This is the first time that I have watched more than a few minutes of the Democratic Convention. I am driven by the curiosity of a theatre critic: How is the event staged? What is the party doing to avoid disaster in November? Will Hillary or Bill be the spoilers there are rumored to be?  If this is not the year to beat Republicans, when will there ever be a a chance again? I just watched Bill Clinton’s speech. It was good but Hillary’s speech yesterday was even stronger. Joe Biden’s speech was very different. He took on John McCain the most and his style was very different. It was powerful stuff. Then came the surprise visitor: Barak Obama. Effortlessly he got he took control of the crowd after two masterful orators. Unlike the Republican commentator Peggy Noonan (click on more), I think the event tomorrow night in the stadium will be a big success. Obama has the magic touch.

DECLARATIONS By PEGGY NOONAN in WSJ

The Master Has Arrived
August 28, 2008
Denver

In the time-honored tradition of the notebook dump, some thoughts and observations on the Democratic convention so far:

As for Bill Clinton’s speech, halfway through I thought: The Master has arrived. Crazy Bill, the red-faced Rageaholic, was somewhere else. This was Deft Political Pro Bill doing what no one had been able to do up to this point at the convention, and that is make the case for Barack Obama. He lambasted the foe, asserted Obama’s growth on the trail, argued that he was the right man for the job and did that as a man who once held that job and is remembered, at least in terms of domestic policy and at least by half the country, as having done it pretty darn well. He gave his full imprimatur to a crowd that believes he has an imprimatur to give. As Clinton spoke a friend IM’d, “What is this, the Clinton convention?” The fact is, until both Clintons spoke, it was. Now oddly enough it isn’t. Now eyes turn, and finally, to Obama. This was one of the great tee-ups.

The Hillary speech was the best of her career. Toward Obama she was exactly as gracious as she is capable of being. Mrs. Clinton’s speeches are rarely notable for great lines but this one had a number of them. “It makes sense that George Bush and John McCain will be together next week in the Twin Cities, because these days they’re awfully hard to tell apart.” KAPOW. We’ll be hearing more of that one. “Sisterhood of the travelling pantsuits”