. McCain isn't Bush lite, or and waterd down version of Bush. Let's come up with a new attack, because you've overplayed this one.

I'm thinking they are holding back because they don't have any ammo. The long primary gave McCain plenty of ammunition on whomever won the nomination. I would have to say the ugliness of the Hillary camp towards Obama is going to bite him on the @ss.

"I have known and been friends with John McCain for almost 22 years. But every day now I learn something new about candidate McCain. To those who still believe in the myth of a maverick instead of the reality of a politician, I say, let's compare Senator McCain to candidate McCain.

Candidate McCain now supports the wartime tax cuts that Senator McCain once denounced as immoral. Candidate McCain criticizes Senator McCain's own climate change bill. Candidate McCain says he would now vote against the immigration bill that Senator McCain wrote. Are you kidding? Talk about being for it before you're against it.

Let me tell you, before he ever debates Barack Obama, John McCain should finish the debate with himself. And what's more, Senator McCain, who once railed against the smears of Karl Rove when he was the target, has morphed into candidate McCain who is using the same "Rove" tactics and the same "Rove" staff to repeat the same old politics of fear and smear. Well, not this year, not this time. The Rove-McCain tactics are old and outworn, and America will reject them in 2008." - John Kerry

I picked the wrong time to go take shower. Heard Kerry's speech on my way home from work then watched Biden and was moved by both of them. It is a very exciting and nerve wracking time

I did see Kerry's speech, lili. I thought it was sweet how he paid homage to Obama's uncle who served in WW II.

Kerry did not hold back as much as other speakers did. I especially enjoyed this part:

"I have known and been friends with John McCain for almost 22 years. But every day now I learn something new about candidate McCain. To those who still believe in the myth of a maverick instead of the reality of a politician, I say, let's compare Senator McCain to candidate McCain.

Candidate McCain now supports the wartime tax cuts that Senator McCain once denounced as immoral. Candidate McCain criticizes Senator McCain's own climate change bill. Candidate McCain says he would now vote against the immigration bill that Senator McCain wrote. Are you kidding? Talk about being for it before you're against it.

Let me tell you, before he ever debates Barack Obama, John McCain should finish the debate with himself. And what's more, Senator McCain, who once railed against the smears of Karl Rove when he was the target, has morphed into candidate McCain who is using the same "Rove" tactics and the same "Rove" staff to repeat the same old politics of fear and smear. Well, not this year, not this time. The Rove-McCain tactics are old and outworn, and America will reject them in 2008."

But like UnDave I think the "Bush's third term" argument is getting old. Is this the best we can do?

"So who can we trust to keep America safe? When Barack Obama promised to honor the best traditions of both parties and talk to our enemies, John McCain scoffed. George Bush called it "the soft comfort of appeasement." But today, Bush's diplomats are doing exactly what Obama said: talking with Iran."- John Kerry

"So who can we trust to keep America safe? When we called for a timetable to make Iraqis stand up for Iraq and bring our heroes home, John McCain called it "cut and run." But today, even President Bush has seen the light. He and Prime Minister Maliki agree on - guess what? - a timetable."- John Kerry

I loved Kerry's speech. It was full of substance. His speech gave a clear comparison between Obama and McCain.

lol we posted the same section.

I don't thinks it's old if it's the truth.

My prediction is in a couple days, we will hear over and over about Obama's "present" votes in the IL senate which made it appear that he was ducking a tough issue. That is going to get old very fast as well, but it is a BIG problem for Obama in the coming months.

"lol we posted the same section."

I started smiling when I saw it. I wish Kerry had been this confident in 2004.

UnDave, Even though she has made great strides towards unity, I believe the democrats will blame her if they don't win in November. Which is sad because I don't know what more she can do to show support. No matter what she does, however, she can't erase the drama of the primary season. It went on for too long and too much ammo was given by both sides.

It may be the truth but is it no longer an effective argument with McCain gaining in the polls?

I would argue about the "timetable" in Iraq. Bush and McCain have never been opposed to it, but they weren't going to do anything until the Iraqi government was ready. They Iraqi government now feels they are ready to assume control, and we are talking about how we can safely and responsibly hand over the reigns. Kerry is making a huge spin on that.

I have been hearing a lot of punches being made. All of the speeches have warned of the dire consequences of having McCain in office.

They compare Bush to McCain because when it comes down to fiscal matters, McCain will keep the Bush tax cuts (that he used to oppose).
When it comes to things like Social Security, McCain is just like Bush pushing for privatization. When it comes to things like Iran, McCain wants to saber rattle like Bush.
When it comes to Iraq, McCain drags his feet on a timetable even slower than Bush. When it comes to Afghanistan, McCain denied its importance just like Bush.
When it comes to Energy, McCain wants to support offshore drilling, just like Bush.

There are a lot of similarities on major issues!

I have to disagree with you on that Dave.

"Bush and McCain have never been opposed to it,"

WHAAAAAAT??????

Are you kidding?
They won't even call it a "timetable" now...it is a "general time horizon"!!!!!!!!!
They have made the biggest stink about "no timetable"!

Woops. Lilblu said that much better than I did. Sorry if I was rude, Undave.

And you are welcome to. The problem is there's the truth, and there's the spin (by both sides). The spin rarely models the truth. IMO, there's been a lot of talks about the withdrawal of the troops long before those talks became public. It is what it is. The politicians are going to spin it to their benefit.

They were never opposed to getting the troops out of Iraq. Can we agree with that?

What can we do to promote citizensugar unity? I miss some of the team red people who don't post her as often anymore.

Although it is probably impossible not to offend or argue when discussing politics.

"Time Horizon", I know it shouldn't have surprised me, but it did. That one is just pathetic.

Haha, but "horizon" sounds so hopeful! I know how you Democrats like "Hope"

I'll be MIA most of next week. I can't comment on what I don't watch. I don't think my stomach can take much of the republican convention.

I think both sides get too defensive, and don't spend enough time arguing the finer points of the differences in philosophies, and fall into personal attacks as a form of defense. I've been guilty of it, but I try hard not to. It isn't a lot of fun. It's impossible to regulate what is said, but I think it would be helpful when we see personal attacks by either side, the members/teammates call that person on it, that way it doesn't come down to a he said/she said argument. Does that make sense?

We have hope. We can't stand bs and that's what a "time horizon" is.