Ok, full disclosure, this is shameless self-promotion. I try to keep my DKos posts to news-based stuff, so just for fun, I just launched a site for more opinionated material.
Will try to keep it regularly updated.
One column that's up there is about the reason why "speeches" matter just as much as solutions....
The Rundown
...So as the thousands in their seats screamed, cheered, and chanted, a parade of warmup acts appeared in succession, all just hoping that some in the audience will remember that they once shared the stage with the headliner. Finally, with everyone---EVERYONE---in the arena standing, and the emotion reaching fever pitch; with the eardrum-shattering decibel level approaching that of the deck of an aircraft carrier, the lights dimmed, and the entrance video played on videoboards.
More cheering, more screaming, even, yes, some crying.
The screen goes black.
The din of the audience reaches another peak.
There he is! There he is! Some in the crowd can barely keep their composure as they point and snap pictures.
"Thank you!" roars the headliner. Then a laugh. "Thank you!" (A pause to let the audience cheer). "I love you, Indiana!"
Then, over the next ninety minutes, the star lectures the audience about withdrawing American troops from Iraq, reforming health care, ending the tax breaks that encourage employers to send jobs overseas...
Wait...huh?
The largest crowd ever shoehorned into Assembly Hall is going ballistic over politics?
Did they know this was what was going to happen? ...
Will have an actual www.com address at some point this week. For now, it's just the blog....
nationalrundown.blogspot.com